Who Won Season 10 of Dancing with the Stars?

With Erin & Maks leaving Evan & Anna and Nicole & Derek to dance once final time.

Derek/Nicole scored 30, Evan/Anna scored 28.   That meant their scores were 115 and 108 respectively.  These were then combined with the viewers votes from Monday.

Nicole Scherzinger and Derek Hough are the champions of season 10 of Dancing with the Stars.

Nicole seemed pretty happy about it...

Who Finished Third in Season 10 of Dancing with the Stars

The couples danced for the third time on the Finale of Dancing with the Stars, each performing the Argentine Tango.

The judges had to rank the performances - the best getting 30, second 28 and third 26 (even if it didn't deserve 26!).

The total scores after those performances weer:

Erin Andrews & Maksim Chmerkovskiy - 29 & 26 & 26 = 81
Nicole Scherzinger & Derek Hough - 28 & 27 & 30 = 85
Evan Lysacek & Anna Trebunskaya - 28 & 24 & 28 = 80

And Erin and Maks were voted off.

Scores from the Last Performance Round of Dancing with the Stars Season 10

It's the final week of the tenth season of Dancing with the Stars and the couples have performed their first two dances.

Monday night saw the couples attempting the dances the judges felt they were least adept and then the must anticipated freestyle round.

Here are the scores:

Erin Andrews & Maksim Chmerkovskiy - 29 & 26 = 55
Evan Lysacek & Anna Trebunskaya - 28 & 24 = 52
Nicole Scherzinger & Derek Hough - 28 & 27 = 55

Here are my thoughts on the show:

• Overall I thought the performances were a little sloppy.  Perhaps everyone was trying a little too hard, but there were errors made by all the couples.
• Can you believe it?  Erin and Maks got the highest score of the night with their Samba.  Good for them.  Their freestyle was just OK, a little heavy on the "messin' around" as Len would say.
• I thought Evan and Anna were a little unlucky to score 28 with their Viennese Waltz, I thought it was pretty flawless.  I had to agree with the judges on the freestyle though - the choreography was all over the place.  They couldn't agree what to do and they came up with a bit of a mish-mash.  They danced with fire though.
• Nicole and Derek did a very nice Rumba - Carrie Ann was saying something about lifts but I wasn't really listening.  Their freestyle was perfect - technically and artistically - apart from one error at the end.  They would have got 30 if not for that, and that would have been under-scoring it!

Tomorrow night each couple dances the Argentine Tango.  Then the final two dance once more.  (Viewer votes are only tonight though).

Erin has certainly upset the apple cart by scoring so well - she has just as much chance as the other two!

Dancing with the Stars: Finale Details

ABC have announced the format of the Finale of Dancing with the Stars.

Actually, it's a sort of double Finale as all three couples with dance on both nights.

The Performance Show: Monday, 8-9PM on ABC

Each of the couples will dance twice. The first dance, the "redemption dance" is the one the judges felt they did poorly on. Erin and Maks will perform a Samba, the Viennese Waltz is for Evan and Anna, and the Nicole and Derek will Rumba for us.  The couples will then perform their freestyle dance - one of the highlights of the season.

The Results Show: Tuesday, 9pm-11pm on ABC

The finale is normally simulcast, so there won't be a tape delay on the west coast.

The couples will perform their favorite dance of the season - and everyone has chosen an Argentine Tango! After the judges scores have been factored in, the third place couple will be announced.

The final two will then perform one more time, the judges' scores will be announced (normally very close!) and we will finally know who the winners are!

As usual, all the contestants will return to dance including Chad Ochocinco with a romantic Rumba (ahh, the happy couple...), Pamela Anderson's "hottest dance yet" (I see a stripper pole in the future), a high wire act by Kate Gosselin (even I wouldn't want her to fall...) and a Viennese Waltz performed by Bachelor Jake Pavelka and his fiance, Vienna (where's Chelsie?). The winner of the college competition will also be announced.

I think it's been one of the best seasons yet, and I can't wait to find out who's going to win!

Who are in the finals of Dancing with the Stars?

This week was the semi-finals of Dancing with the Stars - probably the worst time to be voted off.  So close, but didn't reach the final.

After the performing twice, the couples' scores were:

Nicole/Derek 59
Evan/Anna 59
Erin/Maks 56
Chad/Cheryl 52

It's closer than it looks as the viewers votes can have a large effect.

At the end of the results show, we were left with two celebrities - Erin and Chad.

