Category Archives: Melissa Gilbert

DWTS 14: Compare quickstep

May 15

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Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas:

Maria Menounos and Derek Hough:

William Levy and Cheryl Burke:

Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd:

Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy

Gladys Knight and Tristan MacManus

Posted in Dancing with the Stars Season 14, Donald Driver, Gladys Knight, Katherine Jenkins, Maria Menounos, Melissa Gilbert, Roshon Fegan, William Levy

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DWTS 14 Week 8 results: Roshon Fegan and Melissa Gilbert ousted

May 9

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Tuesday night (8 May 2012) on “Dancing with the Stars” season 14, the first ever double elimination didn’t bring any surprises. One strong dancer, Roshon Fegan,  who we already knew didn’t have a strong fan base was out, even though he and his partner Chelsie Hightower had a combined score for two dances that placed them second on the leader board.  The other star that got the boot had a strong fan base, but was not a good dancer: Melissa Gilbert.

Previously, Fegan and Hightower had been in the bottom-two three times (weeks 4, 6 and 7) despite high scores. The message was clear. Fegan’s fans either weren’t watching DWTS or other celebrities had stronger fan bases.

As of today (9 May 2012),  Fegan and Hightower have the high score this season for the quickstep with 26 points. This team doesn’t have the low score for any dance.

Gilbert and Chmerkovskiy were a totally different story. This team had the low score cha cha cha (20), salsa (21), paso doble (22), Viennese waltz (with 24 and tied with the eliminated Jaleel White and his partner Kym Johnson) and Argentine tango (21).

Gilbert and Chmerkovskiy had never been the high score, but they had also never been in the bottom-two.

Fegan and Hightower’s lowest score was 23 (cha cha cha and rumba).  Gilbert and Chmerkovskiy received their lowest score (20) for both the cha cha cha and the quickstep. Yet this week, Gilbert and Chmerkovskiy had surprising posted a 27 (9, 9, 9) for their Trio Challenge samba.  That score was higher than the 25 (8, 8, 9) that Fegan and Hightower received during week 3 for the same dance.

Although Fegan and Hightower’s combined score for Monday night placed them in second, they had a comparatively low score average: 25.7 (for 10 dances, excluding the Motown Marathon). Gilbert and Chmerkovskiy had a 22.9 average.

The averages of the four remaining couples are as follows.

  • Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas: 27.2
  • William Levy and Cheryl Burke: 26.5
  • Maria Menounos and Derek Hough: 26.2
  • Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd: 26.0
While Jenkins and Ballas have the highest average, Jenkins has problems expressing aggression as seen in her paso doble performance and she has faltered performing certain tricks as in this week’s Viennese waltz performance. Both Ballas and Hough can take risks that seem more of a choreographer’s showcase than something that suits their dance partner well.
Driver shows in this week’s jive that he’s light on his feet, particularly in comparison with fellow hunk telenovela star William Levy.  Driver’s other disadvantage is his professional dance partner: Peta Murgatroyd. She’s never been in a DWTS semi-finals unlike the other three pros. Below are the dances for next week, Monday (14 May 2012).
  • Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas: quickstep/salsa
  • William Levy and Cheryl Burke: tango/samba
  • Maria Menounos and Derek Hough: Argentine tango/jive
  • Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd: waltz/samba
The evening also included a dance tribute the Dick Clark who passed away in Santa Monica on 18 April 2012.

LEADER BOARD

Individual dance + Latin Round

William Levy and Cheryl Burke: 30 (10,10,10) + 27 (9,9,9) = 57
*Tony Dovolani*
Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower: 29 (10,9,10) + 27 (9,9,9) = 56
*Sasha Farber*
Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd: 27 (9, 9, 9) +28 (10,9,9) = 55
*Karina Smirnoff*
Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas: 26 (8,9,9) + 29 (10,9,10) = 55
*Tristan MacManus*
Maria Menounos and Derek Hough: 28 (10,8,10) +25 (9,7,9) = 53
*Henry Byalikov*
Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy: 24 (8,8,8) + 27 (9,9,9) = 51
*Val Chmerkovskiy*

INDIVIDUAL DANCE

William Levy and Cheryl Burke: 30 (10,10,10)

Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower: 29 (10,9,10)

Maria Menounos and Derek Hough: 28 (10,8,10)

Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd: 27 (9, 9, 9)

Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas: 26 (8,9,9)

Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy: 24 (8,8,8)

LATIN ROUND

Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas:  29 (10,9,10)

Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd: 28 (10,9,9)

Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower: 27 (9,9,9)

Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy:  27 (9,9,9)

William Levy and Cheryl Burke:  27 (9,9,9)

  • Tony Dovolani
  • Paso doble

Maria Menounos and Derek Hough: 25 (9,7,9)

Posted in Dancing with the Stars Season 14, Donald Driver, Katherine Jenkins, Maria Menounos, Melissa Gilbert, Roshon Fegan, William Levy

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DWTS 14 Week 8 results: Farewell Melissa Gilbert

May 9

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Week 1

Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
  • Team paso doble
Week 8

LEADER BOARD
Individual dance + Latin Round

William Levy and Cheryl Burke: 30 (10,10,10) + 27 (9,9,9) = 57
*Tony Dovolani*
Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower: 29 (10,9,10) + 27 (9,9,9) = 56
*Sasha Farber*
Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd: 27 (9, 9, 9) +28 (10,9,9) = 55
*Karina Smirnoff*
Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas: 26 (8,9,9) + 29 (10,9,10) = 55
*Tristan MacManus*
Maria Menounos and Derek Hough: 28 (10,8,10) +25 (9,7,9) = 53
*Henry Byalikov*
Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy: 24 (8,8,8) + 27 (9,9,9) = 51
*Val Chmerkovskiy*

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DWTS 14: Compare jive

May 9

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Jive

Maria Menounos and Derek Hough:

Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd

Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas

Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy:

Sherri Shepherd and Val Chmerkovskiy:

Jaleel White and Kym Johnson:

William Levy and Cheryl Burke

Gavin Degraw and Karina Smirnoff:

Jack Wagner and Anna Trebunskaya:

Martina Navratilova and Tony Dovolani:

Posted in Dancing with the Stars Season 14, Donald Driver, Gavin DeGraw, Gladys Knight, Jack Wagner, Jaleel White, Katherine Jenkins, Maria Menounos, Martina Navratilova, Melissa Gilbert, Roshon Fegan, Sherri Shepherd, Uncategorized, William Levy

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DWTS 14: Compare Viennese waltz

May 9

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Maria Menounos and Derek Hough:

William Levy and Cheryl Burke:

Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd:

Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower:

Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas:

Jaleel White and Kym Johnson:

Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy:

Posted in Dancing with the Stars Season 14, Donald Driver, Jaleel White, Katherine Jenkins, Maria Menounos, Melissa Gilbert, Roshon Fegan, William Levy

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DWTS 14 Week 8: Melissa Gilbert improves but still last

May 8

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One of the surprises Monday night on “Dancing with the Stars” season 14,  was how well Melissa Gilbert performed. Gilbert has finally hit her groove, but is it a bit late? Performing the foxtrot with her partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy, she earned a 24 which had previously been her best score for the season (received during Motown week for her Viennese waltz). When both Maksim and Val took her to the floor for the Trio Challenge, she had a major breakthrough and a well-deserved score of 27 for a samba.

To put thing in perspective, her 24 for the foxtrot put her on the same level as Gladys Knight and Tristan MacManus who performed this dance during Personal Story Week (week 3). The top score this season for the foxtrot was earned Monday by the coolly debonair telenovela star William Levy and his partner Cheryl Burke: 30.

Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovsky danced the foxtrot to “Maggie May” by Rod Stewart. The beginning set up was a bit forced and Gilbert failed to finish all of her moves, but she was notably more relaxed on stage. In the dips, she finally kept her core tight. Sometimes she hesitates walking backward. She finally was able to show how radiant she could be on the dance floor.

Carrie Ann Inaba felt it was her best dance ever despite a few stumbles.

Bruno Tonioli quipped, “The cougar got her prize and a much smoother ride.” He complimented her presentation and that she was beginning to finish her lines.

For the samba, however, Gilbert and the Chmerkovskiys earned the second highest score of the season, a 27. Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas have the season’s high score thus far for the samba with a near-perfect 29.

That means Gilbert and the Chmerkovskys beat out Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower who received a 25 for the samba they performed during week 3 (Personal Story Week).  They also beat Maria Menounos and Derek Hough who performed a samba that was too Bollywood for head judge Len Goodman: 25 (9,7,9).

