by Kylene Hamulak

 

There's an extra dancer on Dancing With the Stars tonight, but fan-favorite Julianne Hough isn't here as a pro or even a star - she's guest judging in place of Len! Will the stars be happier to see her paddle than our lovable, stodgy Brit? We're about to find out!

 

Here's this week's recap:

 

Jack Osborne and Cheryl (Quick Step) - Cheryl's getting a little short with Jack this week, and he just doesn't know when to be quiet. He also apparently doesn't know how to keep his arms straight in rehearsal, but Cheryl doesn't know what a marionette is, so I guess they're even. He pulls it together for the performance, and it's a good performance. Julianne calls it a "definite improvement" over last week, but reminds him to smile and have fun. Bruno is impressed by his footwork and pace, but warns him not to lose frame. Carrie says it was a good job and thought he was more animated than last week.

SCORES: 8 (Carrie Ann) - 8 (Julianne) - 8 (Bruno) = 24

 

Elizabeth Berkely and Val (Argentine Tango) - It seems Elizabeth has a staring problem that Val doesn't understand. I know plenty of women who, if partnered with Val, would also have a staring problem, so it's not that surprising. Their Tango is very intense and passionate - if Elizabeth needs to stare at Val for a few awkward minutes to get this focus, then...well, whatever works! Bruno calls her a "bewitching fantasy creature" and tells her to be proud of herself. Carrie Ann says every movement had meaning, and Julianne had goose bumps.

SCORES: 9 (C) - 9 (J) - 9 (B) = 27

Brant Daugherty and Peta (Salsa) - Due to an accident years ago, Brant's shoulders don't really work. I mean, he looks good, and he can lift Peta, but when he does? He can't really catch her. And that's kind of a problem, since in a battle of Peta's head vs the dance floor, the floor wins. Also winning: anytime Brant is shirtless, like tonight. It's not their strongest performance, but I mean...I'm not complaining about watching it. Carrie Ann says the lifts were fantastic, but thinks maybe being shirtless was too revealing of the faults in his Salsa form, and to that I say, YOU SHUT YOUR DIRTY MOUTH, CARRIE ANN! Brant can reveal anything he wants! Julianne propositions him (she's single now, you know!) but she agrees with Carrie Ann. Bruno thinks that giving so much to the performance resulted in a lack of technique, but he would rather see him entertain anyway.

SCORES: 7 (C) - 7 (J) - 7 (B) = 21

Valerie Harper and Tristan (Viennese Waltz) - Valerie had a rough dance last week, and she knows it. She wants to improve and isn't ready to quit. Tonight's dance - to "Carry On" - isn't much of an improvement on choreography, and it's as if the entire ballroom knows her time in the competition is limited. She's beautiful dancing and telling her story, but it's getting to a point where courage and joy can't fairly compete against technique. Julianne says it started beautifully, but she gets very vulnerable when she's dancing individually vs in a pair. Bruno says she "painted some very pretty pictures" and tells her to cover up mistakes with acting. Carrie Ann agrees that there were beautiful moments, but they made the mistakes stand out.

SCORES: 6 (C) - 6 (J) - 6 (B) = 18

Leah Remini and Tony (Cha Cha Cha) - If I was a dancer (or a star), I bet my rehearsals would be a lot like Leah's. You know, a lot of complaining and laying on the floor pretending to be dead. Once in the ballroom, her moves really come together impressively, and she brings a lot of spunk to every dance she performs. Bruno says she was channeling JLo tonight and loves the way she dances, though he thinks her moves can be a little sharper. Carrie Ann loves watching her dance - "You are in the zone!" - but thinks she needs to work on making her body match the amazing faces she gives. Julianne agrees with Carrie Ann, but thinks that her footwork was very strong, placing some blame on the flexibility of her shoes. I'll have to remember that the next time my dancing comes into question: BLAME IT ON THE SHOES!

SCORES: 8 (C) - 8 (J) - 8 (B) = 24

Corbin Bleu and Karina (Paso Doble) - I think one of the reasons Corbin and Karina are doing well together is because they're both serious students of dance. Natural ability is there, but they're both perfectionists - not a lot of joking around in these rehearsals. Their Paso Doble is more traditional than some others we've seen, except for the part where Corbin took his tiny vest off. I mean, the dance was still fierce, but the vest....it was so small! Why bother taking it off? Carrie Ann loved it, except for the tiny bit of hip hop that came into his form. Julianne thanks them for not bringing any gimmicks into the routine, but she's got some tips on form too. Bruno calls it "the pure essence of Paso Doble."

