Rob Kardashian is proving the Dancing With the Stars doubters wrong. He got a bad rap at the beginning of the season for being aloof and just doing the show because mom Kris Jenner made him. But he has improved dramatically. Kicking off Monday night’s episode with an awesome quickstep, Rob proved he’s a dark horse in the competition, an under-the-radar but serious contender. Watch the routine that earned Rob and Cheryl Burke all nines below: Rob Kardashian on Dancing With the Stars (Week 8 – Quickstep) He finished with the fourth highest total out of five dancers, but Rob has a big cushion over Nancy Grace, so he should be in the clear on tonight’s results show. Beyond that, though, it may come down to Rob and Cheryl or Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Hope Solo for the final spot in the 13th season’s three-team finale. Rob scored a 24 on his second, instant jive dance. Watch it below: Rob Kardashian on Dancing With the Stars (Week 8 – Jive)
War hero J.R. Martinez is the first to a perfect 30 score — twice! By Kelley L. Carter Karina Smirnoff and J.R. Martinez Photo: ABC On Monday night’s “Dancing With the Stars,” the remaining celebrities were challenged to dance two routines. To make it even tougher, the stars had to perform an instant dance to a song they’d heard only moments ago. At the top of the pack was war hero and actor J.R. Martinez, who nabbed the first pair of perfect scores of the season with both his routines. Here’s how the others fared: Rob Kardashian and Cheryl Burke Reality star Rob Kardashian wanted to make good on his #2 position from last week with his routines on Monday night. His first dance was the quickstep to A-ha’s “Take on Me,” and the judges found him to be on point. Last week, they criticized him for his backside (saying it got in the way) but thought this first dance was an incredible improvement. “When you started, I thought, ‘This isn’t going to work.’ That opening section was terrible. But once you got in hold, the whole thing changed. Your posture was good. I had a good look at your buttocks. Your buttocks were tucked in. Your best dance so far,” head judge Len Goodman said. 27/30 For their instant dance, the twosome danced the jive, and the judges said he needed to sharpen up his feet a bit. “It was no glaring mistakes. To get through this is tough,” Goodman said. 24/30 Total: 51/60 Hope Solo and Maksim Chmerkovskiy The athlete danced the quickstep for her first routine, and after weeks of harsh judging, the pair finally hit their stride. The judges found them to be in sync with one another and said they had a blend of speed and control. “What’s going on tonight? It’s the night of miracles. Rebooted. Re-energized. You never moved so well. What’s going on? Your best dance yet!” Bruno Tonioli gushed. 27/30 For their instant dance, they had the jive, and this was to be their redemption dance (they’d danced the jive earlier in the season, and Solo got off her count and messed up the dance weeks earlier). The judges thought they’d made a definite improvement since the last time they did the jive, and Goodman, who had been a big critic of the couple before, said it was everything a jive should be. “The fast and the furious! You were like a wild child!” Tonioli said. 25/30 Total: 52/60 Ricki Lake and Derek Hough The talk-show host and her partner danced the waltz, and just like weeks before, the judges thought the dance was beautifully executed the entire way through. “You had a little stumble at the end there, but your movements are exquisite. What I love and what makes you so special is that when you dance, you lose yourself completely in the dance,” judge Carrie Ann Inaba said. 28/30 Lake was confident going into the instant dance, because when she last performed the jive, she’d earned one of the highest scores that night. Her goal, she said, was to stay calm and not panic. “There were a few little stops and starts. You were on it, your energy was great, but there were a few moments where I thought you got lost. You got right back into it though,” Inaba said. 24/30 Total: 52/60 Nancy Grace and Tristan MacManus The HLN anchor took on the tango for her first dance of the night, and the judges said she broke through her plateau. They thought the pair had command of the stage, and their dance was frisky and clean. “You’ve been on a plateau. But now, after all these weeks, up you’ve gone,” Goodman said. 24/30 The talk-show host took on the jive for her instant dance, and the judges thought she got lost in the choreography. “I enjoy the way you trusted Tristan. The chemistry that you two have saved you,” Inaba said. 20/30 Total: 44/60 J.R. Martinez and Karina Smirnoff After dropping down the leaderboard last week, the war hero wanted to move back up. For their first dance, they took on the waltz, and Martinez said he wanted to push himself to get the first 30 of season 13. The judges thought his performance illustrated incredible grace and found the routine to be magical. “It was like a musical Valentine card. You danced with your heart on your sleeve. Totally involved. Totally dedicated. You made beautiful music with Karina,” Tonioli said. 30/30 The night’s top scorer, Martinez, danced the instant jive, and the judges said he was in a class all his own. Inaba said no one came close to the couple that night. “You were off like a rocket! Your timing was impeccable! You’ve got it man, you’ve got it!” Tonioli yelled out. 30/30 Total: 60/60 Who had your favorite dance of the night? Let us know in the comments below!
