Dancing With The Stars: Part Deux

From myFoxDetroit.com (Detroit, MI):

By MONICA GAYLE

It has been roughly seven weeks since my husband and I started dance lessons at Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Bloomfield Hills. It's all in preparation for the Detroit Historical Society's annual fundraiser in December. Along with several other couples, we'll be participating in a friendly "Dancing With The Stars" type competition. Only one problem... based on our lessons so far, we bear no resemblance to the couples you see twirling around on the real deal DWTS! When we started our lessons in September, we felt pretty confident we could maneuver our way around the dance floor. Boy, were we wrong! Slowly but surely we are getting our routine down but it's still a bit of a tug of war. You see it's tough to let your husband/partner lead, when you secretly believe he has no idea what step comes next! There are days when I feel completely wiped out after a lesson and I will admit there is the slightest hint of panic creeping in. We keep telling each other..."this is supposed to be fun." I already have my dancing shoes. In fact, I've been practicing in them and they're pretty comfortable. Now it's time for my costume. Do you think if I get a really flashy outfit, the audience won't pay attention to my feet? Hmmmmm....just a thought. We've started videotaping our instructors and then watching it at home while we practice. That has helped a bit, and this last week we finally finished learning the last component of our routine, so at least I know how our dance will end! We have just four weeks until our big night. Between now and then, you can bet we'll be practicing day and night. Wish us luck... we're going to need it!

New Dance TV Show Coming Soon

From worldscreen.com:

ABC Signs On for FremantleMedia's Let's Dance
By Kristin Brzoznowski

BURBANK: Comedian Kathy Griffin is to host Let's Dance, a new series from FremantleMedia North America that will feature stars paying homage to classic dance routines, slated for a five-episode run on ABC.

The show will kick off with a 90-minute premiere episode on November 23 at 9:30 p.m., following the season-nine finale of Dancing with the Stars. Additional episodes of Let's Dance will air on November 30, December 7 and 14, with the finale on December 15.

The first three episodes will feature stars competing in single, group and duo performances. The celebrities will train, rehearse and take to the stage to perform memorable dance routines from movies, pop videos or musicals. A celebrity panel will give their comments after each routine in front of a studio audience. Viewers from across the U.S. will then have their chance to vote for their favorite performance. The celebrity panel and star participants will be announced shortly. From each of these episodes, two performances will be chosen—one by the viewers, one by the celebrity panel—and these two acts will return to dance in the finale. The act with the most viewer votes from the finale will be awarded a prize for the charity of their choice.

Let’s Dance is produced by Fremantle North America (American Idol, America’s Got Talent) in association with Whizz Kid Entertainment. The show first premiered in the U.K. earlier this year, and was the number one new entertainment series to launch on the BBC since 2002.

WATCH! Corky Ballas interview...

Corky Ballas, a legend in ballroom dance and a former Dancing With The Stars professional dancer, is interviewed at the latest Fred Astaire Dance Studio national competition in Orlando, Florida. Watch here: http://www.fredastaire.com/interviews/studentinterview.html

Indianapolis Studio News

The Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Indianapolis, Indiana would like to welcome Chris Ford to our coaching staff.

Chris comes to us with tremendous skills and experience; because he has continually trained with the world's best coaches, he offers the most current technique and styling. In his competition career, Chris was a United States Finalist in American Style Smooth and won numerous competitions throughout the United States. We are very excited and pleased that Chris has decided to join Dan & Nicole as part of the coaching staff at the Fred Astaire Dance School.
See your teacher or call us to arrange a great lesson with one of our great coaches.
Our mission is to enrich every person's life that comes in to our school.

Check out our new Group class schedule for November!
Our new program offers great classes for everyone!
Take advantage of our new group program and learn A LOT!!
If you did not receive our recent email regarding what is being offered, just give us a call.
Monday ~ Latin and Rhythm technique with Dan 7:30
Smooth technique with Nicole 8:15
Tuesday ~ Advanced Bronze Syllabus 7:30
Dance it off !! What a workout 8:15
Wednesday ~ Social Latin ex.: Salsa, Merengue, Rumba, Swing 8:15
Thursday ~ International Latin Syllabus 7:30
Dance it off!!!Wanna lose weight? 8:15
Friday ABCs & 123s of basic dancing (A free class~Bring your friends) 8:30
9:00 Dance Party Only $10.00 per person Practice~Practice~Practice
Call us for details

News From Fred Astaire Dance Studios in Syracuse, NY

By Karina Moskaleva

On September 15, the Syracuse Fred Astaire Dance Studio held a Trophy System test. We are very proud of our students who successfully passed test!
Siubhan Bongiovanni
Tania Fedotova
Sharon Gridley-Pelkie
Cathy Marriot
Mary-Pat Northrup
Nikki Palmer
Jimmy Retzos
Cathy Scaffer
Michael Stedman
Liz Wall
Susan Wocjick

In step with the CHS Ballroom Dance Club

From the Crestview News Bullentin (FL):

by Brian Hughes

Thursday afternoon at 2:30 the music cranked up at Crestview’s Fred Astaire Dance Studio. Nearly a dozen couples took to the dance floor and under the expert tutelage of instructor Crickett Gautreaux, they were soon going through the paces of basic ballroom dance moves and etiquette.

It’s time for the weekly meeting of the Crestview High School ballroom dance club, now in its third year. The studio donates each week’s 45-minute gathering, including the expertise of its instructors. Last Thursday was only the third time the club has met this year, so many members are still getting the hang of ballroom dance.

