Cheryl Burke | Pure Dancing with the Stars

Derek Hough, Cheryl Burke and Tony Dovolani on Nightline

Nice little bit on the three pros and how all the pros are the real stars of the show.

DWTS 16, Week 4 – Power Rankings

Well first of all, I’m happy to report that for once, “best year of your life” week was NOT the night of a thousand rumbas!!! It was, instead, the night of a thousand (ok, THREE) Viennese waltzes, and this episode of Sesame Street was brought to you by the awkward men’s Viennese waltz solo OH! And be still my heart…did Carrie Ann actually cop to being remiss in her lift policing the past few weeks???? And then promptly make herself look rather like a douchebagette, when sternly chastising Gleb for carrying a sick Lisa down the stairs? Yeah…that happened. But let’s just get down to the nitty gritty, shall we?

1 & 2.) TIE: Kellie & Derek and Zendaya & Val – Both ladies had strong showings tonight, yet both of them seemed to have minor technical issues that kept them from being 100% on-point. Loved Kellie & Derek’s rumba – very simple, intimate feel, and Kellie does have some fantastic legs. But I do agree with whatever judge said that she seemed a little bit “clipped” tonight – I don’t know if it was the segueing from very slow, fluid movements to rather fast, crisp ones, but things got a bit jerky from time to time. As for Zendaya – I love watching that girl dance, and she’s obviously right at home on the floor…just the right amount of attitude to really carry off Beyonce, and the dance chops to back it up. But once again, she seems to be having trouble with those long legs – Len was right, she was a bit too bent in the knee, and needed to really straighten those legs out in order to get more of a bounce. She also seemed to get a bit off-balance in some of the faster turns, which I noticed in her Viennese waltz & jive as well. Long legs are great to look at – but when it comes to ballroom & Latin, sometimes the ladies with shorter legs have it a bit easier, just because it’s easier to move quickly & crisply when you have less to extend. Also a bit of a warning to Val – there seemed to be an awfully high proportion of jazz-y, hip-hoppy type-moves in that samba. I know it’s tempting to really go wild when you’ve got a Beyonce song (and a partner that can do those kinds of moves), but if this continues week to week, you’re going to be butting heads with Len A LOT. Overall, I think I was probably more entertained by Zendaya’s dance, but I was more touched emotionally by Kellie’s. Enjoyed both, and I doubt either of these ladies are going anywhere.

3.) Jacoby & Karina – I still think this guy is gonna walk away with the trophy when all’s said and done – and the fact that he actually handled his first ballroom dance quite masterfully just makes me believe it anymore. I was mentally preparing myself for a trainwreck – crummy frame, messy feet, missed beats, etc. But I was actually impressed at how well Jacoby held his frame – his neck & shoulders looked great, almost hyperextended, although he did stick his butt out just a tiny bit…which I’m sure Karina’s going to chastise him for later, because ballroom law dictates that the man never slouches down to accommodate a shorter lady – it’s the lady’s job to rise up to the man’s height :-) But this guy never missed a turn, stretched those arms out nice & wide, and best of all – he was totally uninhibited, and really gave that solo his all. And can I just add that his little guy is beyond precious??? And one other thing I have really begun to appreciate about Jacoby’s dancing? He’s there for Karina EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. No fumbling to get turns straight, no near-misses with tricks, no missing getting into frame – the dude is on-point. Read more..

Cheryl Burke Talk Of Rehearsals For Their Fox Trot, Being a Punching Bag For The Judges, and More

Celebuzz goes inside rehearsals with Cheryl Burke and D.L. Hughley for Dancing With The Stars Week 4. They ask how he’s been keeping up with his tour and 6 hour days of rehearsals? “By prayer and Advil,” he says. It’s been a tough go, but, he felt his legs for the first time this past week. He also talks of the criticism from the judges so far, but, he says he is “trying” and going to keep trying. They show them dancing a little for their Fox Trot. MORE HERE.

Also, Cheryl has written a new blog for People. She also talks of the judges criticism as well and how sad D.L. was last week. She hopes they will be more constructive tonight. I do too. Some of the things they say are over the top.

On Monday, Bruno [Tonioli] said D.L. needed a hip replacement, and Len [Goodman] said if D.L.’s a sex machine then he was America’s Next Top Model. That was really rough, but then on the next night, Len had a chance to say something more encouraging and he didn’t. It was a rough two nights in a row. Len, especially, is a ballroom judge. Give us something we can take back.

I just told D.L. to keep his head up. He wasn’t even angry – he was just sad. Everyone says not to bring your emotion into this, but at the end of the day, it’s hard because we work so many hours every single day. D.L. is someone with no dancing experience showing his vulnerable side. It would be nice to have judges stay consistent. There are people who have the same dancing experience as D.L., but the judges give them encouraging words. So, let’s make this an even playing field.

