Earlier, I predicted a win for Lance and Lacey, but now I’m not so sure. Their total score, 53, a tie with Warren and Kym is a full 5 points behind Brooke and Derek. If the scoring for their routine tomorrow follows along the same lines, I think it’s going to be tough for their fans to pull them through to the win.
What to do.
I still think they should win. Out of the three couples, they have the best blend of technical skill and stage presence of the 3. There was some major score inflation going on tonight. Brooke and Derek got a perfect 30 on their freestyle, and Len gave Warren and Kym a 10 on their freestyle, a score they didn’t deserve, imo.
I was a bit disappointed with Lance and Lacey’s freestyle. There were a few decent moves in the routine, but compared to last week’s jitterbug and mambo, it lacked some major spark
So, what to do about the pool? I’m torn…
Videos and Live blog after the JUMP…
The finals of Dancing with the Stars begin tonight! Whoopie! Tonight, it’s the Samba Smackdown, as the couples dance side by side to one extended song, and then it’s the “highly anticipated” (really?) Freestyle.
There’s going to be a lot of blah blah tonight. First, each couple will chose their favorite ballroom and Latin dances and speak about why they were so FAB. Each pro talks makes a case FTW for their partner.
Brooke and Derek – Choose The Quickstep and Paso Doble – Brooke says, after they danced the quickstep, she knew they had a chance of sticking around for awhile. After the paso doble, she knew she could dance in front of millions of people and pull it off. Derek says Brooke is the most consistent competitor, and if people are voting and judging on the dancing, then Brooke should be the champion.
Lance and Lacey – Choose The Tango and The Mambo – The tango was the first week Lance felt he was a contender. Lance says it was the first risk they took that really worked. The mambo was a surprise, because they concentrated so hard on their jitterbug, they didn’t expect the mambo to turn out as well, and after, Lance realized he had a shot at the trophy. Lacey thinks Lance deserves the trophy, because he is the most improved dancer on the show.
Warren and Kym – Choose The Viennese Waltz and The Paso Doble. Warren says the waltz was the first time he had to slow down the pace, and it showed him a completely different side of dancing. He said it was a turning point. The Paso? Warren loved the outfits. Kym thinks Warren captures the essence of what the competition is about–he makes people happy when he dances. She realizes they are the underdogs, but she says that Warren lights up the dance floor, the crowds love him, and they are who put him where he is today.
The Jr. Ballroom winners are Craig and Samantha. Not surprised–their little sister is a previous winner. Ah, they get little mini-mirror ball trophies!
Trash talking fills the time until the real competition begins. Yes, you totally could have missed the first 1/2 hour, and if you did, you’re good!
Len says the judges agree that the best 3 got into the final.
The contestants drew “mirror balls” to decide the dance order. It goes Brooke, Lance and then Warren. The Samba Smackdown is a group dance of sorts. The pairs will dance one after another to one extended song. That means they have to rehearse together. The performance video features even more trash talk, and the contestants struggling to get their steps down. so they’re all rehearsing together.
The Samba Smackdown begins! – Brooke and Derek are first. As always, their technique is impeccable. Ok, not exactly perfect, Brooke made a mistake in the beginning, but she’s good. Lance and Lacey are next, very good technique, and hella fun to watch. Love them! Warren and Kym are last. Warren is selling it, as always. Nobody is screwing up tonight, so far.
Len begins his critique by congratulating the band. Len thinks all of them danced the samba better than they did on the show. He thought Warren added the content his previous dances lacked, he’s still “worried about his feet,” but other than that, fantastic. Len loves Lance’s energy, but says he has to work on his finesse. He calls Brooke the “sensation of season 7″ and still the one to beat. Bruno calls Brooke a “dazzling, sexy, sizzler of a dancer.” He calls Lance, “tight and clean.” Man, I am not touching that one. Heh. Bruno calls Warren “irresistible” and says his charm makes up for lack of technique. Carrie Ann thinks Lance is getting “better and better,” but thinks Warren is the most improved. Brook brings the “technical nuance” to each dance, but Carrie Ann said she got a “hair ambitious” in this dance, and tells her to tone it down a little.
Brooke and Derek got the highest score, but I think Lance and Lacey’s routine was mistake-free, and totally fun to boot.
