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DWTS 12 – The Dancing With The Stars Make-up Crew Releases 9 New Photos

The Dancing With The Stars Make Up Crew has released 9 new photos of the ladies on the show (3 of them can be seen below) and how they did some of their make-up this last week. Here is one example.

Petra’s gray smokey eye was created with Stila’s eyeshadow in Storm in crease and Laura Mercier eyeshadow in intensity on eyelid Dior liner in black Ardell individual Shorts and Mediums and Anastasia Brow Duality in Camille

View the new Gallery and read more >>>>HERE.

In case you missed it, see our earlier posting on the costuming this week Here!!

March 25, 2011 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.

Dancing with the Stars Season 12, Week 1 – The Cheesecake Awards!!

We’re Baaaaack!!! It’s easy, it’s cheesey, it’s Dancing With The Stars!!! For those new to this site, Courtney and I hand out weekly awards for the funniest, cheesiest and occassionally most annoying aspects of this show. Sometimes we’re serious, sometimes we’re silly…and sometimes we’re dirty. Well, I’m dirtier than Courtney. More practice. šŸ™‚ Mostly, we pick on the show and all the people involved in it. WARNING: if you are a hypersensitive fan of someone on the show, check your sensitivity at the door. We even pick on the people WE like. šŸ™‚

On with the show…

The Award for Most Unintended Innuendo: Chelsea Kane

Heidi: This is mostly my brain at work on a glass (or two) of wine. When Chelsea says, ā€œYes, I got to kiss Joe Jonas. It didnā€™t suckā€ I confess my first thought was ā€œOh, you poor thing, he didnā€™tā€¦.ā€ Oh. Wait. Totally not what sheā€™s talking about.

Courtney: Pretty sure the purity ring would have gotten in the way.

Award for Most Intended Innuendo (That Went Over Most Everyone’s Head): Bruno to Chelsea – “You started on your back, you ended on your back, and everything in between was pure afterglow!”

Courtney: Was I the only one who raised an eyebrow to this? šŸ˜‰ Somehow I think Bruno might have gotten the order mixed up a bit, though…doesn’t the afterglow come after the main event, and not during? Then again, maybe my boudoir adventures have tended towards the tame…or maybe Bruno likes to do things completely out of order.Ā  Best part: I don’t think Mark or Chelsea really picked up on the blantant innuendo of it…or if they did, they played it off quite well.Ā  Can’t imagine that Mark didn’t pick up on that one…;-)

Heidi: Oh, all my eyebrows were raised. šŸ™‚ And where the hell was Tommy B. in this?? No way did he let that comment slide! Oh, Wait. He saw the purity ring and figured it was pointless. Or more uncomfortable. As for Mark, well, he’s been thinking about that for a while…

Award for the Earliest Start to a Showmance: Mark Ballas

Heidi: Kissing, rolling around on the floor, teasing…dude has a thing for chaste girls named Chelsea (ie)? šŸ˜‰ How long until he whips out the guitar and serenades her to calm her down?

Courtney: This may be a record even for Mark – getting smoochy with his partner during their first rehearsal?! What’s the next step…canoodling in the Celebraquarium? Or do we move directly to the weekends in Napa/rosepetals on the bed/satin sheets phase of the relationship?

Heidi: You forgot the candles.

The Award for Most Hip Analogy by a Sixty Year Old: Len Goodman and his BEP reference.

Heidi: So, in Lenā€™s mind the BEP are a crazy mess? Because Iā€™m pretty sure that when he said Chelseaā€™s Foxtrot went all ā€œBlack Eyed Peasā€ in the middle, it was NOT a compliment. šŸ™‚

Courtney: Blech.Ā  I hate the Peas. And Len is right – they’re a crazy mess.Ā  Didn’t you see the Superbowl??? They had to bring in Usher midway through the performance to save the day.Ā Almost as hot a mess as Xtina flubbing the national anthem…almost.

Heidi: Oh, they were indeed a mess – interesting analogy for good ole Len, though. šŸ™‚

The Award for Most Schizophrenic Backstage Crew Members (AKA: Award for Backstage Crew Members with an Unhealthy Fixation on the Three Bears): The Hair Department.

