If you don’t want to miss a Christmas classic, but don’t want to shell out the money in this crap economy, no worries. San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker is going to be on PBS this Wednesday.

I viewed an advance copy and it’s really one of the better Nutz I’ve seen. San Francisco Ballet is one of the best ballet companies in the country, in the world really, and they’ve done a lovely production. Kristi Yamaguchi, Olympic gold medalist in figure skating and Dancing With the Stars champion last season, introduces. She’s from the Bay area and talks about how this company, which her mother would take her to see as a child, really made her fall in love with the beauty of movement and the thrill of performing. This production is set in San Fran, during the 1915 World’s Fair, so it’s a bit updated in terms of the costuming and sets (both of which are gorgeous), and Yamaguchi gives a nice little half-time historical talk.

(photos of Karapetyan and Kochetkova by David Allen, from SFB website)

And the dancers are spectacular. Davit Karapetyan is probably the hunkiest Nutcracker / Cavalier I think I’ve ever seen (remember how I was going on about him when I saw the company here in September!), and Maria Kochetkova is radiant as the grown-up Clara. Yuan Yuan Tan is a lovely Snow Queen. And of course the music — Tchaikovsky is the greatest composer ever. Okay arguably…

So, PBS Wednesday, the 17th at 8pm in NY. Go here for local listings.

Go in grace premiere

Originally uploaded by swan lake samba girl via mobile.

T-Mobile

Aw, it was sweet! And interesting – was just as much about the music – sung live onstage- as the dance if not more. Amos machanic is so good, breaks my heart. Think i saw will from so u think u can dance talking to choreographer hope boykin.

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…

Yet another TV dance competition show. Read about it here.

I went to the opening night of Misnomer Dance Theater’s Being Together at the Joyce SoHo last night. I almost don’t want to write anything yet since they’ll be broadcasting live their December 14th performance. I know, how coolly innovative, right! So, I encourage everyone to watch that. It’s going to be here, on their website. Don’t worry; I’ll remind you again closer to the date

The work is divided into three sections: “Too Late Tulip”; “Rock.Paper.Flock”; and “Zipper”. All deal with different ways human beings have of connecting to each other. The second and third also deal with (a related issue, I suppose, of) how meaning is made in dance — is it due more to the choreographer or the dancers? — which to me, as someone who’s never danced anything but ballroom, is something I’ve always wondered about. I mean, with all other kinds of artists — writers, painters, composers — the work is due entirely to the person at the helm. Sure, actors (in the case of a play) and musicians over time add their own interpretations, but it’s ultimately the writer or composer’s words or notes. I’ve never understood choreographers who say they couldn’t have possibly made their dance on anyone else. That seems to contribute to the ephemeral nature of dance. And that ephemeral quality would seem to negate that a dance, like the other arts, can have a history, and a future. And yet great dances, thankfully, do survive the dancers on whom they were made.

Anyway, choreographer Christopher Elam says his dances are completely open to interpretation, but my interpretation of the first, “Too Late Tulip” was that it’s the story of a woman who has trouble connecting to others. She enjoys swaying to the music on her own, but when others try to join her, to connect with her in various shapes, she kicks out at them, pushes them away. Soon, she is taken with a male dancer, who has a female partner already. The effect is at times chaotic, at times sweet.

The second part I really can’t write about because so much of it was improvised, albeit “directed” on the spot by the choreographer, by Elam. His commands to the dancers are at times hilarious in their generality or seeming contradictions: “Coco, I want you to do what I am thinking” (she playfully shoved another dancer); “Dorian, take center stage with intention and an air of mystery stage and then act like a bowling trophy”; “Luke, focus intensely on something beyond our comprehension” (this was actually rather mesmerizing); “Coco, transform yourself into a magical being and engage in a battle and negotiation with Luke”; etc. It was hilarious watching the dancers take on these commands and this section will be the most interesting to watch repeated on December 14th.

