Thursday, April 02, 2009
Fred Astaire Dance Studios Presents Annual Show
Fred Astaire Dance Studios presents annual show
The Fred Astaire Dance Studios of Wisconsin will present its annual ballroom dance show, Dance Fantasy, at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts in Brookfield.
The show will feature professionals and students from its seven Wisconsin studios.
The shows begin at 6 p.m. Friday, June 12, and Saturday, June 13.
The Brookfield studio originated in 1998 and is part of a franchise that has 110 studios across the United States.
The studio's instruction varies from ballroom to country-western to salsa and nightclub dancing for all ages and abilities.
BUSINESS: Park Bank
ADDRESS: 14870 W. Greenfield Ave.
PHONE: (414) 466-8000
HOURS: lobby hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday; drive-through hours are 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday
WEB SITE: parkbankonline.com
BUSINESS: Fred Astaire Dance Studios
ADDRESS: 2445 N. 124th St.
PHONE: (262) 796-1121
WEB SITE: FredAstaireBrookfield.com
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Dancing With The Stars - Week 4
A Teacher's PerspectiveBy Debra Stroiney
I know, I know, I was wrong last week about who would be voted off. I did not expect such a huge fan base for Steve Wozniak! I am wondering if Denise got voted off because of some of the things Maksim said which were published.
I feel that it is always an interesting week when they have new dances that they can also perform lifts in. It kindof shows you what the instructors focus on when they are coming up with their routines and how they are teaching their students. I find it interesting that more of the men stood there in the Argentine Tango than they did in the Lindy Hop. Usually Argentine Tango would be easier to pick up on. It’s slower, the footwork is not as difficult, and there are many options. I feel all those who danced the Argentine Tango except for Gilles and Lil' Kim were filled with times of standing and a lot of lifts. We all want to see the lifts but it is also important to make sure there is dancing in there too. There was more dancing in the Lindy Hop routines than the Argentine Tango routines.
I knew when I saw Shawn Johnson’s routine that the judges were not going to like it. Mark played to her gymnastics, and I see nothing wrong with this. They created that routine for her fans and the audience. It is probably one of the only dances that they could do this with and it didn't look out of place. They put on a fantastic show, and it was fun to watch. She still danced quite a bit. In fact, Melissa probably did almost as many tricks as Shawn did but the one difference I saw is the tricks flowed better in Melissa's choreography.
Ty Murray is definitely the most improved dancer. This is what you want to see when you are working with a professional who is teaching you to dance.
I cannot believe how rude the judges were to Steve Wozniak. When they said that he stinks, you could see that Karina was also affected by this. I don’t blame her; it is a reflection on her as a teacher if they are negative. In some ways, he just does not have the ability to learn as quickly as the others but Fred Astaire always said that anyone can learn to dance. That is exactly what Steve is doing - he may not be a performer but he is learning to dance. I wonder if the fans can save him again this week.
Something will have to change in the coming weeks or the audience votes are going to be even more important. Now I feel that we have the dancers who are coming out and trying hard but just don’t perform very well. Then we have those who are mediocre, they are doing well but they just don’t have the extra uniqueness that the others seem to have. Now the judges are starting to reflect this in their scores and comments.
I really don’t know if I can pick the two that may be voted off this week. I am thinking that one of them is Holly. Her fan base is not as strong as the two Steves.
I know, I know, I was wrong last week about who would be voted off. I did not expect such a huge fan base for Steve Wozniak! I am wondering if Denise got voted off because of some of the things Maksim said which were published.
I feel that it is always an interesting week when they have new dances that they can also perform lifts in. It kindof shows you what the instructors focus on when they are coming up with their routines and how they are teaching their students. I find it interesting that more of the men stood there in the Argentine Tango than they did in the Lindy Hop. Usually Argentine Tango would be easier to pick up on. It’s slower, the footwork is not as difficult, and there are many options. I feel all those who danced the Argentine Tango except for Gilles and Lil' Kim were filled with times of standing and a lot of lifts. We all want to see the lifts but it is also important to make sure there is dancing in there too. There was more dancing in the Lindy Hop routines than the Argentine Tango routines.
I knew when I saw Shawn Johnson’s routine that the judges were not going to like it. Mark played to her gymnastics, and I see nothing wrong with this. They created that routine for her fans and the audience. It is probably one of the only dances that they could do this with and it didn't look out of place. They put on a fantastic show, and it was fun to watch. She still danced quite a bit. In fact, Melissa probably did almost as many tricks as Shawn did but the one difference I saw is the tricks flowed better in Melissa's choreography.
Ty Murray is definitely the most improved dancer. This is what you want to see when you are working with a professional who is teaching you to dance.
I cannot believe how rude the judges were to Steve Wozniak. When they said that he stinks, you could see that Karina was also affected by this. I don’t blame her; it is a reflection on her as a teacher if they are negative. In some ways, he just does not have the ability to learn as quickly as the others but Fred Astaire always said that anyone can learn to dance. That is exactly what Steve is doing - he may not be a performer but he is learning to dance. I wonder if the fans can save him again this week.
Something will have to change in the coming weeks or the audience votes are going to be even more important. Now I feel that we have the dancers who are coming out and trying hard but just don’t perform very well. Then we have those who are mediocre, they are doing well but they just don’t have the extra uniqueness that the others seem to have. Now the judges are starting to reflect this in their scores and comments.
I really don’t know if I can pick the two that may be voted off this week. I am thinking that one of them is Holly. Her fan base is not as strong as the two Steves.