But she has to share with J.R. Martinez, who also scores a 29 on Broadway night. By Kelley L. Carter Ricki Lake and Derek Hough Photo: ABC It was Broadway week on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars,” and naturally, the theatrics were high. The cast of Broadway’s “Sister Act” performed, as did Emmy winner Kristin Chenoweth. The remaining celebrities pulled out all the stops with creative costumes and over-the-top performances. This also was the first time the celebrities danced a group performance, to “Hey Big Spender” from “Sweet Charity” and “Money” from “Cabaret.” The performance didn’t get scored, but the judges commented and thought it was a fitting tribute. As for the dances that were scored, it was a dead heat at the top of the board between war hero J.R. Martinez and former talk-show host Ricki Lake, who impressed the judges with their takes on the quickstep. Here’s how everyone fared: Rob Kardashian and Cheryl Burke The duo took on a tune from “Jersey Boys,” the Four Seasons’ “Walk Like a Man,” and danced the cha-cha. The judges found the performance to be a bit muted and not at all daring for a high-stakes week like this. “It was clean. It was precise. It had good timing. Each dance gives you new challenges. The cha-cha-cha has got to show rhythm. There was no rhythm. It was all too stiff. It wasn’t oily. It was a bit … starchy,” head judge Len Goodman said. 22/30 Nancy Grace and Tristan MacManus The TV host was asked to do more after last week, when they found her routine to be a bit drab; this week, they took on the foxtrot and danced to a tune from “Spamalot.” The judges said the pair upped the ante and considered her performance to be a showstopper. They thought much more of her personality came out and she performed with great flair, earning her highest score in the competition. “It’s Nancy Dance-alot! I’ve seen the musical, and you captured the theme of it, and yet you did a foxtrot. Well done!” Bruno Tonioli said. 24/30 David Arquette and Kym Johnson The actor earned his highest score of the season last week, and he said he wanted to keep that momentum going and stay at the top. They danced “We Go Together” from “Grease” and did the quickstep. The judges thought it was rough around the edges but high-energy and fun. “It’s a really tough number to live up to. But as far as performance goes, I thought you completely lived up to any expectation that we’d have for ‘We Go Together’ from ‘Grease.’ It’s not easy. That was the good side. The bad side: You guys were out of sync today. But … there was a fluidity that was going. You just got a little ahead of yourself,” Carrie Ann Inaba said. 23/30 Ricki Lake and Derek Hough The former talk-show host and actress had previously dominated the leaderboard but fell last week to the #5 position after failing to impress the judges during ’80s week. Also a former Broadway star, Lake was hoping that would give her the edge during Monday night’s competition. They danced the quickstep to a track from “Guys and Dolls,” and the judges gave her a standing ovation. “You don’t need luck if you’ve got talent. And this number, you proved your talent. I loved it,” Goodman said. 29/30 Chaz Bono and Lacey Schwimmer The activist tangoed to a track from “Phantom of the Opera,” and he was hoping his newfound confidence from last week would continue in Monday night’s performance. The judges thought it was the most aggressive they’ve seen him, but think that he needs to be pushed a little further. “It was like watching a cute little penguin trying to be a big menacing bird of prey. This is the truth: It has to be menacing. Dark. Dangerous. Naughty. The tango wants to be driven continuously. It is hard. It’s very difficult. To me, this character didn’t fit you,” Tonioli said. 19/30 Hope Solo and Maksim Chmerkovskiy
