This week I've been watching lots of International Rumba videos. Of course there are so many amazing options to choose from but I went with this one from 2006. As you know, Max & Yulia no longer dance together (as she is the current World Champ with partner Riccardo and he has started a relatively new partnership with Anastasia Grigoreva) but this is still one of my favorites.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
DWTS Results Show #5
The Motown Results show kicks of with a Motown Medley! I was totally into this one and I think it may have had something to do with it featuring Val and Louis, but mostly lots of Val! Great to see great dancing on this show!
And after the requisite recap videos of last night and a long round of commercials, we're finally at some results. Jaleel & Kym are safe and are very excited, no doubt because they didn't want to duel again. Maria & Derek are the first couple put in jeopardy. William & Cheryl are safe. Melissa & Maks, however, are in jeopardy. Is it possible his fans finally gave up?
Up next, is Michaela De Prince. An American ballerina born in Seirra Leone with a truly touching story of how she came to dance. Her performance to Wild Horses by Natasha Bedingfield was beautiful and very mature for her 17 years.
By the way, Brooke's dress isn't completely crazy this week but its still pretty strange. In case, you happened to be wondering there is a lot of pink and a lot of sparkles.
Macy's Stars of Dance this week is the group Shaping Sound. It was a contemporary piece much like what you'd see on that other dance show and it even guest starred some of those other dancers.
Next up, is Boyz II Men! Where have I been that I didn't know they were on tonight? They are of course accompanied by some dancing, a rumba which includes Anna (always a plus). They also still have their voices, after twenty years, also a plus.
More results now! Katherine & Mark are safe, no surprise for me. Gladys & Tristan are in jeopardy, apparently no surprise for them. Donald & Peta are safe, again no surprise. And Roshon & Chelsie, are unsurprisingly in jeopardy. So far no crazy surprises, but let's wait to see who is actually in the bottom two shall we?
Now for the real results, Melissa & Maks are safe. Gladys & Tristan are in the actual bottom two and therefore the dance duel. Maria & Derek are in the bottom two leaving Roshon & Chelsie to duke it out in the duel.
It would obviously be a real shocker for Gladys to pull through this one considering Roshon is probably a better dancer than many of the stars and Gladys is quite easily on the bottom in terms of dance talent. The fact that this week's dance is a jive only helps Roshon.
Duel time! Roshon has so much energy he keeps getting off time and ahead of the music which could be bad but compared to Gladys he looks like a firecracker. Now for the judges' thoughts. They obviously love Gladys but I think its clear they won't save her. But, CA picks Gladys & Tristan! Len goes with Roshon & Chelsie leaving it up to Bruno who picks Roshon & Chelsie.
So who goes home next week? Maks' fans have already shown their power and now that Melissa is actually starting to improve she could be safe awhile longer. Roshon & Chelsie don't seem to be pulling the votes but their dueling might keep them safe. We'll see next week!
And after the requisite recap videos of last night and a long round of commercials, we're finally at some results. Jaleel & Kym are safe and are very excited, no doubt because they didn't want to duel again. Maria & Derek are the first couple put in jeopardy. William & Cheryl are safe. Melissa & Maks, however, are in jeopardy. Is it possible his fans finally gave up?
Up next, is Michaela De Prince. An American ballerina born in Seirra Leone with a truly touching story of how she came to dance. Her performance to Wild Horses by Natasha Bedingfield was beautiful and very mature for her 17 years.
By the way, Brooke's dress isn't completely crazy this week but its still pretty strange. In case, you happened to be wondering there is a lot of pink and a lot of sparkles.
Macy's Stars of Dance this week is the group Shaping Sound. It was a contemporary piece much like what you'd see on that other dance show and it even guest starred some of those other dancers.
Next up, is Boyz II Men! Where have I been that I didn't know they were on tonight? They are of course accompanied by some dancing, a rumba which includes Anna (always a plus). They also still have their voices, after twenty years, also a plus.
More results now! Katherine & Mark are safe, no surprise for me. Gladys & Tristan are in jeopardy, apparently no surprise for them. Donald & Peta are safe, again no surprise. And Roshon & Chelsie, are unsurprisingly in jeopardy. So far no crazy surprises, but let's wait to see who is actually in the bottom two shall we?
Now for the real results, Melissa & Maks are safe. Gladys & Tristan are in the actual bottom two and therefore the dance duel. Maria & Derek are in the bottom two leaving Roshon & Chelsie to duke it out in the duel.
It would obviously be a real shocker for Gladys to pull through this one considering Roshon is probably a better dancer than many of the stars and Gladys is quite easily on the bottom in terms of dance talent. The fact that this week's dance is a jive only helps Roshon.
Duel time! Roshon has so much energy he keeps getting off time and ahead of the music which could be bad but compared to Gladys he looks like a firecracker. Now for the judges' thoughts. They obviously love Gladys but I think its clear they won't save her. But, CA picks Gladys & Tristan! Len goes with Roshon & Chelsie leaving it up to Bruno who picks Roshon & Chelsie.
Gladys' Last Dance
So who goes home next week? Maks' fans have already shown their power and now that Melissa is actually starting to improve she could be safe awhile longer. Roshon & Chelsie don't seem to be pulling the votes but their dueling might keep them safe. We'll see next week!
DWTS Week 6 Recap
Well in case you forgot it was Motown Week the show kicked off with performances by Smokey Robinson, Martha Reeves, and The Temptations with a bit of dancing by the DWTS troupe. I would have liked to see a bit more of The Temptations and a bit less of the frantic cha cha that accompanied them but as it turned out I got lots of them later in the show.
Gladys Knight & Tristan MacManus
Dance: Rumba
Song: My Girl
Judges' Scores: 21 (trip 7's)
The Temptations are back already and I almost forgot that Gladys and Tristan would be dancing. Once I got past them singing and Tristan's all purple sweater suit and thick rimmed glasses the dance was almost over. Gladys was doing her best and it was great seeing her loving Motown Week but it was a rather boring rumba. The judges, I think, were trying to express what I feel, that she's not the best dancer but you just love watching her try. It did seem they were pushing everyone at home to vote for her though, so even if she's not their favorite in scores she's a favorite in other ways.
Maria Menounos & Derek Hough
Dance: Foxtrot
Song: Jimmy Mack
Judges' Scores: 26 (9's from Bruno & Len, an 8 from CA)
Martha Reeves is back singing for Maria and Derek's foxtrot. Once again she has a relatively nice ballroom frame which I wish she had stayed in for more of the dance. Most of the side by side work was a bit awkward and got off time in a few places. She had some left shoulder problems in the second half of the dance which I found a bit uncharacteristic but that just shows I've come to expect a nice frame from her. This wasn't my favorite dance of hers which is unfortunate because I much prefer her standard.
Roshon Fegan & Chelsie Hightower
Dance: Rumba
Song: Cruisin
Judges' Scores: 23 (8's from Bruno & Len, a 7 from CA)
Roshon and Chelsie have to dance to Smokey Robinson, which must be distracting, I'd want to just stop and watch. Roshon was trying so hard to be sensual I didn't really feel the rumba character. At the end, I started to believe it but then it ended before I really got there. I would have liked to see him focus a bit more on technique because I do think he can handle it. Not my favorite of his (hope this isn't a Motown Week pattern) but not bad. Relative to the other couples, I think the judges underscored this one.
Katherine Jenkins & Mark Ballas
Dance: Samba
Song: I Can't Get Next to You
Judges' Scores: 29 (10's from Bruno & CA, a 9 from Len)
Oh, if only they could have done a samba with a stronger samba beat and less Motown groove. There were lots of samba steps executed well but some of the more exciting steps just lacked some punch because of the music. This one is a hard one to judge for me because I would really like to replay it with a different soundtrack.
