{alltv} 'Dancing' down to the wire with the three finalists

Two early favorites and a long shot vie for Dancing With the Stars' mirror-ball trophy as Season 10 wraps up (ABC, Monday, Tuesday, 8 ET/PT). Olympic skater Evan Lysacek and Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger, early front-runners for their performance skills, will hoof it out with ESPN's Erin Andrews. They'll perform two dances a night — "an unbelievable amount of work," says co-host Brooke Burke. USA TODAY's Gary Strauss talks with the finalists.

Evan Lysacek (with Anna Trebunskaya)

The cool-as-ice Lysacek has wowed everyone with his fluid technique, but until recent shows, he has been chided by judges for his lack of emotion and dance-floor heat.

"As an athlete, I've had trouble not focusing on technique and control," he says. "One thing I've learned from this, the worst thing you can do is worry about what is creating every line perfectly and worrying about judges' scores and points. The best thing to do is relax, have fun and let go."

Still, Lysacek, 24, hasn't lost his competitive streak. "We have a lot of work to do. We're putting in a lot of time; we're not going to leave anything on the table," he says. He's working on the waltz, tango, quick step and a freestyle dance "with no rules and as many tricks as we want."

•Says Burke: "He's been unbelievably precise. He's finally dancing with his heart, which we wanted to see all season. And because he's an athlete, he's in the right mind space."

Nicole Scherzinger (with Derek Hough)

Performing as a Pussycat Doll, Scherzinger, 31, displays a carefree persona. During DWTS rehearsals, viewers often saw the self-described perfectionist struggling with her confidence. "I've definitely lightened up and I'm enjoying things more, but having self-doubt keeps you honest and working harder," she says.

She's working on a freestyle and rumba for tonight and a tango and jive for Tuesday. She's also juggling a Pussycat Dolls performance and promoting this week's release of Nobody Can Change Me, the first single from an upcoming solo album. "Honestly, I work really well under pressure," she says.

•Says Burke: "Derek's choreography is always great. And with the pop princess, they're going to be tough to beat."

Erin Andrews (with Maksim Chmerkovskiy)

After last year's stalking incident, Andrews joined DWTS mainly to have fun. But heading into last week's semifinals, she was a bundle of angst: "My biggest criticism of myself has been just letting go, and I hadn't been as nervous as I was last week — I didn't want to go home."

Realizing her goal of reaching the finals, "the pressure's now off," says Andrews, 32. "Everyone expects Evan or Nicole to win. I know it sounds corny, but I think I've won already. It's time to enjoy myself." Among dances they're rehearsing: the tango, samba and a freestyle routine.

•Says Burke: "She's got the least performance experience, but she's improved every week. And people love underdogs."

American

Sunday, May 23, 2010

{alltv} 'Dancing' down to the wire with the three finalists

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