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Dancing with the Stars Season 19 – “What do you mean I’m a ringer??” Update

Introduction

A couple of seasons ago, I created a set of criteria with which to measure the benefits some dancers on DWTS have compared to the other dancers. That is, ringers versus non-ringers. I attempted to be as logical and scientific as possible, although it’s impossible to remove all subjectivity from the issue. But it’s far better than simply saying “so and so isn’t a ringer, IMO”. In your opinion? If your opinion is purely subjective with no effort at logical or rational thought, then what good is it??

No good at all, actually. The original series sprung from an effort to debunk the old, tired and stupid claim that the only reason Derek does well is because he gets all the good partners and no one else gets them. Utter BS, of course. It would be a good idea to read that series before starting this one as I can’t guarantee that I’ll include all the same rationale this second time around and I don’t take well to discussing a subject with someone who is so rude as to not read the blogs. Read more..

September 14, 2014 I Written By

I'm a nerd and proud of it. Two degrees in geology also means I love BEER. :-) I'm also a Derek lover - proud of that too. So don't scream at those of us on this site and call us a bunch of "biased Derek-lovers" - it's just ME. :-) It may sound like I hate DWTS at times, but really, I'm just a snarky nitpicker from way back. And I'm cynical and jaded too. But I do love DWTS. :-)

DWTS Celebrities: “What do you mean, I’m a Ringer?” Part 3

This is the 3rd and final part of the series where I take a look at the partners the pros have had and their “ringer” status. Part 1 discusses how I define a ringer – you can find it here —> I’m a Ringer?? Part 2 discusses the female pros and their partners and how I labeled them – I think it’s pretty clear that they’ve not been quite as blessed as the men. Reasons for that should be self evident – female celebrities are more likely to have some sort of dance experience, even if it is taking ballet or tap as a child.  NOTE: This was mostly written before the pairings were announced for Season 14 – those pairings certainly change the game for lots of pros. Lots of potential ringers on this season.

I strongly recommend you read the first two parts before you comment – I don’t want to have to reiterate everything I wrote MONTHS ago. 🙂  Also, be wise and don’t complain about the length, admit that you didn’t read it all, and then argue with me – that will just earn you scorn and an eye roll.  I know this is long – I considered breaking it into two parts, but then I figured it’s still long in two parts. People will either be interested or they won’t.  :::shrug:::  Also take note that I, personally, don’t care about ringers themselves. I think a season without them is deadly.  What I DO care about is hypocrisy, revisionist history and the fairy tales that some like to spread about who has had ringers and who hasn’t.

From where I sit, there are two types of ringers – and then there’s just being blessed. Fanbase ringer (ie. Donny Osmond, etc.) or Experience Ringer (Mel B, Nicole, Sabrina, etc.), and lucky get (Lalia, Brooke, Gilles, JR). Just because someone happens to be a great dancer doesn’t mean they are a ringer. When someone is blessed with a partner who can dance, it doesn’t mean they were handed a ringer. That particular argument is so illogical that it’s hard for me to take seriously. If they actually seriously auditioned people to be on this show by making them dance with a pro for an hour or two, it would be understandable. But they don’t stand people in a room with a pro dancer and then say, “wow, she’s got some moves, let’s give her to Maks” or “she sucks, lets give her to Tony.” It doesn’t work that way. If it did, they wouldn’t be able to get people on the show. And can you imagine a pro like Tony sticking around if that was the approach they took?

As it happens, and as many people connected to the show have reiterated, the process of how a pro gets a celebrity often has to do with height, personality, looks, chemistry and the cast as a whole…and this becomes obvious as the show progresses. They are actually quite good at matching people up. I would imagine they give this a lot of consideration as it impacts, or has the potential to impact, ratings.  You’re going to try to avoid having a bunch of pairings that make people go “eeewww” or get seriously pissed off. I think you need to limit that to one couple per season. Can you imagine what it would be like for every pro on a season to have a partnership similar to that of Hope and Maks??  I would want to stab my eyes out with a fork if they were ALL like that and there was no Carson/Anna or David/Kym. Seriously – think about it.  So, it may be good to have ONE Maks/Hope – gives people (me and Courtney) something to talk about, rant about, get passionate about, etc. (This is separate from a discussion of whether Maks finally went too far or not – I don’t think that’s what the producers intended.) Read more..

March 11, 2012 I Written By

I'm a nerd and proud of it. Two degrees in geology also means I love BEER. :-) I'm also a Derek lover - proud of that too. So don't scream at those of us on this site and call us a bunch of "biased Derek-lovers" - it's just ME. :-) It may sound like I hate DWTS at times, but really, I'm just a snarky nitpicker from way back. And I'm cynical and jaded too. But I do love DWTS. :-)

DWTS Celebrities: “What do you mean, I’m a Ringer?” Part 2

This is Part 2 in what will likely be a 3-part series. If you want to read Part 1, you can find it here —> I’m a Ringer??

Well, let me tell you, researching these former contestants was not particularly enjoyable. But, I felt like some research had to go into this in order to try to be somewhat informed and to remove some of the subjectivity. Not all of it can be removed, but I tried.

How did I get my results?

