Free DWTS Newsletter Want to receive the latest news on Dancing with the Stars sent straight to your email? Join hundreds of other DWTS fans who subscribe to Pure DWTS for FREE!
Bermain judi qq online tentunya setiap orang ingin meraih kemenangan besar, sekarang telah hadir situs judi online koinqq agen bandarqq online. Seiring berkembangnya judi online di dunia internet, maniaqq kini telah menyediakan dominoqq yang bisa kalian download melalui android / ios dihandphone kesayangan kalian. Cukup menggunakan 1 ID saja kamu bisa menikmati berbagai macam permainan idn poker seru seperti poker Online, Ceme Keliling, DominoQQ, Ceme Online, Capsa, Super 10, dan Omaha. Total ada 7 jenis permainan terbaik dimana bisa kamu nikmati dengan menjadi member disini.

DWTS Rants & Raves – Why the Pros Should Count Their Blessings

This post started off far more “rant” than “rave”, but I opted to change the tone a bit, perhaps in hopes that the message would then be more easily swallowed 🙂 As many of you know, Edyta has recently been writing a series of blogs about her time on the show that have been rather…bitter. Vengeful.  Even malicious.  And it’s unfortunately colored many of our opinions of her for the worse – she even went so far as to block a reader who dared to make a comment expressing “disappointment” in Edyta’s choice to be so critical of the show that made her a household name.  That’s when it dawned on me: some of the pros seem to have forgotten what life was like BEFORE they were on Dancing with the Stars.

For those of you unfamiliar with the “real” world of ballroom, first things first: prior to 2005, when DWTS & SYTYCD hit the air, most ballroom dancers (even the world champions) led lives of relative obscurity.  They may have been well-known within the ballroom community (which is still relatively small), and may have even been what I like to call “ballroom famous” – a title that me & my teammates from my college ballroom dance team bestowed upon dancers that were particularly respected & admired in ballroom circles – but they most certainly weren’t household names, and they weren’t mobbed by fans in public.  In short – they were just like you and I.  Just average people with a not-so-average occupation.

How bout a short poll: how many of you had heard the name “Tony Dovolani” prior to 2005? Now of those who had, how many of you HAVE NOT somehow been involved in the world of ballroom dance at some point in your life? If you fit both of the criteria above, then I applaud you – because prior to 2005, the only mainstream thing Tony had really done was a bit part in the American version of Shall We Dance?, and he was also credited as a choreographer in that film.  The fact that he actually got a few lines to say was pretty impressive, considering that, at that time, the biggest movie/tv role (besides choreographer) that most ballroom dancers could ever hope for was either dancing around in the background as an extra in a big dance scene, or maybe being a “dance double” for a particularly ungraceful actor (true story: the owner of my bf’s dance studio was Ben Affleck’s “foot double” in the movie Going All the Way – apparently Ben has 2 left feet!).  Dancers were lucky to even get credited as extras, let alone hope for a speaking part.  The widely held opinion with most casting directors was that “if you’re doing a dance movie, you’d better find actors that can dance…because you aren’t going to find dancers that can act!” It was a far, far cry from the starring movie roles that Julianne & Derek have been given in recent years, and the tv gigs that Maks (Bachelor Ukraine, Celebrity Ghost Stories), Cheryl & Louis (Suite Life of Zack & Cody), Edyta & Alec (CSI: NY), and Mark (Samantha Who?) were able to get due to their DWTS fame.

You know all those spiffy endorsement deals that so many of the pros on the show have gotten over the years, with their faces plastered over everything from shoes to hair extensions to diet pills to makeup to exercise tapes to dancewear? Yeah, pretty non-existent back in the pre-DWTS days – most competitive ballroom dancers were lucky if they could get a dance shoe or costume sponsor to help mitigate the exorbitant cost of competing.  And speaking of money – let’s just say they weren’t raking it in back then like they are now 🙂 Don’t get me wrong, some ballroom dancers make quite a good living for themselves just on coaching, choreographing, and doing exhibition performances, but it’s peanuts compared to what they’re rumored to make on the show (which I’ve heard reported as roughly $6k+ per week).  And can you really put a price on the exposure the show gives them??? Since the beginning of the show, how many of the pros have opened successful dance studios with their name plastered on it? So far, I count Cheryl, Karina, Chelsie, and Maks & Tony (with the new Dance with Me in CA).  For those who already had dance studios (like Jonathan & Anna), I can only imagine they started booking up faster after their appearance on the show – I know for a fact that Jonathan is now one of the most in-demand pro-am teachers in the country. 

