Natasha Oreshkina, co-owner of the Fred Astaire Dance Studios in Syracuse, New York, is now providing commentary on and a preview of each Dancing With The Stars show.
On this week's show, the couples danced either the Samba or the Argentine Tango. The Samba is a particularly difficult dance, which required lots of hip action and bounce. Without hip movement and bounce action, the dance loses its effect. Most of the couples struggled with this.
When I judge a dance, I look for timing, teamwork (lead and follow, connection with partner, etc.) and technique.
Nicole Scherzinger & Derek Hough
Their Samba was very nice. I felt the character and mood of the dance. Although Len Goodman was tough when judging them, I felt that the dance was energetic and had the feel of a Brazilian carnival! I saw lots of bounce, rhythm, and hip movement.
Evan Lysacek & Anna Trebunskaya
This dance was a disappointment for him. Although he has nice lines in his upper body, which is great for lyrical dances, his Samba didn't look like it should've. His footwork wasn't good. He threw his leg forward but kept his body weight behind. He danced on a flat foot and had no bounce. There was no connection between his feet and the floor. His timing was not good.
Niecy Nash & Louis van Amstel
They gave a great performance. Their interpretation of the Argentine Tango was funny and fun to watch. Niecy really progressed this week. She had good position and leg action. Her movements were sharp and their lifts were great.
Chad Ochocinco & Cheryl Burke
Chad did better than usual this week. The Argentine Tango was a good dance for him. His attitude was good and was a strong lead. He looked powerful and sensual. He had good rhythm. He had a good connection with his partner.
Erin Andrews & Maksim Chmerkovskiy
I didn't like Erin's Samba as much as Nicole's. But it was exciting to watch and I really felt the character of the dance. I saw a lot of rhythm and hip action.
Pamela Anderson & Damian Whitewood
I enjoyed Nicey Nash's Argentine Tango more than Pamela's. I would recommend more technique for Pamela. She needed more rhythm. I didn't feel the energy although they had good lifts.
Jake Pavelka & Chelsie Hightower
Although Jake looked confident while dancing the Samba, his technique was lacking. I didn't see a lot of bounce. He needed more connection with the music. His dance looked too low - almost as if he was dancing everything from soft legs. The position of his feet was too open - that's why he lost the bounce and hip action.
The Swing Marathon was the highlight of the show! All the couples were on the floor showing off different styles of Swing. It was fun to watch!
Next week...the couples will be performing one of the dances from previous weeks. There will also be a Cha-Cha challenge!
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