SCORES: 9 (C) - 9 (J) - 9 (B) = 27

Snookie and Sasha (Jive) - Snookie talks about her history as a cheerleader and how it led to her eating disorder, but the cheerleading theme this week is supposed to give her better memories of the sport. Unfortunately, traveling back and forth to her family on the East Coast is taking its toll, and she's not feeling great. Now, as a side note, her son is a year old. I don't really understand why she can't bring her family to California for a little while to make things easier. Anyway, the routine is fast and fun, but the tricks take a little bit away from the Jive technique. Julianne loved it and calls Snookie her "little nugget" but tells her that the flicks and kicks need to be sharper. Bruno agrees with Julianne, but is still impressed with how much she's grown. Carrie Ann says it was "the cutest thing I've ever seen" though she does warn her to watch her "little T-Rex arms." Apparently this is something Snookie hears all the time, so she takes it in stride.

SCORES: 8 (C) - 8 (J) - 8 (B) = 24

Christina Milian and Mark (Fox Trot) - Christina is frustrated in rehearsal and questioning herself. What she SHOULD be questioning is that full unitard she's wearing, but that's another story. I can't be sure, but they seem to be playing the same characters as last week, except less makeup on Mark and more hair on Christina. The dance has a very Fosse feel to it, and they look great on the floor. Bruno notes that it wasn't traditional, but it was fantastic. Carrie Ann warns her to work on her shoulders, though she says, "you perform the heck out of these numbers." Julianne was hoping to see a little bit more of a softer side of Christina, and she thought it seemed like they were dancing side by side instead of together.

SCORES: 8 (C) - 8 (J) - 8 (B) = 24

Amber Riley and Derek (Tango) - This week's injury report has Amber on the DL. Her knees are causing her problems and keeping her out of her dancing shoes for much of the rehearsal period. The thing about Amber is that she brings such attitude to the ballroom that she SELLS it. And this is Tango. A longer skirt cleverly hides the brace on her knee so as not to distract us from the fact that her footwork is great and her form is impressive. Carrie Ann says, "You guys were like one person!" and calls her footwork crisp, clean, and passionate. Julianne admits she was hoping to have a reason NOT to like her brother's routine, but says it was a "tight explosion" and "wonderful." Bruno calls it "pure, unmistakably, classic amazing Tango."

SCORES: 9 (C) - 9 (J) - 9 (B) = 27

Bill Engvall and Emma (Samba)- There's a lot of hip grinding going on in rehearsals this week, and Bill describes himself as a creepy old man because of it. Bill's effort always pays off in the ballroom - he never disappoints in entertainment value, even if the skills and techniques may not be as impressive as some of the other pairs. He's surprising us with improvements every week, and it's fun to watch. Julianne calls him "the heart of the show" and says she'd love to dance with him. Bruno says, "It had everything you could wish for in a Samba except timing and rhythm," but even so, he wishes he could see it again. Carrie Ann isn't sure what kind of Samba it was, but she thought it was wonderful.

SCORES: 7 (C) - 7 (J) - 7 (B) = 21

 

Elimination Recap:

 

Surprisingly, eliminations begin quickly tonight, with Bill and Emma learning they're safe just a moment after tonight's scores are revealed.

 

With the remaining couples awaiting their fates, the following couples are announced as safe: Elizabeth and Val, Leah and Tony, Corbin and Karina, Amber and Derek, Jack and Cheryl, and Christina and Mark.

 

That leaves Brant and Peta, Snookie and Sasha, and Valerie and Tristan at risk for elimination. Snookie and Sasha are sent to safety before the eliminated couple is announced. Either way, one of the prettiest boys on the show will be leaving tonight.

 

It's not a shock that Valerie and Tristan are eliminated. She's had a tough couple of weeks, but her joyful attitude has not waned, and she's still an inspiration for dancing out there in the first place.

 

As a general statement, it's odd that tonight the judges agreed on every single score. A little discourse does the show good in my opinion, and even though Julianne's critiques were well thought out and constructive, the scores as a whole were pretty anticlimactic. We'll have to wait and see if that trend continues next week.

 

What did you think of Julianne's judging? Do you prefer her style or do you miss Len? Let us know in the comments below!

 

Catch Dancing With the Stars every Monday at 8/7c on ABC!

 

(Image Courtesy of ABC)

 

Follow Kylene on Twitter at @keepingupwithky!