Heidi: I found Annaā€™s hair to be TOO BIG, but Laceyā€™s hair was too smallā€¦while Petraā€™s hair was juuuust right. Seriously, how can they do such a beautiful job on Petraā€™s hair (and others) then go so huge on Anna that her head looks like it belongs in the Macyā€™s Thanksgiving Day Parade? And me thinks they just avoid Lacey altogether cause that girl looked like she hadnā€™t seen shampoo in a month. Lā€™Oreal is your friend, sister ā€“ the brunette shade. Gawd, that was some seriously bad hair, two tone AND oily. Ick.

Courtney: Anna looked like eitherĀ Miss Texas USA 1976 or June Carter Cash’s redheaded Russian cousin.Ā  Country bumpkin hair TO THE MAX.Ā  Lacey…looked like trailer trash.Ā  Sorry, but she did. Those roots lookĀ ridiculous against the fried blonde of the rest of her hair.Ā  I sure hope the hair departmentĀ either mandates a color change or finds a way to hide her roots with a headband or something next week.Ā  Petra was a vision – reminded me of a young Ingrid Bergman.Ā  Just lovely. šŸ™‚

Most Boobage Ever to Appear on DWTS Award: Wendy Williams

Heidi: To quote Spamalot, ā€œshe has huuuge tracts of laaand.ā€ Anyone who has seen that musical will immediately see the hand motions that go with that line and hear the British accent.

Courtney: The first glimpse I caught of Wendy making her way down those glittery stairs nearly blinded me.Ā  All I could see was BOOBS for days! And this wasn’t in the same class as Kym’s Awesome Boobage (TM); these were scary boobs – looked like they might jump out and bite me if I wasn’t careful.Ā  Kids, this is the reason your parents told you not to sit so close to the TV – renegade boobs could gravely injure you.Ā 

Heidi: Just imagine if you had 3-D TV and you were wearing the glasses. It would be like…well, scary.

Moment of the Night that Shouldnā€™t be Hurl-worthy but was: Dmitry and Declaring the War of the Chests

Heidi: Automatic FAIL. I think I might have gagged aloud. And yes, I am a straight female. šŸ™‚ And no, I donā€™t know why I have that reaction. Maybe itā€™s the implied arrogance. And yes, I know the producers write a lot of that crap that goes into the opening, but I MUCH prefer the way Derek reads his lines (Iā€™m rough, Iā€™m tough, Iā€™m Derek Hough) and then laughs his little tiny butt off like itā€™s one of the most ridiculous thing EVER. And it was. Until now.

Courtney: I think my analogy to Heidi on Twitter went something like this: “Dmitry is like a housecat to Tony’s panther & Maks’ lion.” This was just so…feeble.Ā  It may as well have been Milton from Office Space (“I’d really like my stapler back, p-p-please.”) up there challenging Mark & Maks to a chest-off.Ā  And while we’re on that topic – I think Tony’s chest is more formidable than Mark’s.Ā  And it may be more formidable than Maks’, even.Ā  Dude is DIESEL…quite possibly the most cut of the male pros.Ā  He could be freebasing protein shakes or something, who knows.Ā 

The Award for Getting Away with Breaking the Most Unwritten Rules in One Night: Dmitry Chaplin

Heidi: I might actually have to give him props because if youā€™re going to break rules (or hit on the judges pet peeves), it sure is best to get it out of the way on the first night when theyā€™re feeling very forgiving. A lift AND having your partner sit on her ass in the audience AND fussing about (TM Len) with your jacket all in one dance?? Okey Dokey then, buddy, you got LUCKY.

Courtney: I think Dmitry also lucked out in having Petra – I think it’s impossible for anyone to hate her.Ā  She’s just so SAINTLY.Ā  I have a feeling they could have done multiple, INTENTIONAL lifts, been completely off-time, futzed around in the audience, and messed with a coat, a feather duster, a table, and an orangutanĀ and still gotten a reprieve from the judges.Ā  And I wouldn’t blame them…she’s the Mother Theresa of the modeling world šŸ™‚

LOL Moment of the Night ā€“ Female: Anna Trubunskaya, ā€œI will break you into a dancerā€ with requisite RUSSIAN Accent; Honorable Mention to Carrie Ann for ā€œChippendaleā€™s Cha Chaā€

Heidi: I love Anna ā€“ that was a truly goofy line delivered in this Cold War Russian accent that implied torture was not far behind. And that was actually a pretty clever line from Carrie Ann and sheā€™s not really known for clever lines.

