The Pros and Cons of the DWTS Pros – The Derek and Karina Edition
This is a part of the Pros and Cons of the DWTS pros Series. You can check out all the posts in this series here.
Derek Hough
Heidi: I don’t think it’s any secret that Derek is my absolute favorite pro – although I’ve tried so hard to hide it. LOL. Derek is my favorite for many more reasons than good looks. The boy has IT – that mystery quality. Charisma, charm – whatever it is. But besides that, he has a way with his partners, regardless of their talent or lack thereof. I’ve always gotten the feeling that he genuinely likes/loves all of them (obviously, some more than others lol). I don’t know what it is he does, but he manages to make what they do not only entertaining but very re-watchable. He just choreographs an entertaining dance while showcasing his partner very well. I think the reason why his dances mesmerize me is because he’s the most musical of all the pros. He choreographs TO the music – it’s like he sees the music and the corresponding moves that are required, in his head. When Derek says, “It’s the music’s fault” I absolutely understand where he’s coming from – I don’t think he has it in him to go against the music. Just watch that foxtrot with Nicole or his Paso with Jennie Garth – or any of the 3 or 4 dances that pissed Len off – he puts in these little finishing touches that I don’t know if most pros attempt. He’s very musically inspired in his choreography. As for his dancing? IMO, it’s the sharpest, crispest and just plain fastest of any of the men at least. In re-watching his Paso with Jennie, he starts the dance with a spin of such speed that I don’t know how it’s possible. Amazing. And hot. 😉 There’s at least one dance a season where he makes a move that is so fast and sharp that I’m compelled to re-wind to see it again.
John: Derek definitely is one of my favorite choreographers. He has a creativity in his choreography that is really interesting. I’d still like to see him choreograph on SYTYCD so that he wasn’t strapped by the rules of DWTS. It would be pretty cool to see what he might create. I guess we get it with the freestyle some, but that’s even more reason I’d like to see it. My biggest pain with Derek is when he gets up on his pedestal as “The Pro.” He had a few moments with Nicole that were a little annoying. Seemed out of character for the general happy go lucky easy going character that we usually see. Maybe the producers just cut him that way. Sure he’s in charge, but we’re not talking about Kate who totally gave up. Plus, Derek is often a little too politically correct for my liking. I’d probably do the same as him (Heidi thinks that about me I’m sure), but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to watch someone else tell me what they really think. Plus, Pure DWTS is more interesting with a little drama;-)
Courtney: What can I say about Derek that hasn’t already been said? 🙂 He’s truly a brilliant choreographer, he’s still in his physical prime and can execute all those lightening-fast turns and jumps, and I’m also impressed by his unexpected gymnastic abilities (I’m still floored by the tumbling pass he did during he & Julianne’s pro dance to Jennifer Hudson in season 7). I also have to give him props for thinking of clever ways to either showcase his partners’ abilities (such as Nicole’s PCD hair-flipping in her jive) or mask their weaknesses (hello, fringey pants on those with sub par hip action). And on top of that – he’s just a nice guy. Aside from his little meltdown with Shannon in the confessional after their rumba, he’s generally pretty even-tempered and charming in the press…but echoing John’s sentiments, he’s sometimes just a bit too PC for me. I’d like to see him get a little feistier when asked about bad calls made by the judges – lord knows there’s been plenty, and some of the other pros have raised hell about it. Other than that, my only other complaint is rather silly – the boy doesn’t have the greatest taste in women. I would highly recommend he stop going after the likes of Shannon Elizabeth & Cheryl Cole and go after a real gem – my PDWTS partner-in-crime, Heidi 😉
Marianya: Without a doubt Derek is right up there when it comes to choreography. Taking celebs with any or no dance experience and making it look like they have some week after week is impressive. As much as I enjoy his dances at the moment that they are done, I don’t find myself watching them over and over again like many others seem to. Sometimes I feel like he focuses too much on wow and personality that the art of it gets lost… and once in a while I’d like to see the art of dance, something more subtler. But that’s me. He also seems to be one of the most even tempered of the pros, which although is really good I’d like to see him, as Courtney said it best, get feistier. Be a bit more out there, rather than just putting a cap on the personality factor and keeping a calm demeanor… maybe that’s what it is for me, as a person he just seems to be a blank canvas that a painter is trying to paint onto but doesn’t know what because he’s too afraid that he would create unnecessary controversy. Then again, there are moments, as John pointed out, that Derek goes, “I’m the Pro” and it turns him off completely. Or maybe it’s because I think of him as someone that I would love to meet and get to know, but is more like vodka… great in small doses but definitely not good for you in the long run.