For each celebrity who was *possibly* experienced or popular, I focused research on their web sites (if available), their Wiki pages, and YouTube videos.  Then there were google searches. Yikes.  If a celebrity was clearly not a ringer in any way shape or form (ie Football players, rodeo riders, race car drivers) I did not look into their background any further. I did spend some time on this, but since I have another job that takes my time, it’s possible I missed something. 🙂 BUT, just because you don’t agree with my rankings, it doesn’t mean I DID miss something. Just sayin’. 🙂

Determining if someone is actually a fanbase ringer is rather difficult as well. My metric for that determination is: Is this person well known and well loved by the biggest DWTS demographic – that is women aged about 30 to 65. These are the people most likely to watch the show and vote.  Where it gets tricky is guys like Joey Lawrence and Ian Zeiring – it’s guys like this that caused me the most pain.  Why? Well, because my brain is saying, “Nah” but my gut is saying “Just because you’re not a fan doesn’t mean they don’t have sizable fanbases. 🙂 So, at the end of the day, I decided for my purposes that for them to be a fanbase ringer, it had to be OBVIOUS.  That is – if I know they’re super popular, then they probably really are.  If I don’t really know much about them….then they probably aren’t. I fit the demographic, after all. 🙂 Read more..

September 17, 2011 I Written By

I'm a nerd and proud of it. Two degrees in geology also means I love BEER. :-) I'm also a Derek lover - proud of that too. So don't scream at those of us on this site and call us a bunch of "biased Derek-lovers" - it's just ME. :-) It may sound like I hate DWTS at times, but really, I'm just a snarky nitpicker from way back. And I'm cynical and jaded too. But I do love DWTS. :-)

DWTS – Season 11 Afterlife Continues, Future Contenders, & Media Wrap Up

Hi Everyone! What’s up in your dancing worlds on this weekend? Have you voted in our PURE DWTS END OF THE SEASON AWARDS Yet? If not, time is getting away. If you haven’t done so yet, please VOTE now >>>> HERE !!

Well, if you’ve been reading some of the entertainment headlines this week, there are a lot of rumors saying DWTS officials are eyeing Todd Palin for the show next year. A site called Thirdage is reporting that Meghan McCain is also a possible contender. But, check out the last question this site asks in the take below while they report on these two rumors that grabbed my attention.

One obvious reason that ABC would want to recruit Todd Palin comes from the unprecedented buzz on the show this past season stemming from Bristol Palin’s involvement.

“They want him big time,” a source told E! Online. “They’d love Sarah, but they don’t think that will ever happen, so why not go for the dad.”

The show is apparently also after Meghan McCain, daughter of 2008 GOP presidential candidate John McCain. This season, Jennifer Grey was crowned winner but Bristol Palin’s long stay and unprecedented fan support became a talking point.

Perhaps the question to ask then becomes: Is Dancing with the Stars intentionally recruiting top GOP connections for more than entertainment purposes?

I hate to say it. But, if this rumor is true, why are they only wanting contenders from the GOP? If they are seriously wanting to continue having someone connected to politics to dance, why don’t they pick someone from another Party?

Anyway, I really hope, like many of you have expressed, we won’t have to go down the same political road next Season. But, being ratings were so good for Season 11, I’m fearing DWTS officials will repeat themselves?

Speaking of Palins, did you know our 3rd place winner this Season and The Situation made a “Pause before you play” commercial for the “Candie’s Foundation“?

I thought the video had a really cool message. However, Keith Olbermann thought differently. Here is a take of that report from The Washington Post and how Bristol responded to him on it.

In the PSA, Bristol and The Situation exchanged lively banter as to whether abstinence or a better grade of condom made the most sense for teens contemplating a roll in the hay. Extra points if you can guess which person advocated which.

“Bristol Palin, she has done a public service announcement this The Situation guy from TV’s ‘Jersey Shore.’ It’s about abstinence and safe sex. Sadly, it is not a spoof done by The Onion,” Olbermann said, showing a clip of the PSA.

Olbermann continued: “She’s the Candies spokesperson for abstinence? She and her son? Because it’s got to work this time? This is like saying George Bush kept us safe except for that 9/11 thing, which doesn’t count.”

Bristol responded, at great length, via Facebook:

Recently, a left wing commentator named Keith Olbermann attacked me for being a spokesperson for abstinence education and for being an Ambassador for the Candies Foundation, which promotes teen pregnancy awareness and prevention education. He went so far as to call me “the worst person” he knows, apparently, for my efforts to educate teenagers about the real world risks of premarital sex.

Accusing me of hypocrisy is by now, an old canard. What Mr. Olbermann lacks in originality he makes up for with insincere incredulity. Mr. Olbermann fails to understand that in order to have credibility as a spokesperson, it sometimes takes a person who has made mistakes. Parents warn their children about the mistakes they made so they are not repeated. Former gang members travel to schools to educate teenagers about the risks of gang life. Recovered addicts lecture to others about the risks of alcohol and drug abuse. And yes, a teen mother talks about the benefits of preventing teen pregnancy.

I have never claimed to be perfect. If that makes me the “worst person in the world” to Mr. Olbermann, then I must apologize for not being absolutely faultless like he undoubtedly must be.

To Mr. Olbermann let me say this: you can attack me all you want. But you will not stop me from getting my message out about teen pregnancy prevention. And one day, if you ever have a daughter, you may change your mind about me.

In other things to report, there is a cool interview up at The Washington Post with David Hasselhoff. Here is what he said on his Dancing With The Stars experience. Be sure to read the link for more.

I also wanted to ask you about “Dancing With the Stars.” You were the first contestant eliminated in this last season. That had to sting a little bit…
The funny thing about it is I got more press out of being kicked off first than if I’d won. I didn’t have to go through 10 weeks of hell. It was great. At first I was disappointed because of Kym [Johnson] because we worked so hard. I’ve done Broadway, done the “Producers” and I’ve danced. But it takes me a few weeks to figure out what “5,6,7,8” really means. I was just breaking through and they told me to camp it up and be funny. And the funniest part about it is the show got the highest ratings in the history of the show when I was on and it got the highest ratings on the finale when I appeared again. So I smile about that.

