Tag: Derek Hough

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Dancing With the Stars Season 11 Finale

So tonight is the finale, part 1. The three finalists – Kyle Massey, Jennifer Grey, and, I know, most controversially, Bristol Palin – are performing first a redemption dance (a former dance they didn’t do so well in the first time around), and then the almost always entertaining freestyle.

First on are Kyle and Lacey re-performing their Foxtrot. Well, I can’t remember the first time they did it but this was smoldering! I loved him! So dazzling, such a man! I love how he licked his lips at her at one point, while she did a little solo, before he took off after her. And when they did their side by side footwork, he seriously looked Fred Astaire-ish. This dance alone honestly made me want him to win. He was a marvel – excellent dancing and loads of style. What more can you want!

Next are Bristol and Mark re-dancing the jive. Well, this was definitely much better than the first time around, where they were in those silly bear costumes. I thought she was cute and he gave her lots of little shake-y things to do – with her shoulders, hips, and those cute sassy forward walks – but she looked a bit tired. Her legs weren’t coming off the ground enough; there was a real imbalance between them. And she lacked his precision, which isn’t surprising at all considering her lack of experience. And she looked a bit unsure of the footwork, though she seemed to get all of the steps right. Still, she did have fun and looked like it, and put on far more of a show than she did the first time around. I still don’t think this is her dance though. I’m hoping for more from the freestyle.

Finally, Jennifer and Derek re-do their paso doble. Well, it was better than last time. She definitely had more control over herself. Derek didn’t give her a whole lot of dancing though; gave himself all the flashy stuff – with the crazy cape swirling, the tour jete, the turning jumps. I mean, I felt like she didn’t have a whole lot of chances to screw up here. But she did what she was given well. She looked polished, albeit a bit stiff in the upper body. That dance is so serious, it’s hard not to look stiff though. Overall, I still feel it’s not her best dance.

My winner for the first round is Kyle. Judges gave Jennifer the top score though (perfect score of 30; Bruno says he wished he had an 11 card).

Now onto the freestyle:

Kyle and Lacey do a full out funky hip hop to “Tootsie Roll.” Yeah, I’m not so in love with the freestyle round. They rarely involve any ballroom at all. It seems like they’re more for the pro ballroom dancers, who get to do something else for a change. He was a lot of fun though. Song was a lot of fun. It was the perfect dance for him.

Next are Bristol and Mark doing a Broadway routine (“He Had it Coming” from Chicago). I LOVED it! I can’t believe how well she did for never having seen the movie, or any Broadway show before! I didn’t expect her to do so well, since what she’s done well on this show has been the real girl, the authentic person dancing ballroom at a social but elegant ballroom event, and totally stealing the show. But this required real performance quality, and I believe she pulled through. Though the judges don’t… Audience seemed to love her though. I thought she had that Fosse-esque quality, with the hips, she used the props well – the chair, the hat, the cage, that crazy sash that they wrapped themselves up in! (Latin champs Max Kozhevnikov and Yulia Zagoruychenko have done something similar in a showdance, and I’m sure that’s where Mark got the idea from, because I certainly don’t remember that from the movie! – and damn, did she do well with it; that could have been a recipe for disaster, you know…). Seriously, she had that combination of jazz and tango down, and went back and forth between the two with surprising ease. I know a lot of people will disagree with me, but I thought she did unbelievably well. I liked hers better than Kyle’s anyway.

Now Jennifer and Derek: cute, they dance to “Do You Love Me” from Dirty Dancing. Wait, is that also from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off? Well, it makes sense for her, of course. I thought she did well, but, honestly, wasn’t great. She looked nervous and had a couple of flubs where she was a slight bit off on the footwork and on the rhythm. It didn’t matter much; she was still a lot of fun and “sold it” personality-wise, and I guess that’s what the freestyle is all about. Still seemed to be more dancing for Derek though, more tricks at least. Judges have nothing but praise though, and audience is on its feet.

There weren’t very many lifts in this freestyle finale, huh? Overall, Bristol is my favorite for the freestyle round.

So, Kyle is my winner for the ballroom redemption round, and Bristol for the freestyle. I think Jennifer’s going to win it overall though.