Heidi: LOL Courtney – I’ll take him! Unfortunately, Cheryl Cole beat me too it – he’s in lurve. 🙂 My other response is – don’t mess with success. And when he gets all “I’m the Pro” – well, I’m sorry, but that’s HOT. 🙂 That’s what Dmitry should have done with Mya, actually. Seriously, though, he is too PC sometimes. Always saying the right thing, never getting mad at the judges, etc. Heidi puts on Psychoanalyst hat…remember his season with Shannon? When he literally blew a gasket in confessional?? I mean, he went OFF. At the time, it was a classic case of “You bastards made my girlfriend cry” syndrome. But I think he was sincerely horrified by what he saw on TV that week and vowed that he would not let it happen again. You do see glimpses of him getting angry – kicking the cd player, ripping his jacket off and throwing it – but it seems he’s learned a little too well from a previous experience. I heard he actually wrote personal “I’m sorry” notes to everyone in the cast in Season 6. There’s something else at work there, and I’m not sure what it is, unless it’s the Mormon upbringing trying to reassert itself. Or maybe he convinced himself that his temper cost his partner – which is ridiculous because Shannon was not going to win, in any case.
John: Him (or any of them) getting all “I’m the Pro” is not hot. Although, I guess we just learned something about Heidi now didn’t we?
Heidi: It best not be hot to you, John, or I’ll have to have a talk with your wife.
Marianya: Heidi, as many people have told me over the years… until there is a wedding band on that finger it’s open season. Not that I condone that kind of behavior mind you, but a lot of others seem to. 😀 Nice to know that you like the controlling side of Derek, now we know what kind of guy to send to you.
Karina Smirnoff
Heidi: I don’t think I fully appreciated Karina until she wasn’t there anymore. Because of my love of watching Derek dance, I took most notice of her when she danced with Derek in a Pro dance on Season 8 – to that little Disney girl whose name is escaping me right now. I think I have Maks to thank for that. 🙂 Anyway, when watching her dance with Derek I realized that she is probably Derek’s equal in terms of sharp and fast – she not only kept up with him, but I watched her as much as him. And that is saying something! For as much as Aaron Carter’s personality bugged me, she really got some good dances out of him – I think she actually taught him the steps and I never got the feeling (as far as I can remember) that she danced around him – many of the female pros have that tendency, unfortunately. But what has struck me on a few occassions about Karina is that she’s fearless – how many times on DWTS (and off) has she gone air borne?? There was an opening pro dance in season 5 or 6 where she flew off the stage to Maks and then was thrown to Tony – I remember gasping out loud. Same thing when she danced with Maks at the Emmys – good lord. She dances fierce, like the Queen of the Ballroom – and I mean that in a good way.
John: I remember when I first fell in love with Karina. I was just starting to blog about Dancing with the Stars (on the predecessor to this site called Something for Nothing) and I came across this picture of Karina dancing in a DanceSport competition (which I can’t find now). In the picture Karina’s bending her back into basically a U shape unsupported by her partner other than one hand. It’s one of the most unbelievable dance pictures I’ve seen and since then Karina’s back bends have been some of my favorites. Karina’s partners have been a bit lackluster for me ever since she had Mario Lopez. He was a great partner for her. Karina doesn’t change who she is for her partner and so that makes some of her partnerships seem awkward to me. Plus, I adore that she doesn’t hide anything on the show. When she’s in front of the judges she’ll either say what she’s thinking or you can see it right on her face. It’s beautiful. I’d be totally comfortable meeting all of the pros, but I have a feeling if I were to ever meet Karina (and Edyta) I’d be like a little school boy meeting a girl for the first time. Talk about being intimidated by a strong powerful woman. That’s Karina!