I know it’s television and everyone needs to cause controversy, but I feel like D.L. has become the punching bag [for the judges]. Derek Hough, Mark Ballas and Kym Johnson have been on our side. Derek came up to D.L. on the second night after they were both saved at the same time and said, “You know what? Just use this to your advantage. People are going to be rooting for you because the judges are so cruel.”

Working hard to try to improve every week – that’s what the show is really all about. This week, we’re dancing a foxtrot. The theme for all the dancers is the best year of my life. For D.L., his best year was his last year of innocence. It was around the eighth grade before his neighborhood got a little crazy. We’re dancing to Etta James’s “I Just Want to Make Love to You.” It’s a really cool, sassy routine and we tell a story within the dance. I’m trying to bring out his acting skills to really help him with the dance.

I’m just really going to work on his technique and posture. The foxtrot is all about keeping his frame and making his dance a little bit smooth and not so bumpy. We’re going to work on his rhythm and musicality. We’re going to try our best, and hopefully at least get some better remarks from the judges.

Dancing With The Stars Season 16 Week 4 Rehearsal Parking Lot Coverage Before Showtime!

Awww, it’s Dance Monday and how about if we get started with some parking lot coverage from yesterday?!! Things start to warm up around the 2:29 minute mark when Len and Andy arrive. Note how Andy talks of how he is happier now without alcohol. He also speaks about his dance tonight and how it’s for his daughter. It will be “very special”.

You can also see some pictures of the cast pictured in the parking lot over the weekend at Zimbio Pictures and the Daily Mail. Lots of smiles and some serious faces too.

ADDING: Also, you can watch the Dancing With The Stars Pre-show for Week 4 at their official you tube channel here.

DWTS Season 16, Week 3 – The Cheesecake Awards!!

A whole bunch of weird stuff this week. Just weird… occasionally stupid…and sometimes charming.

The “He’s SO one of us!” Award: Tom Bergeron for saying, on the performance night, “Welcome to Prom Night…or ‘It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time’ Night!!”

Heidi: Tom is getting less and less good at hiding his opinion when he thinks something is a stupid idea. And when he’s right, he’s right. I’m quite sure this wasn’t his only crack about Prom night.

Courtney: Tom has obviously been spending too much time lurking at Pure, because he took the words right out of my mouth But unfortunately for him, he is still on the show’s payroll, and we are not…so this is probably the best we’re going to get out of him, with regards to how derp-y the show has gotten. But alas, I felt vindicated nonetheless

Professional Dancer LOL of the Performance Show: Gleb, for “You look like a dancer when you don’t move.”

Heidi: Surely I wasn’t the only one who not only LOLed at that one, but also developed a new appreciation for the newest pretty face on this show.

Courtney: It actually sounded a lot like something Maks would have said to Kirstie…only Gleb sounded so much more melodic when he said it

Heidi: You know, they say tone is everything. Read more..

Dancing with the Stars Season 16, Week 4 – Who’s Dancing What…and When?

Well, it may be personal stories week (ack!) but it appears to also be “Let’s separate the wheat from the chaff” week as well. Of the top four (Zen, Kellie, Aly and Jacoby), Jacoby is the only one who could be in trouble. We’ll see, but I have a feeling he’ll surprise us. I also worry a bit about Kellie missing a day and a half of rehearsal, but Derek seems pretty Zen about it….pardon the pun. Zendaya is definitely the one with the biggest advantage – seems to me that Samba would be right in her wheelhouse. I could be wrong. Lisa and Cha Cha sounds like trouble, as does DL and Foxtrot. Andy…I’m praying for him. Ingo and Sean will probably be “fine”. I keep forgetting they are on the show, which is not a good sign.

I’ve taken a stab at putting them in the order that I would have them dance. Let’s see if I can channel TPTB this week. I started off pretty good last week and then it all went in the toilet.

ETA: Only off by one on DL and Cheryl.

ETA2: If sheery is right about Karina’s page, then I was right on with that one.

ETA3: Sean dancing first, eh?? That’s a pretty good spot for him. I was off by three spots. But he got a good spot versus the crap spot I had him in.

ETA4: My record isn’t so good this week…so far.

ETA5: Well, I wasn’t far off on Victor, but they are going with the DRAMA of Lisa fainting a lot harder than I expected them to – especially since I don’t see her story as compelling or her cha cha as likely to be good. Interesting. I moved Zendaya to 4th, but frankly I can’t imagine they’d put her in that crappy of a spot – unless of course her twitter wins the previous two weeks have solidified her standing. But still. Then again, I can’t imagine any of the remaining dancers except Ingo in the 4th spot.