I thought Brandy and Maks were going to perform their freestyle though. I thought that’s what the judges said last week. Instead, they’re doing a little preview of Skating With the Stars. Huhm, maybe it will be tomorrow night.

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Dancing With the Stars: Insta Dance (and Classics)

Okay, I don’t want any of them to go home right now. I really like everyone who’s still on the show at this point and I want to them all to advance to the finals. I know, it’s impossible.

So, tonight was divided into two rounds: the classical standard round, then the new “instant dance” round, by which the couples are given their music minutes before they dance. Len explains that this is what an actual ballroom competition is like. Not in any competition I know of. True, they play generic music with the proper beat in the individual dance sections, but in those competitions you’re only competing in technique, not so much performance quality. I mean, those dances are not showdance – choreographed, cabaret-style performances set to certain music with certain lyrics – you know? They’re dances where you’re exhibiting your mastery of technique. So, I don’t know exactly what he’s talking about.

Anyway, on to the first round:

I thought Kyle and Lacey’s Viennese Waltz was really lovely. He is turning into a real ballroom dancer. His technique was excellent, his posture and carriage were elegant, he was graceful, and he really glided around the floor. I agree with Carrie Ann: “It was like a fairy tale come to life.”

They draw “Good Golly Miss Molly” for their “instant dance” which is a jive. So, now they have 45 minutes to prepare, and off they go to create their insta showdance.

Jennifer and Derek dance a Quickstep. Jennifer’s knee begins hurting in practice and the show’s doctor tells her she has severe tendinitis with serious inflammation. He tells her she needs to think about whether she wants to continue dancing or risk further injury to the tendon. Then her father, Joel Grey – awwww, so sweet – comes on and tells her simply, the show must go on. And on she goes.

And what a beautiful Quickstep! As perfect as perfect can be in my opinion. And I love her dress with the feathery pleats on the lower half of the skirt. And wow, Derek honestly looked like a real Fred Astaire. He did so well with that solo. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed watching him dance so much!

She draws “Waiting for a Girl Like You” by Foreigner for her instant dance. She’s never heard of it! Haha!

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TV Theme Week on Dancing With the Stars

I’m sorry for getting this up late, you guys! I went to a continuing legal education class last night (cross examination in buy and bust cases – I know, excitement uncontained!) and then I met up with a former colleague and we spent the whole evening catching up (and watching Yankees lose to the Rangers 🙁 ) Well, Jonathan was happy; I was sad. I need a parade! Anyway, I’m watching DWTS late. Here are my thoughts:

Since this is the mid-way point, they start out with critiquing the contestants’ progress. I understand why they do this but I can’t help but find it boring. I like to decide who I think is most improved myself.

First on are Brandy and Maks dancing a Quickstep to the theme from Friends. This week is going to be hard for me to judge since I don’t watch TV, but I did think her dancing was really marvelous. Her footwork was really near perfect. And she had the perfect pizzazz, sass, everything. She looked pretty polished, not perfect but really really close. By far her best dance. Good for her.

Predictably, Florence and Corky dance to The Brady Bunch theme. Aw, sweet how “Greg” (Barry Williams) shows up. I actually do remember him! How crazy that he’s older than Corky! They dance a tango (a standard tango, not Argentine), which doesn’t seem to fit the music theme-wise at all, though I guess rhythm-wise it does. Well, they do another purposefully cartoonish, purposefully goofy dance. I’m not understanding why Corky’s choosing to do these kinds of purposefully overwrought dances with her. Why isn’t he serious? I do think she did the footwork well and had the timing down, and she came through very well with what Corky asked of her. I don’t know. I didn’t like it but feel I can’t blame her for that. What did you guys think? Do you like to see her do goofy and comical instead of seeing how well she can really dance ballroom? Maybe people think it’s more entertaining this way?

Kurt and Anna dance a Quickstep to Bewitched.

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Acoustic Week on Dancing With the Stars

Hmm, so this week everyone is dancing on a smaller, circular floor raised several inches off the ground in order to accommodate the acoustic musicians. They’re also giving separate scores for technique and performance. Dances are Argentine tango and rumba.