Courtney: Karina is a ballroom GODDESS. Prior to joining the cast of DWTS, she was the quintessential “IT” girl in the professional Latin ballroom scene – she’s the only woman to ever make the British pro final with three different partners, and her show dances were legendary. And homegirl has brought that with her to the DWTS stage in a big way – she is by far the best female technician, IMO, as she has this uncanny ability to really sqqqqeeeezzzze every last drop of juice out of every step she takes – those hips, those legs, that torso….she works all of them 110%, and with razor sharp precision. And she puts that work ethic on her partners, too – as Heidi mentioned, she refuses to let them stand there while she dances around them. She seems to make an effort to really make those guys learn their dances, and the technique behind them. And oooh wee – she dominates the pro dances. My fave was definitely the one to “Maneater” in season 8, when she danced circles around Maks, Tony, and Dmitry – not an easy feat. So why isn’t Karina more popular with the fans? I’m guessing it’s because she can often come across as cold or detached, and this seems to be a recurring theme with some of the eastern European pros (let’s face it, Americans are pretty vocal compared to a lot of eastern European cultures!). While she is prone to the occasional snippy comment or eye roll, I daresay she’s mellowed quite a bit since she started the show, and anyone who can deal with the mercurial moods of Aaron Carter is a saint in my book!
Marianya: Karina is, without a doubt, my absolute favorite female pro. If I ever danced ballroom, she’d be the female dance I would love to emulate. I mean just look at her legs as she presses her foot against the floor… you don’t get quads like that by just dancing, but by dancing if that makes any sense. Sure she seemed to turn off a lot of people at the beginning by her poutiness and demeanor, but considering she’s from eastern Europe I’m none to surprised. Plus she’s beautiful and is able to deal with the mood swings of other people… I mean come on, if she could deal with Aaron Carter and put up with Maksim’s antics for so long, that’s saying something. 🙂 If you want strong, classic, ballroom dancing you look at Karina without question, and that’s really what I like… good, strong, classic ballroom.
Heidi: Is Karina not popular with fans? Or is that a myth constructed by disgruntled Maks fans? I mean, seriously, the girl is amazing and she showed a lot of class over that whole mess. I don’t think she ever said a word in the press. And why is it okay for the men to be snippy and not the women? Look out – here comes my soap box: why does Karina get put down when Maks was the one spouting off to the press (and doing the eye roll and snippy thing too)?? Someone clue me in!! Although it could be as simple as the Eastern European thing – Anna suffered the same thing until last season. But I thought Karina was great with Aaron, and following her on Twitter she seems very sweet.
Marianya: Heidi, When Karina first started, she always had this look that was pouty or she rolled her eyes or when she had pursed lips when things seemed to not go her way… a lot of people read that in a negative light. This happened particular during results or while the judges were giving their critiques… so a lot of people read Karina as a brat (to use a tamer word) or elitist. So when news of the Karina/Maks pairing came to light everyone was so against Karina thinking that Maksim could do better. Honestly Karina could do better… but that’s just me.
Courtney: Yeah, I agree that Karina has gotten a bit of a bum rap due to the whole demise of her engagement to Maks. But her slightly diva-ish behavior in earlier seasons didn’t help, either. Again, I think Karina has calibrated to the rhythm of the show at this point, and knows that eye rolls and pouty lips are going to get her nowhere. It’s kind of in the same vein as Derek’s temper tantrum in the confessional – he was still relatively new to the show, and I get the feeling that new pros are still under the (false) assumption that DWTS is like a real competition – technique takes precedent over flashiness, basics are more important than entertainment, etc. We all know that DWTS couldn’t be further from being a real ballroom competition 😉 But at first, I think the pros don’t (consciously) know that. Hence, the indignation, temper tantrums, & outbursts during their first season or two when basic ballroom “law” is made a mockery of…but then they get used to it, and they shut their yapper and just do their best to let it roll off their back when the judges act a fool. 🙂
Heidi: Well, except for Maks. 😉
Courtney: Hehe…good point!
