'Dancing With the Stars': Best, worst of times for Vanderpump

By Allyssa Lee

April 9, 2013 12 AM PT

It’s only the fourth week of “Dancing With the Stars” and already things are getting personal. The celebrity contestants revisited the best year of their lives this week, opening up the back stories and unleashing a cascade of tears and emotion.

Programs like this are always crowd-pleasers. The audience has a sentimental story that they can get into, and the stars are always more inclined to dance better when they have an actual personal connection to their routines (as opposed to, oh, I don’t know, being the bad boy on a motorcycle who steals away the prom queen). And sure enough, this two-hour show was packed with more emotional highs than usual – as well as a low when one of the contestants fainted during rehearsals.

Each of the remaining contestants also had to perform a solo somewhere in their routine: 15 terrifying seconds of abject terror that could help make or break a star’s ranking.

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Whose solos soared, and whose suffered? Which routine had Carrie Ann choked up beyond words? And who ended up at the top of the leader board for the first time ever?

That would be gold-medal winning gymnast/emoter extraordinaire Alexandra Raisman and her pro partner, Mark Ballas. Of course, Aly’s most memorable year was the summer of 2012, when she represented the United States in the women’s gymnastics Olympic team. Aly recalled all the frustrations and loneliness that she had to battle to become the most decorated women’s gymnast on the U.S. team. And pro partner Ballas did a good job channeling all those emotions into movement for their “Titanium”-fueled contemporary routine. I particularly liked how Aly leaped up and ended up on her back over his shoulder. How she went there and did that awesomely gymnastic tumbling run toward the end of the routine – because she can. And that fellow U.S. teammates Gabby Douglas and Kyla Ross were in the audience to cheer her on. “I liked the balance between showing emotions and the athleticism of the whole thing,” said Len. “I think that’s a dance worthy of an Olympic champion.” Len also said he was “gymnastical” and cheekily winked that the last tumbling run could have had a bit more height to it. “Forget about titanium – you’re going for gold, my darling,” praised Bruno. “I loved the balance between the spectacular and the detailed. … It was emotionally intense, dramatic, and deeply felt.” Carrie Ann said she was proud of Aly. “You were completely in the moment and I was mesmerized by you,” she said. The praised turned into three 9s and the highest scores of the competition thus far. Total: 27 out of 30.

Be-yon-cé! should be everyone’s mantra when attempting to be fierce. Disney Channel star Zendaya chose a song from the singer formerly known as Sasha Fierce to represent the best year of her life. That year, 2009 did not just mark when she had her first Disney audition and “got discovered,” but also when she went to a Beyoncé concert and realized everything she wanted to be. And Zendaya really did channel the mother of Blue Ivy in her samba with Val Chmerkovskiy. This girl is all talent. She’s got the confidence to be a diva and most definitely, effortlessly moves like one and commands the dance floor, but it never comes off as forced and/or annoying. Her dance, set to “Love on Top” by the Single Lady herself, was pure awesome. Wynonna loved it – had her arms up in a touchdown triumph at the end of the routine. And it had Carrie Ann whooping her delight, calling her Samba Fierce and giving props to Val for his stellar choreography. “Honey, you are baby Beyoncé,” she said. “The way you work that music, girl – Beyoncé better watch her back!” Len wanted more samba content in the solo section and could have used a little more straightening in the legs, but conceded, “There’s no question you are a fantastic dancer.” “Oh, baby, you’ve got it!” Bruno crowed. “You really are star power. Fearless. So cool. So hip! So slick!” Not to mention so winning in her matter-of-factness. “I’m 16 – I hope the best years are ahead of me,” she told Brooke up in the sky box. So true. I certainly hope she doesn’t peak here. Total: 26.

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Country singer Kellie Pickler revealed her father struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction, and her mom was not part of her life. “It wasn’t until I met Kyle that I finally found my sanctuary,” she said of her husband, country singer and songwriter Kyle Jacobs. So Kellie chose to dance her rumba with Derek Hough to her husband’s “Say I Do,” performed by Kyle himself, with the video of their private wedding ceremony in the Caribbean water streaming in the background. “That song is my life. Our story,” Kellie said. “He is my sanctuary and my rock.” And man, Kellie does make beautiful poses on the dance floor. (The romance apparently wafted up to the rafters, as boxer Victor, getting caught up in the moment, was seen stealing a kiss on Jacoby’s cheek in the sky box soon after.) “You make the most beautiful pictures with your body – every single shape you hit is a work of art,” Carrie Ann said, though she noted that at times Kellie’s movements “were a little clipped” (perhaps she’s dancing the rumba with Derek in front of her husband). Len agreed: “The movement was a tad staccato. It should have had just a little more fluidity to it.” Though he also said, “You were immersed in the dance and you drew everyone in the performance.” Bruno said it was like watching “a sequence of magical images” set to “the soundtrack of love.” Total: 26.