First up are Kurt and Anna. It’s Kurt’s anniversary. Sweet 🙂 Of course, OF COURSE, they have to make a big deal out of how he’s married and doing a rumba with someone else. It’s like they expect that the show’s audience have never heard of acting, of you know, movies and plays and theater. Is it because so many people watch reality tv these days that they’ve forgotten about drama as an art form. I mean, is that what the show’s producers are assuming? I really don’t get it.

Anyway, I thought Kurt did pretty well with this. His hip action was nowhere near perfect – it wasn’t grounded enough and hence had that kind of superficial, swaying look. But he tried really hard and the fact that he did something with his hips makes him better than most first-timers. And his arms weren’t moving completely properly – not originating from the shoulder but more from the elbow. But performance-wise, I thought he was great. Very romantic! Very leading man-like! I would love to dance a rumba with him.

Brandy and Maks, rumba: They have to have a “romantic dinner” in order for her to get into the mood. She makes fun of him for the unromantic way he presents her with flowers. Gosh, I thought she danced this beautifully. Wow. This was by far her best dance yet. Near perfect rumba. She had the turn-out, her arms were gorgeous. Hip action-wise she could have settled into the hip of her standing leg a little more (as Len said) but really, it was almost perfect. Both performance-wise and technically.

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“Story Night”: Dancing With the Stars Season 11, Week 3

So tonight is story night, meaning each dance must tell a little story.

First on are Jennifer and Derek dancing samba. Their story is that she’s a teacher and he’s her student. At first she (pretend) disciplines him then turns into hot teacher and seduces him. Wow, I thought that went very well. Samba is the hardest Latin dance (imo, but I think it’s pretty well accepted). Part of her stunning performance is due to her pants with the shimmies – they really do make you look like you’re shaking it more! But she did have the twisting pelvic action down, and she did really beautifully with most of it. She got a bit too jumpy in the middle, especially after they had a little flub. But they put that crazy hard samba roll in shadow position in toward the end, and those are damn hard. They didn’t have many of them, but still. Big kudos to her for not screwing up the hardest part. By the way, didn’t she look like Sarah Palin with her hair in a bun and the glasses?

Next, Florence and Corky, waltz: They dance to Edelweiss, and interesting – I didn’t know she ever starred in the theater version of The Sound of Music. Their dance is about two people finding a mutual attraction, she’s resistant at first, then they come together. Aw, beyond sweet! The choreography was very basic, but so beautifully executed and so well acted it made you appreciate the simplicity of the steps. I love Corky for doing that! The emotion was subtle and she acted that perfectly, which makes sense of course since she’s an actress. The only thing – and it may be because I’ve recently seen Janie Taylor in Benjamin Millepied’s Why Am I Not Where You Are at NYCBallet, and her character in that is blind at the beginning – but something about Florence’s performance made it seem like she was blind; seemed like she was kind of happy that this guy was sweeping her away, but that she couldn’t see him, was looking through him. I think it was because she kept her head and upper body so still. She really needs to loosen up her back and shoulders and neck.

Next, Kurt and Anna dance foxtrot. Okay, first of all, he says during practice that being 6’2 it’s almost impossible to look good dancing ballroom; he looks like a big tree. Not so! Roberto Bolle, Marcelo Gomes, David Hallberg – Kurt, practically every male ballet dancer I love is huge! Aw, I loved this dance! Story is it’s raining, he has an umbrella, she’s sitting at a bus stop umbrella-less and a bit down, and he cheers her up by sweeping her away. Perfectly done. He was polished, very gentlemanly, had good rise and fall action. Only thing is that he’s still looking a bit stiff in the upper body too. The ballroom frame does feel really unnatural when you’re dancing. Everyone needs to watch videos of pros – like Mirko Gozzoli and Alessia Betti , Jonathan Wilkins and Hazel Newberry, and Katusha Demidova and Arunas Bizokas. The pro dancers on the show should show their celebs more videos! It just helps to have a sense of what you should look like – an idea at least for you to try to emulate. But seriously, he had the rise and fall down pat, he had really good form, he was a good, proper partner, and it was really beautifully done.

