Dancing With The Stars, Season 11 Commentary

Week Three

By Natasha Oreshkina, award winning ballroom dancer

This week was Story Week where each dance had to tell a story.

Margaret Cho was eliminated this week after performing a Samba. The beginning of her dance was OK but then she lost her timing as the dance progresses.

Bristol Palin performed a Foxtrot for a score of 19. Her dance last week was much better than this week's.

Florence Henderson received a 20 for her Waltz. I always enjoy watching her. She looks beautiful on the floor. Her dance was sweet and full of emotion. She had a nice presentation.

The Situation also received a 20 for his Foxtrot. His dance was entertaining but it needed more flowing action and style. He needs to concentrate on that.

My two favorites this week were Jennifer Grey and Audrina Patridge.
They had the most interesting performances for me. Jennifer performed a beautiful and complicated Samba. Her Samba Rolls were executed nicely and I enjoyed the story of her dance. Similarily, Audrina performed a beautiful Foxtrot. I am so proud of and happy for Tony Dovolani for teaching Audrina so well! Her memorable dance was smooth, elegant, and emotional.

One quick comment about Maks and Brandy. This week, there was some footage shown of Maks slapping Brandy as he taught her. I know that Maks is tough on his students but he needs to understand that these celebrities are not professional dancers. Our goal as teachers should be to have students feel confident and enjoy themselves. Yes, we should concentrate on the technique and style of each dance but we can't forget that dancing is also about having fun and enjoyment.