Gilbert was finally able to fulfill the promise she had the first week as the woman in black. There were a few problems. When she runs forward or backward she tends to lose character.

Carrie Ann Inaba proclaimed that she liked this Maksim and Val Chmerkovskiy sandwich and the performance was Gilbert’s best number by a mile.

Len Goodman agreed, saying that usually “two’s company and three’s a crowd but  not tonight.”

Tonioli compared her to Rita Hayworth, adding “It apparently takes two to get the best out of you.”

Gilbert and the Chmerkovskiys dance to “Hard to Handle” by Otis Redding. Despite her good score, other teams have consistently done better.  Gilbert and Maksim were the only team Monday night that did not receive even one of the ten tens awarded. Their average score is 22.9. Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower have the second lowest average with 25.7. That’s only three tenths behind Donald Driver and Peta Chmerkovskiy whose average is 26.

Tonight is a double elimination and the two who should go are Gilbert and Chmerkovskiy and Fegan and Hightower. While Fegan and Hightower have the high score for the quickstep and isn’t the low score in any dance, they have been i the bottom two three times, most recently last week when they won a dance duel against Jaleel White and Kym Johnson.

Gilbert and Chmerkovskiy have never been in the bottom two to date, but they are the low score for the cha cha cha (20 during week 1), salsa (21), paso doble (22) Viennese waltz (24) and the Argentine tango (21).  Monday night their combined score put them at the bottom of the leader board while Fegan and Hightower were second behind William Levy and Cheryl Burke.

Foxtrot:

  • William Levy and Cheryl Burke: 30 (10,10,10)
  • Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower: 29 (10,9,10)
  • Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd: 27 (9, 9, 9)
  • Maria Menounos and Derek Hough: 26 (8, 9, 9)
  • Katherine Jenkins & Mark Ballas:26 (9, 8,9)
  • Jaleel White & Kym Johnson: 26 (9,8,9)
  • Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy: 24 (8,8,8)
  • Gladys Knight and Tristan MacManus:24 (8, 8, 8)
  • Jack Wagner & Anna Trebunskaya:23 (8, 7, 8)
  • Sherri Shepherd & Val Chmerkovskiy: 23
  • Gavin Degraw & Karina Smirnoff: 20
  • Martina Navratilova & Tony Dovolani: 20 (7, 6,7)

Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy: 24 (8,8,8)

Gladys Knight and Tristan MacManus:

Samba

  • Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas: 29 (10, 9, 10)
  • Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy: 27 (9,9,9)
  • Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower: 25 (8, 8, 9)
  • Maria Menounos and Derek Hough: 25 (9,7,9)
  • Jaleel White and Kym Johnson: 24 (8, 8, 8)
  • Jack Wagner and Anna Trebunskaya: 24 (8, 8, 8)
  • Gladys Knight and Tristan McManus: 22 (7, 7, 8)
  • Gavin DeGraw and Karina Smirnoff: 19 (6, 6, 7)

Compare samba performances

LEADER BOARD for week 8
Individual dance + Latin Round

William Levy and Cheryl Burke: 30 (10,10,10) + 27 (9,9,9) = 57
*Tony Dovolani*
Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower: 29 (10,9,10) + 27 (9,9,9) = 56
*Sasha Farber*
Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd: 27 (9, 9, 9) +28 (10,9,9) = 55
*Karina Smirnoff*
Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas: 26 (8,9,9) + 29 (10,9,10) = 55
*Tristan MacManus*
Maria Menounos and Derek Hough: 28 (10,8,10) +25 (9,7,9) = 53
*Henry Byalikov*
Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy: 24 (8,8,8) + 27 (9,9,9) = 51
*Val Chmerkovskiy*

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Posted in Dancing with the Stars Season 14, Melissa Gilbert, Uncategorized

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DWTS 14 Week 8: Ten tens and a lad takes the lead

DWTS 14 Week 8: Ten tens and a lad takes the lead

May 8

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This week on “Dancing with the Stars” season 14, the producers tried something new: The Trio Challenge.  The six remaining couples must perform with either one of the eliminated professional dancers or a dance troupe member during their Latin routine. Tuesday night, two couples will be eliminated as next week is the semi-finals. Despite the taxing schedule of learning two dances, the teams performed well enough that the judges awarded ten tens.