New Dance Show to Air in June 2009
The "Biggest Loser" meets "Dancing With The Stars" with the Oxygen channel's new reality-TV show, "Dance Your Ass Off."Former Dancing With The Stars competitior Marissa Jaret Winokur will host this first-ever dance and weight-loss competition series that combines the best of both reality genres. Contestants will diet and dance to "discover their inner thin." Each week contestants will be judged by their ability to perform a dance routine combined with the weight loss they have achieved for that week. The contestants will be challenged with mastering a variety of dance styles from hip-hop to ballroom and cabaret, and will be partnered with professional dancers who will help each contestant reach their highest dancing potential.
"I am thrilled to be the host of 'Dance Your Ass Off!,'" said Winokur. "I had the time of my life learning how to ballroom dance for 'Dancing with the Stars,' and getting in shape was just an amazing extra bonus. I'm really excited to help others do the same thing. I know what the contestants will go through on so many levels, I am sure we will inspire each other!"
"I am thrilled to be the host of 'Dance Your Ass Off!,'" said Winokur. "I had the time of my life learning how to ballroom dance for 'Dancing with the Stars,' and getting in shape was just an amazing extra bonus. I'm really excited to help others do the same thing. I know what the contestants will go through on so many levels, I am sure we will inspire each other!"
Proclamations of 2008 - Virgina's Ballroom Dance Week
The state of Virigina formerly recognized September 19-28, 2008, as BALLROOM DANCE WEEK, issued by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine. The text of the proclamation follows:
WHEREAS, ballroom dancing is an activity that provides many physical and social benefits, promotes creativity and artistic expression, and is enjoyed by many as both a competitive sport and as a pleasurable pastime; and
WHEREAS, ballroom dancing is enjoyed by people of all ages and with one of the largest amateur enrollments in the country, Virginia is a leader in the field of ballroom dancing; and
WHEREAS, USA Dance, Inc. has over 20,000 members nationwide and more than 1,500 members in the Mid-Eastern Chapter, which serves the Virginia, District of Columbia, and Maryland areas; and
WHEREAS, USA Dance, Inc. is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote ballroom dance as an activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds; and
WHEREAS, ballroom dancers in the Commonwealth of Virginia and throughout the United States will celebrate Ballroom Dance Week from September 19-28, 2008, and will sponsor special events during the week to increase public awareness of the benefits of dancing and provide opportunities for enjoyable ballroom dancing;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Timothy M. Kaine, do hereby recognize September 19-28, 2008, as BALLROOM DANCE WEEK in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.
WHEREAS, ballroom dancing is an activity that provides many physical and social benefits, promotes creativity and artistic expression, and is enjoyed by many as both a competitive sport and as a pleasurable pastime; and
WHEREAS, ballroom dancing is enjoyed by people of all ages and with one of the largest amateur enrollments in the country, Virginia is a leader in the field of ballroom dancing; and
WHEREAS, USA Dance, Inc. has over 20,000 members nationwide and more than 1,500 members in the Mid-Eastern Chapter, which serves the Virginia, District of Columbia, and Maryland areas; and
WHEREAS, USA Dance, Inc. is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote ballroom dance as an activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds; and
WHEREAS, ballroom dancers in the Commonwealth of Virginia and throughout the United States will celebrate Ballroom Dance Week from September 19-28, 2008, and will sponsor special events during the week to increase public awareness of the benefits of dancing and provide opportunities for enjoyable ballroom dancing;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Timothy M. Kaine, do hereby recognize September 19-28, 2008, as BALLROOM DANCE WEEK in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.
"Limping" With The Stars
From people.com:
Before season 8 of Dancing with the Stars kicked off three weeks ago, contestants Jewel and Nancy O’Dell dropped out due to leg injuries. Since then, Steve-O tweaked his back, Steve Wozniak fractured his foot, Gilles Marini has tendonitis in his shoulder and Holly Madison suffered pain in her side. And those are only the ones that have been reported.
Why so many injuries this season compared to previous ones?
“Everyone seems to be competing more aggressively this year, and I think that’s why were having all these injuries,” says DWTS judge Carrie Ann Inaba.
And while injuries in professional ballroom dancing are “virtually unknown,” says Peter Pover, president of USA Dance Inc., the national governing body for ballroom dancing. But he also notes that celebrity dancers are training in extreme conditions in a short time and for many, this is their first time doing anything like this.
“It shouldn’t surprise Steve Wozniak that he hurts himself trying to do some of the things he’s doing,” he says about the computer whiz, who wears a temporary cast when he’s not whirling across the dancefloor. “He must be in terrific pain.”
As for Wozniak, he says he didn’t realize how serious his injury was until his partner Karina Smirnoff saw his ankle and suggested they go see a doctor.
“For a couple of weeks, everything hurt. So you don’t notice one hurt being different from the other,” Wozniak says. “They all go away, right? Well, one of them didn’t go away.”
Each week, it seems another person is going to get something checked out by a doctor. Broadway performer and funnyman David Alan Grier has avoided injury (so far) the old-fashioned way.
“I try to warm up. I take a hot bath every morning and just stretch, stretch,” he says.
Pover, who has watched the show since it started eight seasons ago, says the level of difficulty continues to rise. “I think anybody who goes into this gets a surprise when they find out what’s expected of them,” he says.
