by Kylene Hamulak

 

Dancing With the Stars is giving all the couples another chance to win our votes with their second routines of the competition. Also new? Viewers can tweet their support to pick the encore performance tomorrow night. So what are we waiting for? Let's get to the dancing!

 

THE GOOD:

 

Jacoby and Karina, Jazz

Jacoby is our resident goofball this season, but he's gettin' schooled by kindergartners. Literally. Karina brings in a whole class of little girls to teach Jacoby about jazz. The routine begins with Karina on Jacoby's shoulders under a trenchcoat, and it just gets better from there. He is a showman, that's for sure. It's so fun to watch the two of them bouncing around the dance floor. Carrie Ann says it was really fantastic, and Len says it was full of "razzle dazzle and razzmatazz". He notes, however, that this type of dance is going to suit him, and he wants to see that same attitude with the more refined dances. Bruno thought it was spot on with wit, charm, and energy.

Total Score: 23 (8-7 (Len)-8)

 

Zendaya and Val, Jive

For the first time, Zendaya is strapping on heels to dance, and all of a sudden she's like nine feet tall and gangly. Zendaya is a gorgeous giraffe. She gets her bearings, however, and the routine is another strong one. She's quickly becoming a front runner. Carrie Ann calls her "the whole shebang!" and Len goes out on a limb and says even though someone will be dancing for the last time tonight, it won't be her. Gee, ya think? Bruno declares, "A star is born, BIG TIME." He warns her, however, that she's setting a very high expectation.

Total Score: 26 (9-8 (Len)-9)

 

Aly and Mark, Quick Step

One of the things Mark wants Aly to work on is emoting, as her facial expressions are just not exaggerated enough for the Quick Step. I barely saw her face during the routine, but her feet and steps looked great. Carrie Ann declares it the best Quick Step of the night, and Len says it was terrific. Bruno says, "It was like watching a magic little blue bird in full flight."

Total Score: 24 (8-8-8)

 

Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough, Jazz

When Derek says the judges are "either gonna love it, or they're not gonna get it," you know you're in for something. The dance floor has apparently become Tron, and I wonder how I'm supposed to pretend to judge their steps when I can't even see the dance floor with all the fog. I mean, it's absolutely a cool routine, but I have no idea what I just watched. Carrie Ann is giving a standing ovation before calling it "freaking amazing." Len agrees that dancing isn't just about steps, but also about atmosphere - "Last week was a spark. This week is a fire." Bruno says it was Modern Jazz at its most effective.

Total Score: 26 (9-8 (Len)-9)

 

THE BAD:

 

Dorothy and Tristan, Jive

Rehearsal gets interesting when a cyst on her nerve keeps Dorothy off her dancing feet for a few days. Oh, this just figures, doesn't it? Tristan finally gets an able dancer and she breaks? Dorothy comes out in flats for the routine, and, I hate to say it, but there are some problems. She misses some steps that Tristan tries to help her through, but she can't quite recover. Bruno calls it a brave performance, but he notes that there were a lot of mistakes in the footwork. Carrie Ann sensed fear, and Len says it was a mess. The audience boos, but Dorothy shushes them. "It's true," she says. I hope she gets a chance to redeem herself.

Total Score: 15 (5-5-5)

 

Sean and Peta, Jive

"Wanna hear something gross?" asks Sean. "Yeah," says Peta. Your partner hasn't showered in two days, Peta. That'll teach ya how to answer when someone asks if you wanna hear something gross. Their Jive is a pool lifeguard theme, and it's super cute. Bruno calls him "the golden boy with the light touch" but thought it was a little more Lindy Hop than Jive. Carrie Ann calls it a solid performance but says he needs to work on staying in sync with the music. Len thinks the routine was overtaken by the theme, and he didn't see enough Jive. Then a heckler from the audience asks "Why are you so cranky?" The ballroom is revolting!

Total Score: 20 (7-6 (Len)-7)

 

Wynonna and Tony, Quick Step

Wynonna is a little overwhelmed by this experience and cries during rehearsal. She and Tony are playing mall cops in their routine, so I guess I kind of get why that would make her cry. That Kevin James mall cop movie was pretty bad, and the dance isn't much better. They get the step part pretty good, but the quick? Not really there. Bruno thought it started well, but did not continue through the performance. Carrie Ann is giving her the encouragement she needs, telling her she plays it safe but has a lot of potential. Len says that it was entertaining, but a bit too slow.