The third part, “Zipper,” seemed to be an extension of the themes of the first two. A dancer (Coco Karol, pictured above with Elam) moved her arms about as if conducting an orchestra. Two dancers would at points move along with her gestures, like they were her instruments, and she’d smile; at other times they’d do their own thing and her face would express surprise or concern. Was she in control or were they? Later, Elam dances, conveying (to me) a loner trying desperately to connect, at times with Karol, at times with the other male dancer in the troupe, Luke Gutgsell.

One thing about Elam — his movement language is so original, something I can’t say of many other choreographers. I’m sure this is the effect of having lived and studied abroad, working in a variety of non-Western cultures. The movement is somehow still evocative of the familiar though, and emotionally moving — the creatures he creates can be funny, sad, pathetic, cute, always endearing. (If you watched So You Think You Can Dance, think Mark Kanemura). In “Zipper”, he moves at times like a gorilla, at times like a crab. To me, this speaks to the interconnectedness of life forms, of how humans can be animalistic and non-human animals human-like. It’s worth going to see his work just to see such unique movement and partnering.

So watch on December 14th! And hopefully, they’ll put a permanent video on the website for watchers who aren’t before a computer at that time…

Here is my HuffPo piece.

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?…

Ugh, I am so disgusted with this show right now. I just watched the very end to see who got kicked off b/c I was at Complexions — If you’re in NY, do go, just for Desmond Richardson and Epatha Merkerson in I Will Not Be Broken! (Richardson dancing, Merkerson — from Law & Order — singing the slavery spirituals. Totally Alvin Ailey, totally gorgeous, totally moving, almost cried at the beginning with Desmond brushing off those shackles, mental and physical…)

But back to DWTS: I seriously have NO desire to watch the finals next week. Brooke is good but she bores me out of my mind. I’m completely uninterested in her. The other two — Lance, though I like him personality-wise, his dancing just doesn’t do it for me. I do really like Warren — both personality and dance-wise. But can I watch a three-hour show just for him? And even if he wins — it’ll just be another sports star taking home the trophy…

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

TenduTV just launched on Tidal TV. I don’t have a huge amount of time to play around with it today, but check it out for yourself. It looks like several pieces have already been uploaded.

“Some of the acting is stilted in spots, but the dancing is fantastic. And the leitmotif of class resentment is an apt one for the times.” Scroll down to the bottom to see the short review. The critic is a television not dance writer. I guess it shows what different audiences’ expectations may be. Via Selly whose review (with a good many comments) is 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)

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…

(David Hallberg and Nicola Curry in Citizen, photo by Rosalie O’Connor)

Sadly, today is my last ABT performance of the fall season. I’ve been to two others in the last week that I haven’t had time to write about, but will do a wrap-up soon. Finally got a picture of Citizen (above) that shows the costumes I was going on about pretty well. And below is Company B, probably my favorite dance overall of this season, or at least one of my favorites.

(Craig Salstein in the middle, Misty Copeland on the far left — two of my favorite, most dramatic, dancers — and Mary Mills Thomas and Simone Messmer on the right. Photo by Gene Schiavone.)

Did you guys see Center Stage: Turn it Up last night? What did you think? There’s a discussion going on in the comments section of this post.

Okay I am off to my last ABT performance… Oh, don’t forget to turn back your clocks today, you guys. My main clock (that I rely on) automatically turned itself back an hour last week, since that was the old daylight savings time, and I was almost late for a performance…

Interesting decoration I saw on the street.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Also, don’t forget, the night after Halloween, (Saturday, November 1) Oxygen cable network is airing the premiere of the new movie Center Stage 2, or Center Stage: Turn It Up. According to the network’s website, it’s scheduled to show a couple of times that evening, as well as the following Sunday and Wednesday. So you have plenty of chances

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?…

My HuffPo piece is up.

this week, for commending that young Latin dancer for putting fouettes into her jive (which I’ve never seen before either), and for telling them to continue taking ballet, since that is the best way to learn all dances. Yay, Bruno!

I’m glad they had Cody and Julianne dance again. That jitterbug was the best routine I think I’ve seen on the show, ever. I can’t believe he did that!

How fun were The Stray Cats! Or I guess the Brian Setzer Orchestra now. He looks different, but sounds exactly the same.