Two-time Dancing champ Cheryl Burke agrees. “People who have never danced before don’t realize dancing is a sport,” says Burke. People are dancing four to six hours a day…Even if you’re in the best shape possible, with dancing you’ve never worked out these parts of your body.”
–Elaine Aradillas, with reporting by Shruti Dhalwala and Monica Rizzo
Before season 8 of Dancing with the Stars kicked off three weeks ago, contestants Jewel and Nancy O’Dell dropped out due to leg injuries. Since then, Steve-O tweaked his back, Steve Wozniak fractured his foot, Gilles Marini has tendonitis in his shoulder and Holly Madison suffered pain in her side. And those are only the ones that have been reported.
Why so many injuries this season compared to previous ones?
“Everyone seems to be competing more aggressively this year, and I think that’s why were having all these injuries,” says DWTS judge Carrie Ann Inaba.
And while injuries in professional ballroom dancing are “virtually unknown,” says Peter Pover, president of USA Dance Inc., the national governing body for ballroom dancing. But he also notes that celebrity dancers are training in extreme conditions in a short time and for many, this is their first time doing anything like this.
“It shouldn’t surprise Steve Wozniak that he hurts himself trying to do some of the things he’s doing,” he says about the computer whiz, who wears a temporary cast when he’s not whirling across the dancefloor. “He must be in terrific pain.”
As for Wozniak, he says he didn’t realize how serious his injury was until his partner Karina Smirnoff saw his ankle and suggested they go see a doctor.
“For a couple of weeks, everything hurt. So you don’t notice one hurt being different from the other,” Wozniak says. “They all go away, right? Well, one of them didn’t go away.”
Each week, it seems another person is going to get something checked out by a doctor. Broadway performer and funnyman David Alan Grier has avoided injury (so far) the old-fashioned way.
“I try to warm up. I take a hot bath every morning and just stretch, stretch,” he says.
Pover, who has watched the show since it started eight seasons ago, says the level of difficulty continues to rise. “I think anybody who goes into this gets a surprise when they find out what’s expected of them,” he says.
Two-time Dancing champ Cheryl Burke agrees. “People who have never danced before don’t realize dancing is a sport,” says Burke. People are dancing four to six hours a day…Even if you’re in the best shape possible, with dancing you’ve never worked out these parts of your body.”
–Elaine Aradillas, with reporting by Shruti Dhalwala and Monica Rizzo
Monday, March 30, 2009
Dance The Night Away...For A Good Cause
From wptv.com:
Reported by: Paige Kornblue
BOCA RATON, FL -- If you love to watch ballroom dancing or want to learn how to ballroom dance, head to the Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Boca Raton tonight. The Fred Astaire Boca Raton team's Dance Showcase will benefit the George Snow Scholarship Fund. The Boca Raton-based George Snow Scholarship Fund provides educational grants to some of South Florida's brightest and most deserving young scholars. The scholarships are designed to bridge the gap between other financial aid and what the scholar and their families can afford.
Fred Astaire Dance Studio, Boca Raton will once again be supporting the George Snow Scholarship Fund for Boca’s Ballroom Battle.
The second annual Boca's Ballroom event transforms community leaders into ballroom dancers and is scheduled to take place on August 27, 2009.
The Dance Showcase starts at 7:00 p.m. Saturday, March 28, 2009. The Fred Astaire studio is located in Royal Palm Plaza.
Admission is $15.00.
The dancers will open the floor to general dancing following the event.
Call 561-391-8591 for Dance Showcase information.
Reported by: Paige Kornblue
BOCA RATON, FL -- If you love to watch ballroom dancing or want to learn how to ballroom dance, head to the Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Boca Raton tonight. The Fred Astaire Boca Raton team's Dance Showcase will benefit the George Snow Scholarship Fund. The Boca Raton-based George Snow Scholarship Fund provides educational grants to some of South Florida's brightest and most deserving young scholars. The scholarships are designed to bridge the gap between other financial aid and what the scholar and their families can afford.
Fred Astaire Dance Studio, Boca Raton will once again be supporting the George Snow Scholarship Fund for Boca’s Ballroom Battle.
The second annual Boca's Ballroom event transforms community leaders into ballroom dancers and is scheduled to take place on August 27, 2009.
The Dance Showcase starts at 7:00 p.m. Saturday, March 28, 2009. The Fred Astaire studio is located in Royal Palm Plaza.
Admission is $15.00.
The dancers will open the floor to general dancing following the event.
Call 561-391-8591 for Dance Showcase information.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
After school, Bruner students ballroom dancing
From nwfdailynews.com (Fort Walton Beach, Florida):
By Robbyn Brooks
Bruner Middle School teacher Beth Anderson walked behind a line of dancers, tugging baggy pants up. Baggy pants just aren't proper ballroom dancing attire.
Despite the tennis shoes and faded blue jeans, about 40 students are learning proper dance techniques in a voluntary after-school program. The classes began March 3, and already the kids have learned aspects of the tango, cha-cha, waltz and rumba. "This is a whole new arena for them to be in," Anderson said. "They wouldn't get to do this otherwise. Many can't do cotillion and they have no way to participate in something so expensive."
But through the special program that Fred Astaire Dance Studio is helping with, the budding dancers are on their way to a Bruner Middle School dance competition in May. The cost to participate in the eight-week session was only $18. The students pick up their new steps in the school cafeteria on Tuesday afternoons.
"I thought it would be fun," said Phillip Thomas, 13, who first came to watch his brother in the class. "I'm a football player and I think it will help with my footwork."