Donald Driver & Peta Murgatroyd
Dance: Foxtrot
Song: The Way You Do the Thinks You Do
Judges' Scores: 27 (trip 9's)
There is just something so enjoyable about their dancing together it makes me miss their errors. It could have been a bit cleaner and more fluid in places but I just plain liked it.
Melissa Gilbert & Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Dance: Viennese Waltz
Song: Ooo Baby Baby
Judges' Scores: 24 (trip 8's)
The rehearsal footage was tough this week with both M's getting frustrated. Despite that, this was the most comfortable I've seen her. She still hangs on for dear life in frame a bit but it was less obvious this week. Her face even relaxed some of the time. Her frame still has issues with her shoulders constantly popping up but definitely better.
Jaleel White & Kym Johnson
Dance: Cha Cha
Song: Ain't Too Proud to Beg
Judges' Scores: 29 (10's from Bruno & CA, a 9 from Len)
Jaleel does seem to be really pushing himself. I don't think cha cha is really his dance but he did well. He really did perform the best he could even if the lock steps weren't as crisp as I would have liked. I think the judges went a little crazy with the scores but what else is new.
William Levy & Cheryl Burke
Dance: Rumba
Song: Being With You
Judges' Scores: 27 (a 9 from CA, an 8 from Len, & a 10 from Bruno)
I wish Cheryl would let him dance more already. We know he can do sexy and when he's given the chance he has nice Cuban motion. He could use straighter legs to create more dynamic but who knows how good he could really be. Yes, I find Cheryl's dancing distracting most of the time but it is even more distracting that her choreography doesn't let him dance!
That's not all the dancing for this week. Smokey Robinson was accompanied by Val and Anna, and finally there is some payoff for their stars being kicked off the show. Love watching Val actually dance and I've always been an Anna fan.
To end the show was the Motown Dance Marathon. Each of the couples had a spotlight for their cha cha (which must be a few too many cha chas for Jaleel at this point). Gladys & Tristan are the first out and Maria & Derek are eliminated just as I was thinking they looked a bit tired and a little off their game. Roshon & Chelsie are third to go and Melissa & Maks are fourth. Now the floor is opened up for the four remaining couples to go where they please. Donald & Peta were next even though I was enjoying their cha cha. Jaleel & Kym, who must never want to cha cha again, were 6th. William & Cheryl were the 7th eliminated making Katherine & Mark the Marathon winners. Hard to say whether this was the best choice since I felt they didn't get much camera time.
Now for the moment I've been dreading: the leader board. To penalize or not to penalize Katherine for not the best music or William for not the best choreography or even Maria for not living up to my expectations. And, of course, what to do with this dance marathon? Basically I ignored the Dance Marathon but I've included the judges' scores before and after for comparison.
Judges' Rankings Pre-Marathon
Judges' Rankings Post-Marathon My Rankings
And who goes home? My guess would be Gladys but her fans have kept her so far. We'll see soon!
Gladys Knight & Tristan MacManus
Dance: Rumba
Song: My Girl
Judges' Scores: 21 (trip 7's)
The Temptations are back already and I almost forgot that Gladys and Tristan would be dancing. Once I got past them singing and Tristan's all purple sweater suit and thick rimmed glasses the dance was almost over. Gladys was doing her best and it was great seeing her loving Motown Week but it was a rather boring rumba. The judges, I think, were trying to express what I feel, that she's not the best dancer but you just love watching her try. It did seem they were pushing everyone at home to vote for her though, so even if she's not their favorite in scores she's a favorite in other ways.
Maria Menounos & Derek Hough
Dance: Foxtrot
Song: Jimmy Mack
Judges' Scores: 26 (9's from Bruno & Len, an 8 from CA)
Martha Reeves is back singing for Maria and Derek's foxtrot. Once again she has a relatively nice ballroom frame which I wish she had stayed in for more of the dance. Most of the side by side work was a bit awkward and got off time in a few places. She had some left shoulder problems in the second half of the dance which I found a bit uncharacteristic but that just shows I've come to expect a nice frame from her. This wasn't my favorite dance of hers which is unfortunate because I much prefer her standard.
Roshon Fegan & Chelsie Hightower
Dance: Rumba
Song: Cruisin
Judges' Scores: 23 (8's from Bruno & Len, a 7 from CA)
Roshon and Chelsie have to dance to Smokey Robinson, which must be distracting, I'd want to just stop and watch. Roshon was trying so hard to be sensual I didn't really feel the rumba character. At the end, I started to believe it but then it ended before I really got there. I would have liked to see him focus a bit more on technique because I do think he can handle it. Not my favorite of his (hope this isn't a Motown Week pattern) but not bad. Relative to the other couples, I think the judges underscored this one.
Katherine Jenkins & Mark Ballas
Dance: Samba
Song: I Can't Get Next to You
Judges' Scores: 29 (10's from Bruno & CA, a 9 from Len)
Oh, if only they could have done a samba with a stronger samba beat and less Motown groove. There were lots of samba steps executed well but some of the more exciting steps just lacked some punch because of the music. This one is a hard one to judge for me because I would really like to replay it with a different soundtrack.
Donald Driver & Peta Murgatroyd
Dance: Foxtrot
Song: The Way You Do the Thinks You Do
Judges' Scores: 27 (trip 9's)
There is just something so enjoyable about their dancing together it makes me miss their errors. It could have been a bit cleaner and more fluid in places but I just plain liked it.
Melissa Gilbert & Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Dance: Viennese Waltz
Song: Ooo Baby Baby
Judges' Scores: 24 (trip 8's)
The rehearsal footage was tough this week with both M's getting frustrated. Despite that, this was the most comfortable I've seen her. She still hangs on for dear life in frame a bit but it was less obvious this week. Her face even relaxed some of the time. Her frame still has issues with her shoulders constantly popping up but definitely better.
Jaleel White & Kym Johnson
Dance: Cha Cha
Song: Ain't Too Proud to Beg
Judges' Scores: 29 (10's from Bruno & CA, a 9 from Len)
Jaleel does seem to be really pushing himself. I don't think cha cha is really his dance but he did well. He really did perform the best he could even if the lock steps weren't as crisp as I would have liked. I think the judges went a little crazy with the scores but what else is new.
William Levy & Cheryl Burke
Dance: Rumba
Song: Being With You
Judges' Scores: 27 (a 9 from CA, an 8 from Len, & a 10 from Bruno)
I wish Cheryl would let him dance more already. We know he can do sexy and when he's given the chance he has nice Cuban motion. He could use straighter legs to create more dynamic but who knows how good he could really be. Yes, I find Cheryl's dancing distracting most of the time but it is even more distracting that her choreography doesn't let him dance!
Tied for top scoring dance of the night
To end the show was the Motown Dance Marathon. Each of the couples had a spotlight for their cha cha (which must be a few too many cha chas for Jaleel at this point). Gladys & Tristan are the first out and Maria & Derek are eliminated just as I was thinking they looked a bit tired and a little off their game. Roshon & Chelsie are third to go and Melissa & Maks are fourth. Now the floor is opened up for the four remaining couples to go where they please. Donald & Peta were next even though I was enjoying their cha cha. Jaleel & Kym, who must never want to cha cha again, were 6th. William & Cheryl were the 7th eliminated making Katherine & Mark the Marathon winners. Hard to say whether this was the best choice since I felt they didn't get much camera time.
Top Scoring Performance after including the Marathon
Now for the moment I've been dreading: the leader board. To penalize or not to penalize Katherine for not the best music or William for not the best choreography or even Maria for not living up to my expectations. And, of course, what to do with this dance marathon? Basically I ignored the Dance Marathon but I've included the judges' scores before and after for comparison.
