Well, I was on a train late last night and missed watching the Dancing With the Stars semis on TV. Now I realize how hard the show makes it for you to catch re-runs. Geesh. Rickey doesn’t have everything posted, so I went to YouTube, and they have most of the competition routines, but the sound quality is crap and subtitles (in, for example, Gilles’s visit to his hometown, Cannes, with the French interviews with his mother and friends) are cut off. And they didn’t have the full episode. The YouTube clips re-direct you to this website, but once there, they just keep making you take these ridiculous quizzes, telling you, eventually the site will be unlocked. Well, it never unlocked for me — instead they redirected me to more and more quiz websites. I hope that site’s not a scam that unleashes some kind of virus or something. Anyway, people beware: don’t try to watch re-runs on watchdancingwithstars.com.

Anyway, I at least saw the routines. I only saw the bio on Gilles. Were there bios on the rest of the competitors? If not, that’s kind of silly, interesting as his little trip to Cannes was.

So, semis consisted of: Mark and Shawn dancing Jive and Argentine Tango; Melissa and Tony Quickstep and Cha Cha; Ty and Chelsie Samba and Viennese Waltz; and Gilles and Cheryl Salsa and Waltz (although one YouTube clip called it a Quickstep).

My favorites were Mark and Shawn’s Argentine Tango and both dances by Melissa and Tony.

Continue reading ‘THE GIRL NEXT DOOR? NO, MELISSA RYCROFT IS MORE LIKE A GLAMOROUS OLD-TIME HOLLYWOOD STARLET!’

Next Monday evening, May 11th.

See my earlier post for more info.

Ridiculously, I won’t be able to make it; I’m going out of town and won’t be back yet. But I met a very nice guy, DJ McDonald, in the Facebook Dance Bloggers group and he’s going to cover it for me!

I’m really interested to hear — of course what Pasha and Anya do, and Travis, and Twitch, and Sabra, and Eugene and Maria — but also how audiences like David Parsons’s Caught. I’m sure they’ll go absolutely wild over it. This may be a way to bring modern dance and ballet to a wider audience, integrating it with forms of dance that are more popular and accessible right now, like ballroom! So I’m really glad Tony and Melanie are exposing fans of ballroom and SYTYCD to something like this. Big huge kudos to them! And with Sabra now a part of Cedar Lake, who knows what future collaborations could happen…

Anyway, if anyone else is able to go (Shim?! — or any other fans of ballroom, SYTYCD, or Parsons — or modern dance — expose yourself to ballroom!, and it’s on a Monday night, so is not going to interfere with most other dance performances in the city), please please let me know what you think and I will post your thoughts!

Go here for tickets.

Sorry, am compelled to call DWTS the Mark Ballas show now, because whenever he dances, it is so all about him. Mark! Can the man ever learn to be the frame? “Oh baby, what’s wrong?” he says to Shawn in practice, before hugging her. Oh Mark — just melt me. But it’s nice to see a pro not beating up on his amateur, unlike Cheryl, who gave Gilles more hard times this week… Anyway, I thought Mark and Shawn’s Quickstep was great fun, but again, was only watching him. The quintessential ham. Seriously, though, he’s an excellent performer, and an excellent dancer… which is rare I think. And I love that half-Texan half-British accent. Shawn seemed to do very well.

Chelsie’s taking over and making it all about her with Ty isn’t as bothersome, I guess, since the woman is supposed to be the picture.

Continue reading ‘THE MARK BALLAS SHOW: SEMI-SEMI-FINALS’

(image borrowed from Ohio Star Ball website).

So, what did you guys think about the show?

I was worried I’d be mad about the new format but I really ended up thinking this one worked better, at least for TV, even if it is fake. For people who’ve never been to a regular ballroom dance competition before, the competition is really the first parts, the group dances (as shown in the picture above) — that they severly truncated here, showing only a small part of one dance for each of the four categories. But I do think the showdances work so much better for TV. On TV the excitement of the group dances is really lost. But it’s so stunning to see, to feel, all these couples whizzing by you, spinning, shaking their hips at lightening speed, to hear the crowds cheer, scream really, while all the couples try to look so glamorous and graceful, the raucous audience making it seem more like a boxing match. I encourage everyone who hasn’t been to go to a real competition.

Anyway, it wasn’t much of a surprise that Riccardo Cocchi and Yulia Zagoruychenko won — they’re second in the world in Latin, and I’m wondering, after watching them in November (which is when this show was taped), if they could overtake the current champs, Poland’s Michael Malitowski and Joanna Leunis, at some point. I loved their Cha Cha tonight (with her in the sizzling red and him in the open tux jacket), their Samba, and their combo routine to the pure percussion (which I love — I love that they’re not afraid to use that kind of music). I love how they vary the rhythms in an often unpredictable way, I love his speed and how she makes original shapes with her body, especially when she tucks in her stomach, rolls her shoulders, and curls her pelvis, looking almost like a cobra. Or is it a python? The snake that lifts its front part and expands its head, ghost-like, before attacking?… (I don’t really want to do a google image search) Anyway, I really really love them– Yulia and Riccardo.

Since the two top Standard couples — Arunas Bizokas and Katusha Demidova and Victor Fung and Anna Mikhed — were at another competition (I think in the U.K.) at the same time as the Ohio Star Ball and didn’t compete, it was really a toss up who would win. I thought Linas Koreiva and Liene Apale would win — I thought they danced the best — though I loved the balletic look to Mikhail Avdeev and Anastasia’s beautiful waltz. I love how in all their routines

— oooh, Oscar Hijuelos (one of my favorite writers, author of Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love) is on Larry King, PBS! He is WAY the hell younger than I thought… –

sorry,  just had to say that. Anyway, I love how Mikhail and Anastasia’s dances were all basic, yet so well done, so beautifully executed. Shows how dance is more about excellent technique and lush, expansive movement than tricks. And I love that they used classical music instead of going for the modern and poppy.

Totally predictable of course that Joanna Zacharewicz and Jose DeCamps would win Rhythm — and how much do I love that there are Joses in the world — how hot was that mambo! And that John Travolta! He is truly one of the most charismatic dancers in all of ballroom.

And Jonathan Roberts and Valentina were lovely. I do believe she is the powerhouse of that partnership. She really shines and her form is so splendid. His is less so (and I caught him pigeon-toed a few times), though he is a solid support for her, which is mainly what the man is supposed to be. I liked J.T. Thomas and Tomasz Mielnicki’s snazzy Foxtrot, though I’ve seen both couples in competition before and can see how Jonathan and Valentina took the whole without winning the showdance portion.