My favorite “awww” moment went to Jacoby Jones. Last year was the NFL player’s best year, and not just because the Ravens won the Super Bowl. Turned out Jacoby’s son was born the same year. And as a guy whose father left when he was 2 (“I don’t think he can face me as a man”), Jacoby dedicated his and Karina Smirnoff’s foxtrot, set to Rodney Atkins’ “Watching You,” to that adorable little peanut, saying he wanted his son to know “My daddy took chances on life and succeeded, and I could do it, too.” And succeed he did, with arms that extended clear across the room. But the routine really took off in the solo, which maybe was my favorite ever. Partly because he mixed foxtrot moves with a heel-kick jump and jaunty swagger shoulder moves that were so buoyant and unmistakably Jacoby. But also because they were so clearly directed to his mini-me of a son, dressed like his father and front-and-center in the audience. “That dance was so phenomenal,” fawned Carrie Ann. “There’s something so joyous about it.” Though she also warned Jacoby to keep his butt in check. “I know you’re not a fan of the foxtrot,” Len began. “But I’ll tell you this. I was a fan of that foxtrot…. Big guys trying to do elegance, and you came out and you did it.” Bruno hit it on the head when he said Jacoby has a “trademark flash and flair that is irresistible.” Total: 24.

The crowd-pleasing routines continued with Ingo Rademacher and Kym Johnson. The “General Hospital” actor also known as Jax remarked how his 12 years in Hollywood had given him a certain amount of success, but it wasn’t until 2009, when he married his wife Ehiku and then had kids, that his life had meaning. If only his son would deign to give him a couple more points for his dancing! Ingo chose Christina Perri’s “1000 Years” for the Viennese Waltz he dedicated to his wife because “I waited a long time for her” (all together now: awwww!). And his routine was very sweet. Len called out a “couple of little incidents with the arms” but commended Ingo on his footwork. “Elegant, dashing, and deeply romantic,” Bruno swooned, before commending Ingo on taking the judges’ comments and working on his control. Carrie Ann also praised Ingo for working on his core, like she suggested. She also liked how “when you add love to these dances, and they blossom.” Ingo was surprised by the judges’ high scores, given that he had stumbled on Kym’s dress. “No points for oversharing, Ingo,” Tom responded. Total: 23.

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Andy Dick wanted to dance his way out of the bottom two this week. And he also wanted dedicate his Viennese Waltz with Sharna Burgess to his relationship with his daughter Meg. She used to dance for him, and now that she’s 15, he wants to dance for her to Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” a song they both love. And Sharna was so sweet and reverential to her partner, saying that she wants people to feel about the number the way he feels about his daughter. So, “soft and beautiful, like her,” she said. Mission accomplished. The dance was sweet and simple and his solo was the same. Bruno said Andy had a “wonderful fragile quality – you played it straight and you played it well.” The dance had Carrie Ann sobbing in her emotion. For a moment I was afraid she wouldn’t be able to collect herself, but she did and expressed herself so eloquently: “It was like the simplest poem,” she said. Your movement vocabulary is small, but what you said with those few movements were so beautiful.” Len: “You came into this show a man. Whatever happens, you’ll go out of it a hero.” Love that even at an age where your father can be an embarrassment that Andy’s daughter was all cheers and support. Total: 21.

D.L. Hughley had to go way back to find the best year of his life. Like all the way back to eighthand ninthgrade, when “everything was sweeter, before life became real to me” (also, “In the best year of my life, Len wasn’t there,” D.L. remarked). Cheryl Burke took that and made their foxtrot, set to Etta James’ “I Just Want to Make Love To You,” a lot more lighthearted and fun. And this throwback dance, which showed a scared, nerdy, comic book reading D.L. being pulled out of his box by an aggressively sparkly Cheryl, showed some fun moves and storytelling. But did it show that he could be “a stuffy old English person too”? Maybe not. But he did get the approval of one. “You worked and practiced much more this week, and for me that is 100% paying off,” Len said. “You had more content than ever,” said Bruno. “Your performance went up a level.” “Hallelujah!” said Carrie Ann. “That’s a real breakthrough my friend.” And the judges awarded D.L. three 7s for his effort, which had the comedian tumbling to the ground in shock. “That’s higher than my SAT score,” he said in disbelief. Total: 21.