Thomas also said the stigma of men who dance is fading. No one has said anything to him about dancing being "for girls," he said.
Sarah Hunt, a 13-year-old ballet dancer, said she only expected a handful of people to show up."I was surprised, especially with the guys," she said. "Some of them are having a hard time, but they are trying and that is what is important."
Dance instructors Katie and Ronald Gullien make the classes fun with jokes and music and relate well to the kids, Anderson said.
"This has really been beneficial to how the children relate to each other outside of these classes and in their school life," Anderson said. "It's been amazing."
By Robbyn Brooks
Bruner Middle School teacher Beth Anderson walked behind a line of dancers, tugging baggy pants up. Baggy pants just aren't proper ballroom dancing attire.
Despite the tennis shoes and faded blue jeans, about 40 students are learning proper dance techniques in a voluntary after-school program. The classes began March 3, and already the kids have learned aspects of the tango, cha-cha, waltz and rumba. "This is a whole new arena for them to be in," Anderson said. "They wouldn't get to do this otherwise. Many can't do cotillion and they have no way to participate in something so expensive."
But through the special program that Fred Astaire Dance Studio is helping with, the budding dancers are on their way to a Bruner Middle School dance competition in May. The cost to participate in the eight-week session was only $18. The students pick up their new steps in the school cafeteria on Tuesday afternoons.
"I thought it would be fun," said Phillip Thomas, 13, who first came to watch his brother in the class. "I'm a football player and I think it will help with my footwork."
Thomas also said the stigma of men who dance is fading. No one has said anything to him about dancing being "for girls," he said.
Sarah Hunt, a 13-year-old ballet dancer, said she only expected a handful of people to show up."I was surprised, especially with the guys," she said. "Some of them are having a hard time, but they are trying and that is what is important."
Dance instructors Katie and Ronald Gullien make the classes fun with jokes and music and relate well to the kids, Anderson said.
"This has really been beneficial to how the children relate to each other outside of these classes and in their school life," Anderson said. "It's been amazing."
New Bets for Dancing With The Stars
From newsday.com:
Before Season 8 of "Dancing With the Stars" began, we threw out some odds for each star to win the competition. Now that we've got three weeks of visual knowledge of each star's ability (or inability) to dance, it's time to recalculate the odds.
Gilles Marini with Cheryl Burke: European swarthiness can take a man far. Old odds: 7-1. New odds: 3-2.
Melissa Rycroft with Tony Dovolani: The dumped truck dropped her at the "DWTS" doorstep a broken woman. She steps into one of those ballroom gowns and looks like she's the pro dancer, not the celeb. Old odds: 10-1. New odds: 3-1.
Shawn Johnson with Mark Ballas: She's young, which means all her friends know how to use computers and text messaging to jack up the votes, which count for 50 percent of the total score. Plus, she's pretty darn good. Old odds: 16-1. New odds: 6-1.
Lil' Kim with Derek Hough: Lil Kim, the Queen Bee, so you best take heed, shall I proceed? Yes, indeed. Old odds: 18-1. New odds: 8-1.
Chuck Wicks with Julianne Hough: He's good, she's hot, but they'll need a boost from the country music world to get past those ahead of them of this list. Old odds: 4-1. New odds: 8-1.
David Alan Grier with Kym Johnson: Even with all 250 members of the Wayans family voting for the former "In Living Color" cast member, it won't be enough to get over the hump. Old odds: 10-1. New odds: 15-1.
Lawrence Taylor with Edyta Sliwinska: LT can shake it, which is not surprising. But barring injuries to everyone above him, there's no chance he can win. Old odds: 22-1. New odds: 22-1.
Holly Madison with Dmitry Chaplin: Another latecomer to the field, and all that sympathy is now gone. She's got the backing of 50 years worth of Playmates and Mansion partygoers, but that won't do the trick. Old odds: 7-1. New odds: 25-1.
Ty Murray with Chelsie Hightower: Probably the best at the pre-dance interviews with his dry humor, but Murray just can't win, even if he looked smoother when his professional partner fell. Old odds: 6-1. New odds: 30-1.
Steve-O with Lacey Schwimmer: While it's fun to see Steve-O dressed in real clothing, that's about the extent of it. Old odds: 9-1. New odds: 30-1.
Steve Wozniak with Karina Smirnoff: The dude did the worm! It's intriguing how the worst celeb dancer ever, a guy who practically invented computers, is still on a show that counts viewers' votes as 50 percent of the score. Hmmmm. Did we mention the dude did the worm?!? Old odds: 100-1. New odds: 150-1.
Before Season 8 of "Dancing With the Stars" began, we threw out some odds for each star to win the competition. Now that we've got three weeks of visual knowledge of each star's ability (or inability) to dance, it's time to recalculate the odds.
Gilles Marini with Cheryl Burke: European swarthiness can take a man far. Old odds: 7-1. New odds: 3-2.
Melissa Rycroft with Tony Dovolani: The dumped truck dropped her at the "DWTS" doorstep a broken woman. She steps into one of those ballroom gowns and looks like she's the pro dancer, not the celeb. Old odds: 10-1. New odds: 3-1.
Shawn Johnson with Mark Ballas: She's young, which means all her friends know how to use computers and text messaging to jack up the votes, which count for 50 percent of the total score. Plus, she's pretty darn good. Old odds: 16-1. New odds: 6-1.
Lil' Kim with Derek Hough: Lil Kim, the Queen Bee, so you best take heed, shall I proceed? Yes, indeed. Old odds: 18-1. New odds: 8-1.