John: I think Karina is popular because she hasn’t hid her feelings (or she’s tried, but partially failed). If she ever became the nice girl (like Chelsie) we’d all call her a fake and she’d lose all her fans. She is who she is and we love her for it.
Round Up:
Derek Hough
Heidi: Oh please – like you don’t know. 🙂
John: Great choreography, mediocre interview.
Courtney: A huge bright spot on the show with a promising future…if he can just keep focusing on his career and not his lady friends 😉 (Heidi Note: From your lips to God’s ear)
Marianya: He’s like vodka, good to have once in a while… and even then only in small doses.
Karina Smirnoff
Heidi: Queen of the Ballroom!
John: Man…now that’s a woman.
Courtney: A goddess in the pantheon of DWTS.
Marianya: This woman descends all heights of ballroom godliness.
I LOVE them both! If it wasn’t after 1 AM here I’d elaborate. LOL Perhaps tomorrow.
The outfit Karina is wearing with Maks is the same outfit Brooke wore for her salsa with Derek 🙂
I’ll admit, wasn’t too big of a fan of Derek from the camera hogging point of view. Now I’ve turned over a new leaf and have appreciated him more :). I absolutely loooove Karina to pieces and believe she is quite the teacher. I think she actually does really good choreography too, it just doesn’t look as good as someone like Cheryl, who does a lot of flipping of the hair to grab more attention to mediocre choreography. I also am on Karina’s side in the whole Maks/Karina debacle, because unlike some crazy Maks fans, who believe he can do no wrong, I know some behind the scene stuff that really happened and he is not all that his fans believe. Plus, he was the one going to the tabloids/tv stations broadcasting it instead of keeping it private, like it should be, between the two of them. She was way more professional about it than Maks. Anyways, I love them both (Derek and Karina) as dancers and choreographers :).
Derek is a great choreographer but I cannot support him to win this season, he’s won twice now and it’s time for someone else to win. I’m behind Maks and Brandy.
Love this post! Derek is my absolute favorite pro. He is a great choreographer and teacher. He always brings out the best in his partners. He has a bright future ahead of him if he will stay focus and I might add let his fans know once in a while what he is up to. Can not wait until Monday. I will be voting for him and Jennifer.
I have to say when Karina was not on last season, it made me appreciate her more. She is as you guys posted, “the queen of ballroom.”
Hehe… your personal biases are showing a little, I think. But that’s okay, it’s your blog. 🙂
My personal opinion on Derek is that the one thing he lacks to be really great is to choreograph a true couple dance. There’s so seldom connection between him and his partners. His routines showcase both of them dancing… together – but not WITH each other. I expect more out of the golden boy. (And really, he adores that camera, doesn’t he?)
As for Karina, I just can’t deal with her pouty, eye-rolling, little princess routine. Yes, she’s a spectacular dancer, but her attitude of entitlement just bugs me. I think if she put aside the persona of ballroom sex kitten, I’d like her more. 🙂
But you know, I’m not a professional, I just know what and who I like to watch. 🙂
Cheers!
I love Derek to death! He and Maks are my fave male dancers equally and for different reasons. Derek feels the “music” and he’s so creative (that future number he did with Joanna was his ultimate BEST) and Maks is so compassionate. I can’t say enough about both dancers and we need them both to mix up the show whether you like one or the other or not.
Karina is the bomb. She’s my third favorite female dancer (next to Edyta and Anna). She’s a great teacher. I loved what she did with Mario and they were steaming hot together!! Not sure we will see that with the Situation. Right now, I’m not feeling it. I’m not going to comment on whatever happened with Maks. But, I always feel like it takes two when something goes wrong.