Oh, before I forget, what did you guys think of that Swan Lake dance at the beginning of the program, by Mikhail Zharinov and Galina Detkina in the American Smooth division? It was one of the very first ones, if you can remember. If you didn’t notice — and the announcers didn’t point it out — she was wearing a long white glove on her right arm, with a swan’s face and beak painted on the thumb and fingers. So, the way she was holding that arm up and bending her wrist like she did, when you see it up close (as I did at Champions of the Dance recently here in NY at Town Hall), her whole body really does look like a swan, with her hand the head, her arm the neck, and her skirt — when pulled out and held to the back (either by him or by her) — the body. I couldn’t figure out how I felt about it when I saw it live — whether I thought it was cheesy or pretty, and, after seeing it from further afar, on TV, I choose the latter.

Other things: I love my Vaidotas Skimelis Dressed as Mozart! Or was it Louis the XVI and Jurga Pupelyte Marie Antoinette? What a big fun charming goof. But an excellent dancer. Their dance was rather humorous but they still had very nice form and some creative choreography and he had some jumps and stylized runs that showed he really could be a balletic, graceful dancer, large as he is.

And why do I have no problem envisioning Boriana Deltcheva as a cat! She’s so feline already; I love the way she climbed on Delyan’s back and wrapped her legs around his waist. She’s such a tall, thin thing, she looked just like a sleek black catwoman. She has the ideal body. She put a note up on Facebook a while ago advertising that she was selling some of her costumes and I had to laugh — like everyone the planet over wishes they could fit into them

Another highlight: Gherman Mustuc and Iveta Lukosiute’s Carmen tango in the Standard. They always come up with such creative showdance ideas. Such great music, and her red dress was gorgeous.

Pavlo Barsuk and Anna Trebunskaya: how insanely intense was that Paso! I love intense Pasos! And he is the ultimate in the intensity department, believe me – -if you even see him dance live, he does this thing where his eyes grow really wide; he looks like he could devour you for lunch — or his competition anyway. Such a funny contrast to her sweet face and toothy chipmunk smile.

And of course Eugene Katsevman and Maria Manusova — sorry, I’m really into the Latins, obviously. They recently danced at the Dance Times Square showcase and I totally fell for them. He is so damn fast and slick and precise. And they ended one of their dances at the DTS show with that ending trick they did tonight in the Cha Cha, if you remember it — where he flips and drops her, catching her right before she’s about to hit the floor, face down. DTS audience went WILD.

Anyway, enough from me. What did you guys think?

Well, I was going to say it didn’t bother me this week as much as last, but then I watched the first 15 minutes (I had a legal seminar tonight and didn’t get home until after the show had already begun, so had to watch the first 15 after the rest). The Flatley number was horrendous. What was up with that girl in the bikini walking around playing Yankee Doodle Dandee with a flute at the beginning? What is this, a boxing match? Soft-core porn? I actually thought this whole show was kind of porn-ish — generally more about flaunting bodies than artistry.

Except for Maria Kochetkova — the Russian ballerina who competed — and WON thankfully! — in the solo category. I think that’s probably why I liked tonight better than last week — she was on, just about the show’s only saving grace. And I’m not just saying that because I’m a ballet fan. I would really have loved to have seen some wonderful ballroom, but, I’m sorry, I’m just not into that Australian couple. I thought the same of their Jive tonight as I did their Samba last week — fast footwork but just lacking in precision and clarity with an overall sloppy look. At least compared to the Latin I’ve seen at the big competitions.

I liked Victor DaSilva and Claudia Sawides  — the South African duo — tonight better than the last time we saw them. The routine was still about the lifts — those exhibitions always are — but this one had a bit more narrative and emotion, passion to it. I felt like they connected better this time than last. I also liked the Argentine couple. Their Tango was very polished with sharp footwork. Lovely! I pretty much agreed with the couples results.

And I agreed with the solo results too, but only because I liked ballet. I’m sure Robert the popper is excellent at that kind of dance style, as was the Indian dancer at classical Indian dance. As I and others have said repeatedly, you just can’t judge these wholly different styles of dance next to each other.

I’m again annoyed at camera guy though. Camera person, I should say — don’t know why I think it’s a guy. S/he kept homing in on the Indian woman’s face and we couldn’t see some of her beautiful hand and foot gestures. You don’t dance with your face! I felt like she must have been going very fast with her feet at one point because of all the applause, and I think I heard the sound of the bells she wore around her ankles, but I’m not sure because the show’s acoustics weren’t so great. I also think I saw Maria Kochetkova do continuous fouettes with some double pirouettes thrown in, and at one point changing feet right in the middle — which is marvelous! But because of the camera panning in and out, then down to her feet, then a faraway shot, etc., I’m not exactly sure if that happened.

Sorry, by the way, to keep calling most of these dancers by their nationalities and dance styles. The show’s website doesn’t seem to have their names, only those of the judges and team leaders.

I didn’t think any of the group routines were anything to write home about, and both the intro to the American team and that silly Yankee Doodle Dandy number by Flatley and crew up front were ridiculously chauvinistic (I mean in a nationalist way). Why the need to celebrate America and proclaim it the nation with no boundaries, encompassing all the world, etc. on a supposedly international show like this? And is anyone surprised that our team, and our country, won the gold? The whole thing was just so corny. When Flately said at the end to his co-host, “I know, I’ve never seen anything like this on television!”, it looked like he was trying hard not to burst out laughing. At least he should have been.

And what happened to Pasha and Anya? Who knows. According to the website, team Russia was supposed to have two soloists from the Bolshoi, one pair of ballroom dancers, and a Cossack team. I saw two pairs of ballroom dancers and one soloist from San Francisco Ballet. But I missed the first night, so I might have missed the “other” Bolshoi soloist? I don’t know; I’m not a huge fan of the show’s website.

I think the idea behind this show is a good one. I like having dancers from a variety of countries dance different styles — some native to their country, some not, giving audiences wide exposure to the art. But there were just so many cheesy, corny, porn-esque moments, the camera work seriously frustrated my ability even to see what I was supposed to be seeing, and the judging was downright ludicrous.

Okay, here’s my (late) list of favorites from 2008: (click on highlights to read what I wrote about each dance)

Favorite overall dance of the year:

Revelations by Alvin Ailey. Because the movement language — a unique blend of American Modern with African — is highly evocative, richly varied, and, because it’s set in a specific time and place recognizable to most if not all of us, it’s imbued with meaning and feeling accessible to everyone. And because it speaks to the human condition like no other dance I’ve ever seen. I’m still looking for something to top this and don’t know if I’ll ever find it.