Judges' Rankings Pre-Marathon
| Place | Couple | Points |
| 1 | Katherine & Mark | 29 |
| 1 | Jaleel & Kym | 29 |
| 3 | William & Cheryl | 27 |
| 3 | Donald & Peta | 27 |
| 5 | Maria & Derek | 26 |
| 6 | Melissa & Maks | 24 |
| 7 | Roshon & Chelsie | 23 |
| 8 | Gladys & Tristan | 21 |
Judges' Rankings Post-Marathon My Rankings
| Place | Couple | Points | Place | Couple |
| 1 | Katherine & Mark | 39 | 1 | Katherine & Mark |
| 2 | Jaleel & Kym | 37 | 2 | Jaleel & Kym |
| 3 | William & Cheryl | 36 | 3 | Donald & Peta |
| 4 | Donald & Peta | 34 | 4 | William & Cheryl |
| 5 | Maria & Derek | 30 | 5 | Maria & Derek |
| 5 | Melissa & Maks | 30 | 6 | Roshon & Chelsie |
| 7 | Roshon & Chelsie | 28 | 7 | Melissa & Maks |
| 8 | Gladys & Tristan | 24 | 8 | Gladys & Tristan |
And who goes home? My guess would be Gladys but her fans have kept her so far. We'll see soon!
Friday, April 20, 2012
Video Vendredi: Legendary Jive
So last week I missed Friday's video selection because I was busy getting dressed up to attend the huge ballroom spectacular Dance Legends in NYC (more on that later). I figured it was only fitting then to pick a video of one of those couples, in many ways THE legends, Bryan Watson & Carmen. Their dancing, and of course their jive, really speaks for itself so here it is:
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
DWTS Results Show #4
The Latin Week results show kicked off pretty quickly with a redo of Derek and Maria's Salsa. Ir looked much the same, except this time of course that awkward kiss in the middle was transferred from Derek to CA and Maria to Bruno.
After some backstage reactions from Monday night, we're cutting to commercial but not before getting a full length view at Brooke's ensemble for the evening. I'm almost disappointed that it's a fairly normal cocktail dress, and for the second week in a row! Come on Brooke, where's the entertainment?!
Maria & Derek, Melissa & Maks, and Gladys & Tristan are up for some results now. No surprise here, Maria & Derek are safe first. Melissa & Maks, thanks again no doubt to his fans, are safe (unless there's some Little House voting cult out there I'm unaware of?). Gladys & Tristan are also safe making it back for Motown week. This is not looking good for Gavin & Karina.
The judges are up next explaining the Dance Duel. Basically indicating previous seasons when couples went home before their time, the judges say it will be all about the dancing. We shall see soon!
Train is performing now. Louis Van Amstel is back performing a Cha Cha with Cheryl which I quite enjoyed. I wasn't even distracted by Cheryl's stylings. Conclusion: we need more Louis.
Macy's Stars of Dance is up next with what looks like Capoeira followed by some more traditional Samba dancers (of course with a little more coverage than normal). Then the dance moved into some Salsa. Enjoyable if not a bit hard to follow.
Selena Gomez is singing Hit the Lights now with some very confusing dance accompaniment. Pseudo ballroom costumes with pseudo ballroom shoes and some sort of modern, jazz, hip hop mix that was so uncomfortable I was wishing I could fast forward. Definitely the most painful part of the show so far.
More results now! William & Cheryl are safe, once again no surprise there. Katherine & Mark are also safe. And rounding out the round of no surprises Donald & Peta are also safe.
There is a little blurb about the Ballroom Battle taking place on abc.com. I only wish that it was more a part of the results show. It's gotta be more entertaining that watching Selena Gomez.
Now we're into the real results of the night. Gavin & Karina, Roshon & Chelsie, and Jaleel & Kym are on stage awaiting their fates. Turns out someone rallied behind Roshon & Chelsie because its Gavin v. Jaleel in the dance duel.
Jaleel has once again a strange response to the interviews. Gavin once again goes for self-deprecating humor. As they go to change, Dance Duel rehearsal footage takes place (which appears to all be from late night Monday and early morning Tuesday - ouch!).
The time has come for the Dance Duel. This split screen business is really confusing but when all is said and done it would be pretty shocking if Gavin made it through despite how hard Karina was working. If only we could meld Jaleel's dance + Gavin's personality + Karina to get what we all really want.
Gavin's Last Dance
So it is indeed Gavin & Karina going home after a unanimous decision by the judges. With the somewhat constantly rotating bottom two it is hard to predict what might happen next week. Will the public really send Gladys home on Motown week? Will Maks' fans ever relent? Guess we'll have to wait til next week to find out!
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
DWTS Week 5 Recap
Latin night kicks off with an enjoyable cha cha/samba performance by the DWTS troupe with Santana. Can the rest of the night goes this well?
Well Santana's next performance did with the Samba accompaniment of Louis Van Amstel and Anna Trebunskaya! Louis we've missed you!
As it turns out the rest of the dancing was pretty enjoyable too if at times a little bland. Let's just say I enjoyed Latin Week a lot more than Rock Week.
Jaleel White & Kym Johnson
Dance: Samba
Song: Rhythm Is Gonna Get You
Judges' Scores: 24 (trip 8's)
Well I have to give Jaleel credit for one thing, this week he didn't relax back into his too cool for school style. He really gave the Samba his all. Of course now that he pushed himself past his natural dancing ability, it was a little awkward in places. It wasn't amazing but it wasn't bad either and I appreciated the effort to improve. His face (and Kym's sparkle leg costume) was distracting at times but even as the first dance I think its safe to say it won't be the worst dance of the night.
Melissa Gilbert & Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Dance: Salsa
Song: Aguanile
Judges' Scores: 21 (trip 7's)
Melissa's rehearsal footage was complete with a rhinestoned hard hat and neck brace after her injury last week. This actually was one of the most comfortable performances I've seen from Melissa. You still wouldn't really want to look below her waist; she may have the largest salsa basics I've ever seen. However, for once she didn't have the constant face of fear even during the ending move which was similar to the one she injured herself during last week. The dancing wasn't necessarily improved but her confidence and ability to sell it was. I also didn't feel the dance was as far above her ability level as in previous weeks.
Maria Menounos & Derek Hough
Dance: Salsa
Song: The Cup of Life
Judges' Scores: 27 (trip 9's)
Can this girl not catch a break? Once again another week means another injury for Maria after she fell on her face in rehearsal. The sound of the injury was actually worse than the results as her chin ended up to be okay but Derek's insistence on her wearing bubble wrap and a helmet may not have been a bad idea. This week I saw a real improvement in Maria's footwork and lower body movement. Above the waist everything was a little one note, not distracting for sure but a little too boring. She kept a nice smile throughout but not exactly what I'd call selling it. Once again there was another kiss, with no doubt about this one. I'm guessing this is the kind of thing super-fans of the show go crazy over but for me its just uncomfortable and unnecessary.
Katherine Jenkins & Mark Ballas
Dance: Argentine Tango
Song: Tanguedia
Judges' Scores: 29 (10's from Bruno & CA, a 9 from Len)
Hmm, well there wasn't anything wrong with the dance really. I liked that the dance focused on the action going on below instead of making the top extra flashy like some of the past Argentine's have. I would have liked a little more smoulder and a little less of the storyline but overall it was enjoyable. I think it was just a little boring in the end but maybe only because I was expecting more.
Gavin DeGraw & Karina Smirnoff
Dance: Samba
Song: Sweetheart from Venezuela
Judges' Scores: 19 (6's from Len & CA, a 7 from Bruno)
Well props are everywhere in this one, ocean lights on the floor, a moving canoe, and a hammock. That usually doesn't make for the best dancing and it wasn't. He is enjoyable to watch and even when he doesn't know exactly what is going on he isn't staring confused at Karina looking for help which I appreciate. Karina slipped at the end but it didn't really make a difference. He has improved this season but I'm not sure this one will keep him out of the bottom 2.