In a way I was kind of thinking it’s not about the dancing. It’s about who’s popular right now and who’s got the most Twitters and fan support. But it was a very good positive experience and I have nothing but respect for the dancers.

I have to ask, since it was a controversial season, what do you think about how far Bristol Palin got in the competition? Did she deserve to go that far?
I think that, you know, life is not fair. Who deserves what? There’s got to be a reason for it all in the end. I think when I die I’ll ask god, “Hey God, what about Bristol?” He’ll say, “You know we tried to get her mom in the White House and that didn’t work out, so we’ll use this, but then she became the president so it all worked out great.” I don’t know. Who knows? It’s a dancing show, for god’s sake.

We’re sending kids off to Iraq and Afghanistan and no one talks about them. And we’re sitting here talking about “Dancing with the Stars” and Bristol Palin.

The funny part about it is she’s a nice person. A lovely girl. I judge a person, like Martin Luther King said, on the content of their character. She happened to be very kind, very sweet and very shy. It couldn’t have been easy for her being thrust into that, but you know, it made for entertaining television. It’s like they say, “As long as they’re talking about ya, they’re talking about ya.”

So I’m going to go ahead and assume you’re not a Sarah Palin supporter.
I don’t really know her game yet. I really cannot say. I haven’t taken the time — right now I’m just trying to support my daughters and make sure I have enough shirts clean because I’m flying all over the world.

It’s a great time right now, to be honest. If I can say one thing I’ve enjoyed about this show more than anything, it’s been spending time with my daughters.

Is Jennifer Grey thinking of doing Broadway following in the footsteps of her Dad? Broadway.com explores the possibilty.

Daddy Joel fueled a rumor that Jennifer might be interested in appearing with him in the Broadway revival of Chicago (in which he created the role of Amos Hart), teasingly telling Broadway.com, “Maybe she’ll play Velma Kelly, not Roxie. You know what I mean?” Asked about the possibility of portraying a Merry Murderess, Grey responded, “I love that show, but I’m open to anything. There’s always amazing choreography going on here [on Broadway]. As long as I don’t have to do a different dance every week—or four different dances every week!—that really appeals to me.”

So, could a Jennifer/Joel Broadway pairing be in the works? “I would love to work with my dad!” she exclaimed. “We’ve never done anything live together. I’m always open to working with talented people, and I think my dad certainly qualifies.”

As for the demands of Broadway-style singing, Grey said, “I have sung, but I haven’t sung in any way that I would ever call myself ‘a singer.’ But if the right show came along and I worked with a really great Broadway vocal coach, I think I could do it. We’ll see what happens.”

This week Karina whipped Access Hollywood Live’s Billy Bush and Kit Hoover into shape using unique moves from her new workout DVD, “Shape Up with Karina Smirnoff.” Check them out here.

Brandy did a media blitz this week where she talked about her career plans with brother RayJ, her Dancing With The Stars experience, and more. Here are some videos in case you missed her on the Joy Behar show, Lopez Tonight, and Access Live.

And lastly, some Derek news (take this with a grain of salt though since many British sources are “HIGHLY unreliable” as Heidi has said). Simon Cowell has reportedly offered Derek a position on the US version of The X Factor. From Digital Spy.

Taking the job as choreographer would see him quit his role on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars, The Sun reports.

“He is in discussions for the job,” a source told the paper. “Taking it would mean [Cole and Hough] could be together at home and work.”

The news comes just days after it was claimed that Hough’s close friend Cheryl Cole has landed a £3million deal to join the show as a judge.

I hope this isn’t true. I want him to stay on DWTS!!

Ok, that is all for you for now. Voguerista over and out. Let us know how it’s hangin’. 😉 xxx

December 3, 2010 I Written By

"Dance is the hidden language of the soul" ~ Martha Graham. That's what DWTS makes me think of every Monday night. To read more about me and my other interests, see Lisa Kay Photography. You can also follow me at Voguerista Twitter & Voguerista Soundcloud.

DWTS 11, Week 5 – Stuff Off My TiVo

That’s the title I’m going with from now on for random bits of DWTS that I find on my TiVo. 🙂 Not everything that’s on my Tivo, only the things I like or find interesting, for one reason or another.

The first bit of this one you’ve seen before, but it’s the Kristi Yamaguchi impersonation that gets me – how does one do that spin on a dance floor??

A bit from Extreme Makeover, followed by a DWTS Champions – Where are they Now?

I think it’s Barry Williams that sent Florence home.

And for you Situation Fans. 🙂

October 24, 2010 I Written By

I'm a nerd and proud of it. Two degrees in geology also means I love BEER. :-) I'm also a Derek lover - proud of that too. So don't scream at those of us on this site and call us a bunch of "biased Derek-lovers" - it's just ME. :-) It may sound like I hate DWTS at times, but really, I'm just a snarky nitpicker from way back. And I'm cynical and jaded too. But I do love DWTS. :-)

DWTS 11, Week 4 – Media & Video Roundup Before and After The Show

Wow! What a show this week!! We’ve got some media things to share from before the show to backstage afterwards.

In this video, Audrina and Tony discuss how they go through steps for each routine from the costumes, the song, and to the choreography. Both put in their ideas. They also talk about how they got inspired to do their dance last night and she shows the tatoo on her neck.

A very special Thanks to Nathan for this cool People new Blog from Audrina!! Here is a quote from it. Be sure to read more at the link;

This week Tony and I are dancing the Argentine tango. It’s kind of frustrating. It’s a mixture of Latin and regular ballroom dancing, and it’s really hard. There’s so much detail, and it’s very passionate, intense and feisty. There are also lots of kicks, flips and lifts. They’re a little scary! I really have to put all my trust in Tony and just jump up there and kick my legs around him and trust that I’m going to land on my feet.