Chuck Wicks with Julianne Hough: He's good, she's hot, but they'll need a boost from the country music world to get past those ahead of them of this list. Old odds: 4-1. New odds: 8-1.
David Alan Grier with Kym Johnson: Even with all 250 members of the Wayans family voting for the former "In Living Color" cast member, it won't be enough to get over the hump. Old odds: 10-1. New odds: 15-1.
Lawrence Taylor with Edyta Sliwinska: LT can shake it, which is not surprising. But barring injuries to everyone above him, there's no chance he can win. Old odds: 22-1. New odds: 22-1.
Holly Madison with Dmitry Chaplin: Another latecomer to the field, and all that sympathy is now gone. She's got the backing of 50 years worth of Playmates and Mansion partygoers, but that won't do the trick. Old odds: 7-1. New odds: 25-1.
Ty Murray with Chelsie Hightower: Probably the best at the pre-dance interviews with his dry humor, but Murray just can't win, even if he looked smoother when his professional partner fell. Old odds: 6-1. New odds: 30-1.
Steve-O with Lacey Schwimmer: While it's fun to see Steve-O dressed in real clothing, that's about the extent of it. Old odds: 9-1. New odds: 30-1.
Steve Wozniak with Karina Smirnoff: The dude did the worm! It's intriguing how the worst celeb dancer ever, a guy who practically invented computers, is still on a show that counts viewers' votes as 50 percent of the score. Hmmmm. Did we mention the dude did the worm?!? Old odds: 100-1. New odds: 150-1.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Dancing With The Stars - Week 3
A Teacher's PerspectiveBy Debra Stroiney, Former Fred Astaire Dance Studio instructor and currently taking care of franchise business at the Fred Astaire Dance Studio Corporate Office
I found this comment in an article I read this weekend:
Maksim Chmerkovskiy fueled a mini DWTS feud earlier this season when he told TV Guide that "it's very unfair" that Rycroft, 25, is competing because "she was a cheerleader and did ballet."
I don’t think there is any basis for this comment. Here is the list of former contestants whom we KNOW had previous dance experience before the show: Joey McIntyre, Drew Lachey, Joey Fatone, Mel B, Kristi Yamaguchi, Lance Bass, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Sabrina Bryan, and Willa Ford. All of these individuals have been on stage dancing while singing or have used dance as training for something else. There may be others who were on the show that had dance training as a part of a performing arts degree or some other professional training. This previous dance experience does not always translate into being successful at ballroom dancing. It does help but it does not give someone an unfair advantage. There are individuals who were trained in some type of dancing and also have a natural talent for learning physical movements and patterns. I believe this is what Melissa has, as well as Gilles, and of course Shawn Johnson. Melissa is exactly the type of dancer you would want to walk into your dance studio and say: “I would like to audition and apply to be a dance instructor.” I am sure she works very hard at practicing and the only advantage she has is that she is used to learning dance/cheer patterns and an awareness of how to move her body.
I was pleasantly surprised and impressed with the Sambas and Foxtrots last night. In previous seasons, I could barely watch these dances because they were making them too hard for students who have been dancing for less than two months. It is almost as if everyone is more comfortable with their partners this season and can create choreography that works for them.
There are definitely three categories of dancers this season. The bad, the good, and the spectacular. Some of those hovering in the middle of the pack really need to do some amazing things to compete with those who come out every week and put on great performances. I was even happy to see that there were a lot of ties in the scores this week. There isn’t anyone who seems to be the judges' “favorite” yet. (They are still being very nice to Denise Richards, maybe because she was the first to dance….)
I have to say I am glad the audience clapped and cheered for Steve Wozniak. I know he is not dancing well but at least he is having a good time out there, he has not much else to offer other than that. I don’t think that he will make it past this week, how can he make up a 10 with audience votes? I am not sure if they are having a dance off again tonight but even that might not help.
Maksim Chmerkovskiy fueled a mini DWTS feud earlier this season when he told TV Guide that "it's very unfair" that Rycroft, 25, is competing because "she was a cheerleader and did ballet."
I don’t think there is any basis for this comment. Here is the list of former contestants whom we KNOW had previous dance experience before the show: Joey McIntyre, Drew Lachey, Joey Fatone, Mel B, Kristi Yamaguchi, Lance Bass, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Sabrina Bryan, and Willa Ford. All of these individuals have been on stage dancing while singing or have used dance as training for something else. There may be others who were on the show that had dance training as a part of a performing arts degree or some other professional training. This previous dance experience does not always translate into being successful at ballroom dancing. It does help but it does not give someone an unfair advantage. There are individuals who were trained in some type of dancing and also have a natural talent for learning physical movements and patterns. I believe this is what Melissa has, as well as Gilles, and of course Shawn Johnson. Melissa is exactly the type of dancer you would want to walk into your dance studio and say: “I would like to audition and apply to be a dance instructor.” I am sure she works very hard at practicing and the only advantage she has is that she is used to learning dance/cheer patterns and an awareness of how to move her body.
I was pleasantly surprised and impressed with the Sambas and Foxtrots last night. In previous seasons, I could barely watch these dances because they were making them too hard for students who have been dancing for less than two months. It is almost as if everyone is more comfortable with their partners this season and can create choreography that works for them.
