Josie Maran Not a Model Dancer

Los Angeles (E! Online) - Josie Maran never had problems striking a pose. Pulling off a foxtrot turned out to be a different story.



The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition cover girl was voted off of Dancing with the Stars Wednesday, becoming the first casualty of the hit ABC show's fifth season.

While Maran, 29, certainly looked stunning in her glittering backless gown, the long skirt couldn't hide what judge Len Goodman called her "one constant": bad footwork.

Resident metaphor king Bruno Tonioli compared the model-actress to "a beautiful sailing ship stranded on a sand bank" and Maran's 16 was the lowest score of all 12 competitors.

"Thanks for being honest, is that what it is?" a glum yet gracious Maran told the judges after getting the news.

"Thank you for this amazing experience…This has changed my life. I have the dancing bug―and I'm going to dance alone," she added sassily.

Partner Alec Mazo, who won the inaugural Dancing crown with Kelly Monaco two summers ago, told the fans at home to reroute their votes to his wife of four weeks, Edyta Sliwinska, who's dancing this season with All My Children star Cameron Mathison.

Barely hanging in there was billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban, who was in the middle of the pack, score-wise, with a 21, but who apparently doesn't yet have the built-in fan base that boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., who only earned an 18 but is 38-0 in the ring, has.

As expected, the appropriately dashing racecar driver Hélio Castroneves and Cheetah Girl Sabrina Bryan, praised for her "surgical precision" footwork, were among the first celebs to find out they were safe for the week.

Bryan and partner Mark Ballas Jr., making his first Dancing appearance, scored a 27 Monday, the highest first-week total awarded to a couple in the show's history. But after praising the 23-year-old for her rockin' cha-cha, judge Carrie Ann Inaba warned the Disney Channel star not to trot any more hip-hop moves out to the ballroom.

"We're already starting to rehearse for next week―tonight!" Bryan told guest host Drew Lachey backstage. Lachey is filling in for Samantha Harris, who's on maternity leave.

Castroneves foxtrotted his way to a 26, which tied the previous record set by Mario Lopez and Karina Smirnoff on the first episode of season three.

Dolly Parton also stopped by Wednesday night to sing her Oscar-nominated tune "9 to 5" and the new single "Better Get to Livin" from her latest album, Backwoods Barbie. Additionally, tap-dancer extraordinaire Savion Glover brought in noise, funk and some major style with his signature "how does a person's feet move so fast!" brand of showmanship.

Also as expected, Dancing with the Stars hit the ground running this week. Monday's premiere averaged 21.3 million viewers, putting it on par with last season's March debut. We'll wait and see whether the show's new three-night format can maintain the momentum.

Eleven contestants remain to hoof it out for bragging rights and the prestigious disco ball trophy.