Courtney: Some episodes of DWTS feel like Coming to America to me – except instead of Eddie Murphy, we have Anna šŸ™‚ She learns about American sports (remember the Walter Payton vs. Belka & Strelka analogy last season?), she dances to songs she clearly never heard until she came to America (“Hella Good”?), and she says funny, stereotypically-Russian things like this and makes it totally adorable šŸ™‚ As for Carrie Ann – I’m not gonna credit her with that one.Ā  I’ll credit her va-jay-jay for that one…cause that was clearly what was doing all the talking when she was critiquing & scoring Chris’ cha-cha. *eye roll*

LOL Moment of the Night ā€“ Male: Bruno Tonioli, ā€œCall me, Daphneā€

Heidi: Just LOL ā€“ no clue what he was getting at, donā€™t remember what he was talking about, but I have a feeling that Tommy B. called him Daphne for hours afterward.

Courtney: I think it was to Ray – a guy I’m not so sure quite understood the humor of it.Ā  Awwwwwkwwwwarrrrd.

TMI/Grossest Moment of the Night: Kendra ā€“ ā€œI just went into your butt crack.ā€

Heidi: :::gag::: Oh, I so did NOT need to hear that. Or visualize it. Or anything it. Really, the blame has to go to the producers ā€“ seriously boys, out of all the hours of video you got of these two, you went with THIS???

Courtney: Kendra’s whole package seemed to be a montage of her just saying stupid shit. “My hips don’t lie!” “I’ve got moves for a white girl!” Are they deliberately TRYING to paint her asĀ a crass bimbo? Cause so far, it seems to be working. As for this particular comment…I wouldn’t go near Louis’ butt crack with a ten foot pole.Ā  Errr…bad phrase to use…let’s move on…:-/

Heidi: Damn, I worked so hard with my brain to NOT go there and then you went there. šŸ™‚

WTF Moment of Costuming: Brookeā€™s Dress with Audrey Hepburnā€™s hat stitched on to the front.

Heidi: You know, Brooke is beautiful. And this dress was beautiful tooā€¦but when I get distracted by that large round hat that appeared to be stitched to the front, itā€™s probably not a dress she should wear on the show. I spent way too much time trying to figure out what the hell that was, beyond simple ornamentation. Is it a fan? Is it a hat? Didnā€™t Audrey Hepburn wear that in Breakfast at Tiffanyā€™s? WTF?

Courtney: It’s a satellite dish so she can get better reception from the control booth when they’re feeding her lines, duh! I just have to wonder if they had to strategically plan Brooke’s route through the studio to avoid narrow spaces…she could have gotten stuck, y’know. šŸ™‚

Most Overdone Running Joke: Master P’s bad scores; (dis)honorable mention for reminding Hines several times that he’d lost the Superbowl

Courtney: Hardy har har har, Master P got the worst score inĀ DWTS history.Ā  It’s funny once – but 3, 4, and 5 times? It’s just getting annoying and makes me wonder if they have nothing else to talk about.Ā  The only truly funny instance to me was when Mike joked about his own scores, saying “Well my dad is Master P, so it’s not so bad.”Ā  And then the near constant “So Hines, you lost the Superbowl…” intro.Ā  By the 3rd time, I think he had just permanently plastered that grin on his face to keep from rolling his eyes.Ā  It’s ok, Hines – everything sounds more annoying coming out of Brooke’s mouth. Just smile and nod and she’ll go away eventually.

Heidi: And to think we’re only in Week 1! Hines might do an endzone dance on her head if she keeps it up. “I’ll show you losing the Superbowl!!!” As for Master P?? Bad idea, since half the viewers likely didn’t know who he is. They do now thanks to YouTube. Poor Romeo.

March 24, 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. :-)

Dancing With The Stars 12 – Questions & Answers At ABC “Team Pages”

Hey Fans, just a quick update. Be sure to visit the Team Pages at the Official Dancing With The Stars. They are currently working at filling each of them up with new interviews, pictures, etc. You can view all of the Team Pages >>>>HERE. Thanks to PureDWTS reader @ElmariL for the heads up on this news.