There are definitely three categories of dancers this season. The bad, the good, and the spectacular. Some of those hovering in the middle of the pack really need to do some amazing things to compete with those who come out every week and put on great performances. I was even happy to see that there were a lot of ties in the scores this week. There isn’t anyone who seems to be the judges' “favorite” yet. (They are still being very nice to Denise Richards, maybe because she was the first to dance….)
I have to say I am glad the audience clapped and cheered for Steve Wozniak. I know he is not dancing well but at least he is having a good time out there, he has not much else to offer other than that. I don’t think that he will make it past this week, how can he make up a 10 with audience votes? I am not sure if they are having a dance off again tonight but even that might not help.
Monday, March 23, 2009
My Golden Dancers
The Lost Shoeby Elita Sohmer Clayman
Ethan, Ava, and their parents (my son, daughter-in-law and two youngest grandchildren) came from Northern Virginia to visit us. It was the first time Ethan (3 1/2) and Ava (16 months) came to Grammie and Grandpa’s home. It is a long trip to come here and finally they made it.
Grammie and Grandpa cleaned and dusted and swiffered the whole home to ready themselves for this momentous occasion. They were tired from all the housework but were so eager to have the grandchildren make an appearance in their home.
After Ethan was here for an hour or so, he said, “I like being here.” That warmed Grammie’s heart. He played around, ran around and had fun. Grammie never said the word "do not" or "no" when he touched her little ornaments or china. She had not taken anything away to put out of little children’s hands because Ethan and Ava are well behaved.
There was a little china ornamental blue and white shoe on a table in the entrance foyer. Ethan looked at it and said, “That is a lost shoe.” How perceptive of him thinking it was a real shoe once and now it was misplaced. I got to thinking about the lost shoe and thought "here is a good theme for a dance article." So here goes.
Many times in our lives we may feel ‘lost.’ The meaning lost can be misplaced, missing or even lost in thought. Lost in thought is sometimes what we have happen to us. We think about something too much or not enough and we feel we have lost something. Many of us dancers think about stopping our dancing because it is too expensive, too time consuming and too much thought goes into it. We could possibly not have time for all the necessary thinking dancing entices us to accomplish.
The first night way back in November 1977 that we took our first serious ballroom dance lesson was quite different from what I expected when I thought about it that day before we got to the studio. I speculated that it would be fun, it would be different and it would be interesting. I never realized how much work went into learning new steps, new arm movements, smiling when dancing or even standing up straighter with our posture.
We took a little spiral notebook and after the class, my husband tried to remember to write down some little points we had learned. Then we went to a nice restaurant that we frequented often and were quite proud of ourselves for getting through it and still smiling.
We left the restaurant and went to a record store to buy some dance records so we could practice to dance music before the next week’s lesson. In those days, there were no CDs, no DVDs and no videos. They were ordinary large records and we found a whole section for dance music. We purchased about four of them and the next night we played them and tried to remember what we had learned. Our little Pekingese doggie named appropriately Rhumba hid under the sofa thinking, "What was wrong with these people?"
We were told we should try to purchase suede soled shoes for better and safer dancing. So I had heard about a dance shoe place in Virginia named Amber Dance Shoes. There was no Internet in those days to view the pictures of the shoes. I called the owner and she said she would send me out a brochure to see the types of shoes available.
She did and that was the beginning of me ordering many dance shoes in various colors, heights, comfort styles, etc. from high heeled silver and gold shoes, some with sequins and stones to others with flat and plain heels and leather material. When I wore my high heeled ones I felt like my favorite female dancer known to me then - Ginger Rogers. Even my husband ordered a pair and he would not admit it but I know he felt a bit like Fred Astaire when he wore them.
So Ethan thinking the china ornament was a lost shoe reminded me of our first dance shoes. Sometimes when we take a lesson, we find it hard to comprehend what we learned. We may feel lost and think why I am putting myself through this. For what? Then our sensibilities take over and we realize we are not lost, we are found. We have found something so fantastic that our journey has just begun in this dance life.
Journey it is and the word journey also means voyage and adventure. That it is and more than one can ever fathom. A trip so complex, so wonderful, so awesome and so very delightful. I hear people say that dancing probably saved their sanity and even their physical life.
By that they mean that they were just about to develop some physical ailments, some minor and some more complex, but when they decided to try ballroom dancing, many of the mental symptoms vanished. The reason being because they became occupied with something out of the realm of illness and therefore focused more on positive happenings. They did not concentrate on not feeling well and, therefore, balanced their life with more positive feelings.
All psychologists will vouch for positive thinking being a force so dynamic that it sometimes outweighs negative thoughts and negative happenings. When we are more positive, it is said our health improves. That is not to imply that illness can be cured by positive thinking alone, we still need our professional medical help and sometimes medicines but that positive feelings do override negative views.
Now if you are in a car accident like we were this past year, positive thinking cannot help the ailing knees or back or contusions but it can get you on a faster journey to wellness.
Ballroom dancing, no matter where you perform it, will enhance your life to such high altitudes that you will wonder how you lived without it all these years.
As the years roll by and you excel and advance in ballroom dancing your life will be fuller and richer than you could ever imagine.
I have a home full of ballroom dance objects. If my home was ever written up in a decorating column in the local newspaper, the theme would be dance and more dance.
The walls are decked out with photos of me dancing in showcases, of letters and tributes about dance and professional paintings of dance. My shelves are full of Lladro figurines in lots of dance positions. They are ballet figurines, Tango figurines and couple dance figurines. Anything that shows any kind of dance gets purchased by me. You could say I am obsessively caught up in the circumstance of the movement of feet, arms and soul.
