Maks has a new blog up at TV Guide. First he apologizes for not blogging, but, he’s been so busy getting Kirstie ready for all of their dances. He talks of everything from a “bittersweet” feeling over the 45 second Cha Cha lastnight to how far Kirstie has come to what the show is all about in a “life transformation”. He also talks of why he is so hard on his partners sometimes and much more. Here’s a take, but, don’t miss reading the full blog at the link. (I so hope these two make it tonight! Please please please!)

We’re not thinking ahead to the finals. We’re focused on the now. That’s all that I can ask for. Kirstie’s been a trooper. It’s been very difficult for her. This experience has been something she’s probably never going to forget. It’s definitely one of the hardest things she’s ever done, one of the most physically demanding things she’s ever done. She didn’t get a teacher who would back off if she were tired. I was pushing. Everybody walks out all the time, so what they showed in the package wasn’t any different from anyone else’s rehearsals. If anybody was a fly on the wall in our rehearsal studio, it’s like, “Oh, OK.” There’s always someone crying, someone taking a break in the hall. Call me mean, call me whatever you want to call me, but I try to get things done. My job is not to take it easy. My job is to come out with a finished product from my partner that’s worthy of accolades. I’m trying to give her a chance to prove herself.

Looking back, five years from now, when you may know me better or have figured me out, you’ll say “Hey, he’s actually a very nice guy.” I’ll be looking back and going, ‘When people were saying how difficult I am, I did what I had to do and got my partners to dance to the best of their ability in times when they didn’t think they could.” I never gave in. I’ve had packages that portrayed me in a derogatory way. But that hasn’t changed me or my teaching method at all. I’ve pursued a goal for my partner.

This season kept changing and changing — changes in attitude, body type, body shape. I think Kirstie is undergoing a life transformation. I’m really excited because that’s what the show’s all about. It has to be judged by dancing and I don’t want to be that guy who has Kirstie Alley and wants to depend on the vote. I don’t rely on it. I work out every day. I make her work for those votes. I make sure that she doesn’t get the pity vote. She doesn’t want the pity vote either. They love how far she’s come. I’m extremely proud of her accomplishments. I’m her biggest fan.

Making the finals would mean validation. It would mean validation for the effort that she put in. It was a very, very difficult season. We haven’t shown most of it. We didn’t want to be the clichéd older celebrity with difficult issues. We didn’t address the spasms or the injuries or the numbness. We just stayed true to what the show is and tried to be entertaining. If we bring a little bit of a smile onto a fan’s face, we’re good. If there’s one thing I would change, I would take back the fall and the shoe. In those cases, we didn’t give the fans what they asked for. That’s my thing. I’m a little hard-headed about these types of things. You can’t get perfection, but you can always try.