Mel B poised to win 'Dancing With the Stars'

By Stone Martindale Nov 27, 2007, 17:17 GMT

11/15/2007 - Melanie Brown - - - Hollywood, California © Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos

Melanie Brown emerged from Monday's "Dancing With the Stars" ballroom battle with the highest score, positioning herself to claim the mirrorball trophy during Tuesday's season finale.

She was joined by American singing star Marie Osmond and race car driver Helio Castroneves as they cha cha-ed, tangoed and trotted through 10 weeks of competition for a chance to claim the televised competition crown.

Mel and her professional partner, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, earned 55 out of a possible 60 points for their cha-cha dances during Monday's competition.

Chmerkovskiy said Brown was "one of my prize students," but he wasn't focused on winning.

"I don't care," he said after the show. "We just want to enjoy each other, and we do."

Race-car driver Castroneves and his partner, Julianne Hough, finished in second place with 54 points.

"I wish we got that one point. But I feel we did it all, all that we could do, and hopefully the fans are behind us," he said after the show. "I still want that mirror ball trophy."

Osmond collected 46 points for her two dances with partner Jonathan Roberts.

She played a rag-doll for the couple's freestyle dance, which judge Bruno Tonioli said "defies criticism."

"It's like 'Baby Jane' and the 'Bride of Chucky,'" he said. "It's unique."

It was the lowest-scored of the night, with 22 points.

"It's freestyle, and you're supposed to have fun with it, and I know my fan base," Osmond said. "I'm one of the top designers in the world with dolls, so I'm having fun."

Judges' scores are combined with viewer votes to determine each couple's standing. After the third-place pair is eliminated Tuesday, the remaining duos will perform one last dance — their favorite of the season. The judges have the final say.

The ABC show averaged around 20 million weekly viewers for each of its twice-weekly episodes in the 2006-07 season, eclipsed only by Fox powerhouse American Idol.