The Dancing Poetry Corner – Dipping Into The Cauldron of Dance

Ah yes, Halloween! The word Halloween has been around since about 1745 and is Christian in origin. It comes from the Scottish term All Hallows’ Eve. Ever since the 16th Century there has been the custom of going from house to house. Back then it meant literally to sing for your supper because food was the desired result. A comprehensive history of the holiday can be found on Wikipedia.

When my two sisters and I were growing up, we took part in the ritual. My Mother had a trunk in our attic with costumes and those heavy, rubber masks. I would go up in that musty old attic and play with those for a long time. A safer time when we didn’t worry about being out in the dark or worry about our candy being tampered with. We had good old-fashioned Halloween fun! Remember parties bobbing for apples? The good old days.

Segue to the year 2015, October 26, Dancing With The Stars! I was chomping at the bits with anticipation to partake in this quirky, spooky night in the Ballroom! I was ready to be transported into that Ballroom and be scared out of my mind! Well, not really. But, this theme night is altogether kooky, mysterious and ooky!

The opening was, “a graveyard smash, a Monster Mash”! It was a fitting tribute to Halloween, kooky, ooky, spooky fun! The cast had fun themselves playing with each other. Another choreography feat by Mandy Moore!

Cue the spectacular costumes, elaborate sets, gory makeup, haunting music, the smoky atmosphere = the perfect touches! I give a high-five for the set designs and another high-five for those who swap them in and out! Bravo! Where can you find a show anywhere on TV of the caliber of entertainment like Dancing With The Stars? Nowhere else! i always give this show an A+ for entertainment!

No Halloween would be complete without the scary hi-jinx of the Scaremaster himself, Sasha Farber! No one is immune from going around a corner and meeting up with a Sasha trick! He is a treat!

Leah Remini again subbed for the World Series bound Erin Andrews. There was a special dance performed by the cast of the upcoming Winter Dancing With the Stars tour. Although there are to be additions to the cast composed of Artem, Alan, Keo, Val, Brittany, Lindsay, Jenna, Emma, and Sharna who performed the dance. My word, I am totally in awe of what these pros pull out of their choreography hats! And do it week after week! Their magic tricks are special!

Please join me for:

Dipping Into The Cauldron of Dance
Serving A Witches’ Brew Of Spooky, Kooky Fun!

Brewing – A Teenage Bearded Werewolf
Hayes and Emma – Waltz
Once Upon a Dream

A wonder of a dance, elegant, sophisticated
Romantic, charming, controlled, beautifully placed lines
With the chilling maturity of a grounded leading man

Brewing – A Bat Out of Hell
Andy and Allison – Paso Doble
The Beautiful People
With Troupe Assist

Fierce, powerful, superhuman strength
Supercharged, brilliant characterization
Like a Broadway production, dynamic

Brewing – Edward Scissorhands
Alexa and Mark – Paso Doble
Edward Scissorhands
With Troupe Bushes – how about those costumes!

With The Creep Factor, a dynamite Paso
Intricate arm movements, dramatic in the moment
Fantastic, fancy ending lift sequence

Brewing – A Vampiress
Bindi and Derek – Argentine Tango
Cry Little Sister
With Troupe Assist

Pulsating beats, a Vampiress With A Bite
Passion for character, Queen of Darkness
Grand Gothic Showcase, Master Class, spellbinding dance magic

Brewing – A Phantom
Carlos and Witney – Paso Doble
O Fortuna (Carmina Burana)

Highly dramatic and highly powerful
Pristine Paso passes, on a epic scale
Masterful cape work, a Grand Opera House flavor

Brewing – A Bewitching Character
Sharna and Nick – Argentine Tango
Bring Me to Life

Within a kaleidoscope of smoky colors
Haunting, air of mystery, commitment to character
Bewitched by creature of own interpretation

Brewing – A Leading Man
Alek and Lindsay – Viennese Waltz
Haunted
With Artem Assist

Fabulous facial expressions, leading the dance
Passionate, aggressive, hero returned
Dynamic, with more presence, moving in right direction

Brewing – A Trip Through A Fun House
Tamar and Val – Foxtrot
People Are Strange
With Troupe Assist

With sharp, swingy movements
Flirty, fun, freaky, natural lyrical movements
With a driven, determined delivery

Brewing – Team Bindi – Who Are You Gonna Call!
Bindi and Derek, Alexa and Mark, Carlos and Witney, Alek and Lindsay
Theme From Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters On The Prowl

Hoverboard sequence with a perfect lift
Super solos and lifts, super hand choreography
Scary, spectacular fun, energetic, effervescent
Grand Ghostbusters Showcase, captured essence of movie
Final Alexa flourish – fantastic lift showcase

Brewing – Team Nick – Nightmare
Nick and Sharna, Tamar and Val, Andy and Allison, Hayes and Emma
A Nightmare Before Christmas – This is Halloween
A Spooky Ass Monster Dinner

Fantastic table work, sparkling solos and lifts
Perfection of movements and hand choreography
Batty brilliant, spidery spectacular, Best of Broadway
All cast members on fire, one of the best Team Dances
A Monster Smash, the winner of the Team Dances

Another Grand Spectacle of Halloween in the Ballroom is in the Dancing With The Stars History Books. And a grand night it was! Full of the essence of spooky, ooky Halloween fun!

To well-wishes, a farewell circle dance, a plethora of group hugs, Emma and Hayes bid the Ballroom adieu. Isn’t it hard at this point in every season of the show to see anyone go?

Next week The Dance-Offs return. See you then for another exciting evening of dance!

Written By Lois A Troutman, October 28, 2015