William Levy & Cheryl Burke
Dance: Argentine Tango
Song: Buttons
Judges' Scores: 29 (10's from Bruno & CA, a 9 from Len)
I don't have much to say other than I enjoyed this one. Cheryl is still distracting at times because I just think she over-dances too much but her partner doesn't suffer from the same problem. I think the most impressive part of the performance was William's face which managed to keep the intensity without looking awkward; something many of the other stars have issues with. Well done. Apparently William had an ankle injury but I don't think anyone noticed.
Gladys Knight & Tristan MacManus
Dance: Samba
Song: Fever (the Spanish version)
Judges' Scores: 22 (7's from Len & CA, an 8 from Bruno)
The dance was good but if we're judging on dancing ability, Gladys just isn't up there with the rest of the stars anymore. I think she may have too many voters to land in the bottom two especially with Motown theme week coming up next week, which spells trouble for some of the rest.
Roshon Fegan & Chelsie Hightower
Dance: Salsa
Song: Bumpy Ride
Judges' Scores: 26 (9's from Bruno & CA, an 8 from Len)
The song for this one was kind of distracting as it really would have made a better Samba and it made it hard to really accent some of the correct beats. You could tell he was working hard though and I appreciated all the energy he was bringing.
Donald Driver & Peta Murgatroyd
Dance: Argentine Tango
Song: Sin Rumbo
Judges' Scores: 27 (10 from CA, an 8 from Len, and a 9 from Bruno)
Thoroughly enjoyable performance. I'm not sure if it showcased Peta a little too much and not enough Donald but he did lift and spin her with finesse. I would have liked a little more dancing between the lifts but the performance value was high. I do believe this is the first performance of the season that got three different scores from the judges.
Well Santana's next performance did with the Samba accompaniment of Louis Van Amstel and Anna Trebunskaya! Louis we've missed you!
As it turns out the rest of the dancing was pretty enjoyable too if at times a little bland. Let's just say I enjoyed Latin Week a lot more than Rock Week.
Jaleel White & Kym Johnson
Dance: Samba
Song: Rhythm Is Gonna Get You
Judges' Scores: 24 (trip 8's)
Well I have to give Jaleel credit for one thing, this week he didn't relax back into his too cool for school style. He really gave the Samba his all. Of course now that he pushed himself past his natural dancing ability, it was a little awkward in places. It wasn't amazing but it wasn't bad either and I appreciated the effort to improve. His face (and Kym's sparkle leg costume) was distracting at times but even as the first dance I think its safe to say it won't be the worst dance of the night.
Melissa Gilbert & Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Dance: Salsa
Song: Aguanile
Judges' Scores: 21 (trip 7's)
Melissa's rehearsal footage was complete with a rhinestoned hard hat and neck brace after her injury last week. This actually was one of the most comfortable performances I've seen from Melissa. You still wouldn't really want to look below her waist; she may have the largest salsa basics I've ever seen. However, for once she didn't have the constant face of fear even during the ending move which was similar to the one she injured herself during last week. The dancing wasn't necessarily improved but her confidence and ability to sell it was. I also didn't feel the dance was as far above her ability level as in previous weeks.
Maria Menounos & Derek Hough
Dance: Salsa
Song: The Cup of Life
Judges' Scores: 27 (trip 9's)
Can this girl not catch a break? Once again another week means another injury for Maria after she fell on her face in rehearsal. The sound of the injury was actually worse than the results as her chin ended up to be okay but Derek's insistence on her wearing bubble wrap and a helmet may not have been a bad idea. This week I saw a real improvement in Maria's footwork and lower body movement. Above the waist everything was a little one note, not distracting for sure but a little too boring. She kept a nice smile throughout but not exactly what I'd call selling it. Once again there was another kiss, with no doubt about this one. I'm guessing this is the kind of thing super-fans of the show go crazy over but for me its just uncomfortable and unnecessary.
Katherine Jenkins & Mark Ballas
Dance: Argentine Tango
Song: Tanguedia
Judges' Scores: 29 (10's from Bruno & CA, a 9 from Len)
Hmm, well there wasn't anything wrong with the dance really. I liked that the dance focused on the action going on below instead of making the top extra flashy like some of the past Argentine's have. I would have liked a little more smoulder and a little less of the storyline but overall it was enjoyable. I think it was just a little boring in the end but maybe only because I was expecting more.
Gavin DeGraw & Karina Smirnoff
Dance: Samba
Song: Sweetheart from Venezuela
Judges' Scores: 19 (6's from Len & CA, a 7 from Bruno)
Well props are everywhere in this one, ocean lights on the floor, a moving canoe, and a hammock. That usually doesn't make for the best dancing and it wasn't. He is enjoyable to watch and even when he doesn't know exactly what is going on he isn't staring confused at Karina looking for help which I appreciate. Karina slipped at the end but it didn't really make a difference. He has improved this season but I'm not sure this one will keep him out of the bottom 2.
William Levy & Cheryl Burke
Dance: Argentine Tango
Song: Buttons
Judges' Scores: 29 (10's from Bruno & CA, a 9 from Len)
I don't have much to say other than I enjoyed this one. Cheryl is still distracting at times because I just think she over-dances too much but her partner doesn't suffer from the same problem. I think the most impressive part of the performance was William's face which managed to keep the intensity without looking awkward; something many of the other stars have issues with. Well done. Apparently William had an ankle injury but I don't think anyone noticed.
Gladys Knight & Tristan MacManus
Dance: Samba
Song: Fever (the Spanish version)
Judges' Scores: 22 (7's from Len & CA, an 8 from Bruno)
The dance was good but if we're judging on dancing ability, Gladys just isn't up there with the rest of the stars anymore. I think she may have too many voters to land in the bottom two especially with Motown theme week coming up next week, which spells trouble for some of the rest.
Roshon Fegan & Chelsie Hightower
Dance: Salsa
Song: Bumpy Ride
Judges' Scores: 26 (9's from Bruno & CA, an 8 from Len)
The song for this one was kind of distracting as it really would have made a better Samba and it made it hard to really accent some of the correct beats. You could tell he was working hard though and I appreciated all the energy he was bringing.
Donald Driver & Peta Murgatroyd
Dance: Argentine Tango
Song: Sin Rumbo
Judges' Scores: 27 (10 from CA, an 8 from Len, and a 9 from Bruno)
Thoroughly enjoyable performance. I'm not sure if it showcased Peta a little too much and not enough Donald but he did lift and spin her with finesse. I would have liked a little more dancing between the lifts but the performance value was high. I do believe this is the first performance of the season that got three different scores from the judges.
William's Tango
Breaking ties and figuring out the ranking order this week was tough. Katherine's technique was better than William's but her performance was lacking some oomph and I liked parts of Donald's routines better than both. So this week I'm not feeling very strongly one way or another it seems so here goes nothing:
Judges' Rankings My Rankings
| Place | Couple | Points | Place | Couple |
| 1 | William & Cheryl | 29 | 1 | William & Cheryl |
| 1 | Katherine & Mark | 29 | 2 | Katherine & Mark |
| 3 | Donald & Peta | 27 | 3 | Donald & Peta |
| 3 | Maria & Derek | 27 | 4 | Maria & Derek |
| 5 | Roshon & Chelsie | 26 | 5 | Roshon & Chelsie |
| 6 | Jaleel & Kym | 24 | 6 | Jaleel & Kym |
| 7 | Gladys & Tristan | 22 | 7 | Melissa & Maks |
| 8 | Melissa & Maks | 21 | 8 | Gladys & Tristan |
| 9 | Gavin & Karina | 19 | 9 | Gavin & Karina |
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
DWTS Results Show #3
It's still Rock Week! Kiss kicks off the results show with a little Cha Cha and a lot of flames.