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.

Dancing With The Stars 12 – Wendy Williams Promises To Do Better Next Monday

Special thanks to PureDWTS reader Jennifer for bringing this fun video to our attention yesterday among all the new Dancing With The Stars media blitz. Wendy talked about her dance on her show yesterday. She defends her dance and talks about her costume, etc.. She also promises to do better next week. More below. Btw, Wendy should wear the dress she’s wearing in this video as a costume instead of costumes like the one she wore Monday night. She looks great here. Do you agree?

March 23, 2011 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 Season 12 – Carrie Ann Inaba Talks ‘DWTS’ and ‘State of Grace’

So far, Carrie Anne is happy with all the contestants. She talks about who surprised and disappointed her Monday night. She is the most impressed with the “men” this year. She also discusses her dance drama “State Of Grace”. They are making the pilot and hoping it will be approved for a series soon. I hope it’s approved. I can’t wait to watch Erik Roberts in his role.

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.

Pure DWTS 12 – Kyle Massey Analyzes The Dance Couples

It’s good to see Kyle again and here he is on Good Morning America yesterday discussing the show. I like what he said about nerves and how everyone is nervous even if it looks like they are cool with it.

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 12 – Randall Christensen Intends To Make New Cast Sparkle Like A Mirror Ball Trophy

I’d say Randall did just that last night!! The only costume I questioned a little was Wendy’s. I thought it made her hips and bust look too big and it was a little gawdy. Then again, it kind of fit her personality? Anyway, here is a fun intervew from Stylist for how Randall came up with some of the costumes. Be sure to read the link for more.

StyleList: Kendra Wilkinson has said she wants to go against type and not show too much skin but, c’mon,you want to go skimpy with her?
Randall Christensen: With Kendra, I think we can prove that being covered up is just as sexy as showing a lot of skin. We certainly did that last season with Bristol Palin. But, as the weeks progress, if she continues competing, I’ll bet you see she wants to peel some layers away.

StyleList: Kirstie Alley has had a very public weight struggle. How do you dress her in a way that makes her feel confident and beautiful?
RC: First of all, Kirstie is every woman! She is open, honest, excited and possibly a bit nervous about the costumes. But definitely, she is loving and embracing the costume aspect of the show. We have tried several looks on her and will continue to do so during the production time. Finding just the right look for her is an ongoing process and Kirstie really knows what looks good on her body. I’ve even had her show me clothes she loves to wear, so I can borrow some of that detailing. So I’m confident we will find just the right thing.

StyleList: Wendy Williams is so tall and wears a size 11 shoe. Are you going to have trouble finding things that fit?
RC: Wendy is a dancing goddess already. She looks phenomenal in her clothes and knows what looks best on her. Everything that she will be wearing will be custom made for her body as it is for everyone on the show. She’s going to be amazing.

Below is what Maks and Randall reported to InStyle about their work and costuming Kirstie.

ā€œThe seasonā€™s going amazing, rehearsals are phenomenal,ā€ he (Maks) continued. ā€œThe strength for her is that she wants to do it, she wants to dance. She just loves the idea of it, she loves the movement, shedding off weight.ā€ And she hasā€”costume designer Randall Christensen told us Alley lost at least 16 pounds so far. ā€œSheā€™s the easiest person to change,ā€ Chmerkovskiy said. ā€œPeople with stuff on them that shouldnā€™t have been there to begin with are the easiest to change. It just requires their will and my will, and weā€™ve both have that.ā€ So what dance will they blow you away with? ā€œThe cha-cha!ā€ he said. ā€œAnd sheā€™s miles beyond what I expected.ā€ We canā€™t wait!

There is also a fascinating article at Rocket News on the costuming process.