“Because this group is just getting started, first they must coordinate the mind with the body,” explained studio owner and manager David Colón. “Then we can start doing choreography. Routines can come later.”

Those who are dedicated can dance in a spring showcase, Colón said. Last year the club had several couples perform in a countywide dance showcase at the Hilton Hotel in Destin.

The club’s adviser, choral music director Kevin Lusk, periodically heads out into the midst of the swirling bodies to offer a little instruction of his own. He didn’t intend to be the club’s sponsor.

“They needed someone to be a co-sponsor,” Lusk explained. But when the other faculty co-sponsor dropped out after a week, the club’s sponsorship fell on his shoulders.

CHS seniors Moya Moore and George DeShields paused for a break, and while resting explained how they became members of the club.

“I’ve been in sports a lot and I wanted to try something new,” said Moore.
DeShields, who has experience in hip hop, tap and ballet, just enjoys dancing. Noticing the girls outnumbered the guys, I asked DeShields if some guys are intimidated being in the dance club.

“I don’t know,” he answered, as he headed back out onto the floor. “I know I’m not!”

Kody Lusk, a junior, is another who finds the club a fun co-curricular activity.

“I like to dance and I thought it would be fun to work with professionals,” he said.

Kody Lusk, whose dad, yes, is the club’s adviser, has been in the club for all three of his years at CHS. He is excited by the large turnout this year.
“Last year it kind of dwindled but this year I’m excited to see we’re back up in numbers,” he said.

The 45-minute session seems to fly right by. As the kids break up for the day, several return to the floor with Gautreaux or instructor Scott Seip, a CHS alumnus himself, to perfect the steps they learned that day.
Colón smiles to see another generation of dancers being groomed in his studio. “Maybe some of them will become instructors themselves someday,” he said thoughtfully.

Ballroom Dancing For Kids

The Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Dutchess is kicking off group classes for kids ages 6 and up. Classes are offered on Fridays 4:30-5:30 p.m. There are two group classes available: Group 1 for ages 6-10; Group 2 for ages 11-16. Cost for this exciting program is $60 for four weeks. To pre-register, call 845-297-2711 or e-mail via www.fadsdutchess.com.

Fred Astaire Dance Studios National Competitions In 2010

We have a great year planned for 2010, full of exciting events in exotic locales. Go to our NEW competition website for more information on Fred Astaire Dance Studios National Competitions: www.fredastairedancestudiocompetitions.com!

“So You Think You Can Dance”: Top 20 Announced

From the Wall Street Journal:

After weeks and weeks of auditions and three weeks of Vegas eliminations, the judges of “So You Think You Can Dance” have selected the Top 20 dancers to compete on season 6.

On the judges’ panel sat Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Debbie Allen, Adam Shankman, Tyce D’Orio, and Mia Michaels. One by one, the judges brought in the nervous dancers and either squashed their dreams or granted their wishes of becoming Top 20 dancers. Amazingly, three tap dancers were put into the Top 20. Not a single tapper had made it all the way through before. Also in the history-making category, Russell Ferguson was put through as the first krumper to ever make it to the Top 20.

A twist was presented when contemporary dancer Paula Van Oppen actually turned down the spot the judges presented to her, paving the way for ballroom dancer Ashleigh Di Lello to join her husband Ryan in the Top 20. Apparently, Van Oppen was offered a movie contract, and chose that path instead.

The show announced last month that TV and movie producer and choreographer Adam Shankman would become a permanent judge in season 6, likely ousting the majority of weekly guest judges the show has had in previous seasons. While this move may potentially make the judges’ table a bit static, it does free up all the choreographers to work up routines weekly. (Choreographers can’t present routines and judge in the same week.)

Speaking of Adam Shankman, it was announced this week that he’s now at the helm of the film adaptation of the wildly successful Broadway production “Rock of Ages.” As if that weren’t enough, Shankman will be producing the Academy Awards. Talk about multi-tasking.

On the flip-side, Emmy Award-winning choreographer Mia Michaels announced via Twitter and Facebook last Friday that she was leaving “So You Think You Can Dance.” Lythgoe said in a statement that Michaels was welcome back on the show this season or next. I guess we’ll have to wait to see what she’s up to.

Also, judge and ballroom expert Mary Murphy came forward this week with her heartbreaking story of domestic abuse, having survived an eight-year marriage to her abuser. She tells her story in Us Weekly and on Ellen.

Whew. After all that, let’s get back to our Top 20 results, shall we?

The Top 20 girls are:

Channing Cooke, 18, contemporary

Ariana Debose, 18, contemporary

Ashleigh Di Lello, 26, ballroom

Mollee Gray, 18, jazz

Karen Hauer, 27, Latin ballroom

Noelle Marsh, 18, contemporary

Pauline Mata, 19, jazz

Kathryn McCormick, 19, contemporary

Bianca Revel, 20, tap

Ellenore Scott, 19, contemporary/jazz

The Top 20 guys are:

Phillip Attmore, 25, tap

Billy Bell, 19, contemporary

Ryan Di Lello, 28, ballroom

Russell Ferguson, 20, hip hop/krump

Kevin Hunte, 23, hip hop

Jakob Karr, 19, contemporary

Legacy Perez, 28, hip hop/b-boy

Peter Sabasino, 22, tap

Victor Smalley, 21, contemporary

Nathan Trasoras, 18, contemporary

The show is mixing it up this season with a meet-the-Top-20 special on Monday, Oct. 26, at 8 PM. Also, Lythgoe tweeted that Paula Abdul fans should tune in to Monday’s show. So plan appropriately on Monday, and come to Speakeasy Tuesday morning to discuss your reactions!