all over the damn map

I am bloody exhausted so I'm going to try and make this quick.

Last week my bottom three predictions came true, but Cedric and Shauna were the ones to leave. I'm fine with that decision. I didn't think either of them were ever going to win, but they had a nice run and got to leave on a high note. Good for you two, moving on.

Tonight's dances were all over the damn map. Also, the judges were a little insufferable. What the hell was up with Mary's freaking OUTFIT, people? Oh, and with Wade talking like an enormous tool? Take yourself too seriously much? Good grief.

Here's the breakdown:
Sabra & Dominic, jive - Sabra continues to be darling, Dominic continues to bug me. That said, they pulled off a solid routine tonight. I say they're safe.

Jaimie & Hok, broadway - I disagreed with the judges a lot here, I thought this routine was lovely. I thought the movements from both were fluid and the tone was beautiful, and I thought the judges were a little hard on them. That said, other couples were better than they were, so I'm guessing they're in the bottom three.

Sara & Pasha, jazz - This was a weird, cool, sexy routine and I dug it. I'm always impressed with the way these two really inhabit their roles when they dance--it's like they become different people. I was completely impressed with the detail they pulled off here as well. I say they're safe.

Lauren & Neil, contemporary - The judges loved this one, but it didn't do it for me. The routine had its moments for sure, and I can tell they're both extremely proficient, technically. As an added bonus, the goggles prevented me from dealing with their incessant camera mugging, so they annoyed me a little less. But the parts where they had to dance in unison were sloppy. This could have been so much cooler, but I was disappointed. I suspect I'm in the minority where these two are concerned, but if there's any justice in the world, they'll land in the bottom three.

Anya & Danny, foxtrot - Much ado has been made about Danny's attitude, and the couple's struggle to connect to the audience, but the judges were falling over themselves to praise them for their routine tonight. They said all of these fancy things about what they achieved, but I'm going to break it down really simply for you. The dancing was superb, the routine was sensational, and the reason everyone's saying that they finally really loved them, in addition to all that? They SMILED. Danny smiled. Genuinely smiled. And, truly, it was awesome to see. I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess they're safe.

Lacey & Kameron, hip hop - I'm not a big fan of Dan Karaty routines. They aren't really hip hop in a true sense, and this one involved lots of prancing around on Lacey's part, which isn't entirely her fault. I would have liked to see them take on something a little more tough, but even with this soft routine, they were just okay. I've loved these two the whole season so far, but tonight they were meh. Now, I think fans of this show have a blind spot when it comes to the Schwimmers and just vote for them maniacally. So I could be wrong when I say this, but I think they're going to end up in the bottom three.

So, predictions:
1. Sabra & Dominic - safe
2. Jaimie & Hok - bottom 3
3. Sara & Pasha - safe
4. Lauren & Neil - bottom 3
5. Anya & Danny - safe
6. Lacey & Kameron - bottom 3

Truly, though, the voting this season has been erratic and surprising. If my bottom 3 predictions are right, however, then I'm going to guess that we're saying goodbye to... gosh, I'd love to say Lauren & Neil, but I'm thinking the judges will be thinking about who'll sell the most tickets when the top 10 go on tour, so I'm going to guess Jaimie & Kameron. Feel free, as always to tell me where I'm wrong.