And Chad was voted off. 

Chad was much more personable than I expected, and he really is quite witty (an under-used word nowadays).  With no "formal" training he went further than I expected and definitely grew as a dancer.  He just needs to get over that natural shyness.  Here is the samba he and Cheryl performed in week 9 (the one where he took his shirt off):

Chad Ochocinco & Cheryl Burke - Samba

Posted to Chad Ochocinco Videos on May 18, 2010

Click to Play | View Details

So it's Nicole, Evan and Erin in the finals.  They will dance four times next week, including the freestyle round.

It's going to be a great finale!

Dancing with the Stars Semifinal Judges' Scores

Week 9 of Dancing with the Stars had the final four couples perform twice - a Ballroom round and a Latin round.

I have to say the quality and passion of the dances contributed to one of the best DWTS shows I have seen (and Tom agreed with me!).

Here are the scores:

Erin Andrews & Maksim Chmerkovskiy (Viennese Waltz/Paso Doble) - 27 & 29 = 56
Nicole Scherzinger & Derek Hough (Argentine Tango/Cha-Cha) - 30 & 29 = 59
Chad Ochocinco & Cheryl Burke (Waltz/Samba) - 27 & 25 = 52
Evan Lysacek & Anna Trebunskaya (Foxtrot/Paso Doble) - 29 & 30 = 59

• Erin danced beautifully in the Waltz, and was almost perfect in the Paso.  She and Maks definitely have chemistry.
• Nicole and Derek should have got 60, but Len is a grump.
• Chad is definitely the most improved, and I thought the judges were harsh on his Samba.  He jumped on the "take off your shirt" bandwagon.  Hey - if it works, jump on it!
• Evan was showing his personality a little more this week and it helped.  I felt the Paso was a little stilted, but I'm not a dancing judge, I prefered their foxtrot.

Chad was in the bottom two last week, and has the lowest score this week.  However, Tom shared that all four contestants had received the most viewer votes at some time this season.  Erin was in the bottom two a couple of weeks ago - it's so complicated!

I would like to see Chad stay, but I suspect he is most likely to go.

Dancing with the Stars Results Show Week 9: Miley Cyrus and Sarah McLachlan

The remaining four couples will each perform a new Latin and a new Ballroom dance meaning the performance show on Monday will only be 90 minutes long.

Given there are only four couples left the producers have stuffed more into the results show in week 9 to make up for fewer gloomy celebrities under a red light.

Miley Cyrus is to perform the live television debut of her new single off her upcoming album "Can't Be Tamed".  They were thinking of letting her dance but thought it was too risky given her recent predilection for lap dancing.

The Design-a-Dance will feature Melissa Rycroft and Joey Fatone tangoing to a KISS song.  The celebrities, song and costumes were all chosen via vote on ABC.com.

It's the second round of the college competition, between Rutgers and Utah Valley University.

And finally, Sarah McLachlan will perform two songs - a new single "Loving You is Easy" and her classic, "Angel".  Accompanying her on the dance floor will be Jonathan, Anna, Kym, Dmitry, Damian and Lacey.

I'm looking forward to Sarah McLachlan, and it will be nice to see Melissa and Joey.

Who Left DWTS This Week?

Five couples left, four will go on to the semi-final next week, and 58 minutes of my life were wasted today.

The acts, dancers and others that perform on the results show are excellent - it's just that I don't want to watch 58 minutes of TV to find out who's gong home.  I could do 30 minutes, not 60.

Anyway, after about ten minutes of the show we found out Nicole and Derek were safe.

We also found out that Chad and Cheryl were in the bottom 2.  They then had to stand under a red light for 48 minutes* to find out their fate.  They could have got skin cancer!

Then 50 minutes into the show we discovered Evan and Anna were safe.

After the commercial break, Erin and Maks were told they were safe.

And Niecy and Louis have been voted off season 10 of DWTS in week 8.  Niecy gave a lovely little speech.  Louis managed to get the dancer out of her, without stifling her personality.

Chad is going to have to perform next week to avoid being kicked off.



* well maybe not 48 minutes - just when the camera was on them

The Judges' Scores in Week 8 of DWTS

Five couples each danced twice tonight - a Ballroom round and a Latin round. In the Latin Round each couple was given a "decade".