Total Score: 18 (6-6-6)

 

Lisa and Gleb, Jive

Gleb wants to push Lisa to her limits and thinks she can do better than she gives herself credit for. Their Jive is a little bit of mile high pilot-stewardess action, and there are spots where I see what Gleb means - she can hit some steps, but at other times seems to lose it a little bit. Len says, "It was a bit of a bumpy ride" and thought it didn't have enough flow to it. Bruno excuses the routine, joking that Lisa "isn't used to commercial flight" and gives her some pointers going forward. Carrie Ann warns Gleb to watch the lifts and tells her that she needs to let loose.

Total Score: 18 (6-6-6)

 

THE REST:

 

How to Dance:

Ingo and Kym, Quick Step

Just pretend you're holding a penny in your butt and pretend you're better than everyone else. That's straight from the pro, so it must be true. I love the Quick Step, and I think they did a good job. What I did notice, however, was that Ingo's hat was perched precariously on his head, and I feel like he tensed up, hoping it wouldn't fall off. He must watch Dance Moms, where losing a hat during competition can get you executed...or worse, SUSPENDED! Len calls it much improved - "Bingo Ingo!" Bruno says it was a bonanza of tricky steps, but overall he had the "spirit, speed, and attitude." Carrie Ann criticizes his frame, which sets off a battle of the sexes, as Len tries to defend how hard it is for the man to hold that frame.

Total Score: 20 (6 (Carrie Ann) - 7 - 7) (And it's worth noting that Len and Bruno congratulate themselves for picking the same score.)

 

When Accessories Attack:

Victor and Lindsay, Jive

Lindsay's a tough love teacher for Victor, who is getting frustrated by not being able to pick up his steps. When he wants to leave rehearsal, Lindsay reminds him they don't have time to quit. His attitude is diffused this time, but I wonder what it'll mean in the future. It's a cute routine, but it's definitely limited in terms of actual skills. Len says it had energy and was fun, but it was scruffy, instead of crisp and precise. Bruno commends him for going for at it like a runaway train, but that hurts the style points. And then I got distracted because Carrie Ann hits herself in the head with her spiked bracelet, and if you ask me? That's not the only thing that's spiked. Someone check her cup.

Total Score: 18 (6-6-6)

 

Red Riding Hood?

Andy and Sharna, Jazz

Congratulations to Andy - he tells us this is the first time he's been under a LOT of stress without taking a drink. Also congratulations to Sharna...who I suspect is getting very thirsty if ya get my drift. She's giving him some creative input in the routine this week, which is an elaborate Mad Tea Party theme. It's actually very entertaining - Tom calls it "funcrazy." Len isn't quite sure what to say, ultimately saying it was "awkward in places, but it was fun to watch." Bruno describes it as a "monster jazz" and says he loved it. Carrie Ann is definitely drunk, using her dress as a hood. Also, she thinks it was fantastic.

Total Score: 20  (7-6 (Len)-7)

 

Better Doesn't Mean Good

DL and Cheryl, Quick Step

"This went from, like, a fun thing to the Hunger Games in tights." That's an accurate description of DWTS from DL in rehearsal, but it's not cool when he starts taking it out on Cheryl, who leaves when he crosses the line. She comes back, of course, but, again, this doesn't bode well for the rest of the competition. It's a surprisingly decent comeback from last week. Amazing? No. But decent. Bruno noticed how hard he worked on sections of it and says he did a good job. Carrie Ann notes that he still has a long way to go but is on the right track, and Len reminds him that the show is all about improvement, which he has over last week.

Total Score: 16 (5-5-6 (B))

 

Final Thoughts: I'm not making any bold predictions saying DL is the most likely candidate to be going home, but Dorothy's issue does make things interesting. I also wonder if Cheryl's fans will try to pull her through, putting Victor or Lisa in danger. Bottom three prediction? I'll put DL and Victor there, possibly dropping Andy into the third slot just because I don't want to imagine a scenario where Tristan leaves tomorrow.

 

The Standings (two weeks of scores):

50: Zendaya & Val

47: Kellie & Derek

45: Aly & Mark

43: Jacoby & Karina

40: Ingo & Kym

39: Sean & Peta

37: Andy & Sharna

36: Dorothy & Tristan, Victor & Lindsay, Wynonna & Tony, Lisa & Gleb

28: DL & Cheryl

 

 

Dancing With The Stars airs every Monday at 8/7c with Results every Tuesday at 9/8c on ABC!

 

(Images courtesy of ABC)

 

Follow Kylene on Twitter @keepingupwithky!