In a former article I spoke of dancing for the meat bones at the local butcher shop when I was a wee little girl. Now I am a senior and dancing is the meat of my life. This meat has no cholesterol, no fat, no grease, and no sugar. It is full of the flavor of creation of movement within in the body and within in the soul. It increases the flow of thought in the brain and helps one to cope with daily adversities and sadness. It increases the desire
of accomplishment in life and as we age we need goals to achieve.
To learn is to get high without drugs, alcohol or spending money on frivolous items. To achieve in a sport or hobby called ballroom dancing at any age is, as Shakespeare said about something else, a ‘gift in thy brain.’
To ballroom dance is an endowment of genius, quality, talent and aptitude. We endorse this with all of our heart and we want everyone who wishes to dance to try it and to savor the responses they will get in their life.
As little Ethan, my number three grandson said, this is a lost shoe, but only if we let it be lost to us. We take that shoe and put it on and dance the days and evenings away and it becomes a gift in thy brain.
New Book Published on Mr. Fred Astaire
Puttin' on the Ritz: Fred Astaire and the Fine Art of PanacheWritten by the late biographer Peter Levinson, Puttin' on the Ritz is a comprehensive look at Fred Astaire’s show business career. In his last work, Levinson charts Astaire’s rise from unassuming Nebraskan boy to spectacular success on stage and screen. The diminutive dancer with the thinning hair gave no indication that he would someday become one of America’s finest performers, but he honed his craft tirelessly. The book examines his relationships with his leading ladies (most notably Ginger Rogers) and his contribution to the American songbook through his association with the Gershwins, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin. Astaire’s “panache” was heavily influenced by the British aristocracy; he honed his image of elegance as carefully as he did his dance routines.
From the Publishers Weekly Review: "In this exuberant biography of Astaire, Levinson — who has written biographies of Harry James, Nelson Riddle and Tommy Dorsey, and who died last year — traces Astaire's stunningly long and successful career from early vaudeville partnership with sister Adele to the heyday of MGM musicals (and, along the way, highlights Astaire's musical influence in jazz and his tasteful, understated sartorial chic inspired by the duke of Windsor). Hailing from Omaha, Neb., Astaire n Austerlitz (his family the descendants of Austrian Jews), tagged along with his older, more promising sister to dance school in New York City, where the tap-and-step team got their start on the Orpheum Circuit and in Charles Dillingham's revues, before hitting stardom in the 1923 London musical Stop Flirting. When Adele quit to marry an English lord in 1932, Astaire renounced Broadway for the bright new medium of film, and once ensconced in Hollywood, under contract with David O. Selznick at RKO then MGM, he never looked back: from being teamed up rather reluctantly with Ginger Rogers (10 films) to 'finding his muse' in choreographer Hermes Pan and spectacular, short-lived partnerships with legendary leading ladies, Astaire became a national treasure. Levinson takes a chatty, nostalgic look at Astaire's artistic collaborations, his longtime, stable marriage to Phyllis Potter, his shy nature and his underappreciated singing voice."
Champion Dancer Eric Luna Weighs In On Dancing With The Stars Injuries
Fred Astaire professional dancer Eric Luna is a 3-time World Cabaret Champion, 3-time undefeated United States National Cabaret Champion, and 10-time Fred Astaire National Theater Arts Champion, along with his partner Georgia Ambarian. He was recently interviewed about his thoughts on dance training, discipline, and the many injuries on this season of Dancing With The Stars. Listen here.
Salsa in North Carolina!
From localwineevents.com:
Date: Apr 15, 2009 (Wed)
Time: 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Cost: $10.00 cover charge
RESERVE YOUR TICKETS NOW!
Place: Chatham Hill Winery- The Triangles Only Urban Winery
3800 Gateway Centre Blvd Ste 310
Cary/Morrisville, NC 27560
They say that the key to learning a new dance is Relaxation. What better way to relax than enjoying your favorite glass of Chatham Hill Wine before learning the hottest steps & spins out there?
Join us as we partner with the Fred Astaire Dance Studio to offer you an evening of fun and dance! Couples and singles welcome.
Prepayment and reservations are preferred, $10.00 for pre-registration and $15.00 at the door. Call 919-380-7135. Wines will be sold by the glass and by the bottle. And also available for purchase are our international cheeses and crackers.
Note: We must have 20 reservations to have this event so please call early.
Date: Apr 15, 2009 (Wed)
Time: 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Cost: $10.00 cover charge
RESERVE YOUR TICKETS NOW!
Place: Chatham Hill Winery- The Triangles Only Urban Winery
3800 Gateway Centre Blvd Ste 310
Cary/Morrisville, NC 27560
They say that the key to learning a new dance is Relaxation. What better way to relax than enjoying your favorite glass of Chatham Hill Wine before learning the hottest steps & spins out there?
Join us as we partner with the Fred Astaire Dance Studio to offer you an evening of fun and dance! Couples and singles welcome.
Prepayment and reservations are preferred, $10.00 for pre-registration and $15.00 at the door. Call 919-380-7135. Wines will be sold by the glass and by the bottle. And also available for purchase are our international cheeses and crackers.
