Dancing with the Stars - Season 8

It’s that time of year -- or one of those times of the year -- Dancing with the Stars is back!

I became a DWTS fan in Season 5 and wish I hadn’t waited so long to start watching. This season, I decided to add blogging to my DWTS routine.

It’s great to see the red room filled with a new batch of contestants. I never choose favorites until I see everyone dance for the first time. I try to keep an open mind until each couple has had a chance at both ballroom and latin dances, but even after just one dance, I’m already finding some stand-outs.

The drama started early this year with two stars injured before week one. Couples begin practicing four weeks before the first show. Both singer Jewel and Access Hollywood host Nancy O’Dell were replaced by reality stars Holly Madison (Girls Next Door) and Melissa Rycroft (The Bachelor) respectively.

Stepping in at the last minute means that Holly had one week instead of four to learn her routine, and Melissa learned her dance in only two days!

Now, the overview:

* Lil’ Kim and Derek Hough
Cha Cha Cha: 21

“Nasty, but Tasty!” It’s Monday night and Bruno’s saucy comments are back. On my first viewing, I thought Lil’ Kim and Derek were a little bit hip hop and not quite enough cha cha cha. On the second watch, it could have been the song giving that impression. Sometimes the song choices are a bit odd and, for me, Nasty Boys just felt a little off for a cha cha cha.

* Belinda Carlisle and Jonathan Roberts
Waltz: 17

The dance began with elegance, but quickly lost all it’s nuance. I know it’s their first dance, but it felt lumbering and stiff. That spin with the 90 degree leg extension was ugly. I was yelling, “point your toe!” at the TV. She may improve, but I don’t think Belinda will be around very long.

* Lawrence Taylor and Edyta Sliwinska
Cha Cha Cha: 16

There might be some potential here. It’s hard to tell because Edyta’s choreography seems to always have her doing some splashy, flashy moves or dramatic extensions that distract from her partner’s shortcomings. Still, I liked his attitude, so he should be fun to watch for awhile.

* Steve-O and Lacey Schwimmer
Waltz: 17

I actually liked this, I think. Not for the dancing technique, but for the entertainment. There was something quirky and endearing about it. I think Carrie Ann summed it up when she said she was “oddly mesmerized by the beauty, but the weirdness, and the awkward... and... but wow.”

* Gilles Marini and Cheryl Burke
Cha Cha Cha: 24

And we have a contender! At the risk of sounding like an airhead celebutante, that was hot. Gilles definitely has the moves, the rhythm, and the attitude. He needs some fine-tuning, but I think Cheryl may have a third shot at that trophy.

* Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough
Waltz: 20

It’s the first dance and he’s a little rough, but Chuck has a lot of grace and charisma. The judges were right about his needing refinement, but that shouldn’t be too hard. I’m more interested in seeing how he handles the latin dances.

* Holly Madison and Dmitry Chaplin
Cha Cha Cha: 18

It’s so hard to judge this when they only had one week to prepare. I think Holly has some potential, but it will take another week or two to see if her wobbles were due to coming in at the last minute. She’s three weeks behind in building up her strength and cardio endurance, so the big question is how fast her body can catch up with her charisma.

* Ty Murray and Chelsie Hightower
Cha Cha Cha: 14

There’s not much to say on this one. Unless we see a big change in next week’s dance, I’m afraid Ty may be going home. I like that everyone has two dances before the first cut this year and it will be nice to see him try again. Especially since Ty seems like such a sweet guy.

* Shawn Johnson and Mark Ballas
Waltz: 23

She may be young, but Shawn carried herself with surprising elegance and confidence. She certainly has a lot of talent and so much girl-next-door cuteness. Although, her youth could be a challenge. In the waltz, Mark had a sweet, older brother vibe going. He’ll have to be careful to not come off as creepy though when they get to the sexier dances.

* Steve Wozniak and Karina Smirnoff
Cha Cha Cha: 13

Well, The Woz had the most entertaining judges’ comments of the night. I loved when Bruno said it was “like watching a Teletubby going mad on a gay pride parade” and Tom came back with, “let’s see him get an appointment at a Genius Bar any time soon!” He won’t be in the finals, but I’m looking forward to seeing his next dance.

-- Quick side note: Karina’s expression when Woz was explaining how dancing is both “left brain” and “analog” cracked me up. And, Steve, I totally get what you meant and agree!

* David Allan Greer and Kym Johnson
Waltz: 19

I’m always a bit on the fence about David Allan Greer, but his dancing has promise. I just felt that something was missing, some sort of lack of commitment. After hearing the judges comments about his facial expressions, I think that might have been it. He had the moves, but not the emotional connection to the dance.

* Denise Richards and Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Cha Cha Cha: 18

I just didn’t like this dance. Denise was nervous and awkward. She reminds me of Kim Kardashian last season. She’s pretty and she’s trying, but she’s just not a natural dancer. I tend to root for the underdog, so I’d like to see her improve, but I’m not holding my breath.

* Melissa Rycroft and Tony Dovolani
Waltz: 23

Two days! There will be those who scream that Melissa’s previous ballet experience is unfair, but ballet is not ballroom. As Len mentioned there are habits she will have to break when they start judging more on technique and content. Tony did a wonderful job of translating her existing strengths into a waltz on such short notice.

At this very early point in the competition, my pick for the top three -- in no particular order -- are Gilles and Cheryl, Shawn and Mark, and Melissa and Tony. I’m also keeping my eye on the Houghs and their partners. Both Julianne and Derek have proven to be great teachers and they are each paired with stars who have a lot of potential.

Leaderboard:
24 -- Gilles and Cheryl
23 -- Melissa and Tony
23 -- Shawn and Mark
21 -- Lil’ Kim and Derek
20 -- Chuck and Julianne
19 -- David and Kym
18 -- Holly and Dmitry
18 -- Denise and Maks
17 -- Belinda and Jonathan
17 -- Steve-O and Lacey
16 -- Lawrence and Edyta
14 -- Ty and Chelsie
13 -- Steve and Karina