ā€œPeople really donā€™t realize that thereā€™s no magic closet that we pull this from. It is a bolt of fabric every Wednesday,ā€ says Christensen, a dancer whoā€™s been making costumes professionally since 1978. ā€œWe never use a ready-made costume ā€¦ every single solitary thing is made from scratch.ā€

Twenty-two custom-made costumes and 11 new stars will make their debut on Mondayā€™s season premiere (8 p.m. EDT). The cast includes actors Kirstie Alley, Ralph Macchio and Chelsea Kane; athletes Sugar Ray Leonard, Hines Ward and Chris Jericho; singer Romeo; radio host Mike Catherwood; talk-show host Wendy Williams; reality star Kendra Wilkinson; and model Petra Nemcova. Each contestant is paired with a professional dancer who choreographs and teaches the weekā€™s routines and dreams up the costume concepts.

Christensen translates their visions into sketches on Tuesday and buys the fabrics on Wednesday. His team of two patternmakers and 10 seamstresses transform the raw materials into costumes by Friday.

Their workroom contains the highest concentration of sequins anywhere at CBS Television City, where ā€œDancingā€ is filmed. Along one wall are bolts of fabric: shimmery purple, deep emerald green and bright royal blue ā€” materials ordered from a dance company in Europe where the fringe, stretch fabric, mesh and chiffon all match.

ā€œThatā€™s the toughest challenge,ā€ Christensen says.

Fourteen sewing machines and mannequins from size 0 to 16 are in the room, as are costumes in various stages of creation. (A tiny pewter beaded number sits on a plastic-covered dress form outfitted with ā€œbooty pads.ā€)

And the gowns arenā€™t just gorgeous on the outside; bra cups and body-shaping panels are hidden inside to provide a solid foundation and prevent wardrobe malfunctions.

Christensen also has to consider the showā€™s requisite spray tans when it comes to each costumeā€™s color and fit: ā€œTheyā€™re going to be mahogany by Monday, they just keep spraying and spraying,ā€ he says. ā€œWe canā€™t use double-stick tape. It does not stick with the perspiration, the gyration and the tanning creams. So if itā€™s gaping somewhere, we have to take that dress off, rip the stones off, put a dart in, re-sew it and re-stone it.ā€

The crew has just a few hours to correct any wardrobe issues between Monday afternoonā€™s dress rehearsal and that nightā€™s live show.

Racks of gowns line another wall, including those ready for Mondayā€™s premiere. Seamstresses sit at large tables at one end of the room, meticulously adding fringe, feathers and crystals to some of Mondayā€™s outfits. Each is assigned a celebrity. If her dancer is eliminated, she assists another dressmaker. Since season two, these 10 women have worked together, creating couture gowns at a breakneck pace.

Randall isn’t the only person working to make the cast sparkle, take a look at this Make-Up table backstage. The Make-up crew posted this on their Facebook page yesterday. We hope to have more to share from them and the DWTS Hair Team as well. So, stay tuned. šŸ˜‰

March 22, 2011 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.

Dancing The The Stars 12 – Reactions After The Couple’s First Dance (Videos)

Where do we begin today after a night like LASTNIGHT? Wow, what a premiere and one of the best ever!! For some reactions from our dance couples, read on.

Here are some takes from E Online.

You heard it here first, folks: Kirstie Alley is a force to be reckoned with this season on ABC’s smash hit reality competition, Dancing With the Stars. So what’s the secret to her success? Good old-fashioned work ethic! Alley tells E! News, “I did work hard, and I’m going to work harder now. I’ve had the taste of an eight, I want a nine.”

Original Karate Kid Macchio says that he was particularly gratified to hear the audience cheer their support as he took control of the dance floor. He says, “Having that kind of fan response [was motivating]ā€”it was live theater at its best.” Partner Karina Smirnoff piped up that the audience’s enthusiasm was as gratifying as their high scores, saying, “It’s worth every hour and every pain of rehearsal,” to which Macchio shot back, “I have a lot more pain that she does! A lot more!” (He’s new to this gig, guys! Give him a break; he’ll limber up soon enough.)

Meanwhile, our good friend Kendra Wilkinson-Baskett (of E!’s Girls Next Door and Kendra fame) says that she’s also trying to live in the moment, because looking forward just freaks her out. The football wife says, “I was so nervous I could barely breathe. I didn’t breathe. I didn’t take one breath throughout the routine, but you know, man, my fans, I had my fans here, and it really kept me going. It just made me feel so good having them here…The second that we ended our dance, the nerves went awayā€”that was the scary part. Going to the judges, that was easy.”