I’ve had a few scary moments where I’m supposed to run and jump on Tony and kick my leg up over his shoulder and flip, but I get scared, so I just jump. Tony’s like: “What are you doing?!” I got scared! He just says, “You cannot hesitate. You just have to do it. No hesitation!” So far Tony has caught me every time in rehearsal. He’s known for his lifts; it’s what he’s really good at. So I definitely trust him. I just have to open up and trust myself!

Here, Audrina and Tony talk backstage on what they thought of their dance and the music they were given from the producers after the show and making the best of it. Tony also talks about the “Extreme Make-Over” show he and some of the other dancers did over the summer. It airs this Sunday.;

Here Brandy and Maks talk about their practices before the show, her diet, and their relationship. The interviewer also asks Maks about the slap controversy last week again. He talks about all of their different senses of humor and how he’s not going to let anyone misinterpret him.

Also Maks attended the “Homes that Hollywood Built” event this weekend. His interview starts at the 5:45 mark in this video. He discusses his charities, his closeness with Brandy, and being a perfectionist. He also sends out a message to Brandy to “stay as you are”.

And here they are discussing their amazing dance lastnight afterwards backstage for what they thought of it and them being in second place right now;

For you Rick Fox and Cheryl Burke fans, here’s a fun TV Guide interview with Rick where he discusses their dance before the show and more. Here are a couple of snippets;

TVGuide.com: How’s the Argentine tango going?
Fox: It’s Cheryl’s favorite dance and she actually did spend three weeks in Argentina learning more about the culture and the dance. The passion, aggression and machismo that are needed are definitely things I brought to the basketball floor, so I think I might take Cheryl on the court so she can see a side of me that she hasn’t yet. I already see how the dance fits me like a custom suit.

TVGuide.com: You’ve been handling your height difference with ease. How hard is it for you not to dance down to her?
Fox: I’m used to team sports, so I to want to support a teammate and make their job as easy as they make mine, so my tendency was to hunch over. All that gets me is a smack on my arm! From watching the show, I could tell a lot of the dancing positions are close, so I knew we had a challenge even looking each other in the eye. She’s wearing four-inch heels and is level with my chest most of the time, and I’m looking at the horizon! The Latin dances are fun because we get to look at each other.

TVGuide.com: Who from the cast has impressed you so far?
Fox: The pro dancers! [Laughs] They seem to be Energizer bunnies in how they show up for us, show up for the show, show up for media and then head out and socialize. The production has impressed me. … And then getting to know my castmates — I could not have created such warm relationships in such a short period amidst competition. I’m so used to not even looking at my competitors. It’s so bizarre to share the same practice facility, to each lunch together on game day, to be rooting and consoling each other. It’s a new competitive experience for me, which I think has enhanced my sportsmanship. Maybe that stuff will end pretty soon!

Here they are talking about their dance afterwards;

Zap2.it interviewed Florence Henderson at the GLSEN Respect Awards. Here’s what she said and check out her personal goal for the show. For whatever happens tonight, I’d say she accomplished just that. Would you?

“I’m not super human, but I am super stoic,” Henderson tells to Zap2it at the Oct. 8 GLSEN Respect Awards, acknowledging that she feels just as beat up as everyone else.

“I figure there’s nothing I can do about the pain and the suffering,” she laughs. “I signed on to do it, so I’ve got to take the aches and pains and make it really terrific.”

Her next task is the rumba, which she’ll take on in an entirely new environment for the series.

“This week is acoustic week,” Henderson’s partner Corky Ballas says, “for the first time in the history of the show. The entire room has been changed. It’s a 30-inch in the round stage, wood floor, stripped down lighting, no orchestra, one guitar, two violins and a piano. Every single move is going to be scrutinized, and the audience right up against the stage.”

Sounds intimidating. But Henderson takes it in stride. “I’m not anymore scared than I usually am,” she says.

For her, the pain and the nerves are small price to pay for the thrill of being on the show. “If I can inspire anyone to get up off their behind and move and dance and enjoy their life, then I’ve done my job.”

Here is Florence and Corky talking about their dance afterwards. Florence is a hoot as always;

Lastly, here’s the ecstatic Jennifer and Derek and their reaction to scoring some “10’s” lastnight! What an amazing dance they had!!;

A special thanks to Heidi and PureDerekHough.com, here’s Derek in two radio interviews given yesterday at Kj97 and WCOL-FM. Here’s a great interview at Pop Watch and a snippet;

Is your choreography influenced by former ballroom dance champions (I see a little Donnie Burns in there), or by movies, or anything else? –Lynn
Choreography is so specific. I think for the most part if I choreographed for anyone else, you’d be able to tell that it was a routine I created. Same with all the pros – Louis, Maks, Mark. We take our inspiration from anywhere we can. After several seasons on the show, you want to be able to keep bringing creative ideas to the dance floor. Things like acoustic week and story week really help keep us on our toes.

Derek, love your choreography. I’ve wondered if you have ideas in mind ahead of the season, knowing a waltz, paso doble, etc. are coming, and then do you adapt them to the ability of your partner? –LoveVioletFlame
I have ideas going into each season, but normally those fly out the window because each dance really does pertain to the song and the abilities of the celebrity. I do have a fun and original idea for a pro dance this season. I’m hoping I get to do it.

How long does it typically take for you to come up with the choreography for one dance? –Rebecca
I start thinking about the dance as soon as I get the music and then I keep thinking, changing and adding to each routine as the week progresses. Sometimes I add little changes in the day before show day.