Wow, I didn’t see those results coming at all. Wrong was I…Â I’m rather annoyed, actually. I feel like the public was too blind to the judges. Toni’s WCS was NOT bad yesterday.

Interesting NYTimes article about Cloris Leachman, by the way.

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.

Hehehe, my friend Dea sent this to me. I thought it was too funny not to post

I can’t really comment on the results since I haven’t yet watched the whole show from last night. But, oh, I’m sad.

Show tonight was fun. I’m glad I got to see Los Vivancos. I’d planned to see them at an outdoor festival downtown over the summer but something came up and I couldn’t make it, so cool I got to see them on TV instead.

Brooke Burqa … hmmm, how do I feel about that play on words, Tom Bergeron…

I LOVE the presidential campaign-style adverts though. Very clever. My favorites were Warren’s wearing a fat suit and hasn’t Toni had enough success.

Fun they’re going to have other dance styles on next week, although we’ve seen some of them — Hustle and Salsa at least — in final competitions.

Oh come on, I want to see more of those hip lessons, Bruno…

Here’s a little thing I wrote for HuffPo on this week’s DWTS. It’s not really what I wrote here though, a run-down of the show, but is more focused on how food and dance just don’t go together, sadly…

I don’t know why but I really don’t want him to get the boot! Probably because I’m a pig and want to see what tasty-looking concoctions he’ll come up with each week to feed (the uninterested; she’s a dancer after all) Karina.

Susan and Tony’s Jive: cute, but she looked very stiff up there. She tried hard to get the footwork right but she did miss some steps and had a hard time keeping up and it was obvious. Music was a bit too fast. She had a problem getting into the sailor shuffles for some reason — I don’t know if she forgot the step, and they were separated, so he wasn’t leading her at that point; she could only follow his example, or if she just had a hard time getting into the quick jumpy shuffling rhythm of it, but it was noticeable. Judges were WAY the heck too nice. She’s cute though and I sympathize with her difficulty learning, with her difficulty learning to “think” with your body not your brain.

Lance and Lacey’s Viennese Waltz: aw, sweet, well acted, nice, fluid movement, decent rise and fall but he really didn’t roll through the foot, so it looked a bit forced. Very traditional choreographically, though; Len can’t fault them on that this week. Sometimes his lines were awkward — he kind of threw his arms a bit over-far when they split and opened out to the audience, and toes were pointed oddly inward at points. But everyone does that — at least every man. Everyone needs a beginning ballet class!

Maurice and Cheryl’s Jive: so much fun. He is so rhythmic, great swivels, great jive kicks, perfect mood and musicality. And excellent tricks – -the jumping over her at the beginning, the back and forth through the legs. Cheryl can only get away with that with a real athlete.

Rocco and Karina’s Viennese Waltz: first of all, best practice trick so far: blindfolding him. He was so much better, so much more musical blindfolded. Took away his self-consciousness and his (completely normal) tendency to think with mind over body, to think the steps rather than feel them. The routine: adorable “Pussycat” song — who’d have ever thought of it but Karina? Great footwork on the basics — his basics — the one-two-three forward-side-close-backward-side-crosses were actually really splendid. Good reverse turn, as Len noted. Those aren’t easy. Lovely rise and fall action. And he’s a very strong partner, the way he swung her around on the floor sweep was masterly. In general, he wasn’t really polished and I can see Bruno’s “lump of mashed potatoes” remark, but he’s not a professional dancer for cry-eye! Give him a break. But but but, where was the food?…

Warren and Kym’s Viennese Waltz: ah, so romantic! And who knew the big guy could move so elegantly! I love how he grabbed her skirt at the beginning, pulled her toward him. And so smooth — he was beautiful in all of the partnering, all of the basics. When they split and he moved on his own, he sped it up a little, did a little skip, and overdid it a bit, but on the partnering, in closed position, it was just beautiful. And loved the little R&Bish arm wave at that one point.

