Redemption

I can't believe it is here!  And this season, the trophy can go to any one of the finalists.  It is one of the closets seasons I think I have ever personally seen.  In fact, each year, they have gotten progressively more intense.  I think all the celebrities out there are secretly taking lessons in case they get an invitation.

In the finals, the couples get special coaching from the judges.  Erin and Maks get Bruno.  Oh, the fun they must have had!  Their dance is the Samba, and Bruno wants Erin to be more loose and move her hips.  This is her "redemption" dance.  Erin masters the move in practice, and Bruno rejoices with, "Look at your a--!"  They dance it brilliantly and at the end both stand on either side of Len and kiss his cheeks.   Len first quipped that his dream of being kissed by a bearded man had been fulfilled. He finished with telling Erin her improvement was fantastic. 
"Your hotter than noon in the tropic!! My head is still shaking!"  Bruno expressed.  Carrie Ann told her that her redemption of the dance went up three notches.

Scores:
Carrie Ann: 10
Len: 10
Bruno: 9 Dude, what happened to "hotter at noon in the tropic!?"
Total:  29

Evan's redemption dance is the Viennese Waltz.  He has been told time and time again to make that connection with Anna.  So who better to coach them for redemption than Len.  His biggest instruction was to look at Anna, and to complete each move with her.  It was a beautiful waltz indeed.   He was making the connection and following through each move.  I could so judge this show because Bruno said there was fluidity, very good holds and a good connection.  Len was harsh telling Evan that his legs "collapsed" a little--he got some flack for that.  He redeemed his own self telling them it was overall beautiful.  Carrie called the dance a beautiful enchanting dream.

Scores:
Carrie Ann: 10
Len:  9
Bruno: 9
28

Derek and Nicole:  Redemption dance: The Rumba.  Nicole was very unsteady the first time she danced it.  And now, Carrie Ann wants her to let go.  She told her to not think about the steps(in practice) but to feel the movement of the dance.  And holy cow, did it ever work.  That dance was super steamy hot.  It was absolutely perfect...until....the end.  Where they performed a lift.  *sigh*  The Lift Nazi Carrie Ann said it was the most memorizing dance...and then there was the lift!  Len felt she still lacked confidence in the dance and Bruno with all his Bruno-osity proclaimed, "Sensuality, romance, sinlessly moving into something of supreme beauty!"

Scores:
Carrie Ann: 9
Len : 9
Bruno: 9
27

Now comes the fun part.  The free style dance.  This dance will make or break you. And all bets are off.  Lifts are acceptable.  Anything goes.  First up, Erin and Maks perform a risky and risque dance.  A bedroom scene complete with a bed which they dance on, over, and around.  It was quite steamy.  I saw the bed and immediately decided that Len would hate it.  Well he didn't hate it, but he didn't love it either.  Bruno said they put their heart and soul into it and that some of the steps they pulled off were incredible.  Carrie Ann also thought it was incredible but pointed out a small stumble on the bed.  To which Maks replied, "I didn't practice on that bed."

Scores:
Carrie Ann:  9
Len:8  Ouch!
Bruno:  8 Seriously??
55

Evan and Anna are butting heads about how the free style should go.  I don't think Anna has ever come this close.  She is super stressed.  In the end, they dance to "Footloose" and replicate some of the dance from the end of the movie.  It was fun and bouncy.  I liked it....but.... "Evan, was that 'footloose' or 'screwloose'?  You looked like you were bitten by a tarantula." Who else but Bruno would say that??  Carrie Ann said they did great, but in the side by side they have to match the moves.  Len said it certainly wasn't what he wanted to see.  

Scores:
Carrie Ann:  8
Len: 8
Bruno: 8
52 total

Nicole and Derek's make or break dance is more hip hop, which Nicole has been receiving much criticism for throughout the season, not by our judges, but by the viewing public.  She does know how to hip hop, but ballroom dancing is another world.  Anydance, it was energetic, fun and they were on fire.  They did many complicated lifts, and the one at the end went kind of rough.  Oops.  Carrie Ann said that was the dance they had been waiting for, but the lift at the end killed her. (due to the slip) Len was ecstatic...well as ecstatic as proper English gent can be. "I saw jive, I saw lindy hop, it was entertaining and fun!"  Bruno said it was dazzling and that they pushed the bar very high.  

Scores:
Carrie Ann:  9
Len: 9
Bruno: 9
55
*************************************************************
Now it is the season finale.  All the stars are back to dance....even...Kate.  Yep...
She's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!  And she still can't dance.  Chad didn't dance due to an injury so he was sitting on the sidelines. 

This time the finalists have to dance two more dances, that only the judges will score.  The first is the couples choice.  Interestingly enough each couple chose the same dance.  The Argentine Tango.  And if you ask me, this was each of their best dances.  I would hate to be the judges, because they all were fabulous.  Only one couple could get 30.  And the couple that placed 3rd, was officially out of the competition at that point.

The results are in...and it went as follows...

3rd:  26 Erin adn Maks
2nd:  28 Evan and Anna
1st:  30 Derek and Nicole

Erin and Maks are now eliminated, but they still get to dance their second dance.  The Cha-Cha-Cha.  I was sad, but in that moment I knew who the winners would be.   However, both couples still had to dance to receive their final scores.  Their final scores plus the votes from the previous night would ultimately determine the winners.   Derek and Nicole dance a perfect jive and receive a perfect 30 for a total of 115 to prove my point.  Evan and Anna danced The Fox Trot.  It was good, but not as good as Derek and Nicole.  They got 28 for a total of 108.  It was an exhausting 10 weeks (14 really since they begin rehearsing a month before the show begins).   But the time has come....and as predicted....Derek and Nicole took the prize!  I hope you all had as much fun reading these as I had writing them.  And just because I love him so much....