‘I don’t have any dance experience, so this is very new for me,’ former ‘Hills’ starlet tells MTV News. By James Dinh Kristin Cavallari Photo: MTV News Kristin Cavallari may not have started out as a dancer, but she’s definitely a quick learner. On the season 13 debut of “Dancing With the Stars” last week, the 24-year-old former “Hills” and “Laguna Beach” starlet wowed the judges and audiences alike when she shook her way through the cha-cha, proving she has more to offer than just reality-TV drama. MTV News caught up with “DWTS” pro Mark Ballas and the former reality bad girl, who stressed the show’s grueling (but fun) rehearsal schedule. “Mark and I have been rehearsing since 8 in the morning, which Mark’s not very happy about,” the blond bombshell confessed. “But it’s been a good day. We’re getting a lot done. We’ve been here for five hours almost, so we’re a little sweaty, but it’s been fun.” “I’m not a morning person at all,” Ballas reaffirmed. Even though Cavallari nabbed a respectable score during the season premiere (19/30), the starlet told us she’s not used to all the showstopping choreography. “I don’t have any dance experience, so this is very new for me. I’m out of my element here. The only style of dance I would do is like bop around at a club,” she laughed. Coming off a rough year, which includes a broken engagement , Cavallari said she’s “having a lot of fun” in rehearsals, particularly learning the quickstep, which she’ll be performing on Monday night’s (September 26) episode. There is another dance on her bucket list as well. “I’m looking forward to learning how to salsa dance. That’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” she said. “Dancers … how they way they carry themselves is just completely different than how we do it in our everyday lives. They’re just very free with their bodies, which I’m not very used to, although with the quickstep, I have to be very in frame and strong.” Ballas is also intent on helping the reality star build up her physique, saying, “We’re working on core muscles, trying to get those abs rocking.” Will you be voting for Kristin on “Dancing With the Stars”? Tell us in the comments! Related Photos ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Season 13 Cast Revealed
Following last night’s Dancing with the Stars performance show, Carrie Ann Inaba is loving her some Chris Jericho. Hines Ward, meanwhile, is teaching his partner some new lingo and coming through with a solid version of the Quickstep. But did Romeo deliver the best routine of week two? Yes, according to Len Goodman. The actor/rapper joined Jericho and Ward in earning 23 points for his latest attempt. He has garnered 42 to date and will likely be around for awhile. Check out Romeo and Chelsea Hightower in action below. Think they have a chance to go all the way? Romeo and Chelsie Hightower – Quickstep
After two weeks of Dancing with the Stars , The Karate Kid remains a knuckle above the competition. Even a mediocre Jive on last night’s performance show wasn’t enough to knock Ralph Macchio from the top spot, as his 21-point effort, combined with last week’s impressive Foxtrot , leaves him with a total of 45, good for first place on the overall leaderboard. We’ll also see Kirstie Alley next week, no doubt. She and Maksim Chmerkovskiy may have only garnered a score of 20 for their Quickstep, but they concluded the routine with an improvised kiss and left viewers buzzing. Watch below and then check out all the scores from the evening. Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Kirstie Alley on Dancing with the Stars Ralph Macchio and Karina Smirnoff – Last night: 21. Season to date: 45 Hines Ward and Kym Johnson – Last night: 23. Season to date: 44. Chris Jericho and Cheryl Burke – Last night: 23. Season to date: 42. Romeo and Chelsie Hightower – Last night: 23. Season to date: 42. Kirstie Alley and Maksim Chmerkovskiy – Last night: 20. Season to date: 43. Kendra Wilkinson and Louis van Amstel – Last night: 19. Season to date: 37. Petra Nemcova and Dmitry Chaplin – Last night: 18. Season to date: 36. Chelsea Kane and Mark Ballas – Last night: 18. Season to date: 39. Sugar Ray Leonard and Anna Trebunskaya – Last night: 17. Season to date: 34. Wendy Williams and Tony Dovolani – Last night: 17. Season to date: 31. Mike Catherwood and Lacey Schwimmer – Last night: 17. Season to date: 30. Who is your season 12 favorite so far?