- Brooke’s scores – Carrie Ann – 9, Len – 9, Bruno – 10 – 28
- Lance’s scores – Carrie Ann – 9, Len – 8, Bruno – 9 - 26
- Warren’s scores – Carrie Ann – 9, Len – 7, Bruno – 9 25
Freestyle Round:
Brooke and Derek – Brooke acknowledges that Lance and Warren are “great showman” so she and Derek are going to be “pulling out all the stops.” They practice their wicked hard fancy lifts in the pool. Wow, the lifts aren’t the only thing Brooke is pullout out. Mid-dance, she whips off her outfit, and shows off some major boobage. Smart! This dance is chock full of well-executed, tricky lifts. If it’s not crowd pleasing, it’s surely judge-pleasing. Bruno says, “Spectacular lifts! Beyond belief! One of the best Freestyles evah!” Carrie Ann says, “You brought it!” Len also thinks it’s the best freestyle he’s ever seen. Of course, the guys also notice her other “assets.” Hm… I smell some 10s! And indeed, they get a perfect score. Carrie Ann – 10, Len – 10, Bruno – 10 – 30 – 1-800-868-3405
Lance and Lacey – Lance wants the couples’ momentum, and new-found confidence to take them to the top. He’s ready to take that trophy home! But, Oh Noes. Their Hip-hop will be lift-free, “just the way it’s supposed to be.” Their dance is loads of fun, and they dance well, but the lack of tradition and fancy technical stuff could hurt their scores. Indeed, Carrie Ann, hated the cha cha moves they incorporated into their routine. Len likes Trickey! And oddly enough, he thought their routine was fun, and liked their little cha cha. Len is pleased! Bruno thought it was youthful and vibrant. “Very good,” he says. – Carrie Ann – 9, Len – 9, Bruno, 9 – 27 – 1-800-868-3407
Warren and Kym – This week, their Freestyle is gonna be all content, all the time! The big guy can do some lifts. They’ve got some nice tricks in this routine, even though Kym did most of the dancing. Len calls Warren a great entertainer. Bruno says, “Resistance is futile.” and Carrie Ann says it was her favorite so far, but calls them out on a mistake. Carrie Ann – 9, Len – 10, Bruno, 9 – 28 – 1-800-868-3413
Total Scores:
- Brooke and Derek – 58
- Lance and Lacey – 53
- Warren and Kym – 53
Am I just seeing things different or did Brooke totally spazz out for like 3 seconds during that Samba. She’s just standing there while Derek danced, with her arm extended.
Why didn’t Carrie Ann Innnnaaaaaaaaahbuh call her out on her mistake?
I think Lance was hamstrung from the start. Brooke was declared damn near a professional weeks ago and besides a lone f&^$ up last week they scored her accordingly. They characterized Warren as the performer, when although I love him, he’s not near the performer that Lance is. Lance has been underscored for the last three weeks at least. I don’t Brook and Derek was an impeccable freestyle, he just threw her around a few times and she landed albeit in a few cases somewhat awkwardly. I think she may get a backlash because that was NOT the best freestyle, period. It was not a 10. Maybe her boobs are a 10, the dance was not. The choreography was best for Kym and Warren, but Warren did not execute the routine flawlessly. Len giving him a 10 sucked, as it was unfair to Lance imho. Anyway gonna stick with who I picked weeks ago. Lance is a great dancer, and a truly charismatic performer. I wish I had known that during his boy band years, I would have been a fan! Go Lancey!
I only got 2 thru for Lancey before the same thing happened to me.
I think the phones have been flakey all season. I tried to vote for Maurice and kept getting that I had exceeded my votes. Then, I finally got to vote for him.
YMMV, but I don’t buy the overpimped thing in this show. I think Miss Tara may have hit the nail on the head earlier when she mentioned the fanbases.
I actually enjoy watching Brooke dance, so I guess I don’t see the lack of charisma everyone else seems to see. *shrugs*
Honestly, I think Warren is a hoot, but Maurice started sloppy, improved, and outdanced both Warren and Cody the week he was eliminated. Just sayin…
I don’t enjoy watching Brooke dance because imo, she always looks so serious and concentrating so hard on the steps, rather than actually letting loose and really performing. I think someone earlier called it “stiff.”
Oh and not to mention the fact that at times she doesn’t finish her movements (particularly in her arms, and sometimes her steps/footwork are awkward, too), yet she still gets praised for being “spectacular” and “flawless” and blahblahblah. THAT is what I mean by overpimped. And I also think she’s been overscored most of the season.
Sorry, the judges have just left a bad taste in my mouth this season with the constant fawning over Brooke.
BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Sooooo funny Sarah!!
I thought Warren’s free-style was miles better than the other 2…Brooke’s had no content and Lance’s had no tricks.
That said, I still want Lance to win. In general, I think his dances offer the best combination of technique and personality…Warren has the personality down and Brooke has the technique (mostly, she sometimes is too stiff for my taste). Although I gave up trying to call in for him because I kept getting busies.
For the record, I thought all 3 of them performed the samba equally as well. They all made some slight mistakes. But they were not all awarded the same score. Hmmmm……
Well, I’ve loved many of her routines, so I guess I’ll disagree. I also think she’s deserved her scores for the most part. And if they’re giving her a boost because she doesn’t have the fanbase (and I’m not saying they have), I don’t care. It’s called handicapping and it’s done in sports all the time.
Judging aside, I think she’s the best dancer and has been the best throughout the season.
I honestly don’t take this show that seriously. That’s why I’ve only voted a handful of times. It’s pure cheese. Really, the winner gets a fugly trophy. LOL.
ETA: Are y’all taking into consideration that it is freestyle? Those lifts and moves on the floor are more difficult in some ways than some foot shuffling.
Maybe true for some, but I was a yooge Mel B supporter and I think Brooke is highly overrated. It has nada to do with the fact that she’s a female. She’s just got no charisma on the dance floor, which Mel B in comparison had in spades PLUS the technical skills. And to say you could interchange Brooke with the pros seems like a lot of spin. Her legs are often awkwardly positioned, and she’s also often just as pigeon toed as Lance if not moreso but never gets called on it. As a person who actually studied dance, it kind of drives me nuts when it’s intimated that she’s close to a pro. Kristi Yamaguchi was a lot better technically. So was Stacey Keebler (was that her name? The wrestler?)
That’s exactly what I saw. She lost her place and Derek covered. Not only wasn’t she called on it, she got a 10. Evs, Carrie Ann.
I typically vote for the couple who performed my favorite dances of the season, be it a male star or a female star, and this year it was Lance and Lacey. Still think they deserved some 10s for their tango and their mambo, my personal picks for best dances of the season, and didn’t get them. And their rumba was close, too. Annoying, but that’s DWTS. Sometimes there’s little rhyme or reason to the judging. ANyway, Derek’s a great choreographer and Warren’s a lot of fun, so if Lancey don’t take it, no biggie.
Miss Tara, I like your theory. It makes sense. The OTT scores are a way for the judges to level the playing field. Brooke was handicapped to start with – she didn’t have the fan base and she’s a woman. Historically, as we all know, women don’t win. I REALLY wanted Mel B to win. That girl can dance and she deserved it but she didn’t win.
I like all three of the stars left. I’m having a hard time choosing. Warren is an adorable teddy bear and Kym has done a great job with him this season. I loved their freestyle tonight.
Brooke is drop-dead gorgeous and she seems really grounded, too. I like that about her. Technically, she’s the best dancer but she lacks a little something. Derek is a great partner and his choreography is outstanding.
Lancey are two cute for words. I’d love to see him win but his freestyle tonight was just okay for me. I didn’t love it.
I thought I’d be throwing all of my votes to Lance tonight but now I’m not so sure.
ETA: I just looked at Dial Idol and it helped me make up my mind – Lancey FTW!!!
In my opinion, Lancey blew it with that awful freestyle. Sorry, but I thought it was really boring. I really thought they were gonna pull it out after last week.
It’s going to come down to Brooke and Warren. I’d be happy if either wins. Brooke was really good tonight. I mean really good. Those lifts were on fire! I loved their freestyle. Reminded me of Kristi’s last season. Lots of difficult lifts, yet entertaining and fun to watch.
But Warren went last, and man is he entertaining! That last dance was so much fun to watch. Even though I want Brooke to win, I couldn’t help but root for Warren.
I thought the judging was good all season long. They know who is technically doing well. Audience and fan reaction is a whole other thing.
Good show tonight, and for once I thought the finalists didn’t look too exhausted to dance!
I thought Lacey and Lance were the best in the Samba but blew it major in the freestyle. Lacey, imo, has the best choreography this year and the hip hop routine was too bland. They shouldve gone for the wow like they usually do instead of technical. I actually liked Kym and Warrens freestyle the best. I didnt think Brooke was as good as usual tonight but will probably win it.
Dialidol has Warren in first place by a huge margin. Brooke in second place and Lance in solid third.