Margaret and Louis, samba.

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Now I Want to Root for Kurt Warner

 

Last night my neighbors were really noisy so I recorded Dancing With the Stars and went out to a bar to watch the Yankees. While watching the game (which we won!), I chatted a bit with a guy I met, and throughout the course of our conversation I mentioned that I was a dance fan / former ballroom dancer and from Arizona. He asked me if I was a Diamondbacks fan, and I said no, I was horrendously upset when they beat us in the World Series in 2001, even though I went to high school with the then-pitcher Curt Schilling… I’d worked downtown and Lower Manhattan just desperately needed a parade – something happy – that year; I think the series just became a symbol of much more than what it was because of what had happened. Plus, the Diamondbacks are a newish team and didn’t exist when I was growing up in Phoenix, so I didn’t really have a connection with them.

Anyway, so the guy asked me if I was a Cardinals fan. And I’m such a dork, I know nothing at all about any sport but baseball. I said, “What, is that a minor league team?” And he started laughing. He said, “No. Football. You know, Kurt Warner, the Super Bowl?…” All I know of the Super Bowl is Mark Sanchez :S I laughed and said I didn’t know football. He said, “Well, you’re rooting for Kurt Warner, right? I mean on Dancing With the Stars?” And then I put two and two together and realized that the football guy this season is the guy he’s talking about. So, Kurt on DWTS played for Arizona, who knew 🙂 And, look, he had A-Rod’s number…

Anyway, so on DWTS, I thought Michael Bolton rightly went home last night, even though I felt badly for him regarding Bruno’s nasty comment, which I didn’t think he deserved. I didn’t think his was the worst jive ever in 11 seasons; there have been too many untalented people on the show (Kate, Cloris, Buzz) or contestants who refused to work (that guy who was partnered with Ashley several seasons ago whose name I can’t now remember) for that to be correct. But I think Michael was having a hard time, it would have been an uphill struggle, and someone had to go. He might have improved but I think I’d rather see if The Situation can.

And regarding that whole spiel about the audience booing: I hadn’t even known there any controversy as to whom they booed – I thought it was clear it was the judges’ relatively low scores for Jennifer and Derek. Apparently some thought they were booing Tom Bergeron’s interviewing Sarah Palin?… Did you guys think that?

Football photo by Rob Schumacher, taken from AZCentral. DWTS photo taken from ShowStalker.

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Dancing With the Stars, Season 11 Week 2

Yankees had better be doing better when I turn back to YES Network after the show is over. I mean, they’re losing 6-0 to Toronto after three innings!

Rick and Cheryl, Jive: Okay, well this is a dance that definitely suits a smaller body. First, I thought his lifting her skirt to reveal the word “tush” and the spanking, were completely corny, but whatever. I thought his steps were way too far apart. I mean, he’s a large man so his steps are naturally going to be bigger, but it also just lacked polish. He tried though. So far he is much better at Standard than Latin. I still like him.

Now it’s 7-0! Come on!

Florence and Corky, Quickstep: Corky’s so cute 🙂 Well, she had all the footwork down. That pivot turn was gorgeous. The only thing that was a little messed up was the small Charleston section. She was on the wrong foot when they started, I think, and then she got confused and just flubbed it. If you’re on the wrong foot, just go with it – don’t look at the guy doing the opposite footwork as you and freak out; make it look like it was supposed to be that way; like you’re doing alternative steps and not identical! Besides that, she got all the hard footwork down very well. But she looked very stiff in the upper body though, notwithstanding the smile. She needed to arch her upper back a little more. It’s understandable that she’s nervous but it can be painful to watch if the dancer’s really not relaxed.

Brandy and Maks, Jive: I loved that crazy arm crossing sequence! Very cute, and went well with this dance since they were supposed to be struggling with each other. But it seemed like they were really struggling with each other, almost fighting each other, so I’m assuming their bickering in their practice session was for real. I liked watching him but she seemed to lack precision and sharpness, which she shouldn’t — she has a natural talent for dance and she’s too good for that. They need to stop fighting.

