Dancing with the Stars

[KuteNurse]

Well, the new spring season of Dancing with the Stars has started and I have been glued to the television set on Monday and Tuesday nights. There are quite a few really good dancers again that I think will really go far in the competition. Kristi Yamagucchi is #1 in my book. She has so much natural talent from iceskating and she definately has competition down. There are two male dancers, one a football player and the other I will have to do more research on. Both are quite good. Marle Mattin is dancing too. She is deaf but you would never know with the way she dances to the music. Priscilla Presley is also in the competition. She really has a lot of grace and elegance.

Last night they eliminated one male and one female dancer. The male was Penn (from Penn and Teller magicians.) The female was Monica Seles the famous professional tennis player. Both of them gave it there best, but they just did not have dancing in their bones I guess.

Did anyone else watch the shows and what did you think of costumes and the performances and who do you think will win the competition?

 

[da Sage]

It was really too bad about the tennis player...I could tell she had the heart for it, but she didn't have the knack yet.

I really don't get why people are saying Pricilla Presley was so great. It's good that she competed at her age, but I didn't think she danced particularly well as compared to the other top-scorers.

Marlee Matlin and Kristi are my favorites!

 

[Moon]

I watched the episodes from your first episode online Very nice, although I don't really like it they put someone in there who already has a lot of experience with dancing and flexibility. Kind of an unfair advatages... I personally prefer to see someone starting "not so good" and then develop him/herself throughout the show.
Oh well... as long as the candidates themselves are having fun and don't mind there are some semi professionals competing too it's ok.
I noticed all women were wearing yellow outfits. Why is that?

 

[KuteNurse]

Moon, I wonder if what you saw was an dance act by "OTHER" dancers inbetween acts? They are the only ones who wear the same costumes. You do have a good point about more experienced performers vs. not as experienced. I did like Monica Selles, but she had 2 left feet and she even admitted it. Perhaps if she was given more time to learn, she would be much better. I guess you run into that in all areas of life. Some people have more experience than others do. Kristi definately does have an advantage. On the other hand, Marle does not have a background in dancing that I know of...Correct me if I am wrong. She has the disadvantage of being deaf and she danced beautifully to the music.

da Sage, I loved Priscilla! lol I thought she looked really graceful and elegant dancing. She definately needs to improve her technique, but she was good. My favorites are the black football player. (Did you see his gracefulness?) Also Kristi and Marle.

It will be interesting to see what will happen next week. They will be performing the Jive and I forget what other dance?

 

[da Sage]

da Sage, I loved Priscilla! lol I thought she looked really graceful and elegant dancing. She definately needs to improve her technique, but she was good.

I should watch Priscilla dance again. Obviously I'm missing something that a lot of other people are seeing.:think: I would have put her in the lower half (or third) of the women competitors. It wasn't bad, just a little rough.

I haven't seen any of the men dance, yet.

 

[Moon]

No, if I remember right the professional partners of the male candidates were all wearing yellow (not exactly the same dress, but all yellow) or maybe the video quality was bad.

Yes, there will always be more experienced people around, but this difference was so big! One of the guys getting a 4 or 5 because he probably never had a ane dance training before and Kristi getting a 9. In "real" competitions people usually have to compete with people who ar more or less on the same level.
We had the same situation in the Dutch version of this show. A guy from a garden tv show who never danced in his entire life... and a woman who had done almost professional level ballet and different dance styles for many years. During the first episode she let herself fall into a split already . I think it was good the audience voted more for the other candidates, so she had to leave the show after the first episode. Though in a way this was also not fair because she was one of the best dancers. But well, it isn't a real competition but entertainment and it's a lot nicer to actually see people improve from the first show instead of seeing an instant almost professional.

 

[KuteNurse]

I should watch Priscilla dance again. Obviously I'm missing something that a lot of other people are seeing.:think: I would have put her in the lower half (or third) of the women competitors. It wasn't bad, just a little rough.

I haven't seen any of the men dance, yet.

I don't think I would rate her at Kristi's level, but I enjoyed watching her dance. She does know how to perform...Similiar comparison would be Marie Osmond? Does that make sense?

 

[KuteNurse]

No, if I remember right the professional partners of the male candidates were all wearing yellow (not exactly the same dress, but all yellow) or maybe the video quality was bad.

Yes, there will always be more experienced people around, but this difference was so big! One of the guys getting a 4 or 5 because he probably never had a ane dance training before and Kristi getting a 9. In "real" competitions people usually have to compete with people who ar more or less on the same level.
We had the same situation in the Dutch version of this show. A guy from a garden tv show who never danced in his entire life... and a woman who had done almost professional level ballet and different dance styles for many years. During the first episode she let herself fall into a split already . I think it was good the audience voted more for the other candidates, so she had to leave the show after the first episode. Though in a way this was also not fair because she was one of the best dancers. But well, it isn't a real competition but entertainment and it's a lot nicer to actually see people improve from the first show instead of seeing an instant almost professional.

Yeah, it is unfortunate for those who do not have the experience others have. I guess the draw to the show is because they are stars. In my BD class, there is a woman who is an excellent dancer. She did Jazz before BDing. She catches onto all the moves quite fast and it looks like she has been taking lessons for years. Although she has only been there for a year. I felt badly for Penn and Monica. All they ever did was practice magic and play tennis. They had no dancing skills whatsoever. Maybe the show should give them more time to prepare in the beginning. Teach a few basics over a years time, make sure they are in shape etc...Then move forward. That would even things out a bit more.

 

[Kharmine]

What disappoints me is that the choreography often depends on schtick, flash and moves that aren't part of the classic style. Not that innovation is bad, but sometimes these dances are unrecognizable.

This is not what you'd normally see in a a real ballroom dance class, or in a real ballroom competition. I hope people aren't being turned off on the idea of taking lessons by what they're portraying on this show.

I though Priscilla Presley was fine, but I find her perfect frozen face very distracting. If the woman cracks a real smile she'll break like an egg.

 

[da Sage]

Yes Kharmine, my friend who takes ballroom says the Stars are learning A dance, they're not learning TO dance. But I think the show generally is Good Publicity for ballroom, even if it's silly and overdone.

 

[Moon]

I don't mind when they're learning a choreography, but I do mind when it's based on lifts and such. In the Dutch series there was once only one couple that did not do a lift in the Vienna waltz

 

[Reen.Blom]

How old is Priscilla? Geez must be old....

 

[KuteNurse]

I do agree with Kharmine and da Sage. They are only learning one dance. Priscilla must be getting up there in age...I would say 60's? Maybe late 50's?