Vogue here with ETA6: Mark and Aly will be dancing to “Titanium” tonight which you can read about here. Oh man, I love this song. She’s got a good one. Read more..

Henry Byalikov, Anna Trebunskaya, And Tristan MacManus Discuss Dancing With The Stars With Afterbuzz TV

Have you all had a chance to watch the new Dancing With The Stars Afterbuzz TV interview with dance pros Henry Byalikov, Anna Trebunskaya, and Tristan MacManus? Tristan talks about his feelings after learning his partner, Dorothy Hamill, had to drop out. He also talks of what he thinks of the other couples. Henry answers such questions as whether or not the troupe helps the pros with their dances. Also, Anna Trebunskaya joins AfterBuzz TV as a permanent host on the network’s Dancing With The Stars after show. It’s almost an hour long interview, but, well with your time when you get a chance this weekend.

Brad Paisley, Andrea Bocelli, Jennifer Lopez to Perform on Dancing With The Stars, More Show Details Announced

As you know from previous reports, the 10 remaining celebrities of Dancing With The Stars will dance to “The Best Year of Their Life”! Each celeb is also required to do a brief solo. Also, on tap this upcoming week, Brad Paisley, Andrea Bocelli and Jennifer Lopez are set to perform. Note also how Derek Hough will dance in a special “AT&T Spotlight Performance”. Below are more details from ABC.

“Episode 1604 & 1604A” – The competition continues as the 10 remaining celebrities celebrate “The Best Year of Their Life” through dance, MONDAY, APRIL 8 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET). Each couple will dance to a song of the celebrities’ choosing that represents a memorable time or experience in their life. In addition, each celebrity is challenged to perform a brief solo during their performance.

On TUESDAY, APRIL 9 one couple will be eliminated on “Dancing with the Stars the Results Show” (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET). The show will feature music by country superstar Brad Paisley who will perform his most recent No. 1 hit, “Southern Comfort Zone.” And in their first national television appearance together, international superstars Andrea Bocelli and Jennifer Lopez perform a sensual new rendition of the classic Latin song, “Quizas, Quizas, Quizas,” featured on Bocelli’s new album “Passione.” Also on the results show, the female Pro and Troupe dancers perform a special opening number.

“AT&T Spotlight Performance” returns on Tuesday featuring an individual whose life has been changed by dance. The first “Spotlight Performance” of the season features 17-year-old Brilynn Rakes. Rakes, a native of San Diego, was born with nystagmus and cone dystrophy, conditions that have caused her to become legally blind. However her circumstances have not impeded her passion for life; she is an accomplished dancer who has won several awards and was recently honored with a full scholarship to Julliard’s summer workshop. Rakes will be partnered with her favorite Pro, Derek Hough. The couple will dance a beautiful routine to “Stars” by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.

DWTS Season 16 Las Vegas Odds Going Into Week 4 – What do you think?

“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” ~Michael Jordan on beating the odds

Sports Bovada has posted their new set of odds for Dancing With The Stars Season 16 Week 4. Though once again, I have to disagree for how they are tying Andy, D.L., and Lisa at 100/1, but, that’s ok because Andy keeps proving this set of odds makers wrong every week…and same with Lisa. D.L. too, but, I don’t think Andy and Lisa belong in the same group or with as low as odds as D.L. in my opinion. Also, what are they seeing in Aly and Sean? I don’t get it?

Zendaya Coleman 8/5
Kellie Pickler 2/1
Jacoby Jones 3/1
Aly Raisman 15/2
Ingo Rademacher 25/1
Sean Lowe 25/1
Victor Ortiz 75/1
Andy Dick 100/1
D.L. Hughley 100/1
Lisa Vanderpump 100/1

Here are last week’s Las Vegas Odds to compare.

Zendaya Coleman 5/2
Jacoby Jones 4/1
Aly Raisman 9/2
Kellie Pickler 5/1
Dorothy Hamill 7/1
Ingo Rademacher 16/1
Sean Lowe 16/1
Andy Dick 75/1
D.L. Hughley 75/1
Victor Ortiz 75/1
Wynonna Judd 75/1
Lisa Vanderpump 100/1

And like in previous weeks, below are the odds from Wynn Las Vegas currently to compare. With an exception to Aly Raisman (who should be in 6th or 7th in my opinion), I think they have it about right. Though I have a feeling Jacoby will win. I also think Andy should be higher at 4th or 5th? I think he can take Victor!

