['Dancing with the Stars' - 'The Semi-Finals']

'Dancing With the Stars' finally reached the semi-finals with four characters that represented four different traits. Brandy had the best musicality, Jennifer the best acting, Kyle was the best entertainer, and Bristol had the best luck. The final two dances for each of the couples were split into two rounds. In the Latin round, the dancers had to incorporate a solo, but there didn't seem to be much emphasis placed on it. Previous seasons stressed a time component, or even the contestants suffering from nerves, but we saw none of that.

In round two, the Ballroom round, we got the stars' really truncated life stories. Brandy had the most celebrity fan-fare, and she even had Monica in the audience cheering her on. The producers avoided another potential booing incident by showing Bristol's mom, Sarah Palin, speaking only in recorded packages and not live, just in case.

Round One - Latin

Brandy & Maks - Paso Doble - The two settled their differences about the Carrie Ann/choreography debacle. Brandy talked about the strengths and weaknesses of the contestants and the editors played up the "Jennifer was Baby" defense. It's odd that Brandy has had two Katy Perry songs for the past two weeks, and I wasn't happy that "Firework" was their song for the Paso Doble. I liked the angle of Brandy's solo section, but it didn't have enough content; she wasted too much time removing her jacket. Maks did his best with the choreography, but since Brandy didn't have a cool flowing skirt, the dance didn't have the same magic as other Paso Dobles in the past.

Len thought that Brandy gave 100 percent. Bruno appreciated the aggression, but there were moments of unsteadiness because of the anger. Carrie Ann thought the dance was passionate and she appreciated the upper-carriage. Score: 27 (9,9,9).

Jennifer & Derek - Cha-Cha - "Mercy" by Duffy was actually the first song that Jennifer grooved to several weeks ago. Ironically, "Mercy" was also used in a Team Cha-Cha back in Season 7. Jennifer spent time flirting with the judges as part of her solo. The tie section was really interesting especially seeing that Derek didn't choke. Jennifer had a lot of passion and captured the fun nature of a Cha-Cha. The dance looked very high-impact with all the hip motions and dances and Jennifer kept up with the dance and showed no pain.

Bruno loved the Cha-Cha: He thought the moves were flawless. Carrie Ann was not disappointed. Len thought that Jennifer combined entertainment with technique. Score: 30 (10,10,10).

Bristol & Mark - Paso Doble - Mark tried to spin the Tea Party telephone voters as people who think Bristol is "real." They don't however consider the "Vote for the Worst" mentality, or the fans who are just waiting to see a train wreck. In the dance, Bristol played up the fact that she was wearing a skirt, which added more drama than Brandy's curling hands. The band did a horrible job with the song: The synths didn't match the vocals and it threw off the song connecting to the dance. Bristol's skirt covered up a few flaws and a lack of movement in her legs. She was still too stiff and stood there most of the time with her arm up in the air.

Carrie Ann gave Bristol a big hug and told her that she nailed the dance. Len commended her determination and thought she was all guns blazing. Bruno thought that she was a tigress and appreciated the flamenco Spanish lines. Score: 27 (9,9,9).

Kyle & Lacey - Samba - Kyle wanted to remind America that despite the jokes he's serious about the competition. He started off with a moonwalk and jiggled his whole body. I was interested that their Samba still had a Brazilian nature but was very Kyle. His leg placement was great, though some of his movements focused too much on his upper half than hip motions; there were several instances of him shaking from his shoulders too much.

Len loved that there's no drama in his background and loved the entertainment factor. Bruno called him a bouncing bundle of joy. Carrie Ann loved the pelvic action of the whole dance and appreciated how the whole dance was balanced. Score: 29 (10,9,10).

Round Two - Ballroom

Brandy & Maks - Argentine Tango - Brandy was always a perfectionist, even back at age 15. Whitney Houston, Kelly Rowland and Brandy's brother Ray-J were her celebrity cheer squad. Brandy had musical failures, though she never mentioned the judging stint on 'America's Got Talent,' her VH1 show, or even the fact that she was Moesha. Brandy also discussed her fatal car accident and how she felt the world was against her, but she came back fighting. The dance took the right amount of set-up and I loved how Maks incorporated the staircase into the routine. Brandy's movements were sharp and her kicks were right on. There were occasional moments that Brandy led with her chin, but Maks quickly brought her back into place. As much as I hated the Bristol-on-a-chair a few weeks back, Brandy-on-the-judges-table looked well-executed and fit better.

Len loved how Brandy created atmosphere above all the nice movements. Bruno thought that the dance had emotional depth and liked her extensions. Carrie Ann saw no troubles in the dance. Score: 30 (10,10,10).

Jennifer & Derek - Waltz - Jennifer was drawn to acting because of her father, Joel Grey, and her father paralleled that her acting is her strength in the competition. She was in a fatal car accident and her neck was never the same. For the show they put braces into her neck, but ironically most of the issues we followed in the packages this season were about her knee. Jamie Lee Curtis was the main celebrity rooting for Jennifer. As the couple danced, the first spin won me over and the rest of the routine was smooth and a joy to watch; the fact that they bookended it with a closing spin was wonderful. The stage was a very beautiful sunrise/sunset and you could feel the emotion of the whole dance.

Bruno thought the dance was a gem. Carrie Ann saw the soul of the routine. Len compared the dance to a delicate whisper; it was fabulous. Score: 30 (10,10,10).

Bristol & Mark - Waltz - Bristol was an independent girl that made up her own mind even when it came to dating Levi Johnston, and her world started to turn when she became pregnant. It was obvious that the producers wanted to give Bristol a song that would match Brandy's "Dark Waltz" routine. I loved the drama of the hood in the beginning, but something about the lack of any emotion in her face made it look like Mark was dragging a competent robot around. The choreography was stronger in the second half and Mark made sure that Bristol looked as amazing as he could.

Carrie Ann thought there were moments where she drifted in emotion. Len loved the vulnerability and thought it was beautiful. Bruno loved the approach of the waltz and appreciated the journey of the show. Score: 26 (8,9,9).

Kyle & Lacey - Argentine Tango - Kyle's history emphasizes his energy. We got a clip of 'Grandpa's Garage,' and found out that Kyle's mother made lots of sacrifices that finally led to him landing a position on 'That's So Raven'. I was taken aback by the choice of the song: Bollywood meets Argentina? Lacey tried her best to keep the spirit of the Argentine Tango with a very up-tempo routine. She also made sure that the lifts that Kyle executed were actually do-able but sexy looking; it led to several steps that I haven't seen in a while. Kyle's flicks were surprisingly sharp and he was on the beat throughout the whole dance.

Len called Kyle a star; he had attack and enthusiasm. Bruno loved the strength and sharpness. Carrie Ann was reminded of Emmitt Smith. Score: 29 (10,9,10).

Final Scores

Jennifer & Derek - 60 (30 + 30) - 26.31%
Kyle & Lacey - 58 (29 + 29) - 25.44%
Brandy & Maks - 57 (27 + 30) - 25%
Bristol & Mark - 53 (27 + 26) - 23.25%

Whoever picked "Fireworks" for Brandy might be nervous now that they may have left a small hole for Bristol & Mark to squeak by. The fact that Bristol has never scored a 10 (Kelly Osbourne managed one 10 during her Team dance) is enough in my book to eliminate her. Also, eliminated contestants Rick, Kurt, and Audrina still have a better average. I hope that Kyle will get enough support from fans at home, because he is a joy to watch.

Who do you think will be eliminated? Leave your comments below.

'Dancing With the Stars' airs Mondays, 8PM ET on ABC. Results show airs Tuesdays, 9PM ET on ABC.