Next Season's Dancing with the Stars

Lately, I've been seeing snippets of speculation about who will be on the next run of Dancing with the Stars. Donny Osmond seems to be an Entertainment Tonight favorite and I also heard an interview with Marylu Henner where she stated that she would love to be on the show.

Here's my thoughts on those two: Don't invite either of them!

We've had enough Osmond exposure lately and frankly, if the show is truly to be fair, someone with the dance and musical background that Donny has should not be included.
And Marylu is just annoying in the same self-promoting way that Marie was annoying. Doesn't she have some dance/music in her background as well?

I've also heard rumors about Hulk Hogan, Celine Dion, and Katie Holmes! I think Hulk would be interesting, Celine would be boring, and I can't imagine that Tom would "allow" Kate to do this.

So, who would I pick? Well, I haven't thought about it really but I have some recommended criteria for whomever does the DWTS selection:

Select "stars" who are:
1. Humble about themselves.
2. Gracious (for the anti-gracious contestant, think Tatum O'Neil!).
3. Not constantly laughing uproariously at their own bad jokes.
4. Good listeners. This means they should not interrupt the people who are talking with them to make their own bad jokes (and see item #3) or hog all of the microphone time.
5. Not having any dance background (this makes it a fair competition).

I think that would do it for me. This season, actually most (not all) of the stars embraced these qualities. I thought that most were humble, funny, and gracious.

I'll just have to wait like everyone else I guess since ABC hasn't asked for my opinion...

Wedding receptions and dancing

Every time I attend a wedding with my spouse, I always look forward to the dancing part of the wedding reception and then am almost always disappointed when the music starts. The only dancing I really like to do is ballroom/partner dancing and it is rare that actual ballroom dance music is played. Although you can do ballroom to many tunes, most wedding reception tunes are not ballroom-danceable. Even if a song happens to be played that we can do a foxtrot or cha-cha to, everyone else on the dance floor is dancing their own thing and it looks very silly and pretentious for one couple to be dancing ballroom.

So...I am slowly learning to look forward to the dinner part of the wedding reception instead of the dancing part and I dance along with everyone on the electric slide and the YMCA song. The electric slide is pretty fun; however, I do NOT like doing the chicken dance although that seems to be a wedding reception staple for some strange reason. Is there anyone who seriously likes doing the chicken dance?

If my spouse and I ever renew our wedding vows, we are not going to play the chicken dance song at the reception...

Favorite Dance Quotes

I'm always looking for good dance quotes. Here are a few of my favorites:

"Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but she did it backwards and in high heels." Bob Thaves

"Dancers are the athletes of God." ~Albert Einstein

"To dance is to be yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful. This is power on earth and it is yours for the taking." -Agnes DeMille

"Any problem in the world can be solved by dancing." -James Brown

"Dance is the song of the body." -Martha Graham

I'm feeling somewhat melancholy and reflective tonight (for reasons not related to dancing) and these quotes,although sappy (but profound!) make me smile a little.

At least it wasn't Marie

Another season of Dancing with the Stars comes to an end and what a dramatic season it was! Illnesses, deaths in families, super great dancing, major upsets in the competition... To use a "Bruno-ism"...it certainly was the roller coaster ride of the Dancing with the Stars conglomorate!

So...at least (thank God!) Marie didn't win. Although she somehow managed to make it to the finals (was it a real fan base or is there something to the conspiracy theories of hiring callers??), she simply was not a great dancer. What technique she had was messy, her timing was off, she was slow, etc. etc. She did know how to act; I will give her that but the show isn't called "Acting with the Stars". I AM sorry for the personal hardships in her life, however, she didn't deserve to win and I'm glad that if it wasn't Sabrina, that it ended up as a competition between Mel and Helio.

I think that between Mel and Helio, Mel was the better dancer. But I am OK with Helio winning. He worked extremely hard, he was charming, had charisma, was a great performer, and a very strong competitor. I am still so surprised that a race car driver with no dance experience could do as well as he did. Some people are just special and mulit-talented; Helio certainly qualifies in that category. Helio taught me that a smile can go a long way and his pure joy of dancing and living in the moment are things we should all seek to experience throughout our lives. I loved his enthusiasm and sense of humor.

Mel, you are still a winner and I know it would be better if you won the competition. Winning isn't everything but it is very sweet! However, the journey is also important and you demonstrated what it takes to be a winner every week. You should be proud of what you did.

A few random thoughts:

Helio, I'm sorry about your engagement being called off, but really what were you thinking (being an engaged man and all) in kissing Julianne the way you did not once but twice on national television? Dancing is definitely an activity where you spend a lot of time in close proximity with someone and sometimes things happen. That is understandable. But I'm sure it was very hurtful for your fiance to see that.