At the top, was telenovela star William Levy and his partner Cheryl Burke. This team ended the night with the only perfect score for their individual dance (foxtrot to “Stray Cat Strut” by Stray Cats) Levy, Burke and Tony Dovolani performed a manly paso doble for a 27. That gave this team 57.

“If I do it bad, Tony,” Levy cautioned during rehearsals, “you do it bad.”

In second place was the unlucky Disney kid Roshon Fegan and his partner Chelsie Hightower. Fegan and Hightower are the only team that has been in the bottom-two and moved forward.  Fegan and Hightower were one-point shy of perfection with only head judge Len Goodman giving the couple a nine for their foxtrot to “Sweet Pea” by Amos Lee. For their Latin trio dance, Fegan and Hightower were teamed with Sasha Farber for the paso doble. Dancing to “Turn Me On” by David Guetta (featuring Nicki Minaj) they received the same score as Levy, Burke and Dovolani, 27 (9, 9, 9).

Tied for third place were Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas who received a 26 (8, 9, 9) for their Viennese waltz. With Tristan MacManus, they did better, earning a 29 for the cha cha cha (10, 9, 10). They danced to “Kathleen“　by David Gray for the V. waltz and “She’s a Lady” by Tom Jones for the cha cha cha.

Jenkins and Ballas were tied with the couple who opened  up the evening: Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd.

The couple who earned the first perfect score of the season, Maria Menounos and Derek Hough, were second from the bottom.  How is that possible? Hough decided to try a little Bollywood and there was too little samba for head judge Len Goodman.

As usual, Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy were at the bottom of the leader board even though they received a 24 for their foxtrot and a 27 for their samba.  Gilbert and Chmerkovskiy had received a 24 once before during week 6 for their Viennese waltz during Motown Week. The 27 the high score thus for for Gilbert and Chmerkovskiy (and Val Chmerkovskiy). Gilbert seemed relaxed and really coming into her own during this showy samba.

Still, this couple is the weakest and should be eliminated, but will they? The Gilbert-Maksim fan base is strong.

LEADER BOARD
Individual dance + Latin Round

William Levy and Cheryl Burke: 30 (10,10,10) + 27 (9,9,9) = 57
*Tony Dovolani*
Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower: 29 (10,9,10) + 27 (9,9,9) = 56
*Sasha Farber*
Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd: 27 (9, 9, 9) +28 (10,9,9) = 55
*Karina Smirnoff*
Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas: 26 (8,9,9) + 29 (10,9,10) = 55
*Tristan MacManus*
Maria Menounos and Derek Hough: 28 (10,8,10) +25 (9,7,9) = 53
*Henry Byalikov*
Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy: 24 (8,8,8) + 27 (9,9,9) = 51
*Val Chmerkovskiy*

INDIVIDUAL DANCE

William Levy and Cheryl Burke: 30 (10,10,10)

Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower: 29 (10,9,10)

Maria Menounos and Derek Hough: 28 (10,8,10)

Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd: 27 (9, 9, 9)

Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas: 26 (8,9,9)

Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy: 24 (8,8,8)

LATIN ROUND

Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas:  29 (10,9,10)

Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd: 28 (10,9,9)

Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower: 27 (9,9,9)

Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy:  27 (9,9,9)

William Levy and Cheryl Burke:  27 (9,9,9)

  • Tony Dovolani
  • Paso doble

Maria Menounos and Derek Hough: 25 (9,7,9)

Posted in Dancing with the Stars Season 14, Donald Driver, Maria Menounos, Melissa Gilbert, Roshon Fegan, William Levy

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DWTS 14 Week 7: Was Melissa Gilbert underscored?

DWTS 14 Week 7: Was Melissa Gilbert underscored?

May 2

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Due to a delayed flight and jet lag, we were unable to comment on Monday night’s performances. From reading other articles, there seems to be a perception that Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy were underscored for their Argentine tango performance on Classical Week of “Dancing with the Stars” season 14.

The judges gave Gilbert and Chmerkovskiy 21 points (7, 7, 7), but the fans felt she deserved a better score.

Looking at this team’s performance, frame by frame, I agree with the judges.

0.25

  • Her arms are stiff and inexpressive during the first lift and she looks fearful but not in a way that says this is my character being abducted.
  • The white dress high-waistline dress  isn’t what one would expect for Argentine tango and though it looks bridal enough, the dress would be better suited for a lyrical something like the rumba.

