DWTS2012 Maks Chmerkovskiy Blogs On Melissa Gilbert, Their Paso Doble, The Pressure, And More (Photo)
Pictured above is Mak’s going into his chiropractor’s office in Los Angeles on April 5th courtesy of Zimbio Pictures. Nice abs! He looks to be in the shape of his life.
Maks has also written a new blog for TV Guide. He writes of how tough rehearsals have been for he and Melissa and how he doesn’t plan to give her any slack. He sympathizes with the celebrities dancers saying learning how to dance must be “almost like solving advanced math problems while doing a crazy physical activity.” Maks also writes of how crazy this season is for who will be eliminated next. You can’t predict. More below and at the link including his thoughts on the new dance off and his new dance studio in Connecticut as well.
Now it’s Week 4 and we’re getting into the thick of things. I would normally say this is when things start to get serious, but it’s been serious from the start! Everybody’s a little confused about who’s gonna get eliminated next because everybody is so good. This is probably an unprecedented season for us. Jack going last week after having a great dance is probably just how it’s gonna be this season. The scoring doesn’t matter at this point. There was what? A six-point spread? And it was a five-way tie for the bottom, so basically there was no bottom. Watching this unfold, you say to yourself, “I need to step up.” But everyone is saying that and everybody’s stepping up. Then it’s a question of how far up can you go? Some couples do have limitations. Some are better, some are younger, some are more energetic, some are more prepared, but everybody’s trying to step it up. The competitiveness kicks in and you go, we’ve gotta do something.
And talk about pressure — we have the paso doble this week and everyone on Twitter keeps telling me that we’re gonna do great because I’ve had success with it in the past. We’re gonna be good — I hope we’ll be good — but I don’t want everyone to have these expectations because every season and every celebrity is different. One thing I’m happy about is that we had accomplished a lot of our routine by Thursday, so we have the weekend to polish it up. We clocked in 11 hours total in our first two rehearsals. I’m pretty sure she wants to go into a coma for a couple of days. She’s so tired that she doesn’t have the energy to say anything and I feel bad, but I’m not cutting her slack. But it’s hard when you’re pushing yourself this much. We were about to walk through the routine from the beginning and she blanked out. I wasn’t even frustrated, but she was frustrated with herself. I wish I could say, “Let’s take tomorrow off. Your body needs to recharge,” but I can’t.
As the days go on, you feel like your nights and rest periods get smaller. I feel like it’s been a 24-hour marathon. We were done at 2 o’clock on Thursday and I was ready to go to sleep! I have to call Val and he’s like, “Bro, I’m freaking out!” We call each other up and we try to keep each other’s spirits up. Melissa deserves to be happy and smiling, and unfortunately it’s not gonna happen on Wednesdays or Thursdays. I’m thinking about what this is like for celebrities who’ve never danced. It’s almost like solving advanced math problems while doing a crazy physical activity. Your body and your mind are at full throttle.
UPDATE: Melissa has written a new blog for People.com. Maks says all she needs to do is “believe”. Below is more. Be sure you read the full blog at the link.
Here’s what I’ve had working against me:
I will be 48 in a few weeks – definitely past retirement for a dancer.
My spine is fused in two places now – last surgery was about a year and half ago.
I was not in the best cardiovascular shape of my life when this started.Here’s what I have working for me:
I am only 47 years old.
My surgeons are geniuses.
My dance partner, choreographer, teacher and trainer is brilliant. Truly. He’s also incredibly patient (Yes, Maksim Chmerkovskiy is patient-ish). By day three of this week, I stood staring at him like my brains were coming out of my ears. Not a clue where to go, what to do. Completely overloaded.He said this; “I wish you believed in you like I believe in you.”
Wow! Twenty years of therapy, daily study of religions all over the world, constant attempts at self-improvement and growth … and Maks sums it all up in one sentence.
So, my job this week is to believe.
Believe that I can dance.
Believe that Maks will catch me.
Believe that my life can be limitless.
Believe in love … hope … and trust. After all, those are the words tattooed on my left wrist. It is my family’s motto.
Four simple words that can change everything:Love, trust, hope, believe.
I think she has a lot of potential BUT this is a case where simplifying tthe routines would be ideal.
Yeah, I agree with you Vin. Maks does appear to be figuring things out about the show, though. Things we could have told him a long time ago, but he gets credit for getting there. 🙂
And he’s right…the person in the bottom two tomorrow night could be someone REALLY good. It’s impossible to tell, unless the judges start being more realistic with the scores. There SHOULD have been more than a five point spread between the top and bottom. They were far too generous with the 8s the other night.
Totally agree, Heidi! This was made worse by voting problems at the website last week as well!
You’re spot-on Vin. I said a couple of days ago – I wish Maks would ease up just a tad on Melissa. The stooges keep talking about how difficult her choreo is…. I think if he simplified it just a little, Melissa would have a chance at just enjoying it. She’d think about it less, and I believe that would come through in her dance. But, that’s just me.
I don’t mean to spam the thread, but I just read Maks’ blog, and this jumped out at me: “As for the new dance-off twist, I don’t really have an opinion of it.” “New dance-off twist”??? Almost sounds like Maks was surprised by it, like TPTB drug out the “loose-leaf rule book”, and added a page?
Yeah, Sally, I picked up on that too. Don’t think that page was in the book at the beginning of the season.