Posture’s also an issue for legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard who told us, “[The biggest issue is] my posture; because [I was a] boxer for 30 yearsā€¦I can’t just correct this in two days or three days or two weeks.”

And lovable supermodel Petra Nemcova, who recently told us about her posture problems, says, “I was emotional, and that threw me off-balanceā€¦so I wasn’t as focused and as fluid as I would be, normally, but it was amazing experience, and every week it’s going to get easierā€”or harder. You never know, but [at least] you know the environment that you are getting into. That part will be more comfortable.”

ET Online interviewed them after their dances. They tell us what was going through their heads as they took the stage and afterwards, etc.

From the Insider;

And here is a video from PopTvdotcom of some the cast out and about after the show. Len Goodman talks about the shows highlights. Anna, Kirstie, and Maks have some fun words to share. Kelly Preston (one of Kirstie’s best friends) is with Kirstie. Much more below…

E Online interviews some of the couples at an after party as well.

Ok, so who wants to watch the show again? šŸ™‚

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.

DWTS12 Week 1 Power Rankings

So ends the first night of season 12 šŸ˜€ Overall, I think I’m fairly happy with what transpired – I think some favorites emerged, some not-so-favorites fell from grace a little, and some personal growth was made that was really kind of cool to watch! I have to admit, this is the first season in quite some time where I went in without a clear favorite – seriously, I was watching tonight with a completely open mind.Ā  No Kelly’s, Pam’s, or Situation’sĀ to root for from day 1Ā šŸ™‚ But I think I definitely have some favorites now…I’ll let you guys figure out who they are šŸ˜‰

Thankfully, there is no elimination this week, so those couples who didn’t do so hot tonight at least have one more chance to redeem themselves and hopefully avoid next week’s elimination.Ā  But just for fun, I’m going to rank anyway, as if there were an elimination tomorrow night – just to see how these couples stack up šŸ™‚ ONWARD!