Backstage footage starts right away focusing mainly on Melissa's injury from the show. Essentially during the end of the routine, before Maks fell, she hit her head and got a concussion. Maks apparently also hurt his arm in the incident, which is perhaps why Gavin carried Melissa backstage.
Melissa, taking a doctor prescribed day of rest, wasn't there to hear it but they're safe for another week. Gavin & Karina are also safe and seem pretty surprised by it. With those two couples safe, Tom doesn't need to tell us this will be a shocking elimination.
Now it's the judges' favorite with a re-dance. No surprise here it is Donald & Peta. The dance is still enjoyable and Donald's faces are still hilarious. That's all I really have to say about that, the re-dance is never my favorite part of the results shows.
It's taken me this long to notice Brooke's outfit?! It might be her most normal results show outfit this season and on Rock Week no less!
A lot of filler and then finally more results! Maria & Derek are back next week and everyone is hoping she doesn't pick up another injury along the way. Jaleel & Kym are also safe and seem surprised. Gladys & Tristan are also safe making it official that no one on the bottom of the dancing food chain is going home this week.
Now part of the show I've really been looking forward to: Karina's performance with Jose Carreno to music by the Gotan Project. If you've never seen this amazing ballet dancer perform head to youtube! Kind of interesting to see two dancers so good at their specific crafts doing a dance neither of them specialize in, the Argentine Tango. A little disappointing but at least we got to see some Jose's amazing leaps and spins. They didn't seem all that comfortable with the routine but I guess how can you be with such a tight rehearsal schedule.
Donald & Peta and Roshon & Chelsie, the week's highest scorers, are now up for some results. Donald & Peta unsurprisingly are safe leaving Roshon & Chelsie in the bottom two. That is not good news for them considering he probably doesn't have a huge fan base and she is a relatively new pro.
The cast of Dancing with the Stars Live in Las Vegas takes the stage next dancing to "The Beat", which of course is almost as near as you can get to a sacrilegious song choice in ballroom (if you don't know what I'm talking about you really need to hit up youtube more often). The dance was interesting with a lot of tricks. Not enough to make me want to pay to go to Vegas (and then pay for a show instead of sit by the pool) but I'm sure it makes for an enjoyable time.
More results! Katherine & Mark are safe and were both very shocked and very excited. This means either William & Cheryl or Sherri & Val are in the bottom two. Sherri & Val are joining Roshon & Chelsie in the bottom two.
Now it is time for the final results and Sherri is already crying. The judges, via Len, express their shock. And it is Sherri & Val going home meaning more tears for Sherri (and Carrie Ann). I will truly miss them on the show, especially their rehearsal footage. Sherri wasn't the best dancer, and I don't think the elimination was as shocking as Tom promised, but I don't think it was quite her week to go.
Sherri's Last Dance
The silver lining? Maybe his elimination will allow Val to participate in more pro numbers showcasing his amazing-ness. A girl can dream right? Anyway, who goes home next? I'm not even going to bother to guess! What do you think?
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
DWTS Week 4 Recap
It's Rock Week! And just in case you didn't remember, the show started with Kiss. The most frightening part of this opening was the costuming of the DWTS Troupe men who had Kiss makeup paired with a skin tight low v-necked black leotard. Clearly this was a sign of crazy costuming to come as even musical director Harold Wheeler was rocking Kiss inspired makeup.
Overall this week, I was underwhelmed. I think the most memorable part of Rock Week was that many of the stars seemed to have real trouble with their facial expressions. But before I go off on that, let's get to reviewing the dancing.
Sherri Shepherd & Valentin Chmerkovskiy
Dance: Tango
Song: Cum on Feel the Noize
Judges' Scores: 21 (trip 7's)
Sherri started her dance on top of the judge's table and she probably should have stayed there. It was clearly where she had the most fun and the rest of the dance just lagged. She seemed extra stiff in the Tango and her facially expression didn't change the entire dance. It looks like she might just have too much trouble not smiling so if she makes it back next week she'll be hoping for an upbeat, happy dance. Without her bubbly personality this week though, she could be in trouble. Perhaps most shocking, I agree with Carrie Ann yet again, intense doesn't mean expressionless, Sherri!
Katherine Jenkins & Mark Ballas
Dance: Paso Doble
Song: Time is Running Out
Judges' Scores: 24 (trip 8's)
Rehearsal footage for Katherine this week meant some in-ring fighting, Mark's way of getting out her Welsh warrior. The dance was a little stiffer than her others and had more wobbles. You could tell she was trying very hard to maintain the character of the dance and she did succeed in some ways. She made some great use of her costume skirt, which can be difficult in the moment of a performance. She probably over did it a bit on the intensity though, her facial expressions and arm movements seemed a bit forced. Of course maybe she was just making up for the lack of facial expression in Sherri's Tango.
Jaleel White & Kym Johnson
Dance: Tango
Song: Satisfaction
Judges' Scores: 22 (7's from Bruno & Len, an 8 from CA)
Jaleel talked about having very little experience with rock and Mick Jagger but Kym was certainly excited for rock week. The dance was packed with a lot of in-frame work and actual tango steps. Jaleel's frame wasn't bad considering he usually does the best at the more natural movements. I thought he kept up surprisingly well with the routine even if his footwork was a little flat in terms of dynamic. He also really seemed to enjoy himself and was getting into the dance and the rock. The dance even finished with a nice floor spin for Jaleel. After last week, I really doubted whether I could get into one of his dances again but if I'm being honest with myself this one was fairly entertaining; if not astounding. It's hard not to hold his slightly bizarre behavior against him, but I do my best to keep it about the dancing.
Melissa Gilbert & Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Dance: Paso Doble
Song: Conquest
Judges' Scores: 22 (7's from Bruno & CA, an 8 from Len)
Well, if everyone is shirtless then we know Maks is surely going to have to deliver. His Paso jacket certainly left some exposure. Much like Sherri, Melissa didn't have much going on in terms of facial expressions other than maybe fear. Once again the dance moved just a little too fast for her. She certainly deserves credit for attempting all those actual Paso steps but if the choreography was a bit easier and slower she would have been better off. There were some truly terrifying pivots in there which easily demonstrated the "holding on for dear life" that Carrie Ann mentioned in her comments. Maks ended the dance in a pool of stage lighting blood after a mistake that I barely noticed. She is definitely improving which is great to see, but unfortunately she still isn't really enjoyable to watch. At the end of the show, Tom announced that Melissa injured herself and headed to the hospital as a precaution. Hopefully, it isn't too serious. *UPDATE* Melissa had a mild concussion and whiplash and was taken to the hospital after feeling nauseous after the performance.
Donald Driver & Peta Murgatroyd
Dance: Paso Doble
Song: Purple Haze
Judges' Scores: 27 (trip 9's)
Rehearsal footage had Donald bearing his chest to take advantage of his physique for the Paso. There is something interesting about watching an extremely muscled man using a girl's sweater as a Paso jacket (rehearsal) but I would have preferred him wearing a shirt during the actual performance. I think a bit of costuming on top could have really helped hide some of his frame problems. He really got into the dance, including the facial expressions which went way more rock than paso (picture a lot of tongue wagging). There weren't as many actual paso steps in this dance as some of the others already on the show though so overall I was a bit disappointed. He really could have handled more and I would have loved to see it. The judges all really loved it and in my opinion over-scored it.
Gladys Knight & Tristan MacManus
Dance: Tango
Song: Bohemian Rhapsody
Judges' Scores: 20 (7's from Bruno & CA, a 6 from Len)
Gladys has actually been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame so she was concerned about living up to that. The dance was a little sloppy and her frame mostly exuded fear. She also suffered a bit from the expressionless-ness that a few others had issues with. The dance and her expressions picked up a bit at the end but it still wasn't the best. She could have maybe used some help from a longer dress but even that wouldn't have saved her.