How many pros have graced the covers of magazines since joining the cast of the show? Back in the day, the biggest magazine a ballroom dancer could hope to appear in was American Dancer, the bimonthly publication put out to its members by USA Dance – which, of course, was only sent to members.  All those invites to parties/award shows/premieres/charity benefits/etc? Probably wouldn’t happen to your average ballroom dancer. And how many pros can now count some pretty big celebrities amongst their friends…and sometimes exes? Without the platform of DWTS, Maks may never have met Kirstie, Derek may never have met Shannon, and Julianne may never have even been in the same room as Ryan Seacrest.  In the entertainment business, it really isn’t what you know, it’s who you know – and DWTS has supplied some primo connections for its pros. 

I don’t want ths post to be a neverending soapbox of why DWTS is so great, so I’ll get to my point: as much as the pros may bitch & moan in the media about the show and how “unfair” or “fake” it is, at the end of the day I daresay their participation in it has done them far more good than harm – it has plucked many of them out of obscurity and opened doors to opportunities far beyond their imagination as young ballroom competitors.  Some (namely Julianne, Derek, Mark, Cheryl & Maks) have parlayed those opportunities into success better than others (namely Alec & Edyta), but even the latter has undoubtedly benefitted from having the show on their resume – Dance Temptation may not have taken off with someone less notable at the helm.  And fans, you can take something away from this too – you may complain about how the show has been so “unfair” or “biased against” [insert pro here] (which, of course, is pretty subjective), but I challenge you to imagine a life without that pro in it.  Would you rather watch Maks occasionally “take a beating” from the judges, or have never known him at all? Would you rather see Tony tough it out with such duds as Wendy Williams & Kate Gosselin, or have no idea who he is? I know many of you will probably argue “you can’t miss what you never knew to begin with”, but I’ve seen how this show brightens some of your lives, and what an important role some of the pros play in it.  They inspire you, entertain you, and can even motivate you to better your own life. Yes, sometimes this show is indeed “unfair”, “fake”, “scripted”, & “storyboarded”, and I’m not saying the viewers or the pros should accept every aspect of the show without complaint. But when it comes down to it, it still fulfills one crucial purpose in the lives of its pros: to share their love of dance with the world…and reap some sweet benefits while they’re at it 😉

February 10, 2012 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.

Dancing With The Stars Pros Fabulous, Fearless, And Airborne (Photos)

Some people are fearless when it comes to almost anything and such is true for some of our dancing pros!! I’m not sure if this attribute comes with the gift of being able to dance, but, indeed it makes a person wonder…especially this weekend when Julianne Hough made news headlines with an incredible jump from a mega yacht while vacationing in St. Barts with boyfriend, Ryan Seacrest below? 😯

Would you ever try this? I don’t think so…not even if paid a lot of money to do so. More high quality pictures at the Daily Mail.

Like sister, like bro (or vice versa?), below is a picture of Derek also jumping off a yacht. Derek posted this at his twitter with the quote, “I like to jump off things.” 😯 I’m not sure when this picture was taken? Heidi or one of you will have to help me with this one.

And below is Derek again airborne on a snowmobile while on vacation in Utah before Christmas. This looks fun. Now this I would do as long as I could hold on tight to the man driving. Who else is game? :mrgreen:

That’s not all! Dancing With The Stars Troupe member Sasha Farber shared this photo at his twitter and facebook accounts this past week. As you know, he’s been vacationing in Avoca Beach, New South Wales over the holidays. I don’t know how he is jumping that high… is it magic, a trampoline, or natural ability? Whatever the case, very cool picture.

The end! If you know of more shots of our pros airborne and doing fearless things, be sure to post them in the comments section. They never cease to amaze sometimes, do they?