Anyway, another super fun post! Thanks Guys!! You Rock! I love the pics you chose too!
6 more days and counting (not counting today)!! 😉
I agree with your review of Karina. She is incredible and her dances with Slavik are the stuff of legend. Derek on the other hand? I find his ‘I’m the Pro’ bit annoying. His choreography is repetitive and he relies too much on tricks instead of substance. The one exception to this is his Paso Doble choreography, which is stellar. He tends to do dances that have a lot of flash for each but are not really ‘coupled’. He has also made some bad judgment calls over the seasons that have hurt is celebrity partner – for example that lift with Nicole lat season at the end of the song where he tried to argue it was after the music stopped. It wasn’t and it affecter her score. Why even put that in a routine where lifts were not allowed? And then argue when he got called on it?
Louis is far and away the best choreographer in the bunch and as far as DWTS had a real knack for bringing out the best in the celebs, getting those seen as unlikely contenders far int eh competitions.
Love, love, love this feature!
Karina is my all-time favourite dancer, both on DWTS, and off. I was extremely surprised when she agreed to do the show because I thought it would be “beneath” her, being she was so big in the dancing world (Slavik turned it down), but I love watching her on it. I can’t believe her perfection and grace on the floor, and often feel badly that a show like DWTS won’t show off her full talents, simply because she’s forced to tone down her skills in order to dance with non-pros.
Derek I also love, because of his choreography and his crisp, clean moves. I also like how he consistently showcases his partner, no matter how weak or strong they are, and finds something positive to accentuate in their moves and personalities. You know that still this site posted the other day, the one that accompanied the article about what women look for in a male dancer? Well, in that shot you can see him looking at Nicole to make sure she’s all right, you know, still enjoying the dance but not forgetting he’s the teacher and there to watch out for her.
I don’t know how many times I’ve re-watched his dances. He is my favourite male dancer on the show (Slavik my fave off the show) and he just gets better and better. He’s going to do great things with his career.
Adding;
Courtney on Derek: “I also have to give him props for thinking of clever ways to either showcase his partners’ abilities (such as Nicole’s PCD hair-flipping in her jive…”
I always love that about him too. I loved that signature move he created for him and Joanna where she would fall backwards somehow and he would grab and hold her back bouncing to the music with one hand while the other was up in the air. Everytime they did that, I was stoked. Brillaint!! They’ve been my fave couple ever on this show. He and Nicole were too fast most of the time and it was hard to absorb. Sometimes I wanted to scream “Slow it down a little, will ya?”. That’s how I feel a lot with Cheryl too.
Vogue,
I agree with you that the show needs both Maks and Derek. It will be a sad day if and when one and/or both of them leave the show. They both provide an interesting contrast to each other’s style.
Whoops! Tried to post a link from Now magazine and it didn’t show up. Supposedly Bruno claims Chery and Derek have broken up. Don’t know if it’s true or not though.
Thanks John. Exactly! I hope they will always be hired for every season or it just wouldn’t be the same. I know Maks is “controversial”. But, wrong or right, he’s entertaining and he gives something for people to think about and discuss personally and with his dancing, etc (much like Madonna….another one of my favorite entertainers. lol). And he knows his stuff.
I agree with Peach about Louis too. We can’t forget about him!
Evaine – Agree with you that I just don’t see much connection between Derek & his partners. I view some of his routines and come away with that it was a really great dance but I’m never really moved by them. As a few others have said, he is a little too PC for me that I really don’t feel like I know who he is.
Karina is an exceptional dancer. No question about it. However, people disliking her came way before Maks. I think part of it was how she dealt with the Mario loss.
@Cameron – Yes, indeed it is 🙂 We will be featuring it in an upcoming edition of “Who Wore it Better?”. The dress Chelsie is wearing in the first picture was also worn by Cheryl for her paso with Gilles. You can check it out in Who Wore it Better? Part I.
