By my count, there were six different dances tonight, with four of them only being performed by one couple. This season had left behind the variety-heavy format of last season, getting back to the much simpler two dances per night format. I personally would prefer producers to simplify it even more, going back to the original format of all the women stars performing one dance, and all the men performing another. It makes it so much easier to compare apples to apples.

At least we've culled all the rotten apples from this season, leaving seven hard-working stars, all of whom tonight showed remarkable growth since week one. Tonight, Melissa took the lead solo for the first time with a sleek Argentine tango, and Shawn cha-chaed her way to a second-place finish, with her highest score so far. Last week's top scorer, Li'l Kim, slipped to fourth place with a too-tame rumba. Here's a rundown of how it all played out, and stay tuned for a bit of talk on the retro group dance. 

Melissa and Tony: With a dramatic dance that allowed lifts and super-intricate choreo, Melissa registered what appeared to be a pitch-perfect Argentine tango. Len's eagle eye did catch a one-point deduction error, but from my seat, that routine looked flawless. Judges' score: 29/30

Shawn and Mark: This cha-cha, performed to Michael Jackson's "P.Y.T.," was an adorable mix of sassy and sexy. Shawn's hip action was leaps and bounds better than in the first few weeks, and she looked like she was having more fun than in any dance so far. Her first ten of the season was well-deserved; I really can't see why she didn't get more than just Bruno's. And can I just point out that Mark's King-of-Pop suit was embellished with sequins, all the way down to his peeking white socks? Gotta love it. Judges' score: 28/30

Chuck and Julianne: Finally, Chuck goes for it all the way! Up until now, his movements have read like a man who's still making fun of the way men do ballroom dance, rather than a man actually putting genuine, whole-hearted effort into a dance. With tonight's red-hot samba, he worked those hips and chicken-winged like he meant it! And he even rocked the head-to-toe red silk, a la Mark Ballas! Woot! Judges' score: 27/30

Article Author: Kimberly Mauck

Kimberly Mauck writes travel and restaurant features for Oklahoma Today, teaches composition to college freshmen, blogs about her family, and often sheds blood, sweat, and tears working on her first novel, a young adult fantasy.

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