0:40

  • Her ganchos (hooks as the DWTS judges call them) are shallow although we rarely see ganchos performed well even by the professional dancers on DWTS

0:42

  • Her foot is flexed both going into and out of this move. Consider the beauty of Katherine Jenkins’ performance.
  • Jenkins gives lift at 0:42 and 0:36 have better transitions and her leg extension is lovely.

0:44 

  • Her free leg (the one she isn’t standing on) is bent and not turned out. Her right arm is straight and not curved.

0:47 

  • Her position rising is an unflattering squat with her bum out and her shoulders up.
  • Her left arm is straight.
  • Her face lacks expression.

1:01-1:03

  • Her legs aren’t close together on take off.
  • Her shoulders are up.
  • She looks tense.
  • Her feet are flexed going in and out of this move.

1:05

  • Her legs are flexed.
  • Her shoulders are up.
  • The transition is awkward.

1:11

  • This lift is better suited for swing or jive, but not Argentine tango.

1:30

  • The walk doesn’t have expression.
  • Her free warm is straight and her fingers apart instead of gracefully together.
  • Her shoulders are up.

1:33

  • The transition into this lift is awkward  as is the transition out.

1:39

  • The sudden lift up to change position probably indicates that Gilbert doesn’t have the core strength to get to her next position by herself.
  • At the beginning of the drag, her core isn’t strong. Look at her waist. She can’t sustain the drag in a straight body position for long.

While the judges criticized this for the excessive number of lifts, the choreography also saves us from looking at her awkward footwork. There were no nuances in her upper body or expression on her face.

What did the judges say?

Bruno Tonioli commented that “You’re extremely brave” for taking on Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro.” However, the performance looked like she was “riding the Cyclone in Coney Island. It got messy. Up and down, the lifts it wasn’t clean.” I agree with this. The lifts are easier for the female celebrities because the male pros know what they are doing whereas with the male celebrities, they have to learn the techniques.

Carrie Ann Inaba compared the dance to “Cirque du Soleil that went terribly wrong.” Inaba felt that for the lifts, the routine went for quantity with a lack of quality, making the performance a  “lift-fest.”

Len Goodman said that “dance is a marriage between the music and the movement” but found the routine lacked dance quality.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s 1786 “The Marriage of Figaro” or “Le nozze di Figaro, ossia la folle giornata” is a comic opera with a libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte based  on an earlier comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais. The story, a continuation of “The Barber of Seville” several years later, is about how the Count Almaviva attempts to prevent his head servant Figaro from marrying Susanna on one particular day of madness.

The Count hopes to restore an old law whereby the lord has the feudal right to have sexual relations with his servant on the wedding night before she sleeps with her husband. The count tries to force Figaro to marry a much older woman, but his plans are thwarted and Figaro marries Susanna while the Count realizes that he really loves his wife.

In the opera, Susanna is not a damsel in distress. She shares snarky comments with the old housekeeper, Marcellina. She resists the Count and shelters the Count’s page against the Count’s anger. She cleverly conspires with the Countess.

There is nothing in Gilbert’s performance that suggests comedy or the sly servant duping a count. One supposed that Chmerkovskiy was portraying the Count. Gilbert’s face and body fail to express any character or mood and during week 7 this particularly problematic.

Gilbert was the weakest dancer on Classical Week, but White and Roshon Fegan have lacked the votes. This week when it came down to a rumba dance off, the judges were unanimous in voting to save Fegan and his partner Chelsie Hightower.

Fegan and Hightower have 25.1 for eight dances against White and Johnson’s 24.9. That’s pretty close. Compare that to the team of Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy whose average for eight dances is 22.3.

Gilbert and Chmerkovskiy  have never been in first on the leader board, yet they have been the low score for the cha cha cha (20), salsa (21), the paso doble (22), the Viennese waltz (tied with White and Johnson with 24), and the Argentine tango (21).
Of the two TV child stars featured on this season of “Dancing with the Stars,” the one with the lesser dance talent went forward. Unfortunately, it is also likely that Gilbert and Chmerkovskiy  will  outlast Fegan and  Hightower. Despite some great moves, Fegan and Hightower have been in the bottom-two three times while Gilbert and Chmerkovskiy have not once been in the dreaded spotlight of doom.