Cody and Julianne’s Jive: well, not a whole lot of actual dancing. Mostly cute stylistics (playing the guitar on her leg, twice) and tricks (moving her around the floor in spins and slides, supporting her in cartwheel, etc.). But when he did dance, he was pretty good. He kept up speed-wise and got the footwork all right, though it wasn’t tremendously precise, but it was there. Cute western theme. And he did a lot better than I would have thought from that hilariously bad practice.

Toni and Alec’s Viennese Waltz: Ooh, costumes! Probably controversial, but I loved them. Wow, I didn’t want that to end. Loved the heavy metal-esque “Fur Elise.” No one could have pulled that off but her in that crazy gown, that music. And love his blousy shirt. He kind of looked Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean. I was honestly looking at her though — and I always have a hard time focusing on the amateur. Her arms — that free arm on the steps in shadow position, was just like a feathery-tipped little quill pen, a flickering flame. Seriously, perfect line. And that spin was gorgeous. Perfect leg in attitude! Like a ballerina. She is such a pro — I’d never know she wasn’t an experienced dancer. And yet I really believe she isn’t. Thank you Carrie Ann — someone has a sense of humor on that judging panel. The V.W. was scandalous in its day, deliciously so!

Cloris and Corky’s Jive: Okay, so basically the youngest and the oldest contestants didn’t do much dancing. Although in Cloris’s case, it was understandable. I wondered how she was going to keep up to speed on Jive. So, a lot of running around the floor, and some basics, but in single Swing steps not triple, which is fine with Swing, and fine really, just not … Jive. But, you know… She’s cute. And they really had some fun and surprisingly well-executed tricks — when she managed to spin him around on one leg, and those ending crab-crawl things? Very good! I think I missed what happened with the wig though…

Brooke and Derek’s Viennese Waltz: Wow, bad fight in practice. I’ve so been there. Younger male dancer (male or female actually) who’s been dancing from age two and doesn’t understand how you can’t remember something he thinks simple so he basically calls you stupid. Not good, and I think I’ve lost some respect for Derek. I know he’s under pressure but that’s no excuse for saying she has a “lazy mind.” Anyway, very nice dance. She’s a natural in everything so far. She was so fluid, so lyrical. I love the close, almost Argentine-tango-like hand-hold at the beginning. I haven’t seen that with the Waltz. Splendid levity, rise and fall, she was really nearly perfect. At some points I think she rushed it a slight bit, with the openings out, and her lines didn’t have quite the clarity of Toni’s, but it was almost unnoticeable. She didn’t look as happy as before — there was something missing on her face, a spark was gone, likely from that nasty fight. But she held in there like a pro and was really just luminous.

Aw, poor Misty. She sounded like she was going to cry. Imagine being an Olympic gold-winning athlete, never seriously hurting yourself, only to shatter your achilles tendon doing the Lindy Hop. See, ballroom dancing is most definitely a serious sport!

So, overall, my favorite of the night: Toni and Alec’s VW.

Okay, I almost just spit out my wine when Cody looked all innocently at the camera and said of the Rhumba, “This dance is about sensuality, sex, passion, and to be honest,” cute shrug and conscious laugh here, “I don’t have all that much life experience.” He’s too funny! He did really well — the attitude was there, he supported her very well in all of those rather complicated (for a beginner) tricks, and his hips while not completely correct were a good try. Cute cucharachas

Haha –Maks did not look so happy about being in the middle… That was actually rather funny; wonder if he knew the camera was on him…

Other favorites this week: Warren. I’d like to see someone other than a footballer win it again, but I have to say, big guy though he is, he is really good. That Paso was right on. And Toni and Brooke are damn good. Brooke: whoa! Perfect lines, perfect shaping, gorgeous ronde, great arms, steps completely polished. Holy crap! At this point I’m rooting for Brooke because she’s kind of the underdog, is probably the least well known, yet she’s very, very, surprisingly good. I’d like to see the person who no one knows take the trophy, if she continues to deserve it that is…

My little foodie man didn’t do so hot this week I did love his comparison of risotto with rhumba (both the basics of their respective disciplines, romantic and seductive, like “cashmere on the lips” — mmmm) and his whipping up that dish for Karina, who finally seemed to appreciate it. I do hope he’s given another chance to improve next week.