Jonas Brothers singer working on ‘a more dangerous sound’ for the project, E! News reports. By Jocelyn Vena Joe Jonas Photo: George Napolitano/ FilmMagic Nick Jonas did his own thing with the Administration, and in 2011, Joe Jonas also plans to go it alone . It has been confirmed that the Jonas Brothers singer will release a solo album sometime next year, something he’s been hinting at for a while now. E! News reports that the 21-year-old is currently recording the album, and sources tell the website that he is going for “a more dangerous sound,” similar to Justin Timberlake. “Joe has been working with various writers and producers but there’s no confirmation on what it will be for,” a Jonas Brothers rep told MTV News. Joe hasn’t been secretive about his desire to pursue other projects. “I’ve been working on lots of music,” he told MTV News in August. “I’ve been working [with] lots of musicians having a great time. [I have] been writing with a lot of friends of mine and some artists here and there, and we’ll see what comes out it.” And his music has even gotten his brothers’ seal of approval. “I’ve heard it. It’s awesome,” Nick said, before Kevin chimed in, “It’s really good music.” Joe has been very busy in 2010 with his own projects, mostly in the acting department. Between an appearance on “Hot in Cleveland,” a November guest spot on “90210” and a mysterious acting project with Tom Hanks , Joe has been branching out from the JoBros. How does Joe feel about all the work? “Life is wonderful,” he tweeted last week. “Thank you all who impact my life. Family, friends, fans! Xo” What do you think about Joe Jonas going solo? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Jonas Brothers Related Artists Jonas Brothers
‘It’s time to man up,’ the Situation writes to his followers. By Jocelyn Vena Michael “The Situation” Sorrentino Photo: Andrew H. Walker/ Getty Images As week two of “Dancing With the Stars” kicks off, the celebs have taken to Twitter to chat with fans about their varying degrees of nervousness. And mixed in with the nerves were some jokes and some bravado. “It’s time to man up,” “Jersey Shore” star Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino tweeted. “Professional dancer I’m not, but not gonna stop me from goin out there in front of millions and doin my best. “Thanks to everyone 4support,” he added. “Goin out there n gonna leave it all out on the floor and have fun. I have the best fans, the SituationNation DWTS. … The quickstep is pretty hard but I’m gonna try my hardest n have fun. Sitch, DWTS vote.” Like the Sitch, Audrina Patridge will also be dancing the quickstep , and she’s hoping everyone remembers to vote this week. “@TonyDovolani thanks tony:) so excited for tomorrow!!! See u bright and early tomorrow xo Icing my feet!!! Lol the quickstep is tons of fun. I’m whipping my body into a dancers body!” Audrina wrote. “On my way to the studios to start preparing for tonight!” Comedian Margaret Cho decided to make light of it all on her Twitter page. “Atmosphere real tense in hair trailer for dwts!!” she joked. “You can cut the tension with a glittered switchblade.” Meanwhile, after an emotional performance last week, Jennifer Grey thanked her fans for all their support. “Here comes the jive people,” she shared. “Pray for me…” It seems that Rick Fox has the most pressure on him. Why? “1st up tonight!” he revealed. “Tune in early : )I’m getting my first start of the season.” Who are you rooting for on “Dancing With the Stars”? Share your favorites in the comments! Related Photos ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Season 11 Cast Revealed!