(photo by Paul Kolnick)

Favorite new dances:

1) Nimrod Freed’s PeepDance in Central Park;

Continue reading ‘Favorites of 2008′

Last night I went with Dance Times Square on their holiday party outing to the Latin Quarter, a salsa nightclub in midtown on the east side, near Grand Central.

It was fun — I haven’t social danced in a really long time! Do think I might have hurt my knee though. How, I have no idea. I’ve damaged my meniscus coming out of a fish dive weirdly, trying to force turnout on an arabesque in attitude (back leg up, bent knee), trying to force turnout on rhumba walks, trying to force turnout in samba walks, trying to force turnout in ballet, yadda yadda, but I didn’t know you could really hurt yourself doing basic salsa steps?! Hopefully it’s just a bruise…

Anyway party started at the studio, where we had an hour-lesson in open Salsa taught by Tony and Melanie (who are back from Canada’s So You Think You Can Dance). Picture above, student Elaine (my friend) is in foreground dancing with Tony. After the class, we had food (lots of good munchy things like pate and cheese and meat slices and this enormous cheesecake, and bottles and bottles of wine ), then walked several blocks to the club.

The club was nice, but small dance floor … although I have nothing to compare it to since I don’t go out to a lot of social dance clubs. They had a few bars (although, I find it a bit hard to dance drunk) and little areas for sitting around and chatting. We took an area on the second floor, and, when it got too crowded on the main floor, just danced up there. I danced mostly with my friend Steve, but then this guy who was not in with our group kept asking me to dance, which was nice at first, until I realized he was kind of a pelvis-grinder. Just too close for comfort. So, I told him I was tired the next couple times he asked, which of course made it hard to dance with others then. Steve told me I was fun to dance with because I unwind (out of a turn) like no one else, thanks to my “sinuous” body!

Salsa band was fun, but it’s kind of funny; I’ve mainly been to parties at dance studios where they play a variety of music. So, I kept getting ready for a samba or rhumba or swing or something, and it never happened. Also, I really kind of wish people danced more in groups here, like they do in this video (when you get to the salsa club part, around 4:50). How fun would that be? And would seem to cut down on someone’s hogging another person all night. But I guess that kind of group dancing necessitates sharing a culture where you all know the same words and funny little moves, which doesn’t really happen these days … I guess except for the Electric Slide.

Anyway, very fun to see old friends again. I really should start taking a group class again at some point because it’s good for socialization, and, I realized after the night was over what a real workout it had been.

More formal review coming soon on ExploreDance.com.

Woo hoo, my cable is up. At least for these five seconds. Quickly, before it crashes again, here are my Explore Dance articles on Columbia’s Starry Night Winter Showcase and the Dance Times Square in-house comp.

Oooh, maybe I can even get my Ailey review up if I hurry…

Here’s a lovely set of Flickr photos of Columbia U.’s Starry Night Winter Showcase, taken by someone with a much superior camera to my own! Enjoy!

So, on Saturday, because Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin are in Canada choreographing for Canadian So You Think You Can Dance, Mercedes Ellington took over emceeing responsibilities at the Dance Times Square student / teacher in-house competition.

It was interesting seeing her emcee since she talked a lot about the various musical pieces played for the comp and ran little trivia contests on who was the singer (Lena Horne, Bobby Darin, Johnny Mathis, etc. I got none right). At one point she asked the crowd what all Broadway shows they’d seen lately. People shouted out various shows. I think Spring Awakening had the most shout-outs. “Well hurry up and go see all these shows before they close,” she said, “so you can tell your ancestors that there was once this great thing called Broadway.” OUCH…

Here are the judges: former champs Vibeke Toft (who also coaches at the studio), Allan Tornsberg (of the always interesting hair, and snarky Blackpool commentary), and current top competitor Plamen Danailov (my friend Mika’s former pro/am partner, who was judging for, I think, the first time).

Hunky new Latin teacher at Dance Times Square, Manuel Favilla, with his students.

Long-time teacher Michael Choi in foreground, with his student.

All students did very well. It’s amazing how fast people improve at that studio. Some of Michael’s students began same time as I did, and they are so amazingly good now…

Of course we weren’t allowed to take videos of the performances at the Starry Winter Night Showcase (part of Columbia University’s Big Apple Dancesport Challenge, that I went to Saturday night — see post below) but here are some videos of a recent performance by Slavik and Hanna in Greece. The showdances are very similar to the ones I saw. I don’t feel as bad for my thoughts; if you read the YouTube comments, a lot of people felt as I did. Here’s their Rumba, their Samba, the Jive (with the suspenders ) , the Paso, and the Cha Cha.

Unfortunately, they had the lights turned down so low all my pictures all turned out to be crap. Witness below:

(See what I mean. I still think Slavik’s greatness is recognizable )

And here’s Katusha Demidova taking a bow. (I didn’t even try to take pictures of the Standard — I knew they’d never come out). But totally forgot to mention how wonderful she and Arunas Bizokas were. They are a veritable Fred and Ginger. I’m totally serious. The best ballroom dancers this country has EVER seen. EVER.

Anyway, I’m writing reviews of this event and the Dance Times Square in-house competition (always a blast) for Explore Dance and will link when they’re up.

People are going to hate me for this…

Originally uploaded by swan lake samba girl via mobile.

T-Mobile

On a scale of one to ten, Hanna is a ten, Slavik a 20000. In other words, no match. No match at all. I’m seriously depressed.

Update:Â Now that I’m home, I’m re-thinking this. I just think my expectations were so high for a Slavik and Hanna Karttunen partnership because I’ve found her so mesmerizing in her exhibitions. I just felt like her Latin wasn’t all there. Maybe she just had a bad night. Maybe she wasn’t feeling well. Or maybe good women just tend to suffocate under the weight of great male partners. But why? I think when a woman is dancing with a great man — one who’s both uber-charismatic and technically excellent with mind-boggling speed and precision of movement — she really needs to find herself, to bring out her artistry. We’re never going to be as good as the men in the athletic department, so we need to excel in other ways. I think I remember Melia saying something like that during her and Sergey’s Blackpool Congress lecture — she had to work hard to find her own “voice” to keep from getting lost under Sergey’s strength.

I just felt like even though she has great flexibility and has lovely extensions, etc., Hanna was really just all but invisible tonight.

On the other hand, Slavik! Slavik had people screaming. This girl next to me moaned loudly in ecstasy when he started to play with his suspenders, and she got so embarrassed her head practically ended up in my lap, but how much could I relate I realized this is actually the first time I’ve ever actually seen him perform live. I’ve only ever seen him compete before. He is a performer beyond any other I’ve ever seen — and I mean any — ballet (Marcelo Gomes, Angel Corella), modern, flamenco (Joaquin Cortes) — I mean everyone and every kind of dance included. It’s quite impossible to exaggerate the man’s performance ability.