William Levy & Cheryl Burke
Dance: Jive
Song: We're Not Gonna Take It
Judges' Scores: 22 (7's from Len & CA, an 8 from Bruno)
William apparently has less experience with rock than Jaleel so he had some members of Steel Panther to help him understand 80s hair bands. Kind of makes me wonder why any of us ever understood 80s hair bands, but I still love em! I really wasn't expecing much out of William's jive, I thought it would look awkward, but it really exceeded my expectations. His jive basics were fairly comfortable and he did execute his flicks and kicks. There were a few mix ups and he didn't seem entirely sure of the choreography, looking to Cheryl a lot on the flicks and kicks, but he did keep on going despite the mistakes (Cheryl even lost a shoe).
Roshon Fegan & Chelsie Hightower
Dance: Viennese Waltz
Song: The Time of My Life
Judges' Scores: 26 (9's from Bruno & CA, an 8 from Len)
VWaltz can really be a star killer but not in this case. Roshon really shined in this dance, which was surprising! He had great arm extensions and a nice frame. His footwork was a little sloppy but for VWaltz was still impressive (and lucky for him the fog covered a lot of it up). He struggles a bit when he needs to support Chelsie's weight but his movement around the floor was actually pretty good. This was definitely my favorite dance of his so far and I was surprised it didn't do better with the judges, even though CA said she thinks he's the best male dancer.
Maria Menounos & Derek Hough
Dance: Tango
Song: School's Out
Judges' Scores: 26 (9's for Bruno & CA, an 8 from Len)
Maria's rehearsals brought her to the foot doctor where she learned she has stress fractures in her feet. So if you are keeping track she now has broken ribs and near broken feet, but she keeps on going! The dance unnecessarily started out with her in strange schoolmarm attire which she stripped right away and was quickly forgotten. Once again her ballroom came out strong with a good frame and lots of tango steps in hold. She had a bit of the expressionless problems of the others but she maintained a faint smile so it wasn't as awkward. I don't think the dance necessarily lived up to the energy of the song but her dancing was really quite good. Perhaps she was working hard for her contingent of Greek celebrity fans in the audience but I think this was probably my favorite dance of hers yet. Of course, it also reminded me of how much more I like her Ballroom than her Latin.
Gavin DeGraw & Karina Smirnoff
Dance: Tango
Song: Paint It Black
Judges' Scores: 23 (8's from Len & CA, a 7 from Bruno)
Starting the dance, I was wondering if Karina's crazy makeup was meant to distract us from Gavin's dancing but once he started I was pleasantly surprised. He handled some pretty quick movements and had a better frame than I expected. His posture is still weird though and he can't seem to control sticking out his bum. He also was yet another star this week that couldn't handle the facial expressions, I kept thinking he was sucking on a hard candy. If it is possible to claim a most improved of the first four weeks, I believe Gavin would be it; I really did not expect him to be managing so well at this point. As Gavin said, he may not have done enough to get out of the bottom on Tuesday night but he is doing his best.
Now for the leader board. Like I said, I wasn't exactly in love with this week but as always I'll break the ties (and move some things around).
Judges' Rankings My Rankings
Overall this week, I was underwhelmed. I think the most memorable part of Rock Week was that many of the stars seemed to have real trouble with their facial expressions. But before I go off on that, let's get to reviewing the dancing.
Sherri Shepherd & Valentin Chmerkovskiy
Dance: Tango
Song: Cum on Feel the Noize
Judges' Scores: 21 (trip 7's)
Sherri started her dance on top of the judge's table and she probably should have stayed there. It was clearly where she had the most fun and the rest of the dance just lagged. She seemed extra stiff in the Tango and her facially expression didn't change the entire dance. It looks like she might just have too much trouble not smiling so if she makes it back next week she'll be hoping for an upbeat, happy dance. Without her bubbly personality this week though, she could be in trouble. Perhaps most shocking, I agree with Carrie Ann yet again, intense doesn't mean expressionless, Sherri!
Katherine Jenkins & Mark Ballas
Dance: Paso Doble
Song: Time is Running Out
Judges' Scores: 24 (trip 8's)
Rehearsal footage for Katherine this week meant some in-ring fighting, Mark's way of getting out her Welsh warrior. The dance was a little stiffer than her others and had more wobbles. You could tell she was trying very hard to maintain the character of the dance and she did succeed in some ways. She made some great use of her costume skirt, which can be difficult in the moment of a performance. She probably over did it a bit on the intensity though, her facial expressions and arm movements seemed a bit forced. Of course maybe she was just making up for the lack of facial expression in Sherri's Tango.
Jaleel White & Kym Johnson
Dance: Tango
Song: Satisfaction
Judges' Scores: 22 (7's from Bruno & Len, an 8 from CA)
Jaleel talked about having very little experience with rock and Mick Jagger but Kym was certainly excited for rock week. The dance was packed with a lot of in-frame work and actual tango steps. Jaleel's frame wasn't bad considering he usually does the best at the more natural movements. I thought he kept up surprisingly well with the routine even if his footwork was a little flat in terms of dynamic. He also really seemed to enjoy himself and was getting into the dance and the rock. The dance even finished with a nice floor spin for Jaleel. After last week, I really doubted whether I could get into one of his dances again but if I'm being honest with myself this one was fairly entertaining; if not astounding. It's hard not to hold his slightly bizarre behavior against him, but I do my best to keep it about the dancing.
Melissa Gilbert & Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Dance: Paso Doble
Song: Conquest
Judges' Scores: 22 (7's from Bruno & CA, an 8 from Len)
Well, if everyone is shirtless then we know Maks is surely going to have to deliver. His Paso jacket certainly left some exposure. Much like Sherri, Melissa didn't have much going on in terms of facial expressions other than maybe fear. Once again the dance moved just a little too fast for her. She certainly deserves credit for attempting all those actual Paso steps but if the choreography was a bit easier and slower she would have been better off. There were some truly terrifying pivots in there which easily demonstrated the "holding on for dear life" that Carrie Ann mentioned in her comments. Maks ended the dance in a pool of stage lighting blood after a mistake that I barely noticed. She is definitely improving which is great to see, but unfortunately she still isn't really enjoyable to watch. At the end of the show, Tom announced that Melissa injured herself and headed to the hospital as a precaution. Hopefully, it isn't too serious. *UPDATE* Melissa had a mild concussion and whiplash and was taken to the hospital after feeling nauseous after the performance.
Donald Driver & Peta Murgatroyd
Dance: Paso Doble
Song: Purple Haze
Judges' Scores: 27 (trip 9's)
Rehearsal footage had Donald bearing his chest to take advantage of his physique for the Paso. There is something interesting about watching an extremely muscled man using a girl's sweater as a Paso jacket (rehearsal) but I would have preferred him wearing a shirt during the actual performance. I think a bit of costuming on top could have really helped hide some of his frame problems. He really got into the dance, including the facial expressions which went way more rock than paso (picture a lot of tongue wagging). There weren't as many actual paso steps in this dance as some of the others already on the show though so overall I was a bit disappointed. He really could have handled more and I would have loved to see it. The judges all really loved it and in my opinion over-scored it.
Gladys Knight & Tristan MacManus
Dance: Tango
Song: Bohemian Rhapsody
Judges' Scores: 20 (7's from Bruno & CA, a 6 from Len)
Gladys has actually been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame so she was concerned about living up to that. The dance was a little sloppy and her frame mostly exuded fear. She also suffered a bit from the expressionless-ness that a few others had issues with. The dance and her expressions picked up a bit at the end but it still wasn't the best. She could have maybe used some help from a longer dress but even that wouldn't have saved her.