If the celebrity you work with has ideas and a great dance imagination will you or have you incorporated their ideas into a routine? –Kaye
Absolutely. The thing about Dancing with the Stars is it comes to be a very collaborative effort. My partner might have some amazing ideas or thoughts and if I ruled them out completely and wasn’t willing to work with them then I might be missing the chance at creating something really memorable.

Here’s a great wrap up of the night;

Lastly, here’s what we didn’t see. Thanks to our Heidi for this link too from People.com :

• Derek Hough, Mark Ballas and Kurt Warner couldn’t resist coming out from backstage for the pre-show. The competitors joined in a mini dance-off with a few lucky audience members while the house emcee got the crowd pumped. Later, Tony Dovolani joined an 8-year-old girl on stage for a quick twirl during a commercial.

• Bristol Palin was surprised to see her parents and little sister in the audience Monday night. “I didn’t think they were coming,” she told PEOPLE. “They surprised me tonight, and I was thrilled about that.”

• The stars teased their TV-theme-song routines for next week. Florence Henderson and partner Corky Ballas told PEOPLE they hope to do a Brandy Bunch-influenced dance if they’re voted back, while Kyle Massey and Lacey Schwimmer told reporters they’ll be dancing to the Charlie’s Angels theme song. And Tony Dovolani joked to PEOPLE that his routine with The Hills alum Audrina Patridge would “have something to do with mountains but a little bit smaller.”

Wow, what a show! I still haven’t recovered from it all. lol And I am especially loving all of your thoughts on everything! 🙂

October 12, 2010 I Written By

"Dance is the hidden language of the soul" ~ Martha Graham. That's what DWTS makes me think of every Monday night. To read more about me and my other interests, see Lisa Kay Photography. You can also follow me at Voguerista Twitter & Voguerista Soundcloud.

DWTS11 Week 4 Power Rankings

Ugh.  Can I just say that, with the exception of maybe 3 performances, I felt really let down by this week? All the hype about it being acoustic & intimate & passionate – forget it.  Music sounded the same to me (and most of it was positively sucktastic), the stage seemed to really throw some couples off, and I still hate the whole 2-score concept – seemed like it gave the judges an excuse to be even more cockamamie in their scoring.  But anyway, here we go…

1.) Jennifer & Derek – FINALLY – for the first time this season, I feel like they were scored properly.  So clean, so committed, so clever –  this was some more stellar Argentine tango choreography from Derek, and some near flawless execution from Jen.  I honestly got a little worried when I saw her struggling so much during the package – but for no reason.  This was spot-on, and one of the few I really enjoyed tonight.  I liked that they opted to forgo they super-high, impressive lifts, and just stuck with very well-executed simple ones (in which Jen was securely supported ;-)).  Loved the little bit with the piano at the beginning.  Safe 🙂

2.) Audrina & Tony – Ok, valiant effort by Audrina – but I’m still seeing ceiling eyes, and still a certain tentativeness in her movement.  She moves well, but not with the same conviction I see from Jen; I almost get the feeling that she’s kinda looking to Tony for visual reassurance after each move, like “Am I doing this right?” Nevertheless, this was a pretty hot tango…really liked the dip at the end.  I agree with Len, though – the music kinda threw me, and felt more like a paso than an Argentine tango.  But they did get the pimp spot and a good score, so I’m willing to bet they’re bringing in the votes. 

3.) Brandy & Maks – This one is really a head-scratcher for me.  Brandy’s dress was my favorite tonight, and I think they got the music best-suited to rumba – plus it’s just a bloody GORGEOUS song.  However, she kinda wavered in this dance for me – parts of it I loved (the dramatic dip, the eyes closed while embracing Maks), and parts of it left me going “WTF?” (mainly the laying down at the beginning and end, and her arms – which are still flaily & pretty damn bad).  I feel like she was a bit overscored on technique, as she just seemed to be walking through her steps at times.  However, she did seem to convey the dramatic, over-the-moon-in-love feeling of the rumba the best of all the couples tonight.  They got the crap spot, and it seems like support for Brandy is waning (which I don’t quite understand, but oh well – it’s happening nonetheless), but I think we still have another week or two of eliminating bad dancers before we have a “shock” elimination.

4.) Kyle & Lacey – I actually have to give both Kyle and Lacey props tonight – the former did a decent job of improving his technique (although it was still a bit jerky) and conveying the mood of the rumba, and the latter managed to choreograph something very age-appropriate and well-suited to Kyle’s abilities.  Thought they were a little underscored on performance.  And I will repeat – Kyle’s charm is becoming less potent to the judges by the week, and they are beginning to nitpick about technique.  I worry he may not be improving fast enough to keep up with some of the other couples that are making bigger strides.  Decent running order (top of the 2nd hour), and decent score, so I’m calling these two safe.

5.) Rick & Cheryl – *sigh* Big letdown from these two this week.  For as accomplished as Cheryl claims to be in Argentine tango, this one didn’t any different than her A. tango with Chad last season – she did most of the dancing, and he was just kinda “there” for her.  Which sucks, because the few big moves he did pull out seemed pretty good – was impressed by how a guy with such long legs and big feet was still able to do some decent gaunchos.  However, I felt the same disconnect from him that I felt from Audrina – he never quite got into the groove of the dance.  Luckily for him, he’s pretty and the ladies love him, and there’s still crappier couples that need to go home first.

6.) Kurt & Anna – Felt bad for these two – feel like the judges really came down hard on them for what really wasn’t a terrible performance.  Yes, Kurt still is struggling with his arms; and yes, this was a pretty basic routine without a whole lot of flashy moves.  But I feel like he managed to stay on time, and overally it was an appropriately clean, sweet performance from a guy who felt uncomfortable dancing so “intimately” with a woman who wasn’t his wife (awwww :-)).  Hopefully they’ll get a ballroom dance next week, because I think Kurt’s better able to connect with the ballroom dances.  Good running order position, not the worst score of the night, and the NFL vote still in effect – safe.

