Dmitry is actually very versatile for a ballroom dancer. A quick trip down memory lane for those that didn’t see that season’ ¦.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FGsntLbcUU (Shane Hip Hop ‘“ I hated Joy BTW)

I think that video pretty much makes the case of why they didn’t do any hip hop dancing last night. Mya could do that simple choreography from that SYTYCD clip in her sleep and Dmitry clearly was struggling there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzVxOD83oLc

My opinion is that Donny is likely pulling twice as many votes as Mya, he was so far down behind Johanna last week and still passed her, so he is going to win this “competition” come hell or high water, the judges and producers know it, and the concept of laying it on Dmitry’s “lackluster” freestyle choreography is an appealing fiction that seems to resonate with viewers.

I’m just glad Mya was in the cast until the last show because Kelly’s “journey” and Donny’s shtick really didn’t interest me in the least.

I find it hard to pick the “best dancer” when everyone came into the competition with very different starting points – so the contest wasn’t “fair” from the start.

Oh – and my “favorite” dancer is Dimitry – so I’d love him to have the win!

Oddly (as a DO fan from Joseph days) I think I’d be happiest if she won.

Donny pulled the “Marie” card one to many times for me – and Mya is a great dancer – but she never touched my heart.

I think he wanted to play it safe because he can’t keep up with her.

LOL. I guess you didn’t watch him the season he was on SYTYCD (S2) or you’d know how good he is.

Dmitry is actually very versatile for a ballroom dancer. A quick trip down memory lane for those that didn’t see that season….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FGsntLbcUU (Shane Hip Hop – I hated Joy BTW)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue8o_6eXRJw (Dan K Pop)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjqU6SwgVeU (Soooo disappointed there wasn’t a reveal at the end)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G_tGxAVaAE

I could watch him all day. Good thing I’m on vacation this week. Now I want to watch that season again!

Oh, stab me in the heart! I don’t remember I’m older until I read something like this. (and he’s 3 mos. younger than me!)

Combine that with the fact that I went to deliver a Mary Kay package to a client yesterday, and her little daughter saw me through the storm door (it was after dark) and declared her granny was there!

Excuse me while I go soak my dentures and put on my orthopedic shoes. ; )

And Dmitry, Louis, and Kym are three of my favorite pros, so I’ve loved seeing them get into these prominent positions and have a chance to show their stuff.

Very satisfying show, to me, last night. I expect them to finish Donny, Mya, Kelly. And I expect that finish is enough to do positive things for all their careers, so it’s win win.

If she (Kelly) wins ‘“ it will go a long way towards changing not only how she’s viewed in the business ‘“ but how she views herself. I wish her luck with both.

I just love Kelly. Of all the contestants on the season, she had the lowest confidence and the least experience. I still think she was casted in the comic role – the one we were supposed to laugh at. The laugh is on the casting folks because Kelly’s done very well, in dancing and voting. I am rooting for her in her career, and in her continued sobriety.

I think Mya is confident in her abilities, and she should be. She’s fantastic. She’s had a lot of dance experience – including that role in themovie “Chicago”, in which she primarily performed as a DANCER! But whatever… I still never saw the “over” confidence nor the “icy” personality, but I didn’t root for her this season.

Dimitry has been told he was a very good choreographer, and having Louis as a teacher must have helped him along the way. I just sensed some kind of tension between him and Mya.

I agree! Thought it was just me. And the freestyle routine did not show Mya off as it should have. Even so, I think – and I hope – Mya has caught the attention of some producers who will cast her in bigger and better productions now. She’s very talented.

Donny is first and foremost, an entertainer. He’s been singing and dancing for 46 years, and performed in musical theater. But he also made some of the biggest mistakes during the competition. He’s just more polished in covering up! I agree with those who’ve noted that he’s done a lot to overcome his “difficult to work with” reputation.

In terms of dancing ability, there is no question that Mya should win. She’s awesome. But this is not a dancing contest – it’s a TV show / popularity contest. There is no question in my mind that the popularity, the showmanship, and personality all belong to Donny Osmond, and his strong freestyle – to finish the show, no less – will seal the deal. With all due respect to Mya’s fans, I’m actually rooting for Kelly to finish in the #2 spot, despite the fact that Mya is the better dancer. I think Kelly may have enough popularity to pull that out, but who really knows what the voting has been like?

the magic is truly in the editing choices of what goes on the air

Excellent point. I thought of that last week when I saw Hugh Hefner in Joanna’s video – I was thinking Hmm, someone has decided it’s time for her to go home.

He may just have cost her the trophy.

I don’t think that’s the case, I don’t think she’ll win, but I don’t think she would have won even with a snazzy Vegas number. I think Dmitry was correct in assessing that her biggest barrier to winning was that people just haven’t warmed up to her. I think people already know that she is the best dancer, so giving her something to make her likeable made sense, it was just a risk of a different nature. I think it was just too little too late. And I don’t see it as his fault, he can’t make her personality something that it isn’t. She is probably a very nice person and warm to close friends, but either didn’t know how or wasn’t able to make it come across on camera.

I think that both Kelly and Donny have more of that easy charm, and Donny in particular understood the importance of showing that side of himself, in a way that Mya either didn’t or wasn’t able to. I don’t think Donny is a “fake” though. I thought the little speech that Bruno gave him was really nice, basically acknowledging that Donny was not skating by on his charm and popularity, he was doing the work.

I’m impressed with Donny, he’s 51, Mya’s 30 and Kelly’s 25. You don’t get handicap points for being older, either you can do it or you can’t, but still. Whew. I’m also impressed with Kelly, she just blossomed right in front of us. Mya is of course a very impressive dancer. Donny is my sentimental favorite, but I think a good case could be made for each of them so I’ll be happy for whoever wins.

The editing of the video packages made Mya seem overconfident, like she thinks the highly coveted Mirror Ball Trophy is in her back pocket.

CRB, that is what I was talking about earlier when I asked if any of this show is scripted. It sounds like your belief is that the editing is what caused Mya to come across overconfident.

I’ve sort of figured that the “fix” was in for Donny from the time he was “saved by the fan vote” last week but that completely overscored freestyle dance pretty much sealed the deal. The editing of the video packages made Mya seem overconfident, like she thinks the highly coveted Mirror Ball Trophy is in her back pocket.

Kelly Osborne is very charming on the show and her chemistry with Louis was excellent but I suspect that the real Kelly is far less pleasant. It was a pretty cool show tonight but I’d rather the Megamix go away next cycle.

Mya should win, based on her excellence and dedication to putting out the best dances every week but I have my doubts that this show really has very much to do with dancing.

I voted for Mya & Dmitry.