Poor Cloris. She behaves this week and the judges are all confused, tell her they miss the wackiness. What’s a girl to do?

Here.

Hehehe, I already “tweeted” Sharon, who runs the BDC discussion of the show that I was kidding about the little remark at the beginning of my Cloris Leachman assessment. I’d gone to bed Wednesday night, only to have my cell phone start beeping off the hook with angry tweets from West Coast BDCers annoyed about McGinley getting the boot over Leachman. Very 21st Century

Anyway, happy Friday everyone!

What did you guys think? I actually haven’t finished watching it yet! I got home from North Carolina late in the afternoon then had to go to a dance /fashion event at the Guggenheim (which I’ll write about later today), and arrived a bit early for the unveiling of the building’s restored facade. When I got home I was too tired to watch all of DWTS and only watched the tail end and about the first quarter of the tape. I loved the last guy on though (Warren Sapp?), and I also liked Maurice Greene, and Toni Braxton, and thought Rocco DiSpirito was a little cutie with an adorable personality. And who doesn’t love a man who can cook I love his attempted bribe… I haven’t yet seen Cloris! How did she do??!! Will write more when I’ve seen it all.

Update: Okay, now that I’ve seen the whole thing, I want to add Lance Bass to my list of favorites. I thought Kim did better than expected, judging from the practice clips. Latin will probably be the real test for her though, balance-wise and all. I thought Cloris did well (particularly with the turns and pivots), particularly taking into account her age (which is part of what makes this show so different from SYTYCD, and so much harder to judge). And I agree with you guys (see comments) that she went a bit too far after dancing, though I can’t help but still love her! Len was so good-humored about it though — I sometimes just want to squeeze him he’s so cute And so sweet of him to say, “Everyone who comes on this show is a winner,” after the comedian danced. I think he’s going to be the first to go tonight…

1) Grammy winner Lance Bass;

2) TV Chef Rocco DiSpirito;

3) Olympic Gold Medalist (just crowned) Misty May Treanor;

4) Gold medalist sprinter Maurice Green;

5) Broadway star and singer Toni Braxton;

6) Reality TV star Kim Kardashian (who seems to have just injured her foot);

7) Hannah Montana star (and youngest ever to be on the show; will be paired with Julianne Hough) Cody Linley;

* Actress (fabulous, I might add, and excellent comedian, and the oldest star ever on the show) Cloris Leachman;

9) Actor Ted McGinley (to be paired with new dancer Inna Brayer);

10) “Everything woman” (whatever that means) Brooke Burke;

11) Supposedly more raucous than Adam Carolla, Comedian Jeffrey Ross (who will be paired with Edyta Sliwinska);

12) Footballer Warren Sapp (paired with Kym Johnson, whom the annoyingly ingratiating Good Morning America host kept pronouncing “gorgeous, gorgeous”); and

13) (first time contestants number over 12 btw), the most famous actress in all of daytime, Susan Lucci. After making a big deal of her numerous unsuccessful Emmy nominations, said annoying GMA host pronounced being accepted to DWTS “better than any award.” Yeah, okay…

Anyway, it appears DWTS producers have tried to cover every demographic base conceivable: young Hannah Montana guy should appeal to the teenagers, while Leachman and Lucci older women (though Leachman really should appeal to EVERYONE — for people who may not know her, the woman quite simply rocks). And with the football and Olympic stars they’ve got the sports fans covered. Braxton appeals to Broadway lovers, the reality TV stars to the twenty-something crowd. And, in an attempt at creating nostalgic continuity, McGinley should remind viewers of Steve Guttenberg and Ross, the lovely Carolla.

Best thing about the Good Morning America broadcast by far: the mention of Maks Chmerkovskiy’s return. At least the silly TV talking heads haven’t forgotten the pro dancers make this show.

The new season begins September 22nd, the day after the Emmys in which host Tom Bergeron is apparently nominated for an award in the newly-created category of reality TV show host.