1.) Kirstie & Maks – Way to end the show with a BANG! Kirstie was energetic (yet not spastic), fun, and surprisingly on-point – I definitely think she had the strongest cha-cha of the night.Ā  It was a greatĀ balance of technique & entertainment – which is exactly what I look for in each and every dance.Ā  I loved the sass she brought to the routine – it felt natural, and not forced (like Kendra’s). She & Maks are surprisingly well-matched…I get the feeling these two really “get” each other, and being that in tune with one another is going to be a huge asset in the competition.Ā  And I know we’ve all already said it, but Kirstie is a hoot – I’m glad she doesn’t take herself too seriously.Ā  Between the buzz of the preseason, and a phenomenal performance tonight, I think these two are about as safe from elimination as you can get – Kirstie’s got a lot of people pulling for her!
2.) Ralph & Karina – I hearby retract my previous statement that Ralph was “awkward” and “might not get very far” – this was my favorite performance of the night! Ralph must sleep in a hyperbaric chamber or something, because he looks almost untouched by time – and he’s retained that boyish charm that made him so loveable in the Karate Kid movies.Ā  I have to give Karina props, too – she really seems to have a knack for foxtrots (remember the potentially disastrous “Boom Boom Pow” that she managed to make really cool last season?), and this was no exception – loved the classy, traditional feel of it.Ā  Man, Ralph can really move – he was jumping, kicking, extending, and twirling with incredible ease – I felt like I was watching an old Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers movie. He was clean, crisp, & cool.Ā  Ralph also seems to have the same self-deprecating sense of humor that Kirstie does, which seems to appeal to the masses – he doesn’t take himself too seriously, and isn’t afraid to have fun out on the floor.Ā  Now that Ralph has caught everyone’s eye, I think his fanbase will grow exponentially – as long as he & Karina can keep up the momentum they started this week.
3.) Hines & Kym – I was expecting Hines to wow me after watching his rehearsal footage, and the man did not let me down šŸ™‚ This was fun, cool, and a nice first “taste” of what Hines is capable of. I like that he’s not afraid to really move (like Romeo), and he can really work the crowd.Ā  However, he does seem like he might have a bit of the same problem that Warren had initially – he tends to be a bit clunky when he places his feet, and may struggle with more refined foot movements.Ā  But luckily for him, Kym has dealt with this before, and will get him on the right path for continued success.Ā  I thought this was a bit underscored – I would have given it at least a point higher. But I’m sure the Steeler Nation will pick up any slack in scores with their power voting šŸ˜‰
4.) Chelsea & Mark – This was a bit odd for me (and apparently Heidi & a few others who I was discussing the show with on Twitter), because at times this routine felt a bit more like something Derek would have choreographed; then Mark would inject some of his signature “spazz” into it and ruin it. I really liked the parts of it that felt fluid – mainly the parts where they actually stayed in hold – but there was wayyyy too much open work for my tastes, and it seemed…jerky.Ā  Chelsea seems like she has great potential – she actually seemed to keep up with Mark’s energy and not look totally ridiculous – but she does seem a bit wobbly, especially on her turns.Ā  However, she has a great smile and a sunny disposition, which I think will carry these two far…at least to the quarter-finals.Ā  Overall, I’d say it was pleasant, but not fantastic; and I think Mark needs to either reign it in a bit or Chelsea needs to step it up a bit so they don’t look so lopsided energy-wise.
5.) Kendra & Louis – I’m afraid these two were the biggest letdown of the evening for me – with all of the talking Louis’ been doing about Kendra being a “frontrunner”, I was expecting major moves to be busted in their routine…and unfortunately, it was just more…bust. Kendra seems to have inherited Wobbly Model syndrome, as she seemed to waver through every turn, and it actually made me a bit nervous – at one point, it looked like Louis might have almost dropped her. And I agree with whatever judge said that Kendra does everything with a bent knee – she should have a look at Kirstie, who in my opinion almost NAILED the characteristic bending & straightening action of the knees in the cha-cha…and while she’s at it, Kendra can also learn how to be “sassy” and not have it look forced & uncomfortable.Ā  And maybe it’s just me, but these two came across as the one of the least likeable couples tonight – a couple of things Kendra said just came across as a bit coarse to me, and I am already sick of Louis talking about how great Kendra is & how he deserves the MBT. Tonight, I feel like Louis took a shovel, dug a small hole, and then handed the shovel to Kendra and let her dig them into an even bigger hole. Oy vey…I hope these two can clean up both their dancing & their personalities!
6.) Ray & Anna – I hearby declare “Ray” the acceptable abbreviation of Sugar Ray’s name here at PureDWTS šŸ™‚ I got a bit worried watching their package, when I saw how seriously Ray is taking this competition – made me worry that he might have a hard time enjoying himself.Ā  But I got such joy watching him ham it up out there during his foxtrot! It started off a bit slow & stiff, but as the music played on I think he loosened up & started to have fun.Ā  Looks like Ray’s got some major issues while in dance hold, though – very stiff.Ā  He seemed to fare much better with the open work.Ā  Hopefully he’ll be able to cut loose & have fun with the jive next week.Ā  My main worry about these two is that Ray is going to get so “in his own head” in each dance that it’s going to make him forget to also HAVE FUN.Ā  But it looks like he & Anna are very well-matched, so hopefully she’ll loosen him up.