January 8, 2012 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 13 The Dancing Doesn’t Stop For Carson Kressley (Videos)

If you need more of Carson and Anna like I do, you can watch them on The View today below. The two do their “Moves Like Jagger” Cha Cha performance which will put a smile on your face again if you are interested in watching it.

Also, Carson talked with Ryan Seacrest on his radio show today. About his getting booted from Dancing With The Stars Carson said, “The moral of the story, don’t dress like a skittle!” LOL!! More below….

That’s not all. Carson has made a funny dancing sendup called “Dancing With Wolves 2 – How Costner Got His Groove Back” for the Hero Dog Awards which will air on the Hallmark Channel on Nov. 11th. The video (which has gone viral) “supports a cause near and dear to Carson’s heart: the protection and well-being of animals.” You can view it >>>>HERE. More details at PR Newswire.

ADDING: And if that wasn’t enough laughs from Carson for ya, be sure to see his “best Nancy Grace”…

Note: Carson along with Tristan and other Dancing With The Stars celebrities and dancers will guest on her show tonight (Friday). Be sure to tune in if interested.

October 20, 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.

Julianne Hough On Coming Back To Dancing With The Stars: “I feel like I’m going to get all emotional” (Video)

Julianne Hough along with Kenny Wormald and Craig Brewer, chatted to Ryan Seacrest on his radio show today. They talk of their new movie Footloose and other fun stuff. There is also a part where Julianne discusses returning to Dancing With The Stars this week. She says, “I feel like I’m going to get all emotional. I’m going to be a wreck! Going on there and dancing to something that I actually left the show to do. Its going to be pretty amazing, but they’re my family and its my home. I can’t wait to go back!” Ryan calls Julianne “Darling” (so cute!). Derek is mentioned a couple of times. They play part of a new track from the movie. Great interview. This and more teasers below…

Thanks to Lori for the heads up on this interview last night.xx

October 5, 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 13: Two Funny Daves!!

David Arquette was a guest on David Letterman last night. He starts our saying he’s all dressed up for the show and jokes he must have had a mid-life crisis to be dancing on Dancing With The Stars. The interview starts out a little crazy, but, David Arquette promises he is not drunk. He just “looks” that way always. He gets the giggles with Dave and can’t stop. But, he mentions how he’s been sober for 245 days. Even though he’s separated from Courtney Cox, they are still best friends. He also introduces the Dancing With The Stars celebrities…and as always, Dave’s reactions are priceless. He says “Gawd No!!” to Rob Kardashian. LOL More below….

Also, in case you missed this interview like I did Tuesday, here is David on the Ryan Seacrest Show as well. He’s looking forward to learning how to dance and to entertaining. He’s cleaned up his life, he wants to win, and is very competitive. He gets deep (while having fun) about “fear and life” and what he’s learned about “light” which is why he wanted to dance. He also talks of how he went to Senegal, Africa recently with a group called ‘Malaria No More’ which is an “amazing charity, doing incredible work in Africa to eliminate Malaria”.

Fascinating! I am a fan already!! I love this guy!!

September 1, 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.

Dance of the Day… Let’s look at some Infamous Alumni…

Throughout the years that I’ve watched Dancing With The Stars, one thing that I’ve absolutely LOVED! was being able to get to know celebrities in a different way than we’ve ever known them. And, I’ve loved learning to actually like, and come to care for, several different celebrities that I thought that I would NOT like at all… Only to find that they’re HUMAN, and that I cared about the people they’ve allowed us to see.

This Dance of the Day post isn’t about them…. But, we’ll see some in a future post.

I’ve decided to take a different approach to the Dance of the Day, and look at those that…. For one reason or another, ended up in a different category than those that we’ve come to love. And….. I guess I’ll explain as I go.

JAKE PAVELKA. I’m starting with Jake, because he is the reason that this post is existing! I will admit that I DON’T watch any of the Bachelor franchise, so my first real exposure of Jake was during the episode of the Bachelor where they first announced the next seasons cast of Dancing With The Stars. And, surprise of surprise, he was announced as a contestant, with his brand new fiancee, Vienna Girardi,in the audience.