If that’s true, then it REALLY torques me…. it lends credence to all of the “conspiracy theory” stuff we’ve talked about here on PureDWTS.. 🙁 That just blows.
Honestly, I think the only ‘conspiracy’ with DWTS is the conspiracy to get and keep more viewers. It’s a TV show, first, last and always. All these twists and new things they’re coming up with are simply ways to achieve the goal of continuing to be a top-rated show and get more advertising revenue dollars. And quite honestly, there has been a lot of complaining about the “good dancers” being voted off before their time. We, here, tend to see that as part of the deal, but I would assume that the show believes that the majority of John and Jane Q. Public want it changed since there’s such an outcry. We’re STILL hearing about Sabrina Bryant for heaven’s sake, and what a tragedy her voting out was.
My wonder is if the numbers of people voting are down – which impacts their page views and I would guess ABCs internet revenue? And the AT&T partnership as well with the texting and all.
Botton line? It’s all about the $$. It’s just to figure where the show and the network are profiting.
True evaine – and you would think that they would be careful to not make viewers feel like they’ve lost a lot of their power. I would imagine they get a big chunk of change from the on line and text voting. Some fans might vote harder…but the average viewer might stop altogether. The tinkering can be harmful…and of course they could see inflating Williams potential as a way to keep viewers too. But all tactics have downsides. I wonder if they any kind of risk analysis?
Evaine – I think you are absolutely correct – it is all about the money. I just don’t like the manipulation, and as Heidi says, by fiddling with the format, I feel like I’ve lost some of my ability to effect the fate of my favorites, and it ticks me off. I just TPTB would leave it alone, or at least call-out the rules at the start of the season. Changing things out of the clear blue like this actually seems a little desperate…
Agree that the sudden format change smacks of desperation, with the goal being to increase revenue – nod to Evaine. Also I take PH’s point that all choices have a downside and if this tactic convinces a majority of voting viewers that they’ll have less impact in determining who stays each week, voting/revenue may fall off considerably.
Since the results of the viewer vote are never divulged, for all I know my belief that my enthusiastic voting counts for something may be pure illusion – maybe TBTB tinker routinely with the viewer vote totals to keep their favored ones dancing longer.
But even if true, it’s the illusion that we have some influence over the contest outcome that galvanizes people to vote and to vote repeatedly. Once that illusion bites the dust, what’s left to make me feel I can participate in the final outcome? why vote at all? Seems to me TBTB are treading on thin ice with this change.
Yeah, the dance-off is all about the bottom line. I don’t think its about protecting certain stars after all. Plus, do the pros and stars got paid extra for this extra dance they have to prepare? If not, even cheaper way to attract ratings and website hits and at the same time killing the pros and stars. 🙁
Fatna – It could be about protecting certain stars, but it’s indirect. For example (and I have NO IDEA whether this is true or not, it’s just an example), let’s say Roshon is attracting the young Disney viewers, but isn’t getting all that many votes. The younger viewers (18-39) mean more advertising revenue for the show, so DWTS producers would LOVE to skew the viewing audience to the younger set. But if Roshon gets bounced off early? Oops… So in an attempt to keep that younger viewer engaged, make sure ROshon sticks around as long as possible…. Like I said, I don’t know that they’re trying to protect Roshon, but you get the idea.
You are all absolutely correct in my opinion… always has been and always will be about the MONEY.
I know someone brought up the fact that the couples might now need to have a dance ready for the dance off if necessary. Or will they dance their Monday night dance again? Has anyone from the show addressed that yet?
I think Maks is right to not let up on Melissa. If he dumbs down the choreo too much, it could backfire. They aren’t getting really great scores from the judges to begin with, so what have they got to lose? Their voting fanbases have gotten them this far, so I’ve decided to enjoy them while they’re there, vote my alloted votes , and hope they don’t land in the bottom two. I’m sorry to say that I don’t think they would survive a dance off no matter which of the other couples was dancing.
Melissa and Maks tweeted that Maks will be wearing his tightest pants Monday night. Wonder if this is his leather? He may be the one pro that might have a wardrobe malfunction. 😀 Of course, some ladies might swoon if he does. 😉 It’s liiivveeee!
Oh Goodie… *sarcasm* …. He may need a wardrobe malfunction to stay in the competition, cause Melissa just can’t dance. I think the clock is ticking for these two.
I am almost afraid to see what Melissa is wearing this week, her costume last week was atrocious, the *girls* were out, waaay out, and it was too short in the legs. Eeek!!
Maks is so subdued this season (for me in a good way.)
I wonder if he got some counseling or grew up a bit after last season. Also seems that the producers have reduced the focus on him–maybe also a result of last season or a natural thing to happen in a season with a few other alpha male types to fill Maks’ role.
I hope you’re right, Lenka. But I worry about this being nothing more than the calm before the storm… 😉
I loved Melissa’s blog this week. She & Maks seem to have a really grown up partnership which is nice to see. Really hoping she does well.
Sherri tweeted a pic of Melissa in her Paso outfit & I think I’m going to like it from what I could see in the picture anyway. Of course, I think she looked just fine last week as well. Her physique is pretty darn nice for any age and especially for a 47 year old.
Imo, don’t think Melissa will get any better, she’s to stiff. But will see what she brings tonight.