 

 

 

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DWTS 14: Compare paso doble

May 2

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Paso Doble

Maria Menounos and Derek Hough:

Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower: 27 (9,9,9)

William Levy and Cheryl Burke:  27 (9,9,9)

Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas:

Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd:

Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy:

Team Paso Doble: 26 (9,8,9)

William Levy and Cheryl Burke:
Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd:
Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy:

Team Tango: 27 (10,8,9)

Maria Menounos and Derek Hough:
Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas:
Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower:
Jaleel White and Kym Johnson:

Posted in Dancing with the Stars Season 14, Donald Driver, Katherine Jenkins, Maria Menounos, Melissa Gilbert, Uncategorized

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DWTS 14 Week 6: Melissa Gilbert waltzes into sixth

Apr 25

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Finally during Motown Week, Melissa Gilbert got a dance that suited her: the Viennese waltz. She and Maksim Chmerkovskiy received eights from all three judges and was able to squeak by to be one point ahead of Disney star Roshon Fegan and his partner Chelsie Hightower.

Prior to this, Gilbert had danced the salsa, paso doble, jive, quickstep and cha cha cha. Head judge Len Goodman lamented that she hadn’t been given something that might bring out her graceful and elegant side. This week with the old world grace of the Viennese waltz Gilbert and Chmerkovskiy were able to again receive a 24. She received a 24 during Week 3 (Personal Story Week) when she jived to “Dog Days Are Over” by Florence and the Machine and was in a five-way tie for last place.

This week a 24 was good enough for sixth place, above Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower who received a 24 for their rumba and above Gladys Knight and her partner Tristan MacManus who also rumbaed for a 21.

Gilbert and Chmerkovskiy danced to “Ooo Baby Baby” sung live by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. She was dressed in a flowing green dress. At times she looked more relaxed, but she still has problems keeping her shoulders back and down. Usually the woman leans back with her shoulders down, but that’s a big strain on your back and besides her back surgery, remember Gilbert also had whiplash just two weeks ago and her neck must be slightly tweaked still.

Carrie Ann Inaba commented,  “You work so hard and it is finally paying off. I see the artistry growing in you.”

Head judge Len Goodman said he saw rotation romance, beautiful lyrical musicality through the arms.

Bruno Tonioli commented on the wonderful rotation and exclaimed, “Some of your extended lines were absolutely wonderful.” All the judges seemed to feel that Gilbert was going in the right direction.

Only one other couple has danced the Viennese waltz: Fegan and Hightower during Week 4. They received a 26. This week Gilbert and Chmerkovskiy beat Fegan and Hightower in the individual dance scores and even during the cha cha cha for the Motown Marathon.

So far Gilbert hasn’t been in the bottom two and hopefully she won’t be in the bottom two this week because she hasn’t danced the jive yet.  Gilbert and Chmerkovskiy received a 20 when they performed the quickstep during week 2–the week other teams were performing the jive.

LEADER BOARD
Individual dance + Motown marathon

Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas: 29 (10, 9, 10) + 10 = 39
Jaleel White and Kym Johnson: 29 (10, 9, 10) + 8 = 37
William Levy and Cheryl Burke: 27 (9, 8, 10) + 9 = 36
Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd: 27 (9, 9, 9) + 7 = 34
Maria Menounos and Derek Hough: 26 (8, 9, 9) + 4 = 31
Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy: 24 (8, 8, 8) + 6 = 30
Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower: 23 (7, 8, 8) + 5 = 28
Gladys Knight and Tristan MacManus: 21 (7, 7, 7) + 3 = 24

Individual Dances

Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas: 29 (10, 9, 10)
Jaleel White and Kym Johnson: 29 (10, 9, 10)
William Levy and Cheryl Burke: 27 (9, 8, 10)
Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd: 27 (9, 9, 9)
Maria Menounos and Derek Hough: 26 (8, 9, 9)
Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy: 24 (8, 8, 8)
Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower: 23 (7, 8, 8)
Gladys Knight and Tristan McManus: 21 (7, 7, 7)

Motown marathon

  • Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas: 10
  • William Levy and Cheryl Burke:  9
  • Jaleel White and Kym Johnson:  8
  • Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd:  7
  • Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy:  6
  • Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower: 5
  • Maria Menounos and Derek Hough: 4
  • Gladys Knight and Tristan McManus:  3

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Posted in Dancing with the Stars Season 14, Melissa Gilbert

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