Here are the scores:

Chad Ochocinco & Cheryl Burke - 21 & 24 = 45
Niecy Nash & Louis van Amstel - 23 & 20 = 43
Erin Andrews & Maksim Chmerkovskiy - 28 & 25 = 53
Evan Lysacek & Anna Trebunskaya - 27 & 26 = 53
Nicole Scherzinger & Derek Hough - 29 & 30 = 59

Some observations:

• Chad was more relaxed this week, but I thought the judges were scoring quite hard. 
• Niecy and Louis enjoy themselves, but I thought Louis' choreography was a little off tonight.  Some of the moves just didn't suit them as a couple
• Erin established herself as a contender
• Evan is very good, but certain dances don't seem to suit him - great waltzer though.
• Nicole continues to dominate - and she got her first 30 - Len was in a relatively good mood!

Niecy and Chad are the obvious ones in danger, and I'm going to assume Niecy will go.

Week 8 of Dancing with the Stars

With the departure of Pamela Anderson we are left with five couples.

This week each couple performs two individual dances.  In the Latin round they will each be assigned a theme from an era in time.  Last season this saw Derek and Joanna doing that rather strange 70s thing all dressed in silver.  The show will be two hours.

On the results show "Dance Center" returns with Len, Kenny Maine and Jerry Rice - always good for a laugh.  The Gipsy Kings will be performing the title song from Toy Story 3 accompanied on the dance floor by Tony, Cheryl, Dmitry and Kym in a Paso Doble.  Also, it's the first round of the college competition - Purdue against University of California San Diego.

The contestants have been tweeting how hard they have been practicing, so it should be a good show!

Dancing with the Stars Birthday party

It was Cheryl Burke's birthday on Monday and Erin Andrews' on Tuesday and to celebrate the cast of Dancing with the Stars went to a party at STK restaurant in LA.

Here are some pictures.

Dancing with the Stars: Anyone Could Go Home! (Seriously)

This week we had the team competition where each team of three got the same score.  Now, while I think it is a marvelous thing to do, it has the effect of minimizing any large difference in scores for the individual dances.

The winners (Team Gaga) got 27 points each and the losers 24 each.  Which meant, as an example, Pamela Anderson, who had the lowest individual score, gained 3 points on Evan who had a 30, and halved the difference between her and Nicole.

As a result, the couples' share of the judges' vote this week is very close:

Nicole Scherzinger & Derek Hough 17.4%
Evan Lysacek & Anna Trebunskaya 17.4%
Chad Ochocinco & Cheryl Burke 16.7%
Erin Andrews & Maksim Chmerkovskiy 16.4%
Pamela Anderson & Damian Whitewood 16.4%
Niecy Nash & Louis van Amstel 15.8%

Niecy needs 0.6 percentage points of the viewers' vote more than Pam or Erin to be safe.  But she also needs only 2.6 points more than Evan/Nicole to be top!

Pamela has been in the bottom two a couple of times already so she is looking as the one most at risk, but Ido think there is a chance of an upset, if not a favorite going home, then one being in the bottom two.

We shall see!

Judges' Scores in Week 7

Week 7 saw six couples left which meant they could do the three couples versus three couples thing.  It's always fun, but those scores can make a difference!

Each couple danced individually, and then it was Team Gaga (Pam/Damian, Nicole/Derek, Chad/Cheryl) versus Team Madonna (Niecy/Louis, Erin/Maks, Evan/Anna).  Here are the scores:

Erin Andrews & Maksim Chmerkovskiy - Quickstep - 27 & 24 = 51
Chad Ochocinco & Cheryl Burke - Viennese Waltz - 25 & 27 = 52
Nicole Scherzinger & Derek Hough - Waltz - 27 & 27 = 54
Pamela Anderson & Damian Whitewood - Waltz - 24 & 27 = 51
Niecy Nash & Louis van Amstel - Quickstep - 25 & 24 = 49
Evan Lysacek & Anna Trebunskaya - Argentine Tango - 30 & 24 = 54

Some notes:

• After the fake argument, Erin and Maks danced very well, with Len especially complimentary
• Chad bought Cheryl a necklace for her birthday.  And they danced very nicely, but Chad was still holding back.  If he can get over his shyness (sic) I think he could have a chance of winning
• Nicole and Derek were the best
• Pam did OK
• I thought Niecy got a higher score than deserved, but so what
• Even and Anna got a thirty, but I can't see that it was that much better than Derek and Nicole's
• Gaga were better than Madonna

The scores are pretty close, so it's all going to be on the fan vote!

Someone goes home tomorrow!