Dance of the Day…. Let’s compare Jennifer and Hines!
Can you believe that after this, we’ll have gone back and watched the first week of all 12 of our Champions? If you missed them, you can click right here and you’ll find the links for all of the posts. Each of the posts has a poll, you can still go and vote!
I know it’s not the most ideal thing, to compare 2 people doing different dances, but each of these are the first impressions that we got of them, in their seasons. Instead of comparing dances, we’re really comparing our first impressions of them.
As I said, this is the last of our Champions First Impressions. I do have plans to come back to our Champions, just because I am having fun. We’re going to claim a “winner” of all of our polls, and we’ll see how the winners progressed, by re-watching their Week 5 dances. Again, the dances might not match up, that they’re doing the same, but it will all be partway through their seasons, so we should be able to see some progress since their first week dance.
Season 11 brought us Jennifer Grey with her professional partner, Derek Hough. Jennifer was automatically labeled as the Ringer of the Season, since she had been in the movie, “Dirty Dancing,” which had been filmed her professional partner’s entire lifetime before. Before her season, Jennifer suffered from many health problems, the most immediate was 2 or 3 surgeries to get her healthy enough to compete. And I know that people got tired of having the producers “harp” on her constant health issues while they were competing, but I do think that she, and Derek, probably dealt with more health issues during the season, than any other competitor.
JENNIFER GREY AND DEREK HOUGH SEASON 11 WEEK 1
They danced a Viennese Waltz to These Arms of Mine
Hines Ward was our Season 12 Champion, and I won’t spend much time on him, since he’s our reigning champion, and he’s still fresh in our minds. My husband is a die-hard Pittsburgh Steelers fan, he’s been cheering them on since he was a young boy. When we got married, he still had an (empty) can of Steelers Beer, with a photo of the team, including Terry Bradshaw. So… You know who he was rooting for to win… And he did surprise me with his smiles, and charms, and grace. Hines and Kym’s win gave Kym a record among ALL of the DWTS shows, world wide. She is (I am pretty sure) the SECOND Professional to earn 3 trophies, and the ONLY Professional to win DWTS in 2 different countries! Yes, she was a Champion on DWTS in her native Australia, before she came to our show, and she’s won with Donny, and Hines gave her the 3rd trophy (but only the 2nd on our show).
HINES WARD AND KYM JOHNSON SEASON 12 WEEK 1
They danced a cha cha cha to Club Can’t Handle Me by Flo Rida
Which one made a better first impression for you, Jennifer or Hines?
No doubt about it>>> JENNIFER hands down. There were times, I didn’t think Hines was that good. He was so stiff and sometimes too slow. I never thought that with Jennifer even in her weaker moments (which were practically nil).
Vogue:
I agree with you 100%, Jennifer had an elegance and sensuality that lacked in quite a few dancers, not that they weren’t good overall.
I hope you can get the producers to take heed in some of your polls. We all enjoyed watching Derek dance with wonderful partners, particularly Jennifer, Nicole and Brooke. What are the chances that we can see them dance with Derek once again. There are some great ideas across the board, (just like some of your polls). The best ARgentine Tangos, Tango, Paso Doble, etc. This could be a different segment on the show, where they highlight the best dancers. I mean why can’t we see Derek with his wonderful partners once again, before he exits the show? I bet Jennifer, Nicole and Brooke would do it. We the fans want to see it!
I agree with Voguerista. Hands down Jennifer takes this one! It is even close! There were times that I found Hines to be stiff. He always looked liked he was counting steps in his head. Hines also danced flatfooted throughout the season. Even in pain Jennifer Grey would dance circles around everyone.
I was not a fan of Hines during the first two weeks of season 12 but he won me over after week 3. As for Jennifer, she is the best dance that season hands down (Kyle surismed me though).
Jennifer had a natural grace and elegance which made her dances a joy to watch. I loved this first dance which was beautifully choreographed and performed and showed they were a real threat right from the start.