And, among other things, I really don’t see how it’s humanly possible for anyone’s pelvis to move as fast as that man’s does…

And then, at one point he took the microphone and gave a little speech. Said he lived and worked in New York for a few years, back when he was competing for the United States (with Karina Smirnoff) — everyone cheered like nuts — and that New York and the U.S. in general occupied a special place in his heart, it’s “part of my soul.” A bunch of people went “ooooooh, aaaaawww,” and he looked out and smiled and said something that made people nearly fling themselves to the floor. I wish I could have heard what he said — his Russian accent is pretty strong.

Anyway, more thoughts on this later. It’s been a long day and I’m tired…

At columbia

Originally uploaded by swan lake samba girl via mobile.

T-Mobile

There’s a Sikh guy warming for tonight’s after-show comp. Never seen that before. College ballroom’s so different, so open. Wish it existed when I was in school.

Busy busy weekend for me.

Today is Dance Times Square’s student in-house competition which I’m not participating in but am covering for Explore Dance.

Ditto for tonight’s Starry Night Winter Showcase, part of Columbia University’s Big Apple DanceSport Challenge, where Slavik Kryklyvyy and Hanna Karttunen will perform! Slavik is my favorite Latin dancer and I haven’t seen him dance in a while now, so am very excited. I’ve never seen Hanna dance Latin before but have seen her amazing exhibitions at Blackpool. So, yes, very excited, to say the least. Also, Arunas Bizokas and Katusha Demidova (America’s top ballroom couple) are dancing Standard.

And, this weekend is the Independent / Small Press Book Fair in midtown, which I hope to slip in and out of today while at Dance Times Square down the street, and attend most of tomorrow.

Also, last night I saw Jose Limon Dance Company’s Program B, which is their classic Limon program (The Moor’s Pavane (probably his most famous work), The Traitor (excellent excellent), and Suite From a Choreographic Offering (beautifully rich spiritual dance set to gorgeous Bach music). Don’t have time to write about it now, but I highly recommend Program B, showing through December 7th. Here is Philip’s review.

I hate to say it but I was bored. Again. Even for the finale.

Did they honestly waste a half an hour of my time by showing repeats of two earlier-in-the-season dances per couple? Please tell me I was just imagining it, that they really did find something more interesting on which to spend the first third of the show.

And didn’t they rip off Dirty Dancing with that footage of Brooke and Derek learning lifts in water?

And Lance & Lacey’s hip hop was fine I guess if you’re judging it from a ballroom-show perspective, but if you’ve seen America’s Best Dance Crew even once you know how hackneyed and unoriginal most of those moves were.

And how many times have I seen Proud Mary used for a jive?

And those kids’ competitions are getting really yawn-inducing too. The dancers are just so much better in America’s Ballroom Challenge.

It was just a night where I found myself thinking over and over again, how unimaginative, how overused, how boring…

The only thing I can really say I liked (and I know some people — Katrina, my mom — are going to kill me) but I really enjoyed watching Lacey in the group Samba. That girl can move. And I like that she’s not an emaciated waif. And I like that she has a strong personality. She’s been out of line a few times (ie: making references to Cloris in a retirement home), but I think she’s realized the words were distasteful as soon as they came out of her mouth. I think it’s more a case of not thinking before you speak and doing it on national TV than really being an unfeeling person.

Anyway, I hope tomorrow night is better.

According to Rickey, she’s taking next season off to concentrate on her singing career. Damn! This show — what’s happening to it?…

I had a law event tonight and got home half-way through the show (and am watching the rest now), but when I turned the TV on Derek and Brooke were doing their Salsa.

But, hehe, this is the first thing I thought of: First Derek uses Max and Yulia’s song, now he ’steals’ her fab costume for Brooke:

Haha, crush

(Photo from Columbia U’s website)

Just a reminder that Slavik Kryklyvyy and Hanna Karttunen will be performing at Columbia University’s Big Apple Dancesport Challenge on December 6th! Arunas Bizokas and Katusha Demidova will dance as well. Tickets range from $30 to $85 (for front row seating), but it looks like tkts on the cheaper end are selling out. If you plan to go, I’d make your reservations sooner rather than later.

See some videos of the couple dancing here, here, and here.

So this week, each contestant does two dances — one Standard, one Latin — and in the Latin routine each must do a 15-second solo. Hmmm.

Cody & Edyta: Cody’s still dancing with Edyta. I hope Julianne is okay. They bring his (TV?) friends on to say how hot Edyta is, how cool their routine, etc. Yawn.

Excellent Foxtrot though! He was a real gent. Very elegant, very sophisticated. I didn’t see any mess-ups on the footwork, no odd lines, and very flowing with broad sweeping movements, like Foxtrot should be. He looks a slight bit more nervous with Edyta than with Julianne, but he still came through for her and was a good partner on the supported tricks. I agree with Bruno – his “most grown-up performance yet.”

Mambo: Ahhhhhh — I LOVE this one! I love him, I love him, I love him. Okay, he is definitely not the polished, sexy Latin dancer — but that’s why I love him so much. He’s just so fun. He tries so damn hard, he’s so energetic, he’s so works those hips and those shoulders and that pelvis all so well. Awesome splits jumps — that boy is flexible — and he did a very good, difficult ronde over her head. He’s definitely a little more nervous dancing with Edyta. At one point you could tell she said something to him, perhaps told him to hold a beat, slow it down a bit. But I just don’t care; I love him too much. I want him to win: Cody! Cody! Cody!

Ahhhahahah: Hostess Samantha: “Did you ever imagine you’d be dancing with an almost totally naked woman on TV?” Cody: “Well, I may have imagined it, but I never expected it.”

Brooke & Dereck: Hmm, I found their Tango a bit off. I saw a few odd lines from her, knees not straight, especially on that lunge, and at times it looked like her weight wasn’t evenly centered, like she had one hip jutted out, which is not Standard, not Tango. It might have been the asymmetrical waistline of her dress though. It really looked like she had one hip up. I agree with Len — geez, the only one with the guts to be the least bit critical.

Her Mambo was much better than her Tango. She did her solo up front — good idea, get it over with at the top. She didn’t do all that much — mainly swivels, but they were very good, and very spicy and exciting. Cute choreographic theme with her pulling him toward her, practically beating him emotionally into submission. Some very deep dangerous-looking dips.