@Karla – Not to put you on the defensive, but do you really think it’s fair to write off one of the pros just because they’ve already won twice? Yes, it’s a nice, warm-fuzzy thought to think that all the pros should “take turns” winning, but shouldn’t it be based on skill or popularity? I just don’t think I could watch a truly great performance and say “Yeah, that was the best performance tonight – but I’m not gonna support that couple because the pro has already won twice.” I just think it would be unfair to both the pro and the celeb…if they are truly the best dancers (and the public likes them), shouldn’t they deserve to win?
Courtney – Your reasoning would indicate that people should always vote for the best performance. Karla indicated she wouldn’t vote for Derek because he has won twice. Is that really any different than people saying they will vote only for Derek, Maks, Anna, etc..no matter what their dances look like?
Just like Karla said she wouldn’t vote for Derek because he’s won twice, there are those who will vote only for Derek whether he has the best performance or not. I just don’t see the difference really.
@Guest – No, my reasoning does NOT indicate that the best performance should always win….I said if they’re dancing well and popular with the public, then they should win. It comes down to voting behavior in my eyes: there are going to be the people who always vote for their favorite pro, no matter what; there are going to be the people who vote for their favorite celeb, no matter what; and then there are the people who actually watch the entire show and vote for what they think is the best performance week-to-week. And through this combination of voting styles, I think America has still gotten the winner right every season – each couple that has won has been, in my opinion, both good dancers and been popular with the public. And honestly, by time the finale rolls around, most people are actually voting for the best anyway – we have some more DWTS Stat Class posts coming up that tend to prove this. The only time that those voting for their favorite pros regardless tend to make a difference in during the first few weeks of the competition, when it’s the battle of the pro fanbases and those with smaller ones tend to get the boot earlier.
Karla (and everyone else) is free to vote however she wants. It just seems to me to be a contradiction for someone to say “Yah, I really like so-and-so, and they’re a great choreographer, and they’ve been dancing great – but I’m gonna vote for someone else instead because they’ve already won twice.”
My favorite Derek moment was his meltdown with Shannon….best TV moment after Tony’s I Quit moment in my DWTS book. LOL!
I’m gonna write off Derek untill he gets a Kim K., or a Bristol, or a Kate G. If he had a meltdown with Shannon, I can only imagine.
And I’m still pissed that you wrote that crap about Tony… but managed to write great posts for all the others…
BTW, I’m not Guest number 16….
Guest 16, Please get a bit original and find another nickname….
Re guest: And I’m still pissed that you wrote that crap about Tony… but managed to write great posts for all the others…
If it makes you feel any better, I think Tony’s will be tame compared to what they have to say about Maks.
btw – I changed my name just for you guest.
Battle of the Guest posters.
Guest 16, I actually agree with you that people who just always vote for their favorite pro regardless of how they dance and who they’re with are kind of like someone who doesn’t vote for someone because they’ve won twice. Both end up leaning on some personal bias that changes their voting.
The problem is that when we start saying that this type of voting pattern is wrong. There’s no right and wrong in voting (at least on shows like DWTS). Each person gets their votes and gets to choose how they want to use it. If I want to vote for someone just because they wore a pink outfit, that’s all good. We can wield our voting power however we want.
We can certainly think that someone’s voting decisions are weird, foolish, messed up, etc. However, that doesn’t make them wrong.
I never said that it was wrong to vote that way – I just said I didn’t understand the reasoning behind it. Again, I reiterate – vote however you want. In the end I don’t think it will really matter, because it seems like the voting really reaches an equilibrium by time the finals rolls around anyway – an equilibrium that generally favors the good dancers with the good personalities. But if you’re gonna write one pro off because they’ve already won – you may as well write off all the pros that have already won. Honestly, if I were a pro, I’d like to think people were voting for me & my celeb partner because they thought our dancing was deserving of it – not just because I hadn’t won yet. I personally wouldn’t feel right winning based solely on pity votes.
