Better than the Prom

Tuesday was the big night: this season's Dancing with the Stars winner was crowned. I'd been looking forward to it all week. Honestly, I didn't really know who to pull for. (Incidentally, I'd like to say for the record that way back in April, my three faves were Shawn, Melissa and Gilles. See 4/21 post.)

Even though Shawn had been doing well lately, Melissa and Gilles were the better dancers over the course of the season. Between Melissa and Gilles, though, it was a tough call. Do you handicap based on the fact that Melissa was, as a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, essentially a professional dancer? (Shawn, of course, also had an enormous leg up over her competitors as a gymnast who's spent years training her body to hold amazing positions.)

On the other hand, do you take into consideration that male contestants, by and large, have a huge advantage: they stand there and look dancer-like while their pro partners twirl and spin their sexy selves around them. (Who's even looking at the guys, anyway?)  I love both Gilles and Melissa. Asking me to choose one was like asking which of my children I'd save in a fire. Gilles rocks every sultry latin dance. And he's smokin' hot. But I also want to see spunky Melissa pull off a great American comeback and show up that Jason guy and his new girlfriend. If I really had to choose, I'd have to go with Gilles, who has consistently been the best performer the entire season.

It came down to the Freestyle round, the last dance of the Finals. Shawn and Mark were phenomenal. Her hip-hop routine was fun, non-stop, and had fantastic choreography. There were tons of tricks and flips, and she cut loose with some serious moves. It reminded me a lot of the freestyle routine Mark danced with Kristi Yamaguchi, who won that year. Well, you gotta stick with what works. 

Melissa was disappointing. With all the flips, lifts and jumps, her number was impressively acrobatic, but there just wasn't enough dancing. I think she forgot she was in a dancing final, not a cheerleading competition. Performing right after Shawn's superiorly-choreographed dance didn't help her either. Melissa's abs, though, are worthy of that crystal ball trophy. I'd kill for her midriff.

Then we were on to Gilles' and Cheryl's freestyle. Oh, Gilles, what were you thinking? This Flashdance send-up was cheesier than a can of Velveeta. It opened with Cheryl draped backwards over a chair and continued with the two of them slithering all over each other. Seemingly inspired by Solid Gold, they even wore ripped shirts and treated us to a few pelvic thrusts. Gross. I really wanted to see Gilles break out some moves, but not that. Please, not that! 

So if we were to vote on the Final round alone, then Shawn really did deliver the winning goods. In the end, the final three were all utterly entertaining and enjoyable. I guess it really doesn't matter who won. (As long as it wasn't Ty.) 

I just love this show. (I know, I need to get out more.) One of the reasons I'm so crazy for Dancing is that it's the only program that my 4 year old and I both truly want to watch. I'm usually on the elliptical working out while she spins around the room in a swirly dress, imitating the dancers. It's good, clean fun. And there isn't enough of that these days.

Dance on!