Hines had a lot of limitations when it came to the dancing, but he was a charmer and his enjoyment was fun to watch and he definitely grew on me as the season progressed. I enjoyed his first week dance (Kym always gets the best from her partners) and he was in my top 3 list from the first week.
Well, one of the problems comparing Jennifer and Hines is that Jennifer is a good actress – she can hide the pain under her actress face. Hines is a football player – I thought he did a great job most of the time, but being able to see him count once in a while just means he’s not an actor.
That said, Jennifer is clearly the better dancer even though she had 20 years on Hines – she’s musical and she has more natural talent than Hines does.
Lol Jennifer, she’s been dancing like forever! As for Hines, I give this young man credit for going out their and learing how to ballroom dance and win! I would love to see a Mya vs. Jennifer or a Nicole vs. Jennifer
She has not been dancing forever. Why because she danced in Dirty Dancing, please. John Travolta danced in Saturday Night Fever, does that mean he has been dancing forever also. Who said that no one ever gave Hines any credit for going out there learning how to dance? Everyone gives him credit, isn’t that why he won?
Get your facts straight! Jennifer, Nicole, and Brooke all had one great teacher, Derek!! He could make a dancer out of anyone! Remember that!
So lets get some facts stright! Jennifer ia an alumi of Dalton private school where she studied both DANCE and Acting. So she’s beedn dancing awhile! another fact- didn’t say no one gave Hines any credit, those are your words not mine. So excuse me, lol my facts are stright, don’t know about yours those SMH!
She studied both dance and acting, so what! That doesn’t make her a professional dancer.
So this means she’s beedn dancing a while (check your spelling), now I’m LOL!
You’re out numbered on this post! Lets see what Vogue and Heidi have to say about this.
Probably not the most popular answer but here it goes. Jennifer was a great dancer however I did not care for her personality. IMO she was one of the least likeable of Dereks partners. I love Derek just wasn’t feeling Jennifer.
Hines was unknown to me at seasons start, just like Kyle last season, and both of them before their premiere I thought would be one of the first eliminations in their potential seasons. However, both of them had the personality and the dance moves to earn their spot in the finals. So my ultimate decision based on week one performances would be Hines.
Oh please, millie – try to use some logic. Jennifer was in school 30 YEARS ago, you make it sound like yesterday. That’s just not logical at ALL. And she hadn’t danced in many YEARS when she went on DWTS. What is it with you people and people dancing in grade school – how many women in show business didn’t??
Mya vs. Jennifer or Nicole vs. Jennifer – you do realize that Nicole is 20 years younger than Jennifer, right?? Mya, is also 15 to 20 years younger than her. How old are you, millie? I’m guessing under 25 – only someone that young would neglect to take age into account. Not to mention neck surgeries. :::rolls eyes:::
Look at it this way – Florence Henderson spent a LOT of time on Broadway. Yet, I hear no one complaining about her. Bet she studied dance. Bet Cloris did a bit too. Yet, silence.
Sandy, if you don’t like someone, you don’t like someone. I don’t see a problem with that. It’s the lack of logic and the double standards that some have that I take issue with. It bothers me when people don’t use their brains. But like and dislike isn’t a “brain” issue. I was actually quite shocked that so many people said Joanna was one of their favorites. I loved her with Derek, but off the show I didn’t like her AT ALL. Derek seemed to bring out something nice in her and made her likable – but if you follow her on twitter?? Eh, not so much. I had to unfollow her. So, it’s all a personal preference thing.
It’s like Lacey – so many people like her. I see her and I have the urge to smack her. 🙂
So I’m out numbered! Facts or Facts! Jennifer Gray is a trained dancer. She was picked for Dirty Dancing by Director Avdolino because he wanted someone who was already trained in dance and could act too. No, Jennifer is not a pro dancer, she could have BEEN but she chose acting!