Wooo, we got 2 points somewhere! Come on Derek Jeter!

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DANCING WITH THE STARS SEASON 10 CAST ANNOUNCED

 

The contestants are:

Pamela Anderson/Damian Whitewood
Chad Ochocinco/Cheryl Burke
Aiden Turner/Edyta Sliwinska
Erin Andrews/Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Shannen Doherty/Mark Ballas
Buzz Aldrin/Ashly Costa
Niecy Nash/Louis Van Amstel
Nicole Scherzinger/Derek Hough
Evan Lysacek/Anna Trebunskaya
Kate Gosselin/Tony Dovolani
Jake Pavelka/Chelsie Hightower

My thoughts:

Buzz Aldrin — wow! Evan Lysacek – wow!

I wonder when Julianne Hough is returning?

Above photo taken from EW.com.

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I WANT CC SABATHIA TO BE ON DANCING WITH THE STARS

 

He would be fun! Or Derek Jeter, or A-Rod, who, by the way, on the night of the second World Series game, my friends and I saw at Blue Ribbon at 6 Columbus, where we went after seeing Morphoses (review of the program B still to come!) He was with Kate Hudson, and an entourage of course. We also saw Wallace Shawn there. Such a cutie — and he got more requests for autographs than A-Rod!

I mean, why are there never any baseball players on the show? Only footballers?

Anyway, this week’s show (which I realize I’m very late with now — don’t even ask; crazy crazy week): my favorites were Aaron and Karina’s Jive, Mya and Dmitry’s Foxtrot, and and Donny and Kym’s Quickstep. I thought Aaron’s Jive was downright professional-looking — I do think those athletic training courses she had him do beforehand so he’d get the kicks and flicks right — helped immensely. I thought Mya’s Foxtrot was very golden-age Hollywood, very glamorous and beautifully danced. And I thought Donny’s Quickstep showed excellent showmanship and very good footwork. I disagree with the judges who were critical of him — I thought he did an excellent job with that QS. And I missed the supposed mistakes!

I disagree with the judges on Michael and Anna’s Foxtrot, and Kelly and Louis’s Salsa. I thought Michael did much better last week with the Samba, and in this week’s group Paso — I think the Foxtrot just isn’t him. He didn’t look fluid and elegant and didn’t really have the rise and fall right, though it looked like he was trying hard — and the judges likely recognized that. I thought Kelly looked totally stiff in her Salsa though! She got better as the dance went on, but she looked really nervous and almost seemed like she was just going through the motions in the first third of it. When she did that twisted dip, Louis almost didn’t catch her and had to find his footing. But by the last third of the dance, she’d found her confidence and it was much more all-out. Funny thing is that this seems to be what she does every week, so I didn’t really see improvement on that front, though I still like her.

I also didn’t like Joanna and Derek’s Rumba. She looked like a paper-doll trying to be sexy, if you ask me. Everything seemed superficial — both the emotions and the hip action.

And I didn’t like Mark’s Samba. I didn’t really think it was a mess like the judges said but I don’t think it’s a dance that naturally looks good on him. He did much better with the group Paso. But I can see why he was the one to be booted last night.

I didn’t actually see the show last night (was out seeing FELA! on Broadway, which was excellent! Definitely go see it if you’re in NY — it’s such a “real” musical — you’re really taken back to the 70s, to Nigeria, to Fela Kuti’s nightclub, to the police brutality, to the music and dance, to his world; you really feel like you’re there, which, to me, doesn’t often happen with musicals. And it has Bill T. Jones‘s mark of choreographic excellence all over it!) Anyway, regarding DWTS, I missed Derek and Mark singing. How were they?

Above photo by Kathy Willens, Associated Press.

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DANCING WITH THE STARS: NICKELS IN BUTTS AND OZZY OSBOURNE EYES

It could have been because I’ve had a crazy last few days — computer crashing, iphone dropping calls like mad, internet access intermittent, possessed cursor on computer I’m momentarily using, and now serious fights with upstairs Godzilla and her monster mother — we’ll call her Grendel or Mother Grendel rather — it ALL happens at once! Anyway, I watched DWTS last night but I honestly can’t remember much — just too much on my mind. 