Maurice & Cheryl: Very fun Quickstep. Elegant but sprightly, exactly how it should be. He has a soft, laid back, jazzy look that is all his own. He still looks a bit nervous whenever they go into closed position though. But he shouldn’t be. He has all the footwork down and can move at the right speed. It is very hard to dance with a partner like that, to move so fast, running around the floor perfectly in sync with another, to whom you’re attached at the hip. Just shows you how partner dancing — especially Standard with that close handhold, that martini-glass shape the two of you have to make with your bodies — is so hard and nerve-wracking. As it turned out, he had no reason to be nervous though. “Putting on the Ritz” is my favorite song for Quickstep, by the way.

The Paso Doble is his dance. He has the perfect character – -strong, imposing, powerful, as Bruno said — for that dance. Excellent solo with some very difficult moves. Marvelous continuous turns, perfect spotting, wonderful cape work. I’ve never tried it, but I don’t think that’s easy! And excellent rhythm as always from him. Only thing for him to work on vis-a-vis this dance, is his hips. They should be just a bit more forward.

Lance & Lacey: Well, he’s still got the pigeon toes and they’re driving me crazy. I’m sorry, I know it’s my thing that I always harp on, but it completely destroys the line and marks one an unprofessional. Those side-steps were painful to watch with the toes going directly inward. But it was only when he was dancing solo that it was bothersome; when he danced with her he had a more elegant, smooth look, and was a good, supportive partner. Very good rise and fall action. Cute choreography too: I like the little swively, slow jive kick things in the middle.

I didn’t like the Samba at all. There was no hip / pelvic action whatsoever. He was completely straight-postured. It looked like a jazz / theater routine, not an Afro-Latin dance. I do appreciate how hard that routine must have been for him to memorize — there was a lot there in terms of intricate footwork and difficult tricks. Yes, yes, yes — thank you Len, for backing me up on those pigeon toes!!! Lacey just has to work with him on form more. Give him a little less intricacy in terms of footwork and work with him on his body movement.

Warren & Kym: Oooh, I loved the Tango — very rhythmic! I loved the upbeat music for a change. He is so musical, he put his foot down perfectly on those beats. And there were some very difficult Argentine hooks, with his foot pushing hers down, just at the right moment and with just the right amount of force. Unlike Maurice, he doesn’t seem nervous at all in the close-handhold. He’s just as good a partner as he is on his own.

What a fun Jive. Technically the movement wasn’t right: he was jumping into the air rather than drawing the movement toward the ground, to make it weighted and to allow his hips to work. But how fun anyway. Why does it have to be a perfectly proper Jive? Though he obviously looks nothing like the man, the solo was kind of like a Fred Astaire-ish tap dancing routine: light as a feather (even given his size) and joyful as can be.

So, overall my favorite is Cody. I also like Warren and Maurice, but it’s time for someone other than a sports star to get this title!

By the way, in the world of pro competitive dancing, Riccardo Cocchi and Yulia Zagoruychenko take tops in the Kremlin cup! Have got to go to that someday…Â (photo from Dance Beat)

…and it’s getting cold! Which I hate. Cold makes me think of death. Although, I was just skimming my newish Complete New Yorker (which I won by taking one of those New Yorker marketing surveys — people actually do win those!) and I ran across a review from 1988 by Arlene Croce of Edward Villella and Miami City Ballet, which I read with interest since it’s kind of timely (the company will be coming to City Center in January for the first time in a while). Anyway, in explaining why Villella had a bit of a hard time getting his company off the ground, Croce noticed that ballet seems to thrive in cold climates where people wear heavy coats, like Russia and northern Europe and New York. Too much sun, too much natural beauty, and no indoor culture. Anyway, will try to think of winter that way: it’s because I’m freezing my tush off that I have ballet in my life…

(above picture is of holiday decorations at the Time Warner Center, which I took a few days ago)

So, I had my class — first in I don’t know how long, but over a year at least. It was advanced Cha Cha at Stepping Out, with Jules Helm (above, in jeans and black shirt), a very nice, patient, and thorough teacher (we began with 20 minutes of stretching, working just about every part of the body, including the foot, which not many teachers spend time with and which I need because my feet tend to cramp. So I didn’t need my set of ridiculously shallow warm-up plies that I did at home, during which I nearly twisted my hip out of its socket… I am really prone to hurting myself…)

I was sent to the studio to write a review of the class by Explore Dance. It was a very comfy, homey, social atmosphere, not at all threatening, which was good because I’d intended to take the intermediate class, but, long story short, ended up in advanced. The routine Jules taught us was fun and challenging without being too crazy hard and I managed to get the steps down, though my technique was heinous and I’ve once again forgotten how to balance in heels (not that I ever knew). At one point I nearly flew over sideways after a double spiral (two spins in which you put one foot in front of the other and turn a full rotation without picking your feet off the ground) and took my partner down with me. The male students were thankfully very nice though — which was a welcome change from some of the other studios I’ve been to. Anyway, will post to the (serious) Explore Dance review when it’s up.

Oh and my old teacher Luis was there (teaching now at three studios); so fun to run into him!

Can they come up with something better than having Kym show Warren how a man (in the form of Nick Kosovitch) dances a Foxtrot? These producers have got to come up with some more entertaining filler here!

Warren & Kym: Oh goodness, can you say tense?! Poor Warren: he did not look at ease at all with that Foxtrot! Until he did that teensy tiny jazzy little barrel turn. Then he seemed to come alive. Unfortunately it was all the way at the very end. He was musical and had the rhythm down and all the footwork was good — even did well on those fast-footed grapevine steps. He had the rise and fall too. It just lacked polish and most definitely character.

Susan & Tony’s Paso: ditto for Susan, except without the musicality. Actually, it was there, mainly because Tony was leading her. Notice how Kym will trust Warren with side-by-side action, not always keeping him in the close handhold. The better dancers can take care of themselves out there. But the weaker ones need to be led a bit more. But Susan is sweet and she’s trying. She didn’t follow through with all of her lines though; it looked like she stopped everything a bit short, going on to the next move before she’d finished the prior one. I noticed it mostly with the little dips. She’d let him take her down, then be pulling herself up before she’d finished her lovely leg line (or what should have been such). It’s something I used to do too all the time, though, particularly when nervous. And the long red and black dress, while gorgeous, was too much for her little body; it engulfed her. I know it’s Paso, but she could have had a short dress and just a light bit of fabric in back for a cape.

Maurice & Cheryl’s Cha Cha: best routine of the night so far. Very rhythmic — rhythm’s just in the man’s body — awesome body rolls and hip swaying and circular hip rolling / almost Samba-like action. And notice all the side-by-side / solo dancing. And he’s a very good partner for her. He was very strong in those dips and stretches; she really threw herself out there and trusted him to hold her. Looked like he had a bit o’ trouble getting through her legs there on that little floor trick toward the end. But who cares; he’s so much fun.

