DWTS S024, Week 3: First Vegas Night Wins Big

Why Dancing with the Stars never did a Vegas night before boggles my mind. But here it is, their first Vegas night, and it's a blast. It kicks off with a spectacular number, which includes every Vegas cliche. It's fun to see Normani dressed as a tourist, posing for selfies with Sasha as Elvis P. The faces on the giant slot machine, are, of course, the judges and Tom and Erin.

Nick and Peta jump into Vegas in full gear, with a tango to Lady Gaga's "Poker Face."  I really liked it, and the fervor with which he tries so hard to get every step right.

JUDGES' SCORES: 26 out of 40

The cool thing about Mr. T on Vegas night is that he used to hang in Vegas, back in the day. "Sammy (Davis) and I used to compare rings," said T. Too bad the man cannot dance. Who doesn't look spiffy in a white tux?

And he's dancing to Sinatra's "Ain't That a Kick in the Head."

He starts this mess out with a top hat, then drops it. One of the quick-thinking troupe dancers manages to kick it away before havoc ensues. Oh my oh my. Ain't that a kick in the head, indeed...

Mr. T says he hasn't felt so handsome since his prom. That's DWTS, baby.

JUDGES' SCORES: 24 out of 40

Speaking of DWTS, you can tell that the production crew has been to Vegas once or twice. The judges' scores roll out with a pair of dice, the stage looks like a roulette wheel. It's all glorious grand Vegas fun!

Bonner has a problem, according to his package. When he broke his neck, that limited him being able to really move much above his shoulders. (Why then, one wonders, go on Dancing with the Stars, where you have to do tricks and lifts to stay competitive? *sigh*) In any case, they plunge on ahead. Even though you can't really do a proper Charleston without tricks and lifts, they go ahead and do it anyway. And like Mr. T before them, the whole thing (sets, costumes, lighting) was all tricked out wonderfully, hoping to pull them through it.

The song was from a Baz Luhrmann show, playing in Vegas.

I think Sharna Burgess is the most beautiful woman on this show, and her little wink to the camera as they start shows that part of her knows that. Her costume (as always) was gorgeous, and she dances a mean Charleston, trying to make up for Bonner's not really being able to move much. In his defense, he did move more than Mr. T.

JUDGES' SCORES: 24 out of 40

So, Julianne and Derek have a show that they are putting together for after this season. As has become the trend on this show, the dancers get to promote that in between regular numbers. So we have Julianne and Derek dancing.

Courtesy of Pure Derek Hough.com

They have developed (over a couple of seasons now) a style of dance which represents them, which incorporates them, dancing as adults, and two kids, representing them as younger, dancing with them. It's really quite magical. They say that doing this show allowed them to work out some things from their parents' divorce. And their mother is in the audience. Wow.

Tom: "Oh, I like this, a double Hough hug."

Pretty powerful, emotional stuff.

Here's what I don't like. Heather, in the package, says, "I played Britany (Spears) on Glee. I did all her songs." Pause. Beat. "But this is BALLROOM TANGO, it's different." Yeah, um, ok. Whatever. YOU'RE A DANCER. Own it.

They are dancing to a Britany Spears' song ("Toxic") since I guess she has a show playing in Vegas now.

Whoever designed this show originally (like the person who designed Survivor) is a genius. Because if it were JUST the judges scoring the show, you'd get results like this.

JUDGES' SCORES: 33 out of 40 (getting the first 9 of the season, from Carrie Ann)

Luckily, what makes it perfect, is that the audience of America factors in as well, and they are voting on other things besides technique. The judges creamed themselves over this dance, which was, perhaps "loads of content," as Len said, and "well executed" as Carrie Ann said, but really did nothing for me BECAUSE OF THE PARTICIPANTS. You have to factor that in. If America doesn't like you, forget it.

They are like watching washed cardboard, these two. No sparkle. No star quality. Blech.

On the opposite side of the spectrum...

Charo, who, btw, is older than dirt, was "best friends with Elvis" (that one you see in the background here)... And they do cut to a picture of her with Elvis, so I believe her.

They are doing "Chapel of Love," and getting married by an Elvis impersonator, as you do, when you're in Vegas. The best thing about this dance is that, next to it, they have a line of people waiting to be married after them, and they have two guys in line together. Big points for that, ABC.

JUDGES' SCORES: 24 out of 40

She may be the greatest gymnast in the world, but she doesn't know who Elvis Presley is. :-0  (Or, at least, she didn't before Sasha taught her all about him.)

I mean, seriously? Who wins Vegas night but two Elvises, dancing a quickstep to "Viva Las Vegas"? These two do. For sure! (In my voting, at least.) You used to get extra points for capturing the spirit of the evening, but I guess they don't do that anymore. (But I DO!) Especially when it's Vegas night!

JUDGES' SCORES: 32 out of 40

Artem really really, no, I mean REALLY likes Ricky Martin. So they go meet him at a show he's doing in Vegas, and Artem is all tongue-tied. It's kind of cute.

So, of course, they are performing a samba to a Ricky Martin song.

JUDGES' SCORES: 33 out of 40

Here is all you need to know about the next dance.

Yes, yes, yes, they got David Ross to do a Magic Mike thing. And wow. The crowd, not surprisingly, went bonkers.

Cause Mr. Ross did not hold back. He did the Magic Mike moves.

Anthony Risso, David Ross' Chicago Cubs teammate, Tweeted that he was "speechless...and a bit horrified" after seeing this. (So glad they put that into the show as it was happening.)

JUDGES' SCORES: 31 out of 40

(Their highest scores yet.)

We have, apparently, come to the sexuality part of the show. This was a jive, based on another Vegas show. The judges pretty much hated it. Bruno because the timing was messed up, Carrie Ann because Gleb chose to start the number with a VERY LONG lift (and she deducted, as she does, a point for that). Len didn't like the flicks.

JUDGES' SCORES: 26 out of 40

I take it back when I said that Sharna is the most beautiful woman on this show, because Emma is pretty darn stunning as well, and such a great dancer. And they have created this wonderful pool party, in which to have this samba. I liked it, but the judges commented on some messed up timing and "flat-footedness" by Rashad.

What I compliment her for is that it was PACKED with samba content, and great choreography.

JUDGES' SCORES: 28 out of 40

Lastly, we have our jet-setting couple. They went from Japan to here, last week, they flew to China, next week they are flying to the Philippines. Amazingly (I honestly think they are the first couple of which this is true), they are presenting fantastic dances every week. If there is jet lag, you sure can't tell.

Carrie Ann took off a point because they included this lift.

But this foxtrot was stunning. Val's choreography is almost unparalleled. They are a great couple to watch.

JUDGES' SCORES: 34 out of 40

Charo ends up being the one going home. Oh, darn.

MICHE'S FAVORITES OF VEGAS NIGHT, Week 3
1. Sasha and Simone's quickstep
2. Val and Normani's foxtrot
3. Lindsay and David's jazz
4. Artem and Nancy's samba
5. Sharna and Bonner's Charleston
6. Alan and Heather's foxtrot
7. Emma and Rashad's samba
8. Peta and Nick's tango

PLEASE GO HOME
1. Mr. T
2. Erika
3. Heather and Alan
4. Nancy

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