And...I am tired of seeing the Osmonds all over the place...they have become the Anna Nicole Smith of Entertainment Tonight, they've been on Oprah, on Larry King, etc. Enough already!! And my final critique of Marie...she talks way too much. I don't think she once ever listened all the way through to the judge's comments and she interrupted Samantha and Tom all the time.

I still am upset that Sabrina was not in the finals. I think that shaded my whole experience with the last few weeks of the show. But it is after all, a TV dance competition, not something that will impact world events or provide a cure for cancer, etc. I am grateful to all of the celebrities for putting themselves on the line and giving us their all so that we could share this experience with them. Thank you to everyone!!

So what will we all do on Monday and Tuesday nights until the next Dancing with the Stars?

The Grand Scheme of Things

Although I'm not a Jennie Garth fan, really, Marie should have gone home on Dancing with the Stars this week. Marie's mambo was abysmal! What were the judges thinking ranking it so high? Even the BASICS were incorrect (mambo is danced 2,3,4 (hold 1). They were dancing salsa timing, footwork was bad, bad posture, Marie was slow. I cannot believe that they raved about this. I have lost a great deal of respect for the judging this year due to the extreme inconsistencies.

Jennie at least deserves an "A" for most improved. Jennie, you should be proud of how far you've come and what you achieved. I never saw you as lacking confidence either...but rather just thought you needed to work on your posture and frame. Congratulations on making it so far and now you can take a break, relax, and enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday with your family.

Speaking of which..."IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS"...Dancing with the Stars is just a television show. There are many hungry, suffering, and poor people and animals in the world. For those of us lucky enough to have a home and food and family and other good things in our lives, Thanksgiving is a good time to give thanks for all that you have and also a time to give something to others.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Ohio Star Ball and comments on Cameron

One blog entry, two topics: the Ohio Star Ball which is happening as I write, and the 11/13 Dancing with the Stars results show.

First of all, for anyone living within driving distance of Columbus, Ohio, the best, biggest, most exciting dance competition in the country is happening THIS WEEKEND! Check out http://www.ohiostarball.com for information and if you live within driving distance, it's well worth the trip. Thanks to Sam Sodano for organizing this even each year and Happy 30th Anniversary to the Ohio Star Ball.

And topic #2: DWTS results show. I am feeling neutral about Cameron's exit. He was fun and gracious and worked very hard and I very much liked all of those things about him (not to mention the obvious...his good looks!). With Sabrina being gone (And I WILL get over that one of these days I hope!), the real competition is between Helio and Mel now.

And a word about the results show...listen up ABC! I really just want to know the results. I don't want to watch the promotion of other network shows or singers trying to boost their careers (although I do like Gloria Estevan). Just tell us the results or at least quit the annoyingly repetitive stunts like focusing on a couple and then saying "We'll announce the results...after we return". Come on already, certainly there are more original things you can do after all these years if you must make this an hour long event. I've taken to not watching until the second half of the show just because that's all I'm really interested in. Some of Samatha's questions are also getting on my nerves.

Jane "See-no-more"

OK...although I was upset that Sabrina went home, somehow this week, I found myself back in front of the TV on Monday and Tuesday watching the show. Hats off to all of the dancers for displaying the cheetah paw tattoos in support of their friend. I was touched and impressed and am glad I decided to watch again.

Here's my thoughts on this week's show:
Somebody has to leave Dancing with the Stars each week and although EVERYONE is doing an amazing job, I agreed with the results show this week and Jane leaving. (Actually, I thought that Jane should have left LAST week but I can't change history). Jane did extremely well and with her mother passing away and getting food poisoning, she showed that she is not just a great athlete but also that she has great strength and grace.

Jane embodied the best qualities of a competitor: hard work, persistence, good sportsmanship, gratitude, and strength of character. Thank you Jane for showing us not only for some beautiful dancing but also for showing us how to be the best we can be no matter what obstacles we face in life.

Sabrina goes home

I had planned to write a post after each Dancing with the Stars results show but after the October 30th show when Sabrina got voted off, for the first time in the history of the show, I became dis-enchanted with it. In my opinion, Sabrina was the best dancer on the show, hands down. The judges have consistently judged her at a different level than all the other dancers; Len even said in one show that he "looked to find something wrong" in each of her dances. In addition, I have read several online discussions about DWTS and I think that many viewers were also unreasonably hard on her.

