Bruno Tonioli reveals his top picks for 'Dancing with the Stars 4'

With three weeks of performances in the books, judge Bruno Tonioli said he has four favorite couples still competing on Dancing with the Stars' fourth season but is unsure which will eventually come out on top.


"This year it's so close. There isn't a clear runaway person," Tonioli told People in a story published on the magazine's website.  "They're almost at the same level. They have to really polish their technique.  There is a very little margin so every week if they get the dance wrong, they misjudge a performance, they do some mistakes, everything can change."

Tonioli revealed former Beverly Hills 90210 actor Ian Ziering and partner Cheryl Burke; former N Sync singer Joey Fatone and partner Kym Johnson; professional boxer Laila Ali and partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy; and two-time Olympic gold medalist speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno and partner Julianne Hough are all the dancers that have earned viewers' attention during the early rounds of Dancing with the Stars 4.  However he pointed out they all warrant recognition for different reasons.

"[Ali] is just Miss Fascination" Tonioli told People. "She's voluptuous and stunning.  She's a real woman and it's wonderful to have someone so beautiful. She should be a role model."

He described Ohno as "a natural" and "a great performer," adding "he just lights up the room."  He also called Ziering "a great performer" who is "improving every week."  As for Fatone, Tonioli thinks he's "great fun." 


But the Italian Dancing with the Stars judge wasn't just dishing out praise, as he was also quick to add former NBA star Clyde Drexler and his partner Elena Grineko need to step-up their game, as they've been last in the judges' scoring for two straight weeks but have survived due to viewer voting.

"[The judges] love him, [but] he wasn't the best dancer," Tonioli told People. "Obviously Clyde is a great man. He has a huge fan base and people would like to see him."

The four other couples Tonioli didn't mention who are still competing on Dancing with the Stars' fourth season shouldn't feel left out though, as he is aware how quickly the tides can turn.

"At the end of the day, it's not just our show, it's the public's show," he told People. "It's so unpredictable, but that makes it exciting."






About The Author: Christopher Rocchio