BWW Recap: DANCING WITH THE STARS - Who Rocked, Who Bombed & Who's Going Home

ABC's new season of Dancing With the Stars got off to a fantastic start this evening! BroadwayWorld TV has a detailed recap including comments on the dances by Contributing Editor Alan Aronshtam, what to work on tips for the dancers, and the judges scores!

Tonight's worst performance was by everyone's favorite science guy, Bill Nye. Lucky for him, he seems to have a crazy fan base of devoted science students who'll vote for him, so I think he's safe for the moment!

Amber finished off the night on top, and isn't in any danger of going home next week. Corbin gave a solid performance, and also isn't in any danger. I predict Keyshawn is going home next week!

See the dance-by-dance recap below!

---

Brant and Peta: Cha Cha Cha

Brant clearly understands that dance is also supposed to entertain, for entertaining he was. Unfortunately, he hasn't really grasped much of the basic technique which captures the essence of the Cha Cha Cha. I think the judges were really overly-generous with the scoring.

What to Work On: Technique, Moving his hips, and presentation.

Carrie Ann Inaba	Len Goodman	Bruno Tonioli
7	8	7

Leah and Tony: The Foxtrot

Leah seems very nervous when she's dancing, almost as if she's unsure of the next move. There are small moments when she shines. Whenever she looks like she's having fun, so am I! This also confirms to me that there is no real scale when it comes to scoring. The presentation and performance values were significantly worse when Leah was dancing, compared to Brant and Peta.

What to Work On: Confidence!

Carrie Ann Inaba	Len Goodman	Bruno Tonioli
7	7	7

Corbin and Karina: Contemporary

What Can I Say? I have a lot of hope for Corbin this season. This number confirms that Karina is a genius and knows how to play to the strengths of her "star". Corbin has plenty of dance training and is good at picking up choreography.My only complaint is with the judges. How can this number only be an 8 when Leah and Tony had all 7's? The scoring on the show is getting off to a bad start!

What to Work On: Smooth lines!

Carrie Ann Inaba	Len Goodman	Bruno Tonioli
8	8	8

Jack and Cheryl: Foxtrot

Jack surprising picked up the rhythm of the foxtrot quite well. The foxtrot is one of the hardest Ballroom dances to do, as it's count isn't straight, but syncopated. He was graceful, in time, and in sync with his partner. I was not expecting such a good performance from Jack, as he doesn't have much any dance training.

What to Work On: Dance less like a robot! Have fun

Carrie Ann Inaba	Len Goodman	Bruno Tonioli
8	8	7

Amber and Derek: Cha Cha Cha

Amber sure can move! She had sass, she was sharp when she needed to be, graceful at other times, and her energy bounced off my TV right into my heart. I'm expecting her to be a major contender this year!

What to Work On: Technique! It'll go a long way!

Carrie Ann Inaba	Len Goodman	Bruno Tonioli
9	9	9

...

Elizabeth and Val: Contemporary

It's very clear that Elizabeth has quite a bit of dance training. Her number was very polished and clean. I'd have liked it to be a little more emotional and raw, but I'm sure that will come as she gets more comfortable on the dance floor. As Tom said, she's very elegant and also a contender for the trophy if she keeps this up.

What to Work On: Dancing with emotions! (Your heart, not just your head!)

Carrie Ann Inaba	Len Goodman	Bruno Tonioli
8	8	8

Bill and Tyne: Cha Cha Cha

Well that was fast! Yes, I am referring to the science theme of their dance this week. Not sure exactly what it is I should comment on because this number was essentially a disaster. I mean, it's nice that an older gentlemen can go out and dance with someone like Tyne, but come on - this is primetime TV! Len said it best: "Painful!"

What to Work On: Technique, Presentation, Hips, etc.

Carrie Ann Inaba	Len Goodman	Bruno Tonioli
5	4	5

Keyshawn and Sharna: Cha Cha Cha

Keyshawn was very stiff, and didn't really ever open up and look like he was having a good time! He only smiled at the very end, after he was finished. He needs to work on his feet - they were all over the place. For someone who's only had a couple weeks of rehearsal and no previous experience, it was ok. I agree with Bruno that his timing went out multiple times.

What to Work On: Presentation and timing!

Carrie Ann Inaba	Len Goodman	Bruno Tonioli
6	5	6

Christina and Mark: Contemporary

This number had great production values and you could tell that Christina had potential, but I agree with Carrie Ann about her needing to open up more. Also, I think overall the number missed the mark - and didn't work very well on TV as I didn't feel the intensity that Bruno claims to have felt!

What to Work On: Be more confident, ask for more from your partner.

Carrie Ann Inaba	Len Goodman	Bruno Tonioli
7	7	8

Bill and Emma: Foxtrot

Can this "blue-collar comedian" dance? I say... not! He doesn't get the rhythm of the foxtrot, and his technique was non-existent. There were some entertaining moments, but if we're being honest, Bill and Emma will not be contendors for the trophy this year.

What to Work On: Musicality and technique.

Carrie Ann Inaba	Len Goodman	Bruno Tonioli
6	6	6

...

Valerie and Tristan: Foxtrot

Valerie's story is very moving. Her attitude towards life is infectious and I had hopes that this would translate into her dancing. The good news is it did! Valerie was graceful, in time, and looked like she was having a blast! As she said "It's good to be alive, but it's better to be dancing!"

What to Work On: Technique! A little goes a long way!

Carrie Ann Inaba	Len Goodman	Bruno Tonioli
7	7	7

Snooki and Sasha: Cha Cha Cha

Snooki was a bit of a mess, falling all over the dance floor during her turns. She knows how to move her hips which is an advantage. Who said all that clubbing wouldn't pay off. She wasn't the best or the worst, falling into place as perfectly average. I also disagree with Len! I didn't see any "crisp" cuban breaks.

What to Work On: Technique and your turns!

Carrie Ann Inaba	Len Goodman	Bruno Tonioli
8	8	7

---

Make sure to check BWW TV this fall after each episode for a detailed recap and analysis of each episode by BroadwayWorld Contributor Alan Aronshtam.