Week 8

It was an amazing week for J.R. Martinez on "Dancing with the Stars." And after this week, I'm certain Martinez will be bringing it to the finals in two weeks.

On Monday night, each couple had to perform twice. The first time was a rehearsed dance and the second is an “instant" jive. At the end of their rehearsed dance each team drew the title and singer of a song to dance the jive to. They then had about 20 minutes to practice. Both of those scores are combined for a possible total of 60.

Martinez performed last of the five couples both times. Before the rehearsed waltz, he admits he was down after last week’s performance. Last week he was second until the group dance, which pushed him down to fourth of six. But this week he had a goal, something no one else has done this season: To get the first 30 of Season 13.

Their waltz was to “What the World Needs Now Is Love,” written by Burt Bacharach and sung by Jackie DeShannon. The performance was so light and lovely. Martinez's professional partner Karina Smirnoff wore a white, flowy gown with a full skirt that accentuated her movements. The pair looked very in sync, as usual. The dance was very pretty and had a lot of feeling behind it. I loved it – and I think the audience did too – but was it enough for a perfect score? (If you follow me on Twitter @dorogaya26, you know the answer already!) Martinez tells Brooke Burke that if the comments from the judges are any indication, he might have.

J.R is thrilled when the performance is over. He lifts Smirnoff in celebration. And I think he blew kisses to a woman I believe is his girlfriend.

From the judges

Bruno Tonioli: “It was like a musical Valentine card. You danced with your heart on your sleeve…. You made beautiful music with Karina. It was divine.” His score: 10.

Carrie Ann Inaba: "You have this incredible natural grace, fluidity when you dance….” She said there was magic in the middle. Her score: 10.

Len Goodman: First, he asked Martinez about his tie, which Smirnoff said she took off. Then he said, “Each week is a battle. Last week you retreated a little bit. Just like the soldier you are you came back with all guns blazing.” His score: 10.

When the scores are read, Martinez gave an impromptu acceptance speech. “I don’t know what to say,” he said. “I want to thank my mom, God, everybody Thank you America…. Thank you Justin Bieber, I will never say never.”

#TeamMartinoff barely had time to celebrate that perfect score, though. They drew Little Richard’s “Tutti Fruitti” for their "instant" dance. In a video clip of advance rehearsals for the "instant" dance, Smirnoff explained she has plans for how to approach it. I wish the show would call it something else then if it's not actually instant.

Martinez says in rehearsal for the "instant" jive that “I want everyone to be like, ‘You sure he didn’t practice to that music all week? Because he killed it.'”

And killed it he did. He and Smirnoff danced wonderfully and energetically to the jive. He grinned throughout and looked as if he was having the time of his life dancing. When Martinez and Smirnoff broke apart during the dance, the camera focused on Martinez, who was excellent even without Smirnoff. Sometimes the dancers are better when they are glued to their partners and fall apart when they’re not. But not Martinez!

Is it another 30?

From the judges

Tonioli: “You were off like a rocket!” and “Your timing was impeccable. You got it man, you got it!” His score: 10.

Inaba: “You are in a class all in your own. There is nobody even coming close to you guys tonight.” Her score: 10.

Goodman: “I’ll tell you what you’ve got. You’ve got the X factor and the feel-good factor mixed together and you’ve come out where with the most fantastic jive.” His score: 10.

10! 10! 10! And 10! 10! 10! again! #TeamMartinoff is in the lead with 60 out of 60 possible points.

What did you think of the dances? And do you think J.R. Martinez will make it to the finals of the show? Let us know in the comments below!

Week 8: Update

Two perfect scores from the judges as well as votes from viewers kept "Dancing with the Stars" competitor J.R. Martinez on the reality competition show another week.

The elimination show Tuesday revealed more of Martinez and his partner Karina Smirnoff celebrating the two perfect scores they achieved on Monday night's performance show. It also featured the return of the laugh-out-loud-funny "DanceCenter" with Kenny Mayne, Jerry Rice and judge Len Goodman. "Height, weight and shoe size don't matter; the man is a hero," Mayne said during a list of Martinez's statistics.

Martinez said on Twitter: "I live to dance another week! THANK YOU to all who voted! Three dances now ~ my body is telling me NO but my mind is telling me yes!"

Nancy Grace was sent home from the show.

There are two more weeks of the season; the finale is Nov. 22 in the U.S. On Monday night's semifinals, Martinez will compete against soccer star Hope Solo, TV personality Ricki Lake and reality star Rob Kardashian.

Follow Martinez on Twitter @knowjr. Follow Danielle L. Kiracofe on Twitter @dorogaya26 and e-mail her at kiracofed@stripes.osd.mil

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