William Levy & Cheryl Burke
Dance: Jive
Song: We're Not Gonna Take It
Judges' Scores: 22 (7's from Len & CA, an 8 from Bruno)
William apparently has less experience with rock than Jaleel so he had some members of Steel Panther to help him understand 80s hair bands. Kind of makes me wonder why any of us ever understood 80s hair bands, but I still love em! I really wasn't expecing much out of William's jive, I thought it would look awkward, but it really exceeded my expectations. His jive basics were fairly comfortable and he did execute his flicks and kicks. There were a few mix ups and he didn't seem entirely sure of the choreography, looking to Cheryl a lot on the flicks and kicks, but he did keep on going despite the mistakes (Cheryl even lost a shoe).
Roshon Fegan & Chelsie Hightower
Dance: Viennese Waltz
Song: The Time of My Life
Judges' Scores: 26 (9's from Bruno & CA, an 8 from Len)
VWaltz can really be a star killer but not in this case. Roshon really shined in this dance, which was surprising! He had great arm extensions and a nice frame. His footwork was a little sloppy but for VWaltz was still impressive (and lucky for him the fog covered a lot of it up). He struggles a bit when he needs to support Chelsie's weight but his movement around the floor was actually pretty good. This was definitely my favorite dance of his so far and I was surprised it didn't do better with the judges, even though CA said she thinks he's the best male dancer.
Maria Menounos & Derek Hough
Dance: Tango
Song: School's Out
Judges' Scores: 26 (9's for Bruno & CA, an 8 from Len)
Maria's rehearsals brought her to the foot doctor where she learned she has stress fractures in her feet. So if you are keeping track she now has broken ribs and near broken feet, but she keeps on going! The dance unnecessarily started out with her in strange schoolmarm attire which she stripped right away and was quickly forgotten. Once again her ballroom came out strong with a good frame and lots of tango steps in hold. She had a bit of the expressionless problems of the others but she maintained a faint smile so it wasn't as awkward. I don't think the dance necessarily lived up to the energy of the song but her dancing was really quite good. Perhaps she was working hard for her contingent of Greek celebrity fans in the audience but I think this was probably my favorite dance of hers yet. Of course, it also reminded me of how much more I like her Ballroom than her Latin.
Gavin DeGraw & Karina Smirnoff
Dance: Tango
Song: Paint It Black
Judges' Scores: 23 (8's from Len & CA, a 7 from Bruno)
Starting the dance, I was wondering if Karina's crazy makeup was meant to distract us from Gavin's dancing but once he started I was pleasantly surprised. He handled some pretty quick movements and had a better frame than I expected. His posture is still weird though and he can't seem to control sticking out his bum. He also was yet another star this week that couldn't handle the facial expressions, I kept thinking he was sucking on a hard candy. If it is possible to claim a most improved of the first four weeks, I believe Gavin would be it; I really did not expect him to be managing so well at this point. As Gavin said, he may not have done enough to get out of the bottom on Tuesday night but he is doing his best.
Judges' Pick for Best Dance
Now for the leader board. Like I said, I wasn't exactly in love with this week but as always I'll break the ties (and move some things around).
Judges' Rankings My Rankings
| Place | Couple | Points | Place | Couple |
| 1 | Donald & Peta | 27 | 1 | Roshon & Chelsie |
| 2 | Roshon & Chelsie | 26 | 2 | Maria & Derek |
| 2 | Maria & Derek | 26 | 3 | Donald & Peta |
| 4 | Katherine & Mark | 24 | 4 | Katherine & Mark |
| 5 | Gavin & Karina | 23 | 5 | Jaleel & Kym |
| 6 | Jaleel & Kym | 22 | 6 | William & Cheryl |
| 6 | William & Cheryl | 22 | 7 | Gavin & Karina |
| 6 | Melissa & Maks | 22 | 8 | Melissa & Maks |
| 9 | Sherri & Val | 21 | 9 | Sherri & Val |
| 10 | Gladys & Tristan | 20 | 10 | Gladys & Tristan |
Who goes home this week? I'd guess Gavin if I had to but not based on ability and certainly not based on improvement. We'll find out soon!
Friday, April 6, 2012
Video Vendredi: One of my All-Time Standard Faves
This week I've been doing a lot of social dancing and therefore a little less video watching. So for today's video I'm going to an old favorite of mine. It's also my chance to put a request out there: if anyone has come across a better video of this show dance please send it over! Unfortunately this one is a mix of a bunch of times Victor Fung and former partner Anna Mikhed performed this piece. It still gives you an idea of its greatness but I'd love to find a better one. Maybe someone out there is hoarding some PBS America's Ballroom Challenge videos?
Beethoven's Fifth
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
A Weekend in Baltimore at the USA Dance National Championships
I know this post is a few days late but Nationals weekend was exhausting and of course there was DWTS to be watched. So better late than never here are some of my thoughts from the USA Dance Nationals in Baltimore this weekend. Now, it is a full three days of dancing so I didn't get to see everything but here are my highlights.
Let's kick things off with the Championship Latin event on Friday night. Originally I was pretty bummed going into this event since last year's champs Val and Daria were out of the running after his retirement from competition last year and many other finalists weren't registered. I was even more bummed when I found out that Denys Drozdyuk and Antonina Skobina weren't competing even though they had been registered. But my outlook quickly changed once the rounds started and I was treated to some great dancing. Pasha Pashkov and Daniella Karagach took home the title, adding it to their previous US 10 Dance titles. Pasha and Daniella focused only on Latin this competition and as much as I missed their Standard, it was nice to see them really shine with some new material in their routines. They are such a great couple and so gracious, I really hope they get to represent the US at the World Championships (why wouldn't they? yup, it's that pesky WDC/WDSF war again). Other couples I loved watching: 4th place couple Jason Dai and Patrycja Golak and semi-finalists (and next into the final) Ron Garber and Liza Lakovitsky. Other things of interest? I noticed a lot of the couples were foregoing the traditional rhinestones everywhere approach for simpler costume styles based on color-blocking, overall I would say they were very effective at catching the eye.
The New Champs
Moving on to Saturday night. At ballroom competitions and events its pretty common for Saturday night to be the marquee evening, with the best events and the best dancers. This year I felt a little differently though for a few reasons. To start, the Championship Rhythm final. I say final and not event because there were only six couples registered. After attending the American Style Congress earlier this year, I was really hoping to be inspired by what could be the future of the Rhythm style. There seemed to be a lot of camaraderie between the finalists and I don't doubt that many of them are working hard to improve and represent the style but the reality is the amount and the level of competition is just not on par with the other three styles showcased. I really hope that next year (if I make it, LA is far to spectate!) that I'll have more to report on.
Also on Saturday were the Youth Championship Latin and the Adult Championship Standard events. I really enjoyed the Latin although I thought that many of the couples didn't dance as well as I've seen them dance before. The Standard was a little more confusing to me. I just didn't find myself really picking favorites throughout the rounds and even in the final I wasn't decided on all the dances. It definitely made miss some of the couples I'm used to seeing, especially those that were already there in Baltimore but not competing like Pasha and Daniella and Sasha Tchernossitov and Regina Maziarz (who later on Sunday won the US 10 Dance title when I was sadly already on my way home).
On Sunday, I mainly enjoyed Baltimore but I stopped in for some of the night session before heading home. I didn't get to see the conclusion of all the events because I had to leave but I have to say I really enjoyed the session, particularly the Junior II Latin Championship event and the Championship Smooth event! I thought both of the top two couples in the Latin were fantastic. I think Patryk Ploszaj and Anna Kaczmarski had a well deserved win but it could just as easily go to second place couple Nicholas Stevens and Alexandra Gutkovich next time! Patryk and Anna probably had the best weekend of anyone at Nationals mopping up the Junior II titles in Latin, Standard, and 10 Dance. Looks like they have a busy international travel schedule ahead!