Cody & Edyta’s Viennese Waltz: AHHHHH, I LOVE him! He’s a gawky teen trying hard hard hard to be a polished gentlemanly ballroom dancer and I love him so much for trying so hard and taking this very grown-up competition so seriously! Darling boy! What a cutely serious face he had on, huh! Well, he had that footwork down, and he was moving pretty fast in lots of circular floor patterns, with a partner, often in close handhold — so he did damn well and deserves big kudos for that. His lines need LOTS of work — particularly arms. Keep those fingers together! Eeee!

Lance & Lacey’s Rumba: Well, my very first Latin teacher, the excellent Mr. Kelvin Roche, used to play that song (I think it’s called “Wonderland” right?) for our beginning Jive classes. Because it is a jive — a very slow one, and hence perfect for learning the dance. It wasn’t a rumba at all. It was fun though but I totally agree with Len about the shoes. You wear the shoes with the heels (high for ladies, Cuban 3/4 inch for men) to pitch your foot forward to put your weight on the ball of your foot, so that when you put your heel down, your weight tends to shift at the hip. So, he was flat-footed and hip-less. Which is not rumba. I’ll give him the arms though — those bolero-like above-the-head full sways from the shoulder to the fingertips were lovely. And he followed through with the movement, and had nice, full lines. Best arms of the night.

Brooke & Derek’s Foxtrot: Oh, very nice, very elegant. She looked like a real dancer. Not quite as fun as Maurice, and so my second favorite of the night, though I understand the judges’ giving her three tens. Very beautiful lines — I agree with Carrie Ann on that. Lovely how he carried her across the floor in the splits. It was a very basic routine, but basic Foxtrot is hard, and she kept in proper close frame well, and she had the rise and fall, and just overall looked very glamorous and in character. I love the little kiss-blowing. Nice 40s hairstyle.

Okay, now onto these (new to the show) team matches:

Team Cha Cha (Susan, Lance, and Cody & partners): cute. I mean, so these team comps apparently are basically the three couples dancing one at a time with a tiny bit of team work with formations and synchronization. During the brief bits where they all danced together, I wasn’t sure if they were supposed to be moving in unison each doing the same steps or if each couple was supposed to be doing its own thing. Carrie Ann seemed to think they were supposed to be in unison. Anyway, Susan looked tense, and hence stiff, again — poor Susan, I think her nerves are really getting to her, and whose wouldn’t when you’re basically the one woman dancing alongside Edyta and Lacey! I agree with the judges that Lance and Lacey were best, most on and rhythmical, but I also like Cody’s effort and stage presence.

Team Paso Doble (Brooke, Maurice and Warren & pro partners): this one was much better, clearly the winner, though Len is totally right about it being much easier to keep formation in a slower marching dance than a quicker-paced Cha Cha. Having said that, excellent formations and everyone was perfectly in sync during the group parts. And each couple was amazing — Brooke and Derek’s continuous pivot turns — badass!!! Whoa! That blew me away. The men were good too — Warren looked much more at ease here than in his Foxtrot earlier in the evening. His tough footballer attitude fits much better with the Paso character.

All in all: my favorites of the night are a tie between Brooke and Maurice. I think, unfortunately — because I like her personality a lot — Susan may be going home this week.

You guys, by the time we see the results we will have a new President. Eeeeee, I’m nervously excited…

with this show now. I wouldn’t be at all upset if what had happened last night hadn’t had happened, if Carrie Ann hadn’t said those words. I really think she should apologize, to Cloris and to the public in general, because she really was reprimanding the public for voting the way they did. Assuming the results aren’t rigged… a belief many have expressed. Who knows, maybe they are — it’s very odd that Cloris stays on all this time, then, after the judges decide she should be off, wham she is… especially when you’d expect all her fans to come out and show their support to the max after those nasty statements by the judges.

In any event, this show has really worn on my nerves this season.

I’m sure I’ll get over it though, and will be glued to the TV next week

Anyway, for ballet people, here is a very short HuffPo piece I did on ABT, trying to gear it a bit to the more ‘political’ crowd.

Argh, I love how they introduced Lord of the Flies guy, Lord of the Flames, whatever his name is… — Michael Flatley — by announcing he’s grossed over $200 million between Feet of Flames, Lord of the whatever and Celtic Tiger, and is therefore “the most successful dancer in history.” Period. Not “financially, the most successful dancer in history.” Why is this country is so fixated on money? Haven’t we learned anything over the past several months?

Anyway, I just got back from my “representing the mentally ill client” continuing legal education seminar and am just now watching my tape. All I’ve seen is the last hip hop, which was excellent! I think Cloris did better in her solo (or side-by-side duet with Corky) than she’s ever done on the ballroom floor? Seriously — she had a real bad-ass bounce in her step I’ve never seen before. And she had those punches down! And I love Cody — he’s so cute — I love his opening … whatever those noises he made with his mouth close over the mike are called – -mouth noises. Lance blew me away too. Everyone did so well; I can’t believe it. Just shows how hard ballroom is that everyone can rock out with loose hips and bumping and grinding pelvises and then be all unbalanced on a traveling Cha Cha lockstep or side-stepping Samba voltas. Still, hip hop is so flipping hard for me.

Okay, watching the rest now, and blogging as I go…

Oh my gosh, Maurice and Cheryl’s Viennese Waltz was so beautiful! So smooth and dapper and gentlemanly, and fluid and precise footwork, and gorgeous gorgeous posture, and that quick turn, followed by the way he reached out for her. Ooh, Maurice, I’m in love with you this week! What? I can’t believe the judges — are they collectively on drugs?

Aw, Lance’s Jive was cute. Great jive kicks, great speed, cute slide, good precision in the footwork, excellent character. He sold it very well. I wasn’t in love with Lacey’s loud pink shoe bows though.

Wow, Susan’s Mambo really impressed me! It was a very pretty Mambo — maybe not hot sexy mama Mambo, but a pretty one; as Lord guy said, she’s the epitome of “elegance, grace, and beauty.” And he’s right; that’s Susan — she made it her own. Her dress was lovely and the red fire-y skirt really waved and flickered about well. Tony gave her some very fast fancy footwork and she pulled it off wonderfully. Her swivels were lovely and she completely twisted her whole body, which is hard. And really nice ronde de jambe en l’air (or air rondes, as I call them). Good job, Susan!

