Bristol, Mark Wow Judges with Personal Best Ever Dance in DWTS Wk 3

Bristol Palin and Mark Ballas wowed the judges with their performance of the Paso Doble last night for Dancing With the Stars Week Three with all three judges considering this performance her personal best. Judge Len Goodman referred to the dynamic dancing duo’s first argument in two seasons as being good preparation for the Paso Doble, because the dance involves themes of aggression and attack. He said Bristol’s performance “had the most content” in anything he had seen in her before, “and without doubt easily your best dance.” Goodman later went on to criticize a higher scoring couple for breaking hold docking them on the score, saying if the rule applied to Bristol and Mark last week, it had to apply to this couple equally. “Checkmate! The ice queen with a killer streak! Get that aggression out! It worked!” Judge Bruno Tonioli declared. He continued, “your lines were better than ever, you looked better than ever. I liked the concept. Your best dance up to date.” Carrie Ann Inaba said, “I agree. I know when you came into this competition people kind of put you at the bottom of the pack, but you keep proving yourself a worthy competitor.” Inaba counseled Bristol to work adding more dimensions on her expression, saying they tend to be “one dimensional.” She said Bristol’s movements were “nice, and fine and clean.”

Like the first week, however, the judges’ scores and their glowing words present a mixed message. Bristol and Mark did break out of the “sixes” doldrums she had referred to in her interview with Keven Scholla over the weekend, but her 22.5 score places her at the bottom of the leader board. Two competitors tie just above her with 24 scores, and one third from bottom with a 25. Two contestants will be leaving the show tonight. We will know soon enough if the votes of Bristol’s fan base were sufficient to keep her on the show.

Bristol and Mark begin their chessboard themed Paso Doble.

Frontal of Bristol and Mark in the early part of the dance.

Bristol and Mark later in the dance.

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin quietly applauding Bristol and Mark during the dance. She is seated in the first row all the way to the left but the camera is out of focus behind the dancers.

Bristol delivers “a death blow” to Mark as their Paso Doble closes.

Mark lies in a “pool of blood” felled by Bristol in the closing scene of their Paso Doble.

Gov. Palin applauding Bristol and Mark for their performance of the Paso Doble after its conclusion. Gov. Palin has been to all of Bristol’s Dancing With the Stars events this season.

Tagged as: bristol palin, dancing with the stars, dwts, former alaska governor sarah palin, mark ballas, Paso Doble, sarah palin