7.) The Situation & Karina – Maaaan…were these two like the judges’ punching bag this week? As “chaotic” as this tango may have been – Sitch didn’t let me down, and he DOMINATED those lifts.  Yes, the few simple steps he did were pretty shaky, but on the whole, I actually really enjoyed this performance – the whole steamy, sleazy feel of the tango seems to suit him well.  Plus his pecs looked great – seriously, they should have a name of their own, since his abs are the Situation…maybe we call his pecs “The Seduction”? Who knows 😛 Maybe I’m being overly optimistic here, but I’m calling these two safe – maybe bottom 2 material, but I don’t think they’re going home.  The points spread seems pretty close, and I think Bristol’s fanbase might be waning a bit…and people just might be getting tired of awkward moments with…

8.) Florence & Corky – Clearing God was smiling upon me tonight when he decided to make my DVR cut out nearly all of this rumba 😀 The last 20 seconds or so, which I did catch, didn’t surprise me much – awkward, icky, and inappropriately sleazy for someone like Florence.  Maybe I missed some really great part of it, which is why they were scored so much better than both Sitch & Karina and Bristol & Mark, but I can’t imagine they were really that great.  And if what you guys are saying is representative of most of America, then their schtick seems to wearing on everyone, and I doubt they’ll last much longer.

9.) Bristol & Mark – Not terrible, but definitely the non-event of the evening.  Bristol is just so – calm.  No real emotion; no real commitment to any step.  This just seemed like a rumba “stroll” – no real hard-hitting steps (unless you count Mark doffing his shirt – GIMMICK ALERT! Boy must be desperate.) Now while I don’t have any personal beef with Bristol or her family (and for the love of god, guys, please don’t turn the comment section into a gripefest about her personal life – I’m tired of hearing everyone bitch about everything except her dancing), I think this may have been the final nail in the coffin for her…she really needed to own this performance this week, and it didn’t happen.  And Mark’s act of desperation didn’t help, either.  Bye bye, Bristol the Pistol!

Talk to me, kids – were you as let down by Acoustic Night as I was? Who’s going home? Who’s getting the encore? And who else is as pumped as I am for Goo Goo Dolls & Forever Tango tomorrow night on the results show? 😀 And have you all gotten your entries in for the week 3 caption contest?

October 11, 2010 I Written By

Ultrasound sales specialist by day, semi-knowledgeable DWTS fan by night...with a smattering of hair & makeup enthusiast, occasional model, baker, and crazy cat lady peppered in to make things REALLY interesting ;-) I might pee my pants in happiness if Donnie Wahlberg ever does DWTS - or if they ever use "Sunglasses at Night" as a paso doble.

DWTS 11 Stat Class: Week 4 (Acoustic Week)

Another week has come and gone… which mean a new week of attempting to predict scores…

Tonight’s theme… Acoustics! (I wonder where they got this idea from?) From what we have been able to gather from the internets the two dances that will be performed tonight are the two sexiest and most sensual dances in the repetoire: the Rumba and the Argentine Tango…

Again many thanks to Heidi for finding out who is dancing what this week:

RUMBA
Brandy and Maks
– Maksim & Tia Carrere (Season 2/Week 2): 22/30
– Maksim & Willa Ford (Season 3/Week 5): 27/30
– Maksim & Laila Ali (Season 4/Week 5): 28/30
– Maksim & Melanie Brown (Season 5/Week 6): 30/30
– Maksim & Erin Andrews (Season 10/Week 8): 25/30
Prediction: 25/30

Kurt and Anna
– Anna & Jerry Rice (Season 2/Week 7): 21/30
– Anna & Evan Lysacek (Season 10/Week 5): 27/30
Let’s add in other “footballers”
– Cheryl & Emmitt Smith (Season 3/Week 8): 29/30
– Edyta & Jason Taylor (Season 6/Week 5): 27/30
– Kym & Warren Sapp (Season 7/Week 6): 25/30
– Cheryl & Chad Ochocinco (Season 10/Week 4): 22/30
Prediction: 22/30

Florence and Corky
Since Corky has yet to perform the Rumba w/ a celeb… how did other “mature” female celebs?
– Louis & Priscilla Presley (Season 6/Week 5): 21/30
– Tony & Susan Lucci (Season 7/Week 2): 21/30
– Tony & Jane Seymour (Season 5/Week 5): 26/30
Prediction: 21/30

Bristol and Mark
– Mark & Sabrina Bryan (Season 5/Week 5): 28/30
– Mark & Kristi Yamaguchi (Season 6/Week 5): 29/30
– Mark & Kim Kardashian (Season 7/Week 2): 17/30
– Mark & Shawn Johnson (Season 8/Week 6): 26/30
Prediction: 20/30

Kyle and Lacey
– Lacey & Lance Bass (Season 7/Week 7): 25/30
– Lacey & Steve-O (Season 8/Week 60: 16/30
– Lacey & Mark Dacascos (Season 9/Week 3): 18/30
Just for the hell of it… let’s add other Disney related celebs
– Louis & Monique Coleman (Season 3/Week 5): 27/30
– Mark & Sabrina Bryan (Season 5/Week 5): 28/30
– Julianne & Cody Linley (Season 7/Week 2): 21/30
Prediction: 19/30

