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In the Latin Dances the semi-finalists will dance either the Samba or the Paso Doble. Then it's time for the Argentine Tango with close embrace. Finally there will be a Cha Cha Cha relay.

Please discuss this week's episode here. Enjoy

The 4 remaining Semi-finalists had to perform 3 dances this week. It was a tough week with JR badly twisting his ankle during practice which effected his performances. The Stars also shared their personal stories. Hope Solo had a pretty miserable childhood which might account for why she's so mean! Her parents seperated, her Dad kidnapped her & her brother, was arrested, jailed & was later homeless when they reconnected until he died. JR's story was of course his war injuries. Ricki's was her battle with her weight & a divorce. Rob's was losing his Dad & having to endure the humilation of his big sisters dressing him up as a child!

Hope & Maks: Paso Doble I thought it was terrible. Maybe the worst ever! She looked manic or something! Awful! The judges said she had the attitude but she lost control & finesse. She got all 7's for 21 little pts! Argentine Tango: I thought it suited her better using her athleticism to do some difficult lifts. The audience gave her a standing ovation & the judges said it was far better than her 1st dance & she got all 8's for 24 pts. The show finale was the Relay ChaCha which she took 4th place & a lowly 4 pts for the lowest total score of the night of 49 out of a possible 70.

JR & Karina: Paso Doble I loved his Paso with duelig capes. He was on fire! He also got a standing ovation. The judges criticized his poor posture & Len said it was "more zero than Zorro"-ouch! He was given only 23 pts. Argentine Tango: I thought it was pretty good but with his ankle injury I felt he was having an off night but the judges loved it! Bruno told him he was in "latin lover mode" & he did an "incredible job'. He got al 9's for 27 pts. He again faultered in the Relay ChaCha coming in only 3rd place & 6 extra pts for a total of 56 pts.

Rob & Cheryl: Samba They had a giant rainbow & a Mardi Gras float. He got to shake that booty of his & he's really improved over time. Len said, "on the floor, Oh no, on the floor, Oh yes!". Carrie Ann gave him his 1st 10 & a total of 28 pts. Argentine Tango: I thought he did alot of posing & not enough lifts but the judges told him he was "finishing strong". He got all 9's for 27 pts. The judges loved his Relay ChaCha so much they awarded him 1st place & 10 extra pts for the huge total of 65 pts.

Ricki & Derek: Samba I thought it had a good flow & timing. The audience gave her a standing ovation. The judges all told her she was "fabulous". Len told her she took "a giant step into the finals". She was given a perfect score of 30 pts. Argentine Tango: I thought it was a good routine but the lifts were pretty simple. Maybe because she feared them so! She got another standing ovation. The judges gave her a near perfect score of 29 pts. Relay ChaCha: She was awarded 2nd place & 8 pts for the whopping total of 67 pts.

Well, I think it's time for Hope to go tonight. Finally! I was glad to hear that next weeks show will only be an hour on Monday night.

Semi-finals!!! And a busy night!!! The remaining 4 had 3 dances to get through this week: 1st, either a Paso Doble or Samba, then an Argentine Tango, then a Cha-Cha-Cha Relay!

More on that later.

Rob Kardashian's first dance was a Samba. He came out on a parade float, and I didn't like what that forbode...but BOY! Was I ever wrong! When he came off that float he Samba-ed like nobody's business, actually receiving a 10. His AT was smooth and he truly led Cheryl on the floor, doing some wonderful lifts and spins. At this rate, only Kardashian-hate will keep him out of the finals, although I truly hope not (and I really think that his mother should apologize to him and tell him that he's doing a great job, getting as far as he did).

Ricki Lake also started with a Samba; and, although she and Derek looked like a couple of ripe bananas, they were all over the dance floor, earning a well-deserved perfect 30. Her AT was sharp as a knife and lovely to watch.

J.R. Martinez twisted his ankle during rehearsal, and it definitely had an effect on his dancing. His Paso Doble was fierce, but you could tell that he was favoring that bum ankle. He really pulled out the stops in his AT, doing some lifts that must have hurt, but you really had to look to see the pain in his face.

Hope Solo Paso Doble was more of a Passive Doble. Her face was fierce, but (as usual) her arms were loose and her footwork needed work. Her AT was better. Her steps were good and some of the lifts were unbelievable, but the getting-on and getting-off of the lifts were quite sloppy.

The Cha-Cha-Cha relay goes like this: all 4 couples dance, one at a time, continuously, while the song "I Like How It Feels" by Enrique Iglasias played. Then the judges place them 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th. 1st place gets 10 points, 2nd gets 8, 3rd gets 6 and 4th gets 4. The stars drew numbers for their order.

Ricki went first. Her dancing was her usual fantastic form, but her steps looked a bit mincy to me. Second was Hope, whose dance looked more club than Cha-Cha. Next was J.R., who was, while careful of his ankle, still giving it his all and was great. Finally was Rob, who, once again, was a surprise and a delight. Hope came in 4th, then J.R., then Ricki...so Rob came in first!