Hmmm…I think I’d be ok with winning based on pity votes. I think the payout for winning is A LOT more for the pros;-)
I do agree that it’s kind of silly to not vote for someone since they already won. Although, I think it’s silly that people just blindly vote for their favorite star/pros too. Good thing I like being silly;-)
Ooh John, them’s fightin’ words about people blindly voting for their favorite star/pro 😉 But people usually have favorites for a reason – usually because they’re good at what they do or just have a great personality. So it all kinda goes back to that “voting equilibrium”…what may seem like blind favoritism on the surface becomes legitimate support upon closer examination.
I guess what really doesn’t compute for me is if someone was like, “Oh yah, [insert pro here] is a great choreographer, they & their partner dance really well, I love their routines, and they’re totally likeable…but they’ve already won, so I’m not gonna vote for them.” It almost seems like meeting the man (or woman) of your dreams, and saying “They’re gorgeous, they’re kind, they’re funny, they’re financially independent…but they have freckles. So I’m not gonna date them.” Just seems like cutting off your nose to spite your face to me.
Freckles is a total deal breaker for me. So, I totally understand;-)
Good think you don’t mind being silly, John, because freckles as a deal breaker is just madness. 🙂
I can’t contribute much to this conversation because work is insane, but I will say that someone’s “connection with their partner” is totally subjective – I think Derek has always been connected with his partners. Sometimes too much. But in any case, I see it more with him than with some of the others.
The rest of the complaints about Derek just strike me as silly, so I won’t even go there. We all have biases (and I include EVERYONE reading this site), for AND against different pros. That’s just the way it is.
Ooops, forgot Carlie – disregard all UK publications. They’re all worthless. They’ve been quoting people about Derek and Cheryl all summer long and nearly every person quoted has come forward and said “I never said any such thing.” It would be highly amusing, if it weren’t so pathetic. It’s no wonder they’re getting sued all the time over there. I highly doubt that Derek and Cheryl would spend 3 straight months together only to break it off when she has to go back for the X-factor. I have 10 bucks that he’s on the first plane to London once this season is over. Although, he has a new project starting after the first of the year, so he won’t be gone as long. 🙂
Thanks, Heidi. I never know how much stock to put into any of the Derek/Chery reports.
Heidi – of course my comment about Derek not having much of a connection with his partners is subjective. Most of the comments here, including those made by the ones writing this blog, are subjective. It was MY opinion.
Derek is the quintessential dancer on television today. If he stays in dance, his name will be along side the great choreographers in 10 years. He’s just that good.
Karina is a ballroom legend, and Derek is the only one, I feel is her match on the dance floor. When she danced to “Maneater” with Tony Maks and Dmitry backing her up, she was eating them up. It was the Karina show, in the way that Great Balls of Fire was the Derek and Julianne show. They are in their own league.
As great dancers they are tempermental teachers, I’ve heard that Derek throws things in rehearsal, while Karina pouts. Perfectionists tend to be very demonstrative in their feelings because they care too much. Not all great artists are people you necessarily want to have a beer with, but they are the ones I want to watch, because it’s like getting a pro or a minor leaguer. I want to see the best.
In so far as Derek not connecting with his partners, I concede there does at times seem to be a disconnect. I think it’s because of Derek’s youthful enthusiasm it’s not always channeled constructively. But last season with Nicole as his partner there was never a hotter dance than that Argentine Tango. Not only was it beautiful, and perfectly executed there was a really intense chemistry that made me want it to last much much longer than the minute thirty, an in those moments Derek grew older….like a great Malbec wine from Argentina, or a Pablo Neruda love poem, that dance has stayed in my mind as one of the great moments on television.
My two absolute favorite pros on the show. Derek, my favorite, of course, & Karina!
Karina,
I absolutely love this girl. She is an amazing performer. I think she like Derek tends to get a bad rep. I have to admit though, when I first saw her on tv with Mario, she did come across so pleasant but I understand now it could have been that way because she cares so much. When I saw her on tour, she was extremely charming and fun. She has responded to me on multiple times on twitter. Of course I love that. The girl is just oustanding on the dance floor. I agree the Queen indeed. I really missed her on S10! I hope Mike is good and catches on well because he has a great teacher, choreographer and amazing professional. I would love to see her go far in this competition.