ARGENTINE TANGO
Jennifer and Derek
– Derek & Lil Kim (Season 8/Week 4): 27/30
– Derek & Nicole Scherzinger (Season 10/Week 9): 30/30
And then adding in other actresses closer to her age group:
– Damian & Pamela Anderson (Season 10/Week 6): 22/30
Prediction: 26/30

Audrina and Tony
– Tony & Melissa Rycroft (Season 8/Week 7): 29/30
What about other reality stars?
– Louis & Kelly Osbourne (Season 9/Week 10): 26/30
Prediction: 24/30

Sitch and Karina
– Karina & Steve Wozniak (Season 8/Week 4): 12/30
– Karina & Aaron Carter (Season 9/Week 5): 24/30
LOL… again other reality stars…
– Tony & Melissa Rycroft (Season 8/Week 7): 29/30
– Louis & Kelly Osbourne (Season 9/Week 10): 26/30
Prediction: 20/30

Rick and Cheryl
– Cheryl & Gilles Marini (Season 8/Week 4): 30/30
– Cheryl & Chad Ochocinco (Season 10/Week 6): 24/30
What about adding in athletes?
– Chelsie & Ty Murray (Season 8/Week 9): 25/30
– Chelsie & Louie Vito (Season 9/Week 5): 22/30
Prediction: 24/30

I Written By

My life can be summed up in the following two quotes: 1) "I am married to engineering and am its faithful wife by day, but at night my wanderlust takes hold and the arts becomes my jealous paramour." and... 2) "Engineering is my safety net. Writing is my passion. Acting is my escape when the other two become too much." So where does dancing fit in? Pretty much anywhere at this point... =)

Dancing with the Stars 11, Week 4 – Monday/Tuesday Night Countdown Media 2

We have more media coverage to add to our countdown. In Part 1 we saw teasers for what’s to come for Cheryl and Rick, Maks and Brandy, and The Situation and Karina. In this edition, we’re starting off with Kurt Warner. In this article from The Indian, Kurt talks about his experience with “Dancing with The Stars”. Here is a little from that interview…

The former quarterback and father of seven said that dancing intimately with a scantily clad dancing partner (Anna Trebunskaya) could have wrecked his marriage but thankfully it did not. Kurt and Brenda have been married for 13 years now and they have seven children together. The Football star also said that his marital life is in perfect order because his wife (Brenda) is confident about his priorities.

The athlete also mentioned that his dancing partner is also married and whatever they do on the show is just for the sake of entertainment. Kurt also expressed his liking for Mike (the Situation) Sorrentino, who happens to been one of the contenders for the coveted ‘DWTS’ title.  Kurt was full of praises for Mike, he also complimented him by saying that the “Jersey Shore’ actor is a star in his own right, who has created a niche for himself.

Also, an insider told Hollywoodlife.com that Kurt Warner “is the nicest guy in the cast” this year. I’m not surprised to hear that, are you? He seems so pleasant natured.

Kurt Warner is the lowest maintenance and nicest cast member on Dancing with the Stars! “Everyone loves Kurk backstage,” an eyewitness tells us. “He’s genuine. He’s a good guy. He never has any issues or complaints…and takes everything they throw him in stride.” With a cast of potential divas and strict competition, like reality star Audrina Patridge, pop singer Brandy, Dirty Dancing actress Jennifer Grey and even NBA star Rick Fox, tensions can run high, especially on performance nights, but Kurt doesn’t let the pressure get to him. “He’s just having fun with it, you know?” our source explains.

Next up, Kyle and Lacy!! On their Rumba, Kyle told ET “I got the sexy”. lol 😀 Apparently, he’s got the slow part down but the footwork has been challenging for him.

“The rumba’s going pretty well. It’ll be ready for showtime,” Kyle tells us during a break from his “DWTS” rehearsal.

“He’s getting his steps right now, and then will come the sexiness,” Lacey says.

“Well, you know, I got the sexy — now I’m working on the dance,” he clarifies.

The two keep things fun by bantering and cracking jokes with each other — Kyle even gives his unwitting partner rabbit ears (or perhaps devilish horns!) at one point — but Lacey tells ET they’re taking the rumba seriously due to its high difficulty level. It’s a slow dance, which you think would be simple, but there’s so much extra stuff that’s added to it, it’s unbelievable,” she says.

Here’s a fun video of the two;

Tom Bergeron tweeted Saturday that last week’s show was “weird”. lol…Good ol’ Tom. 🙂 In a new 3-page interview on Wetpaint.com, he talks about “Boo-gate, Maks, Bruno, the show without Edyta, and what’s next for the show. Here’s some snippets of this interview.

So that’s Bolton-gate, then there was Boo-gate. Did the producers have any regrets in cutting right to Sarah Palin? Because it did kind of seem like, what were viewers supposed to think, when you cut right from boos to ….?

I think the thing is, when you’re doing a live show and it’s happening in real time, I don’t know what they would’ve done differently. If I was in the booth — and you hear Brooke and you hear some boos — they probably heard the 9s being yelled too, so they, like me, probably didn’t think anything of it. I certainly didn’t as I was sitting next to Sarah. I didn’t think that anything untoward was going on at all. The judges had booed all night, so this was just another instance. But then I had seen kind of Jamie Lee Curtis instigating a little bit. She’s a good buddy of Jennifer’s Grey’s. So from my perspective, I knew what it was, and as Sarah Palin said to me the next night before I went on the air, she said “I thought it was silly because I was booing the judges too.” So I don’t know what they would’ve done differently in the booth, which again deals with the immediacy of a live show versus something you can tape and edit and think about. I think from the booth’s perspective and from mine it just appeared to be what it was, which was the audience booing the judges. Unfortunately you cut that way, and me sitting there, I can certainly understand why people thought it was different.

What can you tell us about what’s coming up that’s new and exciting this season?

