Dancing With the Stars Recap: Audrina Patridge Waltzes to the Top!

Always a supporting player on The Hills, Audrina Patridge may have just upped her stature in her latest reality TV venture. She can thank the old-fashioned waltz.

Dancing With the Stars' "Story Night" saw myriad props incorporated into the routines, and major props dished out to the show's newest serious title contender.

Audrina Patridge and Tony Dovolani earned the first 9s of the season, leaping to the top with a total score of 26 and putting Brandy and Jennifer Grey on notice.

Audrina and Tony left the DWTS pack in the dust.

The nerves Audrina mentioned in her exclusive interview with THG seem to have vanished, as her waltz was wonderfully danced, technically and emotionally.

Jennifer Grey and Derek Hough’s samba did not live up to their previous routines, but that's due in part to setting the bar so high. They'll take 24 and a tie for second place.

So will Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Brandy. Their routine may not have "smacked" of technical brilliance, but boy, can this taskmaster craft a solid performance every week.

Rick Fox and Cheryl Burke, in the final performance spot, did not let down the show for giving them that prime billing. Hot, sexy and right on cue for a total of 24 as well.

Something about Kyle Massey and Lacey Schwimmer is just fun. Not sexy in the way that Brandy/Maks and Rick/Cheryl can be, but entertaining. To the tune of a fine 23.

Not to be shown up by his fellow pro athlete, Kurt Warner and Anna Trebunskaya had perhaps the most entertaining story of Monday night, and decent moves as well. 23.

Florence Henderson and Corky Ballas’ waltz was simple, yet effective enough, although the technique in her feet was nonexistent, which led to them earning a mediocre 20.

Speaking of entertaining and imperfect, we gotta hand it to Sitch and Karina. “The time machine got The Situation in the land of the lost fox trot,” he said. So true. 20.

Bristol Palin and Mark Ballas were not impressive. Their score of 19 was the lowest they've achieved so far, thanks to a dance that didn't live up to the story's material.

Margaret Cho and Louis Van Amstel provided a swirling, rainbow samba. She exclaimed, “This is the gayest thing I think has ever happened!” Not the best, though. 18.

What do you think? Who will get kicked off tonight? We'd bet on either Margaret or Florence. Not because they deserve it, but Bristol and Situation will have the votes.

The top six couples seem safe enough, so it will come down to those four. Anyone could go and it wouldn't be a grave injustice, so we're guessing Bris and Sitch stay.

Posted in: Dancing with the Stars