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Derek, Wow, what can I say, I adore him for so many reasons. I became an instant fan, the fist time I saw him dance wih his sister in Season 4. He’s an amazing performer, incredibly creative choreographer-setting the bar in many cases and one of the best teachers on the show IMO.
Derek is one of the most charismatic, energetic, amazing performers that I have ever seen & definitely the type of performer that leaves you in awe and mesmirized! He adds a good feeling to the show!
The way he choreographs for his partners is almost like it was tailor made for them.-lol He absolutely challenges his partners but he makes sure that they have a fun and memorable time as well. He choreographs and dances like the music flows right through his veins, The rumba he choregraphed for Jennie was perfectly pitched and the V. Waltz he did for Joanna was breathtaking. It was like watching Prince Charming and his Princess. He has a beautiful connection with all of his partners and it comes through in the dance. He is extremly protective of all of them. Just seems like one of the nicest guys ever.
No matter what level his partner is on he makes sure they are showcased to the best of their abilities.
Multi-Emmy nominations! Derek, definitely has the IT factor. A multi-talented artist and entertainer. I think he has a very promising career ahead of him & I look forward to one day “soon I hope” of seeing him on the big screen! His smoothness, charisma, and athleticism are reminiscent of the greats like Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire!
Derek, Prince charming of the Dancefloor!-I just adore him!
Derek is without a doubt my favorite male pro on the show. He is definitely an amazing choreographer. On the whole connection discussion, I would just say it’s under everyone’s opinions. I have two good examples that I always use. 1. Mya from season 9. Many felt that all her dances were amazing connection and performance wise, while I felt a bit cold after each. 2. Evan Lysacek from last season. There were some who said their argentine tango was way more intense and passionate than Nicole’s. I felt cold after Evan’s as well. What it really comes down to, IMO, is someone’s personlity or their feelings. Something that is beautiful to someone may be unattractive to another. Bias also comes into play. While Derek is my favorite, I will admit there were a few dances with Brooke that felt lackluster for me in connection.
I absoulely adore Karina! She is one of my favorite female pros and I’m glad to see her back this season. I really hope she and The Situation can make it through despite the reduced rehearsal time, because Karina can really bring out some great dances if she has a good partner.
To my opinion, Derek is the best choreographer of the show and a amazing teacher. In 4 seasons, I think there are only 2 dances I didn’t like though they were great dances, his argentine tango with Lil’ Kym, which was more a “broadway” tango than an argentine tango, far too clean (no sweat, no smoke, no sex) and as Lil’ Kym said “pretty and romantic” and his mambo marathon with Joanna which was more a salsa than a mambo and suffered from comparison (to my opinion only) to Mya & Dmitri mambo. His waltz with Joanna & Brooke were so beautiful it made me cry and his futuristic and 50’s paso doble were piece of genius (and yes a want a paso from the Renaissance this year ;)).
But I have to say he has been lucky with his partners too, no Belinda Carlisle or Holly Madison for him.
I can’t imagine DWTS without him or Maks (for other reasons), and I can wait to see what he’s gonna do with Jennifer Grey.
I began to appreciate Karina in season 9 with Aaron Carter for whom she made great choreographies, but she’s still not my favorite female pro, I think her choreographies for Rocco and Steve Wosniak were really not that good.
Derek won last season, for him to win again this would be two consecutive seasons in a row, not okay to me.
Julianne Hough and Cheryl Burke won two years in a row.
hey,i’m from malaysia n the only reason i watch dwts to be honest is bcz of Derek! not only is he a brilliant choreographer n dancer but i think he’s very intelligent as well! he manages to create routines that showcases his partner’s abilities while hiding most of their flaws. not only that,his choreo has just the right mix of ‘flash’ n traditional stuff so that both Len n the audience r happy. at other times,he takes calculated risks when he ignores the traditional stuff,knowing that the audience would love it enough to ensure he n his partner would get the necessary votes to remain in the competition