Well, Brooke’s rumba was lovely, but rumba is just the cruelest dance! It’s so slow and every movement, every hip movement so drawn out, that you can just see every flaw so clearly. Hers was a very lyrical rumba (meaning, straight, ballet-like posture, not a lot of organic hip movement), which is fine. Those were my specialty though I was nowhere good as she is! Her toes weren’t pointed enough though and didn’t trace the floor enough — your foot is never really supposed to leave the floor in a rumba – -and her knees were too bent. Her lines were a little off. I know she has a foot injury… Gorgeous dip though, and some lovely stretches. It wasn’t perfect but it was very nice to watch.

I know at least some of you guys are going to hate me for this, but I think Carrie Ann’s comment about Cloris was really unfair. I’m upset that Toni Braxton was kicked off last week too, as I think — and said many times — I thought she was one of the best on the show — but it’s unfair to criticize and basically blame Cloris for still being here when Toni’s off. As if it’s Cloris’s fault?… Cloris is sweet; her Cha Cha was cute — and I think she’s really starting to try now. She obviously has limitations, but at this point I don’t feel like she’s trying to screw up and be a goof; I feel like she’s really trying to do the best she can. And, I linked to that NYTimes article on her last week — I don’t think it’s any small thing that Corky Ballas was in the Times, picture, name and all. The fact that a ballroom legend is in one of the biggest newspapers around… Has ballroom ever been taken so seriously? I mean, this has been a subculture. I feel like Cloris, in her own way, perhaps inadvertently, has kind of done more than any other celebrity on this show to change that… She has to be credited for that at least?

Cody is just so cute. I’m starting to laugh throughout his entire routines now, in a good way! His Samba was nowhere near perfect, but it was really really really good. It wasn’t a typical Samba, but who needs typical all the time? It was a welcome change. He’s such a good partner, such a good support for her. You can tell she’s really comfortable with him, really trusts him the way she throws herself into his arms on those dips and takes him so fast on those pivots. Those pivots (fast turns with partner in close handhold) are hard; it’s very easy to trip all over your partner’s feet. His footwork wasn’t perfect and his hip and pelvic action wasn’t all there, but some of it certainly was. He needs more turnout with his feet. He tries so hard and has such energy, and he’s the biggest improvement on the show. I’m really rooting for him at this point. Poor Julianne; I hope she’s okay. Did she say endometriosis? That’s serious, and she’s young. I mean, not life-threateningly serious, but I’ve heard it’s very painful.

I loved Warren’s rumba too. (I seem to have loved everything this week) He is really very musical — he moved perfectly on the beat — and his footwork was quick and sharp. He did a sliding door, which is an advanced step that is really pretty hard, and his footwork was not only perfect, but really sharp. Amateurs are usually soft and tentative in all Latin dances — and it really shows in the rumba since it’s so slow — but with each step he put his foot down with such decisiveness. He had some checks (where one foot is directly in front of the other, the front leg is straight, the back one bent, and weight is equally distributed) — and they’re kind of hard for amateurs — you can lose your balance easily — and his were pretty smooth. And he was wonderfully in character — soulful, smooth, passionate, strong, virile. Who cares if the technique wasn’t all there? I love it!

I meant to write about this yesterday but took the day off from writing when I got a pleasantly unexpected invitation from Lucky Broadway Girl to see a play! Imagine that: words, actual words spoken on a stage! Hehe, I used to go to plays all the time but kind of stopped when I got so into dance — had no time. Anyway, we went to see Love Child, off-Broadway, at the 59East59 theater, which I’d never been to before.

Nice space, for lots of small theaters — kind of like some of those buildings on far west 42nd street. The play was good and the actors (Daniel Jenkins and Robert Stanton) excellent — these two men played several different characters and they had to change from one to another in a split nano-second. No time for line flubs! And there was a little choreographed movement — sometimes they had to do a little series of turns to show they were going from one character to another. So there was some dance after all Anyway, so great to finally meet Lucky Bway Girl!

The Dance Times Square showcase I won’t say much about because I’m writing a review for Explore Dance which I’ll link to as soon as it’s up, but just briefly: wow, their best showcase yet, or at least one of their best. Sabra and Neil from SYTYCD were there, each danced two solos apiece. Excellent solos, obviously. Neil’s were both kind of Movin’ Out style, white t-shirt and jeans, the first more beautifully balletic with lots of whipping fouettes and multiple pirouettes and big leaping jetes. He has a really beautiful line. Somehow I’d kind of overlooked that on the show. His second solo was more gymnastic with a few fun tumbling passes, which I guess is what he’s known for (not only on the TV show but he was also in Tharp’s acrobatic Times Are A’ Changin’). I personally prefer the ballet, but the crowd went nuts when he went flying

And Sabra danced gorgeously. Her first was this kind of cutely sexy Bjork-esque number in a pink and white baby doll dress, and her second a more passionate contemporary of the style you’d see on the show, danced in a vibrant purple unitard. She moves so well, and she dances with such passion and emotion and her form is so perfect; she has perfect ballet turn-out. This was the most up-close I’ve seen her and she really is a miraculous dancer; I can clearly see how she won the crown.

Still, to me Eugene Katsevman and Maria Manusova stole the show with their three Latin combo routines. They are such a splendid partnership — they’re both very good dancers, both quick, sharp, and precise, and neither tries to outshine the other; they actually work as a team, which is unfortunately becoming increasingly rare in ballroom…

And Michael Choi (a DTS teacher) and his professional partner Becky Melton did a luxuriant ballroom combo to Andrea Bocelli’s rich, luscious Con Te Partiro, one of my favorite musical pieces period, but particularly for ballroom dance.

It was a tribute to the Helen Sawaya Fund — a group supporting breast cancer survivors, and they (the member survivors) did a little Broadway-esque / ballroom number, all dressed in dazzling bright red gowns, with the male pros at DTS, all in dapper black tuxes. Mercedes Ellington presented them, and opera star Aprile Millo sang. Gorgeous voice — and she sang without accompaniment. Philip told me some interesting stories about her — she has a cult following and there are even some exhibits in the Met opera house dedicated to her! No wonder it was so packed in the house — opera divas with cult followings, TV stars, stars of the Latin ballroom world… And this was the most diverse it’s ever been — a lot of the numbers were kind of Broadway dance or contemporary dance combined with Latin and ballroom. They weren’t one specific style. So, the studio is branching out!

All in all, it was a fabulous night. As always, the students are loads of fun to watch, and to cheer on — both advanced and beginner. Elaine (full disclosure: my friend), who often steals the student portion of the show, ended it (with teacher Michael Choi) with a disco tribute to Donna Summer, and had the crowd roaring to its feet. This biannual showcase is always such a blast. It’s not ABT, you know, but it’s just a huge blast!