Yes, she had dance experience but so has Joey Fatone, Drew Lachey, and others. Many of the celebrities have performing experience. Why was Sabrina singled out like this by both the judges and the viewers?

In addition to her talent and hard work, she was consistently gracious even at the end. I cannot find fault with anything she did on the show and truly believe that it is an injustice that she will not be a finalist. I can accept the premise of the show...the results are based on the judges scores and viewer votes. However, the judges were unfair and many of the viewers also were also quick to judge her, while seemingly not holding other past celebrities with dance experience to the same standards.

This whole experience has greatly diminished my enjoyment of the show. It went from a show I loved and looked forward to, to something I might watch if I'm home and nothing better is on.

Ten Reasons Why Everyone Should Ballroom Dance

1. Ballroom dancing is a fun way to stay fit. Your whole body gets a work out but you aren't thinking that you are working out; you're just having fun.

2. Along those same lines, you'll lose weight...guaranteed... if you dance regularly. Check out my favorite show "Dancing with the Stars" and listen to how much weight EVERYBODY has lost on that show if you don't believe me.

3. You must live in the moment when you are dancing. It is a totally mind-consuming activity in a good way...you are enjoying what you are doing when you are doing it and there is no time to think of your worries, stresses, etc. This is healthy and at risk of repeating myself...FUN!

4. You will get to interact with many people which causes friendships and social connections.

5. Ballroom dancing is a truly equal opportunity activity. Anyone can do it at any age, at any time in life, and with anyone they choose.

6. Ballroom dancing builds self confidence by helping you feel comfortable in a social environment and by the physical benefits reaped. If you can dance in public, you can conquer the world!

7. If you learn even some basics, you will always be the best dancers when you attend your relatives and friends weddings.

8. When times get tough, as they do for everyone, ballroom dancing will help you through by providing a physical, mental, and social outlet.

9. Learning to dance often motivates people to better themselves in other ways. I've known folks who have stopped smoking, found the courage to leave a job they didn't like, and start a relationship, all because dancing inspired them to do better in other areas in their lives that they were unhappy with.

10. Ballroom dancing will cause you to laugh more, smile often, and feel joyful!

Dancing with the Stars

I've wanted to start a blog about ballroom dancing for some time now and what better opportunity/excuse is there than blogging about "Dancing with the Stars"? So...this is the first post on the Toledo Ballroom Dance Blog and tonight's topic: DWTS!

This season is the most competitive ever and I am amazed that the celebrities can dance as well as they can in such a short time. If you've ever tried to learn a dance routine, you can appreciate the complexities and difficulties of the routines. And performing them live is incredibly stressful. In addition to the routines, I am very impressed by the level of performance and acting by the dancers. How is it that a race car driver can smile and be at ease in this arena?

My pick for the winner this year is Sabrina. I know, it's not fair, she's had other dance experience and that gives her an advantage. But there have been others with dance and performance experience as well...remember 'N Sync and Joey Fatone? Others have had ballet, etc. I don't like that DTWS is not consistent about the celebrities' dance backgrounds...personally I think to be fair, they should all have NO dance background. However, some of them have, not just Sabrina so I don't understand why she seems to be getting some negative press about this. So until the show standardizes it's selection process...my vote is for Sabrina...she is the best dancer and performer and should win.

I have to say that I was surprised that Wayne Newton, who performs live regularly and has a musical background, was probably the most nervous performer. I was also surprised that he wasn't a better dancer, after all those years in the music biz...

I love Helio...his enthusiasm, charisma, and hard work are impressive. I was pleasantly surprised by how well he performs. He could win this if it weren't for Sabrina. Jennie is improving a lot but her posture is inconsistent and she does this weird thing with her mouth that gets on my nerves. Cameron is fun and improving a lot.

I also really really like Mel B. Love her personality and spunk and she's a good dancer, especially in the Latin. Being a Spice Girl of course means she's had music/dance/performance background, which helps but again...others have music/dance backgrounds as well. Marie is a good performer/actress...another celebrity with experience in the biz. Her personality is a bit too forced for me however; her dancing is not bad but she needs to develop more speed. Jane is beautiful and graceful...her ballet background shows...but needs to develop bigger moves and be more expressive. Her tango after her mother died was truly touching. I admire how hard Floyd worked but his posture was very bad and his personality did not show much until the night he left. I didn't want to like Mark Cuban but his extreme hard work and graciousness won me over. He was not a strong dancer but he gave it his all; I believe this was a humbling and meaningful experience for him and I liked him at the end. Also admired his stage presence in light of having no experience.

So ends the first blog post! I'm looking forward to next weeks 10/29 DWTS...my prediction for who will leave next? Jane.