Look out, Zendaya Coleman–Kellie Pickler is hot on your heels!
Sporting a tiny silver sequined top and a pair of itty-bitty black shorts, Pickler wowed the judges with her interpretive barefoot jazz dance performed with partner Derek Hough. The “American Idol” alumna even threw in a few cheerleader moves from high school for good measure.
“That was friggin’ amazing,” raved judge Carrie Ann Inaba. “I’m blown away. I can’t wait for next week.”
“Last week was a spark, this week is a fire–well done,” said judge Len Goodman.
“Technically superb,” added judge Bruno Tonioli. “A great achievement on week two.”
But Disney star Coleman doesn’t have too much to worry about–she and partner Val Chmerkovskiy kept their first place standing by sizzling on the dance floor with a roaring twenties-inspired Jive.
“You kill-kill-killed that number,” gushed Inaba. "You were great last week, but I did not expect that. That was fantastic!”
The pair tied Pickler and Hough for first place this week, earning 26 points from the judges. Combined with last week’s score of 24, Coleman and Chmerkovskiy lead the “DWTS” leader board with a total of 50 points out of 60.
“Thank you, that’s all I can say,” a breathless Coleman told host Brooke Burke-Charvet after hearing the results.
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones, who received some tips from a dance troupe of grade school girls during rehearsals, also impressed the judges with his frenetic Jazz dance.
“It was like watching a headlining star at the Cotton Club,” cheered Tonioli. “Stylistically, it was just spot-on–it had wit, charm, energy. The moves were just outstanding.”
But the most improved celebrity of the night was comedian D.L. Hughley, who was determined to redeem himself after an “humiliating” experience last week.
“I felt like this went from a fun thing to ‘Hunger Games’ in tights,” Hughley explained to partner Cheryl Burke during a tense moment during rehearsals. “I’m doing the best I can with this. I just had my ass whipped on national TV.”
Despite some struggles, Hughley and Burke bounced back and danced a solid version of the Quickstep.
“We were doing our Whitney and Bobby imitations for a little while there,” Hughley joked to Burke-Charvet, as the audience laughed uncomfortably. “We’re doing great–we’re back together.”
Hughley and Burke scored 16 points from the judges, a 25 percent improvement over last week. But the pair are in dead last on the “DWTS” leader board, with a total of 28 out of 60 points.
But not all hope is lost. “The secret to this show is each week, improve, and get a bit better,” noted Goodman. “Tonight you’ve improved over last week–well done.”
Dorothy Hamill, who missed a few days of practice due to a painful cyst on her ankle, took an unfortunate turn for the worse with a version of the Jive that the judges described as “rough.”
“You lost the footing so many times,” lamented Tonioli. “So many mistakes that it was obvious (you were hurting), and you know that.”
Country star Wynonna Judd also managed to present a stiff and awkward performance of the Quickstep as a Segway-driving, bedazzled mall cop.
At one point, her mustachioed partner Tony Dovolani simulated motorboating Judd’s ample cleavage. “Those assets need security at all times,” quipped Tonioli.
Despite having Brandi Glanville in the audience to cheer her on, “Real Housewives” star Lisa Vanderpump also under performed, hulking along as a sexy stewardess to the Jive with partner Gleb Savchenko.
“You were trying to fly, but you never really took off with that dance for me,” noted Goodman. “It was a little bit wooden.”
WATCH: Lisa Vanderpump's sexy jive
Andy Dick continued to work his wacky persona into his dance moves, performing a zany “Alice in Wonderland”-inspired Jazz dance to Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face.”
“You’re not the best dancer, but you come out and you’re totally committed,” observed Goodman. “It was awkward in places, but it was fun to watch.”
Despite rumors of behind-the-scenes diva behavior, “Bachelor” star Sean Lowe was all smiles as the judges critiqued his lackluster Jive to a “Gidget” meets “Jaws” theme.
“I didn’t get it at all,” sniffed Goodman. “It was all about the theme about sharks and looking through binoculars–that’s not good enough.”
Once again, Lowe’s fiancee Catherine Giudici, outfitted in a coordinating sunshine yellow dress,was miffed at the judges’ assessment of her man’s dancing skills.
Boxer Victor Ortiz, “General Hospital” star Ingo Rademacher and Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman all put in perfectly acceptable–if not particularly memorable–performances.
The couple with the lowest combined total of judges’ scores and viewer votes will be cut from the competition during the results show on Tuesday.
Next week: The theme is “Prom Night,” so get ready for lots of bad 1980s fashion.