Tonight and tomorrow night I have law events, so may be little late with my DWTS posts, but will definitely tape, watch, and blog! I’m excited — I think — to see the contestants dance with each other. That’s what they’re doing tonight, right?…

Dance times square showcase

Originally uploaded by swan lake samba girl via mobile.

T-Mobile

Theatre is totally packed. Was never like this when i danced!

My HuffPo piece is up.

Just a reminder about the DTS showcase this Saturday night. Eugene Katsevman and Maria Manusova (very strong Latin dancers; see here) are performing, as are Neil Haskell and Sabra Johnson from SYTYCD, among others.

Can you guys believe I just now watched last week’s Monday night episode? Too busy… I’m now four posts behind (have play, opera, San Fran Ballet, and reading to blog about, and after tonight, DWTS, and Broadway thingy); I have no life outside of dance… I had to watch the tape so that I could re-tape tonight’s show, since I’ll be at this Broadway thingy majigger that Danny Tidwell is not dancing at. I’m glad I watched though: Samba’s my favorite. Just quickly want to say that I was completely blown away by Brooke — she looked like a natural Sambista in that club. What the h–? And then during her routine, she did a perfect ballet ronde, with outturned leg, beautiful kick, in addition to near-perfect ballroom Samba technique. Not in love with the fact that Derreck used Max & Yulia’s song, though — ‘cuz couldn’t get Max & Yulia out of my mind then. Also liked Lance’s tango — he’s really improving. And Warren, though I didn’t like what he did on the ballroom floor, was blown away by that capoeira. Those handstand walks — what the h–? Who knew that big guy could do that??

Anyway, I’m taping tonight’s show, but will blog when I get back from said Broadway thingy majigger. Also, I just got an email from my old studio — my first studio — Paul Pellicoro’s Dancesport — that their weekly Hustle party is going to be featured on tonight’s show. So, watch for that!

Update: So, I guess I am full of lies this week The email said the studio was supposed to be on, and there was a picture of Tony and Susan in its body… I think Susan and Tony were probably in NY for her One Life rehearsals and he decided to take her to the studio’s Hustle party to practice, and then she got injured and they showed the scenes of her getting the MRI instead… Oh well.

So, I think Julianne Hough should win an award for her choreography. She simply rocks. That jitterbug for Cody made me want to take Lindy all over again, and I haven’t felt that way in a long time. Her I Love Lucy routine with him as the upright / uptight businessman who can’t dance his way out of a paper bag and her the sweetly nutty wife who’s a lot more talented than she (or anyone else) thinks, so perfectly suited his lanky teenage body, his goofy boyish charm, his awkward broken lines (Lindy is all about bent legs, bent arms, oddly flexed feet kicking at the air), and his silly sense of humor. Bruno was right when he said it was perfectly acted, and perfectly danced — that the hilarious slapstick was only an act; a great act, but only an act. It was really so well controlled, all of his movements were — those Charleston kicks toward each other; if you don’t exert serious control over your leg and foot, your partner can easily end up looking like they got into a fight with a razor blade. And some of those tricks were insanely hard — how she jumped into his arms and they went right into a rag doll lift, and then he ran off around the stage with her in that position, legs wrapped around his waist play beating him about the head. He gets major kudos this week. They deserved three 10s I think.

My other favorites were Maurice and Cheryl — more excellent choreography, and he really nailed that Salsa both rhythmically and stylistically; Warren — what a super fun laugh-out-loud Hustle; Brooke, as always; and Toni too — judges were way too harsh on her. The moonwalks were perfect for Michael Jackson, and she nailed them. And she had that sexy, laid-back rhythm down pat. I didn’t see anything wrong at all with her routine this week; I thought she glowed.

My prediction is either Cloris or Susan is going this week, followed by the other next week, then probably Lance the week after. And then I don’t know what’s going to happen.

(photo by Roman Stetsyk, taken from here)

Yesterday I went to see a play about choreographer George Balanchine (which I’ll post about as soon as I have time; I have about 10,000 things to write about and that’s really not much of an exaggeration). My ballroom friend, Mika, came with me, which was wonderful because I hadn’t seen her in a while and needed to get caught up on all the ballroom gossip She’s just returned from Internationals, held at Royal Albert Hall in London — so jealous; I really wanted to go to that this year. Anyway, we were chatting about the Latin results and she noted that Slavik Kryklyvyy (one of my two favorite Latin dancers; the other, Sergey Surkov, was unfortunately injured and couldn’t compete), was there watching but still didn’t compete with his newish partner, Hanna Karttunen. Word had it that he got cold feet; didn’t feel up to it. He did the same in May at Blackpool, though. He wandered through the crowd, watching, with a forlorn expression that nearly made me cry, live competitions and videos vendors were showing of past competitions that included him and Karina Smirnoff. Funny, my friend even saw him stretching at one point, before competitors were called onto the floor. As if he were competing. People kept coming up to him and asking for photos, asking him if he would be dancing, and he just kept repeating, “Not this year, sorry,” sounding sadder each time.

Last year when he and Elena Khvorova (who’s now dancing with Andrej Skufca — the couple placed third at Albert Hall — for people who are interested) were a new couple, he did the same thing. But that year, they came to US Nationals and tried out their new partnership in the open to the world category. So, I thought he and Hanna might do the same this year, but they didn’t.

I hope he gets up the nerve to compete soon because people, for one thing, MISS HIM (unless google analytics is lying to me, he’s consistently been the way most new readers have found this blog. And, to my knowledge he’s never been on any of the TV shows, so his fame comes just from his spectacular work on the ballroom floor) and, for another, are getting worried judges are going to start being dismissive, forgetting about him, making a comeback harder. And real-life ballroom judges, lord knows, unlike their TV counterparts, are completely immune from public opinion.

Anyway, happily, he doesn’t seem to have an issue with showdancing. Here’s a video of him and Hanna — video quality is not the best, but if you know ballroom, and if you know him, you can tell they look in great form. Also, commenter Shim alerted me that they are to dance at Columbia University’s Big Apple Dancesport Challenge, on December 6th! I just hope that’s not restricted to Columbia students…

In the ballroom world, DanceBeat reports that Valentin Chmerkovskiy and Valeryia Kozharinova, current reigning US Latin amateur champs, have split. They just competed at Internationals, held at the Royal Albert Hall in London last Thursday, placing in the semifinals in Amateur. The U.S., predictably, took home two second-place trophies in Pro: Riccardo Cocchi and Yulia Zagoruychenko in Latin, and Arunas Bizokas and Katusha Demidova in Standard.