Sean Lowe’s defining year was also a no-brainer. Of course, he chose 2012, because that’s when the Bachelor found his fiancée, Catherine. Sean revealed that his parents have been married for 36 years, and he wanted what his parents have. And while his first try on the Bachelorette didn’t work out for him, this time on the Bachelor did. Which is why he chose Jason Mraz’s “I Won’t Give Up” for his Viennese waltz with Peta Murgatroyd. And while the beginning was tenderly romantic and the ending was sweet with his kiss with Catherine, the middle was a bit…stilted, and had the judges cautiously optimistic. “He was steaming and I’m beaming,” Len began, only to say, “It was a pretty good effort.” Basically, Len said Sean’s frame was good but “you started to go off the music” and his “footwork was a bit haphazard sometime.” Bruno said Sean had the “wide-eyed innocence of a child at his first dance – slightly hesitant, but tender.” Carrie Ann remarked on Sean’s grace, but she was also back on the Lift Police beat and docked him for “two major lifts.” Clearly, the microphones were on Sean’s side, because Carrie Ann’s mike cut out during her critique. “The microphone police got to the lift police,” Tom remarked. Total: 20.

Boxer Vicious Victor Ortiz was out in full force in his Queen-themed paso doble. “We Will Rock You” played as Victor entered the ring as the underdog for his WBC fight and emerged as the WBC welterweight champion of the world. And when he hears the song it really puts him into the moment. And you could tell Victor had his fighting face on in his aggressive dance with Lindsay Arnold as he began the routine shadowboxing on a platform. The guy has the heart of a champion and a bare torso to match. Too bad his arms also didn’t get the memo. Bruno said Victor “definitely punched the living daylights out of the paso doble. … The thing is, you’re supposed to dance it, not destroy it!” Carrie Ann said this round went to the paso doble. “You have to expand your arms and use them the whole time,” she said. Len admired Victor’s “spirit and determination,” but his paso doble “needed a little more refinement, a little more shaping.” Total: 18.

The last couple to perform was Lisa Vanderpump and Gleb Savchenko. Though up until 15 minutes before, it was still up in the air whether or not the Real Housewife of Beverly Hills would do her cha-cha-cha at all. When the British announcer introduced the remaining couples, Gleb descended down the grand staircase solo. And later it was revealed that a grueling bicoastal schedule had taken a toll on the celebrity and she had fainted during rehearsals. Dr. Barry Unger said she had early flu symptoms that would probably get worse if she continued to push herself. The Housewife didn’t even make it to dress rehearsals Monday morning. But Lisa wanted to dance because she didn’t want to let Gleb down. And she wanted to celebrate her best year of her life, which was when her daughter Pandora got married. Not only did Lisa not leave Gleb stranded at the altar, the mother of Pandora and Giggy danced through her “Celebration” routine with her game face out and her pink fringe swinging. (Giggy also got, um, jiggy with it with his party shades on in the background). And Lisa got a lot of support from her fellow contestants and her daughter in the audience. Len acknowledged that the dance had been under-rehearsed, but said the cha cha “could have been crisper and sharper. For what you’ve been through, you did a pretty good job,” he said. Bruno also commended Lisa for her efforts: “What you did you did well.” Carrie Ann would have loved to seen Lisa’s potential realized, though she quickly took Gleb to task (again) for his lifts. “Just the fact that we got through was good enough for me,” said Lisa. “It’s not how many times you fall, it’s how many times you get up.” And that’s reason to celebrate. Total: 18.

Those low scores make Lisa Vanderpump, Giggy and Victor Ortiz prime candidates for elimination. What do you think, ballroom fans? Were their dances scored unfairly? Which story made the biggest impression on you? Who else wants a Mirrorball as a tissue holder, like the one Sharna held for Andy before going to commercial break? It’s like you’re open to showing emotion but still know how to party.

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