I voted for Brooke tonight. I think she’s been the best dancer this season. She’s not the best dancer across the series, but I think she is definitely the best of the three. I don’t Dialidol is accurate. For dancing with the stars it doesn’t make as much sense to measure busy signals as it does the number of votes since voting is limited. According to the raw totals, Brooke has the most votes. I’m worried though because this season reminds me of season 2: 1.Drew = Lance (member of boy band) 2. Jerry = Warren (athlete) 3. Stacey = Brooke (attractive female best dancer).
I am another one that agrees that Lance and Lacey blew it with that awful freestyle. This was their time to shine and there wasn’t anything special about their dance. My daughter called me and asked why they would choose Hip Hop with no lifts? I think this was a mistake.
Brooke and Derek did have the best freestyle of the night, but not deserving of a perfect score. I do believe they will win the trophy. I have enjoyed their dances all season long but someone needs to bring Derek down to earth. Ego, oh my…is it an act?
I love Kym and am happy she made it to the finals. Warren is OK. I will be shocked if they do win.
I finally got through for Lancey but was able to place only three votes. Hmmm…
Whoa, Diaidol is giving it to Warren & Kym! Not really that surprising since they’ve been on top over there many times before and football players **EmmittJerry** always do better than they deserve on this show. If they were giving a best choreography award for the freestyle, it should go to Kym but Warren is clearly the weakest dancer of the final three. Lance and Lacey made a big mistake not doing lifts in their freestyle — that’s what people wait all season to see!!! I think what might happen is that Lancey will be eliminated first tonight leaving Warren and Brooke to face-off in the judges round with the judges giving higher scores to Brooke. Will that be enough to win it for Brooke? Guess we’ll find out tonight!
Anyone else think they were hiding the mirror ball trophy in Samantha Harris’ hair tonight? Her hair was so high it had it’s own zip code.
LOL, t2! She looked to me as if she’d stuck her finger in a light socket. Horrid style.
I really hope Warren takes it. I loved their freestyle and Kym has been stuck so many times with the most obvious losers. I’d love for her to be rewarded with a win.
Brooke, imo, definitely did not deserve the scores she got on her freestyle last night. Even my husband complained it was just one trick after another. Lance’s feet bothered me much more last night than Warren’s. He was SO pigeon-toed in that samba! It was all I could see while they were dancing. Didn’t like their freestyle at all.
Warren & Kym FTW!
I think Brooke did great but she is not someone that I enjoy watching, she is too stiff and studied – how old is she? Her skin is like leather and ugh, she reminds me of a drag queen dancing for some reason. My son says she looks like she is 50, if that is the case then a little stiffness is to be expected. Anyhow I sure wish Lance and Lacey had added some more wow factor but I think that anything they did would have been downplayed by Len, at least. Len is SO old school I wonder if Lance’s sexual preference really disgusts him. He looks at the two of them with a look like he just tasted something really bad and if the camera swings to him he quickly trys to cover up that look, I wish he would go by the wayside. I hope Lance wins but I dont see it so much now. Warren is just precious though, a big ole teddy bear
What with all of Lacey’s carrying on about how much Lance has improved, you’d think she could correct those dreadful feet. Honestly- he is so pigeon toed I’m surprised he hasn’t tripped over himself. It is very distracting and just ruins everything he does. That said, it would be hard to make that freestyle any more boring. They really shot themselves in their little pigeon feet.
Echoing the “no more boy banders” sentiment expressed upthread, and adding a “no more NFL” just for good measure. The fan bases are too much to overcome.
I’m sort of “meh” on the whole finale- anyone except Lance and I’ll go away happy.
Lance and Lacey kind of mailed it in, I thought. I don’t think I’d want to do a whole bunch of lifts with Lacey either.
I still think Lance and Lacey are the best couple with the best chemistry but doing hip hop for the freestyle seemed a bit played out, something a little Blake Lewis/90’s-ish, with it. I actually would have scored it under Warren.
Brooke was born in 1971 so she’s 37.
There was so much potential for the win, I just can’t help but wonder why Lance and Lacey chose that song and style. More Grammie types watch DWTS than American Idol. I am talking about the Nursing Home types.
I’ll be honest, I didn’t notice Lance’s pigeon toes until a few weeks ago. I just liked the chemistry between the two of them.
Almost any athlete coming into the show comes with a fan base. For the next series, I’d like to see less favoritism shown so early. I really don’t mind the older male or female singer.