Dancing With The Stars, Week 1, Day 2 Recap

By Jackie Josephs

Week 1-Day 2 Dances: Quickstep/Mambo

Well, sadly, Jeffrey and Edyta got sent home tonight which was sad. He seemed like such a sweet guy who really was enjoying himself. Like he said, “I’m more ha, ha, ha then Cha, Cha, Cha.”

However, there was much more dancing left after he got sent home….12 couples still had to go on the dance floor and prove themselves one more time. This is how I saw it:

Kim and Mark (Mambo): Once I noticed Kim in a Latin costume, I was really hoping that this is where she was going to shine since she’s young and sexy; however, that didn’t come to fruition. She was very lethargic-looking the whole time and had no punch or sass!! Mambo is all about quick movements, hip shaking, and sexy lines. Her routine was choreographed well by Mark and accented the song but she just didn’t make it come alive enough. As Bruno said, she is frustrating to watch because she’s got the look and the body...all she needs now is the confidence!

Susan and Tony (Quickstep): Tony definitely redeemed himself tonight with Susan’s beautiful Quickstep!! She danced like a different person tonight; she was fluid and on time. Her head carriage was pretty good for her first smooth dance and her footwork was great. I’m hoping that this gave her a boost of confidence and now she can start opening up more in the coming weeks. And let me add that her costume was gorgeous. Great job!!

Warren and Kym (Quickstep): As I figured, Smooth is going to be a much bigger challenge for Warren because he can’t let loose as much as he can in the Rhythm style. Surprisingly enough, however, he did do a much better job than I had imagined someone of his size would do. Because of his football background, he really knows how to move his feet quickly and that he did! The choreography was not easy at all and he did a great job of keeping up with Kym and the music. He was energetic throughout the whole routine and put 110% into it. Again, the area that he has to be aware of is his feet. They did get sloppy at certain points and heel leads were not always being done. Overall, for the first week, he did a fantastic job.

Cloris and Corky (Mambo): Wow, what do I say about Cloris??!! She has definitely brought a different spin to the show this season. Her spunk and wittiness with Corky and the judges is absolutely hilarious. The routine that Corky choreographed with her was hysterical, definitely allowing her to let loose and show off her wild side. One element that she did exceptionally well at was her chaines turns - they were really really good. I hope she stays on for a while just so we can see what else they come up with for our entertainment. You go girl!

Toni and Alec (Quickstep): Yet again, I feel that the judges were too nice to her tonight. She did dance the Quickstep well and her timing was good but her posture and frame were not. Her shoulders were way too high and her head carriage was all over the place. Like the judges stated, I thought their partnership together was apparent and they are very in tune with one another. Alec also did a good job with the structure of the dance keeping it simple while still showing the basic elements of it.

Misty and Maks (Mambo): This volleyball player can dance!! She did fantastic tonight, proving that tall and sporty doesn’t mean you can’t be sexy and elegant. She managed to take toe leads throughout most of the dance, which is not easy, and she also rocked it out with all her solo pieces showing that she’s not scared of getting all the attention. Her power and attitude was awesome as well... wish she could have given some of that to Kim. The only area she needs to improve on slightly is straightening her legs. They were both bent most the time which means she’s not using her height to the fullest. She definitely is in this competition for the long haul and deserved a higher score than a 21!

Cody and Julianne (Quickstep): He showed the judges that he can be a man and dance the more mature dances just as well as the younger, sassy ones. His Quickstep was fabulous tonight! His frame was decent and his footwork was phenomenal - quick and precise. I loved how Julianne started the routine and really got the audience’s attention. His sense of maturity throughout the dance was admirable and his finesse was fantastic. I personally loved him tonight!

Brooke and Derek (Quickstep): Brooke looked absolutely ravishing in her costume; they looked so well matched and classy for the beautiful Quickstep. Her Cha Cha was impressive in itself but to come out and again wow the audience and the judges with her Smooth dance was quite an achievement. Her movement was smooth and her timing was spot on. The choreography was adorable and had a great mix of fun and flair. Overall, her feeling of the Quickstep was nothing but accurate. She just needs to clean up her frame a little more by keeping her shoulders down and she will keep getting those high scores!

Rocco and Karina (Quickstep): As I said about Toni, I felt that the judges were a little too generous by giving him a 21. Even though you can tell that he was trying really hard, he just lost the smoothness of the dance. His frame was way too weak and his footwork was sloppy. For me, the choreography was more about tricks than it was about showing actual dancing. With that being said, the tricks were well rehearsed and the entrances and exits were clean. I also loved the energy and feeling he brought to the dance. I think with a few more “beatings” from Karina he will improve in those areas and grow into a much better dancer.

Maurice and Cheryl (Mambo): Well, he proved his quick feet again tonight!! His mambo was sexy!!! His hips never stopped moving and his feeling of the dance was oozing the whole time. The choreography was much better than the Foxtrot. It had a great mix of tricks and elements to the dance and his smile was enjoyable. He needs to work on his posture and his feet need to stay turned out a little more, but Rhythm is definitely going to be his strong side…watch out!!

Lance and Lacey (Quickstep): Let me start with the fact that they were robbed by getting that song, it was NOT a Quickstep at all. So, with that being said, Lacey did a good job with working with the song and making it actually look like a ballroom dance song! However, since the song had a funky beat the judges criticized it for being too “jivey,” but I felt that was unfair. His energetic and fresh twist on the Quickstep was exciting, but his frame bobbled too much and his head was too forward again. However, with his musical background his sense of rhythm is impeccable.

Ted and Inna (Mambo): There is something so suave about Ted. He’s a man’s man for sure. He brought out his inner Latino and shook his hips like a pro. He, again, had the best footwork of the night and his shimmies were fantastic!! He was a little awkward at times and a little unsure of himself, but his showmanship won me over and I thought he deserved more than a 19! He’s going to be an inspiration for all the men out there!!