Generally, I just can’t stand the Paso Dobles done on these group shows. I love the Spanish dance elements — the flamenco taps and the matador posturing and the cape and all — but I can’t stand it “modernized” and danced to pop music. People just go too crazy with it and it doesn’t make any sense.

Still, my two favorite moments of last night’s show (besides the costumes and wigs used in the group Hustle) were Kelly and Louis’s Paso to Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” and Michael and Anna’s more traditional version of the dance (thank you Anna Demidova!) What I liked about Kelly and Louis though was mainly Louis’s eyes. They were done up to look like Ozzy (of the y 80s of course, not now) along with the hair. He was once so serious (Louis that is) and he looks like he’s having a lot of fun with dance these days, so good for him. He really makes me laugh. The dance though — she tried hard and he of course is excellent at everything he does, but you could tell she kept wanting to jump up and down and pound her fist into the air, mosh-pit-like. And who wouldn’t — “Crazy Train” is not Paso music! I understood why Louis chose it — and Ozzy in the audience looked like he was about to burst into tears of pride (what is happening to the world?)- but still. 

And I loved Michael’s attempts to attain correct Paso posture by placing a nickel between his butt cheeks (at Anna’s suggestion). And I agree with Len that it worked! It is a really odd posture — pushing your hips so forward like that and standing up so straight from the waist down but then with kind of rounded shoulders. It seems so unnatural — like you’re ultra aware of your shaping — unlike with the other Latin dances. And it ended up being Michael’s best dance.

I wasn’t that impressed with much else. I thought Mark’s Paso was strong and his movements sharp but something didn’t look quite right, and I’m not sure what it was. He looked too dainty or delicate or something even though he was trying hard not to. And did Lacey blow out of a cannon or something? What was that entrance about?

Oh — I also really liked Karina and Aaron’s Argentine  Tango. Really nice choreography and really intricate hooks with those legs. And complicated lifts with her legs wrapped every which way around his.

I thought it was rather funny when Joanna tripped in her A.T. I honestly thought it was Maks’s fault (who she danced with since Derek’s sick with flu, as is Mark Ballas — what’s up with those two?) Anyway, they recoverd nicely (Joanna and Maks that is) and seemed to score okay. In fact, I actually thought she did better after the flub. Her legs straightened and she had nicer lines and a really gorgeous ronde en l’air — whereas the first one was bent-kneed and rather blah.

Louie and Chelsie had some cute lifts but I think someone else needs to choreograph for them. Judges loved it but I think she’s not giving him  enough to do and he ends up being more like her escort around the dance floor than a dancing partner.

And Mya’s A.T. was really gorgeous, expectedly. I honestly can’t remember the other two blondes or much of Donny’s though I remember thinking Donny’s was decent. 

I’m sorry I’m so out of it you guys! No sleep in quite some time! What did you guys think?

Judges seemed to like everyone; I have no idea who’s going home tonight.

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DANCING WITH THE STARS BRINGS ON THE NEW DANCES: LAMBADA, TWO-STEP, CHARLESTON AND BOLERO

I’ve never really learned any of these dances (other than some Charleston in Lindy Hop class) so I’m not sure if I can judge them properly, but I’ll try.

Chuck and Anna’s Two-Step: I thought he did well at some of it– particularly when he kicked in back and slapped opposite hand to opposite foot — but other than that, it seemed like he was walking most of the time, while she was giving her steps more flair. Social dancing is basically walking with attitude but much of his performance here was just walking.

Mark and Melissa’s Charlie Chaplinesque Charleston was absolute brilliance. Wow. That was her best dance by far. Her steps were so perfect, her little bounce spot-on, her character acting perfect, and even the lifts were marvelous. Often non-pro female dancers’ difficulty with the lifts stems from not being able to hold yourself properly in the air, not having the correct shaping (since you don’t realize how hard it is to maintain proper shape with no floor beneath you), but her shapes up there were excellent. I’m so impressed!

Natalie and Alec’s Bolero: Well, given their angst-filled practice it went a lot better than I was expecting.

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