According to his IMDB page, he had some bit acting parts, both before and after the Bachelor franchise appeared. He was first a contestant on the Bachelorette, and followed that up with his first run as the Bachelor. From the Bachelor, he gained a spot on DWTS, Season 10, partnered by Chelsie Hightower.

This is what I consider to be his most memorable routines, their Risky Business Cha Cha, which gained them an 8 7 8 for 23 points.

Afterwards…. Jake and Vienna had a rather nasty split…. That’s all I will say, but if you care to review the break up, go to your favorite search engine…. 🙂 From there, he headed to Famous Food, where I couldn’t find any youtube links, and now, he’s on Bachelor Pad. With his Ex, and her new boyfriend.
Recently Jake appeared on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show. I tried to listen to this several times, honestly, and haven’t been able to listen to the whole thing, because he didn’t endear me during DWTS, and neither he nor Vienna are very truthful in my opinion. If you feel like listening to the whole thing, go here. It’s rather interesting. Especially the part about possibly returning as Bachelor again….

Okay….. I promise to NOT go off onto the soapbox again…. I hope.

Next up, Lawrence Taylor! Lawrence danced with Edyta Sliwinska in Season 8, and yes, during his run on the show, did seem charming. In week 7, he performed the waltz with Edyta to Journey’s Open Arms, and this was the week the contestant designed the costumes, and he chose to “put Edyta in clothes” only to have her become tangled up in them during the dance.

After he left…. Well, “our” LT was arrested, and convicted of a crime against a female, and was sentenced, and labeled. You can read a bit about it here or visit your favorite search engine. It’s not something that I want to hear again, or bring up here, I would like to leave this haven a “safe zone.” But, it definitely put L.T. among my list of “Infamous DWTS Alumni.”

And last for today, David Alan Grier…. Another season 8 Alumni. I was curious at the beginning of the season, how things would work between David and Carrie Ann, since both were on In Living Color…. But as it turned out, she didn’t end up his favorite judge. Things really seemed well during his run, and we saw this Viennese Waltz on week 5, with his partner, she of the awesome boobage, Kym Johnson. They danced to “I Put a Spell on You” by Nina Simone and got 7 8 7 for 22 points.

HOWEVER! This was also the week they were eliminated, and he showed some “bad sport.” THIS is why I’ve put him on my “infamous” list…. He put the sweet and wonderful Kym into a very bad spot at the end of this interview, and he really has some bad stuff to say to the judges…. It’s safe to watch, they censored it.

Who would you put onto your “infamous dancers” list? And why? Do you agree with those that are here, and who would you add?

And, for another post….. Who was it that most surprised you, that you were positive that you would HATE that you ended up liking?

August 22, 2011 I Written By

Just a typical, ordinary DWTS fan..

DWTS Season 13 Campaign – Ellen Kay and…Derek Hough?

One of PureDerekHough’s readers, Jane, sent me the following transcription of a conversation between Deena Katz (DWTS Casting), Ryan Seacrest, and Ryan’s cohort, Ellen Kay from Ryan’s show today:

You probably already have this info, but if not, Ryan Seacrest and Ellen Kay spoke to Deena Katz this morning trying to pitch Ellen for the show. She asked who Ellen wanted to dance with and she started to say Louis but then said Derek Hough. Ellen asked if Derek would be back on the show and Deena said yes. Also said that Regis called dibs on Derek. Ellen again said she wanted to dance with Derek or Louis. Deena will be sending out invite letters after July 4th.

As we previously reported, Ellen (with Ryan’s help) has been waging a campaign to get herself on Dancing with the Stars for the upcoming season. It appears the campaign continues and she’s lobbying for Derek – or Louis, I guess if Derek’s not back.

But there are other interesting tidbits in this conversation, if everything Deena is saying is true. First, “Derek will be back” – that sounds like a pretty solid statement. I take it to mean they are definitely planning on him being on the show. However, unless Derek is an indentured servant and I don’t know about it, I’m not calling it a sure thing just yet. I think we will see him this season, but it’s always possible something else (more fun and/or more lucrative) could come up and he decides to sit it out.