‘We pop bottles for him while he’s gone,’ he tells Mixtape Daily. By Shaheem Reid Lil Wayne Photo: ozonemag.com Executive Decisions: Birdman Last year, Birdman handed over a sachet with $1 million in cash to his son Lil Wayne for his birthday. But on Monday (September 27), Wayne’s 28th birthday, the #1 Stunna can’t celebrate with his loved one like he wants to. Wayne is still incarcerated on Rikers Island. “It ain’t kicked in,” Baby told MTV News. “My family, I like to do things for him for his birthday, you hear me? This the first time we not gonna get a chance to do that. But he is putting a new album out called I Am Not a Human Being. We pop bottles for him while he’s gone.” Wayne’s album landed online Monday; 10 songs are being sold digitally, and on October 12, a physical copy of the album will land at retailers. That version has 13 tracks. “When Wayne do what he do, he takes serious pride in his work,” Birdman told us in Miami last week for the kickoff of Drake’s Light Dreams and Nightmares Tour . “Nothing we do is half-stepping or half-cocked. I think it’s a great album. To me, he’s switching back. This album has no Vocoder; he’s back to raw rap. He’s just rapping how he’s feeling. He’s a genius, so the music is always gonna be great. He wanted to put I Am Not a Human Being out to show people he’s always in the building. Every album we put out, we’re going to do the most. We’re gonna go for it. We’re never gonna come half- cocked. You expect to see a lot, you gonna get a lot. It’s a great album.” Wayne has exactly 39 days left on his sentence until he comes home November 4. Birdman said he’ll most likely go see his family right away. “That’s my son. I love him. You always gonna miss a loved one. At the same time, we doing what we have to do,” the Cash Money CEO said. “Work hard. We all excited he’s about to come home. He’s happy. He wanna get out that place. That ain’t no place for him to be. Everybody is energized that he’s coming home. He walked the little walk. That was a left turn in our life. We wasn’t expecting nothing like that.” For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines . Related Videos Mixtape Daily: Lil Wayne and Birdman
‘I know Brandy’s very driven,’ she tells MTV News of one fellow dancer. By Jocelyn Vena Audrina Patridge and Tony Dovolani on “Dancing with the Stars” Photo: Adam Larkey/ABC Audrina Patridge may have tackled the cha-cha on last week’s “Dancing With the Stars,” but now the former “Hills” star is ready to take things up a couple of notches when she hits the stage for this week’s challenge: the quickstep. “I’m taking in everything the judges told me, [and] I’m using that as motivation to become a better dancer,” she told MTV News about her second week on the show. “We’re going to start on the quickstep and push the limits.” Patridge and her “DWTS” partner, Tony Dovolani, think the judges will be impressed by their dance moves and the beauty of the dance. “It’s really pretty,” Patridge said. “Tony’s shaving his legs for it!” Last week, fans said goodbye to David Hasselhoff , but that still leaves quite a few celebrities as Patridge’s competition. “I think everyone’s really good. I know Brandy’s very driven; she wants to win really bad. She’s really good,” she said. “Jennifer Grey is really good too. Rick Fox is good. Kyle [Massey] is hilarious. It’s really not that competitive. Everyone’s really supportive of each other. We bonded.” Patridge, however, isn’t the only MTV star burning up the dance floor every week, but she said there’s no beef between her and “Jersey Shore” star Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino . “I talked to Mike. He’s a real sweet guy. Watching ‘Jersey Shore,’ that’s not him at all,” she shared. “He’s so sweet and nice and funny.” While Patridge lives to dance another week, her main focus is making sure she gets the quickstep just right. “I’m feeling relieved and happy, and I can’t wait to get back into the studio and start learning the quickstep,” she said. “Tony showed me some of the steps last week. Now we’re really going to work hard and focus on that dance only. “It’s very different than the cha-cha,” she continued. “The quickstep is very fast. It’s challenging in a different way.” Who are you rooting for on “Dancing With the Stars”? Let us know in the comments! Related Photos ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Season 11 Cast Revealed!