Right before I left I got to see the beginning of the Champ Smooth event and I was really impressed with the level of talent. I remember not being that impressed in past years so it was great to see such an improvement in the field overall. Although I wasn't there to see it, the win went to Kyle and Allie Spinder from Utah.
Looking back, I really did get to see some incredible dancing this past weekend even if there were couples missing for their various reasons. I've heard this year's Nationals was the biggest yet (so I guess that 75% rule didn't eliminate too many couples). Even if it does mean a packed schedule, I hope they get to say something similar next year; it is such a great time and I'd truly hate to see the event suffer from international politics.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
DWTS Results Show #2
It's time again to send someone home as well as wonder why Brooke Burke saves the stranger outfits for the results show. Tonight kicks off with an immediate musical performance of Lean on Me by Seal. The DWTS troupe joined him for a bit with one small fall in what can only be described as a Cha Cha without any cha's?
The first four couples are ready to hear some results: Roshon & Chelsie, Maria & Derek, Gavin & Karina, and Katherine & Mark. The worst part about this segment is that I have to watch that awkward kiss again!! Now both Roshon and Gavin got put in jeopardy last week, will it happen again? Looks like, woah! Now I've seen the entire Brooke Burke ensemble and its even weirder than I thought! I digress. Katherine and Mark are the first to be saved, no surprises there! Maria and Derek (and unfortunately their kiss) are also safe. Gavin and Karina are in jeopardy despite his vast improvement this week. Roshon and Chelsie thought aren't forced to sit in jeopardy this week.
Already on to the next three couples? Doesn't this show last an hour? Brooke and her crazy shoulder pad are talking to Gladys & Tristan, Jaleel & Kym, and William & Cheryl. But that was a fake out of course, no results yet.
More tear jerkers for the results show. Anna Trebunskaya and husband (and former DWTS pro) Jonathan Roberts start a segment about how they'd like to perform for their friend, Julia Ivleva. As those of you reading this blog probably already know, Julia was diagnosed with lung cancer last year. Jonathan and Anna choreographed a special waltz to dedicate to Julia, who was in the audience, and it was a beautiful dance. If you've never gotten a chance to see Julia and her husband Igor Litvinov perform you should head to youtube to check out some of their amazingly creative Standard show dances like this one:
Up for their results now: William & Cheryl, Gladys & Tristan, and Jaleel & Kym. William and Cheryl are coming back, which maybe means less clothes next week if that is possible? Gladys and Tristan though are in jeopardy and must wait for their fate. Jaleel and Kym are safe. This means another commercial, of course, after telling us what we're going to watch right after the commercial (so that's how you fill an hour)!
Woah, fake out! Brooke Burke is actually announcing results this time? I had kind of zoned out but now Sherri is swinging her hair in excitement so that means Sherri & Val will be back next week!
Tom has now announced a new dance duel that will be coming up in a few weeks between the bottom two couples of the show that will allow the judges to effectively "save" the best dancers from elimination. Interesting.
The Macy's Stars of Dance performance is up next and its a bunch of suited and hatted men doing some hip hop inspired jazz. Entertaining if not completely amazing.
Another musical guest, Rascal Flatts takes the stage with a song I haven't heard. Tony Dovolani is out doing what I'm guessing is a Rumba and I'm pretty sure he's gotten kicked in the face twice already and it's only the first dancing blurb. Thankfully in the second blurb, Tony's partner did her leg swinging closer to the ground instead of Tony's face. Now the song is over Rascal Flatts declares their DWTS love for Gavin; I guess they didn't vote enough though.
And now for results for the remaining couples. Donald & Peta are safe. So are Melissa & Maks (thanks to his fans no doubt). And that leaves Jack & Anna in jeopardy, an unsurprising but unfortunate result.
After commercial, Gladys and Tristan are announced safe. Gavin gets to say he was expecting to probably be in the bottom two and Jack gets to say gratitude another time. And Jack and Anna are the ones to go.
Well it is unfortunate that so early in the season it is already not the best dancers going home. I think Jack could have really gotten to be a pretty good dancer, especially with Anna as his coach, but we all know it is probably more a popularity contest than a dancing one. Karina better work some magic before next week cause Gavin is certainly in the danger zone now, unless Maks manages to anger his fan base before Monday night!
The first four couples are ready to hear some results: Roshon & Chelsie, Maria & Derek, Gavin & Karina, and Katherine & Mark. The worst part about this segment is that I have to watch that awkward kiss again!! Now both Roshon and Gavin got put in jeopardy last week, will it happen again? Looks like, woah! Now I've seen the entire Brooke Burke ensemble and its even weirder than I thought! I digress. Katherine and Mark are the first to be saved, no surprises there! Maria and Derek (and unfortunately their kiss) are also safe. Gavin and Karina are in jeopardy despite his vast improvement this week. Roshon and Chelsie thought aren't forced to sit in jeopardy this week.
Already on to the next three couples? Doesn't this show last an hour? Brooke and her crazy shoulder pad are talking to Gladys & Tristan, Jaleel & Kym, and William & Cheryl. But that was a fake out of course, no results yet.
More tear jerkers for the results show. Anna Trebunskaya and husband (and former DWTS pro) Jonathan Roberts start a segment about how they'd like to perform for their friend, Julia Ivleva. As those of you reading this blog probably already know, Julia was diagnosed with lung cancer last year. Jonathan and Anna choreographed a special waltz to dedicate to Julia, who was in the audience, and it was a beautiful dance. If you've never gotten a chance to see Julia and her husband Igor Litvinov perform you should head to youtube to check out some of their amazingly creative Standard show dances like this one:
Up for their results now: William & Cheryl, Gladys & Tristan, and Jaleel & Kym. William and Cheryl are coming back, which maybe means less clothes next week if that is possible? Gladys and Tristan though are in jeopardy and must wait for their fate. Jaleel and Kym are safe. This means another commercial, of course, after telling us what we're going to watch right after the commercial (so that's how you fill an hour)!
Woah, fake out! Brooke Burke is actually announcing results this time? I had kind of zoned out but now Sherri is swinging her hair in excitement so that means Sherri & Val will be back next week!
Tom has now announced a new dance duel that will be coming up in a few weeks between the bottom two couples of the show that will allow the judges to effectively "save" the best dancers from elimination. Interesting.
The Macy's Stars of Dance performance is up next and its a bunch of suited and hatted men doing some hip hop inspired jazz. Entertaining if not completely amazing.
Another musical guest, Rascal Flatts takes the stage with a song I haven't heard. Tony Dovolani is out doing what I'm guessing is a Rumba and I'm pretty sure he's gotten kicked in the face twice already and it's only the first dancing blurb. Thankfully in the second blurb, Tony's partner did her leg swinging closer to the ground instead of Tony's face. Now the song is over Rascal Flatts declares their DWTS love for Gavin; I guess they didn't vote enough though.
And now for results for the remaining couples. Donald & Peta are safe. So are Melissa & Maks (thanks to his fans no doubt). And that leaves Jack & Anna in jeopardy, an unsurprising but unfortunate result.
After commercial, Gladys and Tristan are announced safe. Gavin gets to say he was expecting to probably be in the bottom two and Jack gets to say gratitude another time. And Jack and Anna are the ones to go.
Jack's last dance
Well it is unfortunate that so early in the season it is already not the best dancers going home. I think Jack could have really gotten to be a pretty good dancer, especially with Anna as his coach, but we all know it is probably more a popularity contest than a dancing one. Karina better work some magic before next week cause Gavin is certainly in the danger zone now, unless Maks manages to anger his fan base before Monday night!
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