Interesting tid bit number 2 – they are sending out “invite letters” after July 4th. So, all you bozos claiming to know the cast? I don’t think so. 🙂 That said – we’ve not seen too many claims by people that they are on the cast yet, and only one person claiming to know some of the cast. I do find this information more helpful though – it means I don’t have to spend a lot of time every day scouring for tidbits…until after the 4th of July. 🙂

ETALISTEN FOR YOURSELVES. I haven’t listened to it yet, but Lori tells me that when Ellen says something about Derek, Ryan says “he’s not there”. Deena then insists that Derek will be back, to which Ryan replies, “What do I know about the Houghs?” Which can be taken sarcastically…you judge for yourselves and tell me what you think. 🙂

June 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. :-)

Pure DWTS 12 Finals – Ryan Seacrest Interviews The 3 Remaining Couples On Their Dancing Strategies and More

Chelsea, Hines and Kirstie phoned Ryan Seacrest on his radio show this morning to talk about their Dancing With The Stars strategies and more. Chelsea was at the studio early today. She wants to bring it all to the freestyle tonight. Hines says he just doesn’t want to drop Kym which will be his biggest trick. Kirstie says she’s really had to dig in and work hard. She and Maks will be friends for an eternity. They are “Soul Friends” (the best kind). All this and more below.

PLEASE DON’T FORGET TO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE EVERYONE AND AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!!

Thanks to Lori. She sent the links to me above about the same time as I was making this post. Thanks to all of you who have sent things all Season. I want you to know how much we’ve appreciated all of your help! You all ROCK!xxx

May 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 – ‘Naked Mom’ Brooke Burke’s Book Promotion: Good Morning America & Ryan Seacrest

Brooke has been out and about promoting her new book, “Naked Mom“. This morning she was on Good Morning America. She discussed her book some of which includes her experiences with “Dancing With The Stars”. There is a spot in the interview where she talks about Florence Henderson and what she learned from her last Season. She also talks on Derek and what they went through to win the Mirror Ball Trophy and counseling was one thing. More below.

Here she is on Ryan Seacrest as well;

I also just ran onto an interview with Brooke at Amazon (where you can order a copy if interested). Here is a take.

Teresa: Which DWTS judge would you like to see naked? And which judge would most appreciate a great read?

Brooke: Bruno, because regardless, he’ll make you laugh; he’ll perform for you and he’s full of personality to keep you interested! Len would not only appreciate a great read, but I think he’d make a great read. I’d love to hear Len’s story.

Teresa: You sell post-pregnancy belly wraps. Are those made with lavash or tortilla? I’m hungry!

Brooke: Trust me, you wouldn’t want to eat your way to the middle! Remember how yucky you felt right after birth, all that extra baggy baby skin! Don’t we give enough as mothers–why do they take our bods too! Tauts is a compression garment that helps your tummy get back in shape fast!

Teresa: If I had won the coveted Dancing With the Stars mirror ball trophy and I looked like you, I would stare at the trophy and thus myself all day. Where do you keep that thing?

Brooke: No, you wouldn’t! It’s too painful to remember all the pulled and torn muscles…I keep it in my closet; not hiding, on my vanity. It used to rotate through my girls’ rooms. Everyone who visits wants a pic with it, not ME!

Not sure what to make about her trophy comment? Could you put a Mirror Ball trophy in the closet? 😐 Loved her comments about Len and Bruno though. lol
Heidi’s Comment: Dude, please. When Brooke Burke talks about her closet she is likely talking about a room twice as large as my bedroom in my condo. It’s not like it’s hidden on a shelf somewhere.

February 1, 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 11, Week 7 – Some Backstage Media After The Show

What an awesome show last night! I can’t say more good things about it. The couples and everyone interviewed seemed very happy in general too for how they performed. Here’s some video coverage backstage.

Here is Brandy and Maks ecstatic as ever! I love Brandy’s reaction over what Maks says on her;

Here is Jennifer and her family being interviewed (including Joel Grey)! I love what she says about being a “Warrior”. Her daugher is so adorable and looks just like her.;

Here are a couple of fun recaps and after party coverage;

Here’s a pic Maks tweeted at the after party.

Lastly, check out Derek as well on the Red Carpet. The photographer caught his amazing energy in just the right form.

Ok, that is all for now. More later and here’s to the Results Show tonight! 😉

November 2, 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.