7.) Romeo & Chelsie – Ok, I think we can all admit that Romeo is nowhere near as bad as his dad šŸ™‚ That said – he still hasĀ LOTS ofĀ room for improvement.Ā  He seems way too apprehensive about cutting loose & “looking silly”, which is something he’s going to need to get over – FAST – if he wants to stick around this season.Ā  I really think that might be the one thing that’s hindering him…I saw shades of great dancing in his cha-cha tonight, as if he may have forgotten for a split second to “be cool”, and then he’d catch himself and go back to being “walls up, too cool for school” Romeo.Ā  He seems like he does have moves…somewhere underneath all that bravado.Ā  As for Chelsie – honey, maybe you’ve been spending too much time with Mark, because you’re starting to dance around your partners more & more.Ā  Make HIM dance to YOU šŸ™‚
8.) Chris & Cheryl – I’m gonna give these two a slight benefit of the doubt tonight, because I think they may have gotten stuck with the crappiest song of the night for their cha-cha…too many awkward rhythm changes.Ā  That said – I really wanted to like these two, but thisĀ was lackluster.Ā  I can see what direction Cheryl was trying to go with it – playing on the edgy “rock star” persona Chris has – but it just felt kind of awkward & tacky to me.Ā  Chris, god love him, seems to really be trying – I’m just not sure he’s succeeding.Ā  He’s a bit “stompy”, as he tends to pound his feet into every move, rather than placing them – but the poor guy is a huge bundle of muscle.Ā  I’d also like to see him really “pick up” his posture & present his chest more, because dude has a nice chest…and I like nice chests.Ā  I’m hoping he can clean up & refine some of his movements a bit more for next week, when he has a ballroom dance. I think there are less-skilled dancers with less-popular pros and fewer fans that will likely go before him, which will hopefully keep him around long enough to improve.
9.) Petra & Dmitry – Let me start of by saying this: Petra isĀ a SAINT.Ā  Someone who just seems so thankful to be alive, and wants to share that joy with others in any way she can.Ā  I think that’s an attitude we call can aspire to.Ā  I just wish that joy translated into great dancing, because this was…well, okay to marginal. The poor girl is just so tall & lanky, with limbs that go on forever, and she seems to struggle with where to put them – makes me very, very worried for her jive next week.Ā  She also seemed to get off-time a bit, which resulted in some telltale shuffling on Dmitry’s part to compensate. The choreography was pretty, but wasted too much time at the beginning and end for me – I would rather Dmitry use that time to do some sort of trick with Petra, instead of just walking around with a jacket.Ā  And unfortunatley, this song was pretty, but sleepy; the overall result was a pretty-but-sleepy dance.Ā  I’d like to see her improve, because tall, willowy ladies like her are STUNNING when they can really nail a dance – so let’s hope this performance and next week’s are enough to keep her around.
10.) Wendy & Tony – These two are just one big enigma for me.Ā  One minute, Wendy seems to be having fun and being goofy; the next, she’s somber & in tears. And it’s only the first week!Ā Her cha-cha kind of felt the same way for me – she started off looking like she was ready to have fun & cut loose, and then she’s making these tiny, timid little movements the whole time. If Wendy is known for injecting major attitude into everything she does, then I’m sorry, but there must have been an imposter out on the floor tonight.Ā  Tony was a total non-event in this dance for me –Ā I forgot he was even there.Ā  I’d say these two are probably the most awkward pairing, as neither one seems to mesh very well with the other – and I feel like neither is 100% invested in the show this season, and it shows.Ā  I’m tentatively putting these two as safe, because I think Wendy’s alleged “huge fanbase” (we’ll see about that) might rally to keep her around if she sucks again next week.Ā  But she could be interchangeable with…
11.) Mike & Lacey –Ā  FACT: DWTS viewers have, historically, not really been huge fans of comedians (think Penn Jillette, David Allen Grier, Jeff Ross, Ashley Hamilton, etc.).Ā  FACT: They also don’t seem to like celebs who don’t seem to be taking the competition seriously.Ā  I think Mike may have violated both of those rules tonight by putting off the “I’m a funny perv who doesn’t really care about how I do on the show” vibe.Ā  I thought the guy was hilarious (and I will save my detailed opinion for the cheesecake ;-)), but some less laid-back viewers could just take it as Mike being an ass. And this foxtrot didn’t do he or Lacey any favorsĀ – there are no words. It was just…”special”.Ā  And an all-around hot mess.Ā  I would say this dance could be the final nail in the coffin for these two, but something tells me that if Lacey can pull out a decent jive (and Wendy can be timid & tearful another week), then they may get a “get out of jail free” pass.Ā  But I’m skeptical, considering that people are still saying “Mike WHO?”
Woohoo! My first rankings of the regular season are donesky – so what do you guys think? Who are the front-runners, who’s in the middle of the pack, and who’s bringing up the rear? Let’s hear it! And stay tuned for some cheesecake later in the week…Heidi & I are already preheating the oven…;-)
March 21, 2011 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 Season 12, Week 1 – Let’s Talk Dancing

I figured we needed a location to talk during and after the show ABOUT the show, until Courtney gets her Power Rankings done.

There are no Spoilers here, so if you don’t want to know, DON’T READ! I don’t want to hear any complaining just cuz ya’ll can’t turn off the computer.

LET’S DANCE!!!!

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. :-)