While Hines had natural charisma, Jennifer had natural musicality and elegance, so my vote goes to her today 🙂
Jennifer Grey studied dance in school, yes.
She finished school 30 odd years ago.
I studied maths in school.
I have been out of school for ONE year and have forgotten how to do most of it. I guess you could use that analogy.
Think about it. How much history, geography, science, english, maths, etc do you remember from high school?
LOL
I can see that dance is slightly different than academic subjects in that your body has a muscle memory which it can use when the training reawakens it.
HOWEVER, I find it slightly surprising to come down on Jennifer so. Many of the female contestants will have studied Dance in some form whilst they were younger. And there were a lot of years since she had done it. There have been celebrities with much more, recent dance experience on the show who have received much less antagonism.
Mind you – having survived Season 12, I’m all for having someone with natural talent on the show. A Mel B, Sabrina, Nicole, Jennifer, Aaron figure makes for a much more entertaining season with brilliant dances. For me – much as I enjoyed watching Hines and Kirstie’s journeys – the lack of a really brilliant dancer made some of the episodes a little dull.
Heidi – You raised a good point. I have my favorite pros, however, for me sometimes I am not entertained with their celeb partner pairing. And some seasons I have a totally different favorite, for example, Kelly and Louis (I didnt see that one coming preseason at all). But it only last that ONE season.
The element of surprise is what I like about the show.
I can see Lisa W’s point. However I think Chelsea Kane was supposed to fill that natural talent void. Her problem was Mark. His attitude and off the wall choreography landed her in jeopardy quite a few times. Although the judges kept trying to force Chelsea on the audience, it seems that most home viewers just really didn’t warm up to her. I base my opinion on the times she was in jeopardy and her 3rd place finish.
I believe the phrase you are searching for, millie is “facts ARE facts” – sadly, in this case, your plain facts still make you wrong. Thanks for playing, come again.
Josie, I agree – in addition to “natural talent” there has to be some degree of likability there. Maybe she was likable enough but people were bugged by Mark. And really, I think Chelsea would have finished forth if not for the winner take all bullshit.
Look at Mya – she was a brilliant dancer which should have overcome a personality like Donny Osmond (similar to how Nicole managed to overcome a person with a much larger fanbase)- but she was just…boring. I really wonder how she would have done with another partner, like Maks.
Princess Heidi, I always thought that Mya lost it on the freestyle which was lackluster but it was Dimitry’s idea! There should be some kind or rule that the pros must choreograph an original routine and not take from musicals or movies. I don’t think Mya would have done better with Maks because his freestyles are lackluster. I think Mya would have done better with Derek or the ‘old” Mark.
I also agree that Chelsea would have finished 4th if wasn’t for the winner take all bullshit. Ralph Macchio may not have been the best dancer but he deserved the treatment he got from the wonder trio. I wonder if the winner take all will be around next season.
Josie, could you clarify something for me? Because I know that sometimes typing takes too long, and we could miss something we wanted to say, and making what we actually typed to be something different from what we mean. I am quite guilty of that, by the way.
Cutting and pasting from your post above:
Ralph Macchio may not have been the best dancer but he deserved the treatment he got from the wonder trio.
Is that what you meant, or was a word or two accidentally left out?
Lori, OMG I left out a word! I try to proof read before I hit the submit button. I meant to say that Ralph Macchio may not have been the best dancer but he did not deserve the treatment he received from the wonder trio. Thank you for asking for clarification. I apologize for the confusion.
wow, just checked the results and I was surprised. I guess i’m just a Jennifer/Derek home girl, but I totally thought she NAILED that first dance – skill, emotion, connectivity to Derek. As much as I liked Hines (and voted for him all of season 11 – even though I HATE the Steelers) and am a big Kim fan, I thought Jennifer had him beat.
Jennifer wins by a landslide! I liked Hiens, was fine with his win but he wasn’t a dancer. He did really well on some of the latin dances, but was pretty stiff on many of the other dances. I think that Ralph was actually a better dancer.