Kellie Pickler Derek Hough 7 TO 2
ZENDAYA COLEMAN Valentin Chmerkovskiy 4 TO 1
JACOBY JONES Karina Smirnoff 9 TO 2
ALY RAISMAN Mark Ballas 5 TO 1
INGO RADEMACHER Kym Johnson 10 TO 1
VICTOR ORTIZ LINDSAY ARNOLD 15 TO 1
ANDY DICK Sharna Burgess 16 TO 1
Sean Lowe Peta Murgatroyd 28 TO 1
Lisa Vanderpump GLEB SAVCHENKO 60 TO 1
D.L. HUGHLEY Cheryl Burke 75 TO 1

Ok, let’s see what our Miss Heidi and Courtney think and be sure to let us know your thoughts on this weeks odds as well in comments…..

Heidi: Well, both sets of Odds have Kellie and Zendaya pretty much neck and neck and I agree with that…although I still think they are neck and neck for SECOND place. Still thinking it’s going to be Jacoby standing up there at the end, but if he doesn’t shine this week I may revise my opinion on that one. And if it comes down to Kellie and Zendaya, Zendaya will win because of the whole Derek backlash crap perpetuated by the “everyone gets to win” mentality of pee wee baseball – no point in pretending it will be a contest. She might have won anyway, but it’s so much easier when so many people are voting against the other team because of the pro in the mistaken belief that he “wins all the time”. I also agree wtih Aly being in 4th place – you have to take into consideration all the other dancers who are left and none of them are really standing out – including Aly – but she has fanbase over the rest of them, I think. Beyond that…well, I MUCH prefer Wynn’s read on the situation, since they have Sean going out in week 6 and Andy and Victor lasting longer than him.

Courtney: Not a whole lot to add here – I think Kellie & Zendaya tied is about right, and it kind of reminds me of last season at this time, when William & Katherine were at the top of the odds and Donald was much lower, which I think is mirroring the situation with Jacoby right now. The more and more I mull it over, the more I think that the backlash that Heidi mentioned with Derek, combined with some growing backlash I’m seeing about Zendaya “being pimped”, I think the stage is slowly being set for Jacoby to play spoiler and swoop in to win it all. As for everyone else – Aly bores me to tears, but I think she too has enough of a fanbase to keep her in for awhile – plus we’re starting to witness some subtle pimpage from the judges. I think Andy now has MUCH better odds of sticking around than Lisa, D.L, AND Victor, and think it’s going to be either Lisa or Victor on the chopping block this coming week. Still boggles my mind that people are still voting for D.L. – I find absolutely nothing appealing or redeeming about that man, as all I’ve seen him do is whine, bitch, and moan about the judges “being bullies”, crack painfully unfunny & often inappropriate jokes, and half-ass his way through his routines. But hey, as we’ve said before: there are some batsh*t crazy fans out there…

Dancing With The Stars Season 16 Dances Revealed For Week 4, Post Elimination Media

Let’s get right to the On The Red Carpet interviews to see what George could find out for us about next week’s dances. First up, Victor and Lindsay! This couple is so happy they did better this week. They have the Paso Doble and Lindsay plans to bring out the vicious and mean side of Victor. Uhhh oh….

Val is excited for next week’s dance. He loves the song they have and it will be full of energy. Their new dance will compliment Zendaya’s strengths. She will shine more than she has this season yet. They have the Samba. Zendaya picked the year she decided what to do with her life.

Peta and Sean talk of how they have the best partnership. They talk of their quirks and how they are always laughing at stupid things. These two have the Viennese Waltz next week. Sean hopes it will be about form, posture, graceful, and fluid and everyone will love it.

Lisa and Gleb are happy they are dancing for another week. George points out that just because they were in the bottom this week means they aren’t getting the votes. They have the Cha Cha next week. They have a New York trip and Gleb hopes they won’t miss out on rehearsal time or they will find themselves at the bottom again.

Jacoby and Karina get goofy with George. Jacoby makes funny faces and then they talk seriously about how hard it is to see someone leave on the show. They have the Fox Trot next week which Jacoby is having trouble with. Karina says they plan to take the audience on a journey with his best year and we’ll be surprised in a good way. Read more..

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Derek Hough, Cheryl Burke and Tony Dovolani on Nightline

DWTS 16, Week 4 – Power Rankings

Cheryl Burke Talk Of Rehearsals For Their Fox Trot, Being a Punching Bag For The Judges, and More

Dancing With The Stars Season 16 Week 4 Rehearsal Parking Lot Coverage Before Showtime!

DWTS Season 16, Week 3 – The Cheesecake Awards!!

Dancing with the Stars Season 16, Week 4 – Who’s Dancing What…and When?

Henry Byalikov, Anna Trebunskaya, And Tristan MacManus Discuss Dancing With The Stars With Afterbuzz TV

Brad Paisley, Andrea Bocelli, Jennifer Lopez to Perform on Dancing With The Stars, More Show Details Announced

DWTS Season 16 Las Vegas Odds Going Into Week 4 – What do you think?

Dancing With The Stars Season 16 Dances Revealed For Week 4, Post Elimination Media

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