The ninth week of Dancing With The Stars brings us just one more step closer to the final round of the competition. The four surviving stars were given an added challenge by having a third dance tacked to their dance card.

The stars and their pro partners had to perform one ballroom dance and one latin dance. There was also an emphasis on letting the stars have a brief solo moment during their full dances. The third dance was actually a “knockout dance” that the teams were performing all along in case they had to take part in a “dance off”. The knockout dance was chosen by the stars along with the music and wardrobe.

Week 9 also featured clips of family and friends talking about the four finalists and the positive aspect the show had on them. They were very similar to the farewell videos that eliminated contestants are shown before they perform their final dance.

Kelly Osbourne & Louis van Amstel – One of Kelly’s prized pooches passed away so the grief threatened to damper rehearsals. Instead of succumbing to her sorrow Kelly focused her energy on the dances. First up was the Rumba with Kelly clad in a sultry, pink dress. Kelly & Louis performed some amazing physical stunts ending with a concussion-defying ending with Louis pulling on Kelly’s leg as she balanced on the other.

The Quickstep was peppy and quick with Kelly & Louis hopping all around the dancefloor like bunnies at the height of Easter. The knockout dance was a Cha Cha set to Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want To Have Fun”. Just like her Cha Cha in week one Kelly looked amazing and moved like a pro.

Kelly’s video talked about being brought up by rock legend, Ozzy “Prince of Darkness” Osbourne. It also touched on the infamous reality show the family did years ago and how that experience damaged Kelly. Since that show Kelly has gone on to have a music career of her own and DWTS has been a great place to reintroduce a more confident, classy and comedic Kelly Osbourne to the world.

The Judges Say: Not one of the most polished dancers but her eagerness to try and her resilience throughout the competition has made her a crowd favorite. Her perseverance has made her a winner in the eyes of the judges and the hearts of the voters.

Aubrey Says: In my opinion, all three dances were top notch. The Rumba was romantically elegant, the Quickstep was full of excitement and pluck. Once I learned Kelly was doing the Cha Cha again I knew she was home safe because she nailed the Cha Cha in the first episode. Ms. Osbourne is so captivating on the dancefloor and Louis has done wonders with her.

Joanna Krupa & Derek Hough – When Joanna feels overwhelmed by Derek’s brutal training they call in Derek’s partner from last season, Brooke Bundy, to help Mr. Hough chill out. Joanna & Derek’s first dance is a Viennese Waltz set to Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”. It was a lovely dance but I couldn’t help but flashback to that love scene in Watchmen that used the same song but for a different situation.

Their Cha Cha was very pretty and with those snappy hip twists that are a trademark of the dance. The knockout Salsa was a no-brainer. The couple has always excelled with the latin dances so no worries there.

I didn’t know much about Joanna Krupa before the competition so I kind of appreciated her bio video that revealed Joanna’s family emigrated from Poland when she was very young. Her mom had to work a grueling factory job to bring in the money but it wasn’t enough to finance Joanna’s ballet lessons. The family stuck together and thrived. When Joanna became of age she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a modeling career. Her determination and solid work ethic has made her a success on the pages of fashion magazines and the DWTS ballroom.

The Judges Say: Joanna has submitted amazing dances week after week. Len even mentioned something about being mesmerized by Joanna’s booty. Yes, you would think only Bruno would go “there” but I guess Len has a wolf in him as well. He just hides it better. Thankfully, Joanna’s buffed fiancé didn’t rush over to Len to give him a knuckle sandwich.

Aubrey Says: She’s fantastic. The chemistry between Joanna & Derek has been phenomenal and produced some of the best routines of the season. She may not have become a prima ballerina but she sure transformed into a dazzling ballroom dancer.

Mya & Dmitry Chaplin – For every mistake during rehearsal the culprit had to do five push-ups. Mya even insisted that she and Dmitry sleep in the studio so they could wake up and get straight to the dancing. As extreme as those methods sound it appeared to have paid off on dance night. Their first dance, the Waltz, was tops. The Salsa after that was pretty near flawless. And their Cha Cha added a cherry to the expertly crafted sundae.

Mya’s family and friends talked about how Mya loved to dance and how her singing was discovered later in high school. She would then go on to become a successful recording artist and dancer.

The Judges Say: Carrie Ann and Bruno have been rooting Mya on since the beginning. Len was the one that was not a “believer”. These past two weeks Len has come around to Mya & Dmitry’s works. All three are now giving their thumbs up (or would it be paddles up?) for Mya.

Aubrey Says: She looks awesome on the dancefloor. Mya & Dmitry have really done a lot of incredible things. I think Dmitry might really miss Mya because she has done wonders with his choreography.

Donny Osmond & Kym Johnson – Donny & Kym opened with a Tango that was rife with errors. Despite the tips from former contestant, Gilles Marini. It was devastating to see a couple on week nine dancing like they’re on week two. Plus, the band didn’t do such a great job with Sam Sparro’s song “Black & Gold”.

We hoped that the Samba would pull Donny’s bum out of the fire and it did. Even his solo spot was impressive. He shook his money maker like his score depended on it. Why Donny chose to perform another high octane dance like the Jitterbug I’ll never know but with Kym at his side he pulled through with flying green colors. Um, no I don’t mean puke I mean their green outfits. Oh, never mind.

Most people already know the story of Donny Osmond. He grew up in a showbiz family, went on to star in a wildly popular variety show with his sister, and then worked to establish a solo music career. His time on DWTS just confirmed what everyone already knows: Donny Osmond is a consummate entertainer.

The Judges Say: They were very dismayed by that terrible Tango but their frowns were turned upside down by the much improved Samba. The Jitterbug had them beaming like floodlights.

Aubrey Says: Yeah, that Tango was pretty awkward. Missteps and a busted version of one of my favorite songs made me cringe while watching it. I was pleased that Donny got himself back together for the remaining two dances, though.

So, the votes came in and Joanna Krupa was eliminated this week. While I am glad that Donny Osmond, Mya and Kelly Osbourne will continue on I am a little upset that Joanna will not be in the final round. Joanna & Derek have been amazing since week one. Even when Joanna had to pair with Maksim she still delivered quality dancing. That’s the annoying aspect of reality show voting. It’s not always about being technically superior though it really should be.

Anyway, the crowd has spoken so there’s no use crying over spilled milk. I’m just glad I tuned in this season to see Joanna Krupa & Derek Hough in action. They really made a strong dance couple. Their futuristic Paso Doble will live on the "DWTS Hall of Fame" (and on my Facebook page).

Okay folks, we have made it to another final for another season of DWTS. This is it. This is the really big show where three stars will dance their last dances and one couple will be awarded that really bizarre mirrorball trophy. I’m tempted to put my money on Mya because she has been serving “10” worthy dances since the first episode.

However, Kelly Osbourne has surpassed even my expectations and she has a great shot at the trophy as well.

Based on this week’s episode Donny seems to be the weaker contender. He had two great dances but cracked on the first one. If he chokes again I don’t think his fan-base will be able to save him again. Yet, I thought for sure he would be eliminated this week because of his Tango mishap and look at that. He’s survived for another week.

Mirrorball, Mirrorball hanging from the ceiling. Which star will the audience find the most appealing?

DWTS Season 9 Stars & Pro Partners, Episode 9

Joanna Krupa & Derek Hough
Mya & Dmitry Chaplin
Kelly Osbourne & Louis van Amstel
Donny Osmond & Kym Johnson