We’re doing an acoustic night next week, which will be really cool. I’ve seen the sketches, they’re probably going to change the ballroom and it’s going to be theater in the round, which is pretty cool. The whole stage area will change. Harold Wheeler and the band will all be acoustic. And it’s going to have a very different kind of feel to it. I think on at least one show we’re going to have a guest judge taken from the ranks of past performing celebrities. I know we’re coming up on our 200th episode so we’re going to have a big to-do about that. I think we’ll have a special show on the 10 top dances from our past 10-plus seasons, voted on by the viewers. So there’ll be some cool stuff.

Would you have ever guessed that some of the celebrities and pro dancers were bullied when they were kids? Well, they were and “fame and fortune doesn’t always erase the memories”. Here are a couple of snippets today from Access Hollywood. I love these messages of “rising above” it;

“[Corky Ballas and I] were both bullied as kids for different reasons,” Florence Henderson told Access, of she and her “Dancing with the Stars” partner. “We were so poor as kids — I’m the youngest of 10 kids, and they would make fun of me because, you know, I had a hole in my dress, or no shoes, or no school books. It’s hurtful.”

The “Dancing” cast member (and former “Mrs. Brady”) was able to push through the pain by keeping her sights set on her future goals.

“Inside I just thought, ‘That’s OK — I won’t let that get me down. I will be somebody, and you won’t, because you’re not a nice person,’” Florence said. “And I just held on to that.

“I held on to faith, and that I would make it. And I did,” she smiled.

Florence’s “Dancing” co-star, professional dancer Louis van Amstel, shared similar sentiments.

“Unfortunately, I was bullied as a fat kid and as a gay kid,” Louis said. “I mean, at the age of 10, being at school, being a dancer, they automatically assumed you were gay, and at the time, you don’t know what that means. I was 10 years old for crying out loud!”

Louis, who says becoming a “world champion in your field” is “the biggest revenge,” tasted a bit of victory over his childhood tormenters when he attended his 20th high school reunion last year.

“All those bulliers changed their tune because they’re still in their own hometown,” he smiled. “Some have been in jail, some are out of jobs, and look where I am — in Hollywood! It’s the biggest revenge.

“That’s my message for everyone who gets bullied: find something that you’re good at… put your mind, body and soul in it because when you grow up, you’ll look back as a stronger human being,” he added.

And for all of you Jennifer Grey and “HOUSE” fans like myself, we are in for a special treat. Jennifer is to guest star on the hit drama some time this month. According to EW Jennifer will find herself in a no-win situation with Dr. House…

Grey (filmed at the of July) will play Abbey, the mother of an infant daughter who is displaying signs of a life-threatening illness. As House and Co. investigate her daughter’s developing symptoms, Abbey is faced with a treatment decision for her newborn that could affect not only her baby’s life but her own.

If anyone knows the exact date of this episode, please let us know. Wow, is her career taking off again or what?

Lastly, if you’ve ever wanted to dance with the Pros, Grinya’s Entertainment is holding a Celebrity Dance Camp. So far, Tony Dovolani, Cheryl Burke, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Chelsie Hightower, Elena Grinenko, and Corky Ballas have all signed up.

Start your morning off by working your Cha Cha with Tony Dovolani , followed by sassing your technique with Cheryl Burke. Relax at the pool with some light lunch before hopping back in for an afternoon Waltz with Chelsie Hightower or a hot Salsa with Maksim Chmerkovskiy! Then ease into your evening with a lovely cocktail hour, followed by parties, live bands, DJs, and more! Never before have so many of the world’s best Celebrity Pros gathered in one place to teach YOU!

This Celebrity Dance Camp will be held Feb. 4th-6th in Burbank, California. If interested, read more details at Superstars Of The Ballroom.

Heidi Addition: Derek is auctioning an hour of dance lessons for charity with Charity Buzz. Proceeds go to Communities in Schools.

Ok, that’s it for now. Are we getting excited for Monday night yet? 😀

October 10, 2010 I Written By

"Dance is the hidden language of the soul" ~ Martha Graham. That's what DWTS makes me think of every Monday night. To read more about me and my other interests, see Lisa Kay Photography. You can also follow me at Voguerista Twitter & Voguerista Soundcloud.

DWTS 11, Week 3 Media – Video

The next few videos are from ABC’s Local LA Affiliate. I’ve selected a few, follow the link to see all of them.

Maks, Brandy and Val – no this is not where Maks pisses me off. He’s fine here and I agree with everything he says. 🙂

Karina and The Sitch

Derek and Jennifer

Maks and Brandy on ET – Gee, Maks, hypocrite much?? “DWTS screwed up and had professional dancers on in the past.” Let’s see, Maks. Most recently is Nicole, if I’m guessing what you’re saying. But Nicole was no more a “professional dancer” than Sabrina, Mya (although as someone who taught tap she was close) and…..MEL B!!! And many more. You know, he never complains when the professional is his partner. Dude, you wouldn’t have won with Erin if Nicole hadn’t been there – Evan would have won. No, this actually wasn’t the video that ticked me off earlier in the week either. 🙂 I can’t seem to find that one – the one where he throws every other couple under the bus by claiming that he and Brandy are one of the few couples who actually get along. Right. :::eye roll:::

October 8, 2010 I Written By

I'm a nerd and proud of it. Two degrees in geology also means I love BEER. :-) I'm also a Derek lover - proud of that too. So don't scream at those of us on this site and call us a bunch of "biased Derek-lovers" - it's just ME. :-) It may sound like I hate DWTS at times, but really, I'm just a snarky nitpicker from way back. And I'm cynical and jaded too. But I do love DWTS. :-)