The Dancing Poetry Corner – The Super Bowl of Dance

Tenth Anniversary Dancing With The Stars Special
June 1, 2005 to the Present

The Super Bowl of Dance

Touchdowns were scored all night long at The Super Bowl of Dance! The enormity of the production, the memories, everything on a huge celebration scale resembled The Super Bowl! Ten years, twenty seasons, deserved to be celebrated on that grand scale!

Dancing With the Stars had humble beginnings but has turned into The Super Bowl of Dance! The show is an ABC wonder. A juggernaut has evolved out of those humble beginnings. This show is The Best Entertainment Show on The Planet!

I am still on a major high from being privileged to share in The Super Bowl of Dance! The Anniversary Special, the 20 Seasons of Dancing With The Stars, scored a touchdown in our hearts. The family the show resembles is like our family. I grew up with this family, so to speak.  I have proudly seen every season, every show. It is a happy atmosphere to visit each night it is on the air.

223 stars have paraded through the Ballroom doors. 42 astounding, stellar pros have been part of the show. As of April 28, 2015, 353 episodes have aired. There have been five hosts, Tom Bergeron, Erin Andrews, Brooke Burke-Charvet, Samantha Harris, and Lisa Canning. Two fill-ins were Drew Lachey and Leah Remini. The Judges table has been very stable with the four stalwarts Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Julianne Hough. There have been several rotating guest hosts.

I tried to count as many stars, pros, hosts, judges that were in attendance. I came up with a list of approximately 75. I know I didn’t spot everyone. It would have been an awesome idea to introduce everyone there. But, of course there were time restraints.

Let the Super Bowl of Dance Begin!

The atmosphere was like a gigantic Dance Party! The Ballroom was shaking, applause ringing out to the rafters! Smiles and laughter were the rule! The Opening was a Golden Spectacle befitting the occasion. A high energy, rocking and rolling dance revue gave the Ballroom a sparkling glow. Current and former pros, former stars, dotted the dancing landscape. Golden costumes added to the celebratory atmosphere.

Tom Bergeron mentioned highlights of the 20 Seasons all throughout the show. A look back at past champions elicited many memories before our eyes. The very first Champion, Kelly Monaco and Val Chmerkovskiy danced a dynamic Paso Doble which segued into a hot, steamy Flamenco! What a way to usher in the show! In my opinion, Kelly is the true dancing match for Val. They are dancing dynamos!

Alfonso Ribiero and Witney Carson and Meryl Davis and Maksim Chmerkovsky dazzled the Ballroom crowd! Not missing any beats, they put on a super show in The Super Bowl of Dance!

A special number was executed with amazement! Former partners of Derek Hough and Mark Ballas took the floor. Returning were Maria Menounos, Kristi Yamaguchi, Katherine Jenkins, Amber Riley, Amy Purdy, and Chelsea Kane. Filling in for Derek very ably was Sasha Farber. A high spirited number in black magically turned into the ladies, Sasha and Mark in fiery red costumes. How did they do that? It was a super feat in The Super Bowl of Dance.

Mishaps, injuries, and tantrums were highlighted. It was as scary as the first times seeing those injuries happen on tape, or live. The rigors of the show can take its toll leading to a few withdrawals.

Maks was surprised with his audition tape. His scrapes with Len were highlighted but they entered in a display of unity on a bicycle built for two. Billy Ray Cyrus shook the Ballroom with his musical prowess!

A special section on those with physical limitations was super in The Super Bowl of Dance. They are the Superheros of the Ballroom – Marlee Matlin, Heather Mills, Noah Galloway, Amy Purdy, and J R Martinez. Lisa Rinna declared they exhibited Hope for others afflicted.

How the show has evolved was discussed by several pros. Technology has no limits, from sets to lighting to animation to Derek’s rotating room. The sky is the limit for what can be tackled in the future.

Melissa Rycroft and Tony Dovoloni reprised their partnership. Winners of All-Stars, they wowed the crowd in The Super Bowl of Dance! She will he hosting the Summer Tour. I will be excitedly attending the tour with two friends at the Hershey PA tour stop! We cannot wait to see the cast up close and personal! I scored tickets six rows from the stage! Not bad, huh!

The judges related their picks for favorite dances out of the 20 seasons. Len chose Julianne and Helio’s Banana Man Quickstep. Carrie Ann chose Amy and Derek’s Contemporary. Julianne chose Peta and Donald’s Argentine Tango. Bruno chose Mel and Maks’s Paso Doble. I agree with all of their choices. I have many favorites. How to choose? Here is one of mine – Emma and Bill and The Lone Ranger! I adored that routine! Bill Engvall was as a sharp as a tack, delivering a dynamite dance! He exhibited sheer enthusiasm in his run on the show. He said in a taped appearance how he missed every minute. I believe most of those 223 stars who participated would agree with him.

Tom asked Len to share his thoughts on how the show has evolved. Len says it seems everything is the same but by the same token everything has changed. The essence of the show remains the same. The standards by production standpoint eclipse and get better season after season. I surely do agree. The show tops itself all the tine. As spectacular as it is now, that is how much more spectacular it will become in the future!

My football guys were out of this world in their high powered super Paso Doble in The Super Bowl Of Dance! The music was highly appropriate – The Monday Night Football Theme! My word, their quality of dance was taken to new heights. Accompanied by Anna Trebunskaya, Karina Smirnoff and Emma Slater, they scored touchdown after touchdown! I was simply awe-struck! Kurt Warner, Jacoby Jones, Jerry Rice, Donald Driver, Michael Irvin, Hines Ward, and Emmitt Smith did themselves proud!

Stars related how the show has changed their lives. Katherine Jenkins, Maria Menounos, Ralph Macchio, Jerry Rice, Lisa Rinna, Sherri Shepherd, Bill Engvall. Candace Cameron Bure, and J R Martinez spoke of the experience being a highlight of their lives. I am sure most of those 223 stars would share similar stories and experiences. The show has had a profound affect on all of us. All of our lives have been enhanced by The Super Bowl of Dance!

A resounding vocal show that left me gobsmacked, stunned by the quality of performance, and completely in awe included Miss Patti LaBelle, Lil Kim, and Amber Riley. Backed by dancers Emma Slater, Jenna Johnson, Artem Chigvintsev and Henry Byalikov it was a powerhouse show of magnificent talents! The vocals of three powerhouse ladies blew the roof off of the Ballroom! I hope the Results Shows return full-time so we can enjoy more singing and pro dances. This astounding performance reminded me of what could be again.

The Super Bowl of Dance was winding down to the All-Star Finale! A Ballroom floor full of brilliant talent gathered to have a gigantic Dance Party! Wasn’t it fun to experience this assemblage of talent! I wish there could have been more! I didn’t want The Super Bowl of Dance to end!

Before Tom and Erin joined the assemblage of talent, they had some parting thoughts. Tom declared a new decade was to come. Erin talked about more special performances, more stars, more amazing pro dancers, a new generation of dancers to come. She declared this would happen for years to come.

I truly believe we could see ten more years, 40 Seasons! Wouldn’t that be special and truly amazing!

Who wants to join me for The Super Bowl of Dance – Part Two! See you in the Year 2025!

Written By Lois A Troutman, April 29, 2015