Dancing With the Stars 8 - Finale!

The season finale has finally begun and with these finalists, the expectations were high for a really great show!

Tonight was the first of the two-day finale: the Paso Doble group dance and the long awaited and uber-hyped Freestyle round!

In the last group dance, the contestants competed together as teams. This time, though they shared in the group performance, each couple was in it for their own set of scores.

And apparently they were on their own in choosing costumes as well. Was it just me or did those costumes seem like they didn’t all belong in the same dance?

Group Paso Doble:

* Shawn Johnson and Mark Ballas
Score: 28

The Paso may not be Shawn’s best style of dance, but she and Mark had a strong performance. They delivered the powerful movements with strength and passion. I also didn’t think her youth kept Shawn from connecting to the dance. She attacked that dance and showed her dedication and determination to do well in this competition.

* Melissa Rycroft and Tony Dovolani
Score: 29

I like Melissa, but how did she score higher than Shawn on the Paso? Though she’s usually such a talented dancer, this performance had her stumbling and wobbling in several places. I really don’t understand Carrie Ann’s interpretation of the “emotional connection” to the dances. To me, Melissa seemed uncharacteristically nervous and flustered in this one.

* Gilles Marini and Cheryl Burke
Score: 30

Was there anyone who didn’t think that Giles would dominate the Paso Doble? He has the good looks, the impressive build, the confidence, and the acting experience. Plus, he and Cheryl have a chemistry that translates to a very passionate, exciting Paso.

On to the freestyle...

The freestyle round can make a big difference in the way the audience views each couple. (I think that was what Tom really meant when invoking the memory of Marie Osmand’s catastrophic demented-doll freestyle of Season 5.)

The great thing about the freestyle is that anything goes. The couple finally gets to choose the music and choreograph any moves they want -- which generally leads to lots of tricks and lifts.

Freestyle Round:

* Shawn Johnson and Mark Ballas
Score: 30

What a way to start the freestyles! I loved this dance. There were a lot of tricks and lifts, but they steered away from a lot of flashy gymnastics. I appreciated the fact that they wanted to leave the gymnastics at the Olympics and focus on dancing. (Even if it was really athletic, trick-laden dancing!) It all worked for them-- well, maybe I could have done without the freaky mime-looking costumes at the beginning, but they made an impression. What I really loved was that the dance was so high-octane without feeling hectic. Plus, it was just a really impressive performance!

* Melissa Rycroft and Tony Dovolani
Score: 27

I was a little let down by Melissa and Tony tonight. I liked their freestyle. It was fun and entertaining, but nowhere near as impressive as Shawn and Mark’s powerhouse performance. It did sort of have a cheerleader vibe and the choreography was a bit choppy. Although, if Melissa and Tony had decided to go with an elegant freestyle, the judges probably would have said that it was too balletic or too safe. I think they should have gone with a more party, carnival dance. (I really liked their recent samba!)

* Gilles Marini and Cheryl Burke
Score: 28

When Gilles and Cheryl showed up in those costumes, I tried to keep an open mind. When I recognized the first strains of What a Feeling from Flashdance, I really tried to keep an open mind. The dance was good, just not great. The cheesy music didn’t help. Sure, DWTS is on the cheesy side itself, but the song was too much for me. It didn’t feel retro, it felt dated. It wasn’t a bad dance, just not quite as good as expected. The judges seemed to agree.

Leaderboard:
58 -- Gilles and Cheryl (30 + 28)
58 -- Shawn and Mark (28 + 30)
56 -- Melissa and Tony (29 + 27)

Night one of the two-day finale is over. Melissa and Tony are trailing and I’m a little surprised. Shawn and Mark are good, but I didn’t see that top notch freestyle coming!

Tomorrow night we’ll find out which two couples are still in the running and watch the final dance competition of Season 8. I still expect Gilles will be the season champ, but it’s anyone’s guess as to who will end up in second place.