Note: We must have 20 reservations to have this event so please call early.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
New Dancing Show Premieres Tonight on MTV
Taking The Stage premieres tonight on MTV at 10:00 EST. This one-hour, 10-episode reality musical series follows five students of Cincinnati’s School For Creative And Performing Arts. Each episode will feature songs and dance routines written and choreographed by the cast. In tonight's first episode, we'll meet the five cast members who are buzzing about an upcoming school talent showcase where the students will get to perform in front of judges made-up of music industry professionals including an executive from Jive Records. The five students are:Jasmine - a prima ballerina who dreams of dancing with the famed Alvin Ailey dance troupe. "I want to be one of the best professional dancers of my generation," she says. Jasmine hopes to attend New York performing arts conservatory Juilliard after graduating from SCPA.
Malik - leads the school's only hip-hop dance group, The Definition. "When I dance," he says, "people notice. I want to inspire." In addition to his formidable dance skills, he is also a talented choreographer and a singer/songwriter.
Shaakira - a dancer and aspiring actress. "I want to be an all-around entertainer. I have really big dreams," she says. "I will do whatever it takes to be famous." Shaakira is an accomplished ballet dancer -- one of the best SCPA has ever produced -- but prefers hip-hop dance and is an integral member of Malik's team.
Mia - a singer-songwriter whose talent is matched only by her drive. "My whole life I've had the same goal, to make music and get a record contract by the time that I'm 18," Mia says. "I know I have what it takes to make it happen."
Tyler - a gifted hip-hop dancer. "Dancing is my world; it just comes out of me," he says. "I am hip-hop dance. Hip-hop dance is me."
Dancing With The Stars Talent Hunter Spills Secrets!
When the show began, how did you approach the celebrities you wanted to appear?
This was a tough hurdle, because it's a live ballroom dance show. None of us were sure it was gonna work. Lots of reality shows pit people against each other -- I had to keep telling possible contestants, "It's not gonna be mean-spirited!"
What concerns did the celebrities have?
The concern was that it's not gonna be a hit. No one ever wants to sign on to something until they know who's doing it. Are we going to be showing them in the best light? I think that when Evander Holyfield said yes, he legitimized it.
Now that it’s is a hit, what hurdles do you face?
A lot of agents aren't sure they want their clients seen on a reality show at all -- I have to convince them that this will help their career. I'll talk until I'm blue in the face, but they still think their client is bigger than a reality show. I'll say, “This is better than doing pilot season, because this is your chance for everyone in this town to see you as opposed to going in and reading a script."
Has anyone seen an impact on their career as a result of being on the show?
You can be big in your own little world, but the crossover is amazing. Emmett Smith always says that people outside of football didn't really know his face before he was on the show. Jerry Springer and Joey Fatone have gone on to host shows -- Jerry was getting offers for movies he had never gotten before because people had only seen him in one way. Marie Osmond and her dolls ... they're more of a multi-million-dollar property now. It put these guys back in the spotlight.
So, has your job become easier?
It's easier because they can see what the show's done and how it can help your career. But it's also more difficult because the audience is expecting more. Not only do I have to get bigger names, I have to keep doing something different. We can't have the audience thinking the cast is boring.
Do you now have celebrities approaching you asking to be on the show?
Absolutely. I get hundreds of submissions of people who want to be on. But even if someone who comes to me isn't right for the show, it might spark me to think of someone else in their arena.
Do they get compensated?
They get compensated. But they don't get money when they win. They're just winning a trophy.
Was it difficult to get this year's jilted "Bachelor" contestant Melissa Rycroft to agree to be on the show so last minute?
She was my Cinderella story. I called her and said you have two days to learn the dance. She took a leap of faith, and it was just perfect timing. America loved this girl and (her getting dumped) happened only three days before. Everyone was talking about her already. She had hesitations about many things -- she had a job, she's not in Hollywood, she didn't want to be on a TV show again, can she pack up her stuff and get her dog to her parents quickly enough?
Melissa isn't technically a "star." Do you have a loose definition of celebrity when you're casting?
You try and get people from all over walks of life, and every season there are a couple of people who aren't as big as others. What's great is having the ability to show the audience someone new who they love to meet and make a new hero.
Fred Astaire Dance Studios Now On Twitter!
Fred Astaire Dance Studios Corporate is now on Twitter (www.twitter.com). Follow us today to get the latest ballroom dance news!
Dancing Can Improve Your Relationship
Excerpt from www.yourtango.com:
Most women love to dance. It's kind of a biological imperative. We hear music and we start to move to it. In our dreams, the men in our lives are moving with us. Dinner and dancing is a kind of ultimate fantasy date, but too often we skip the second part.
Most women love to dance. It's kind of a biological imperative. We hear music and we start to move to it. In our dreams, the men in our lives are moving with us. Dinner and dancing is a kind of ultimate fantasy date, but too often we skip the second part.
Things have been looking up for boogie-enthusiasts these past few years thanks to the success of Dancing With The Stars. Seeing macho football players like Jason Taylor, Average Joes like Jerry Springer and billionaires like Mark Cuban adeptly moving around the floor can make men feel liberated to give ballroom dancing a try. The end result can be a heightened sense of electricity between couples.
"If women are not happy, this is when we nag," jokes professional ballroom dance champion Elena Grinenko. "If you make your woman happy then she's relaxed and she's not asking for a lot because she feels very secure." One way to make a woman happy, she argues, is to get her on the dance floor.
"As far as therapy for couples, it's a great thing to do," she says. "Dance teaches us a lot about the relationship between the male and the female." Dancing requires good etiquette and communication, and the body language is unbeatable.
Now in his seventh season on Dancing With The Stars, professional dancer Tony Dovolani spends much of his time between seasons presenting seminars and giving private instruction. Wherever he goes, he sees couples reconnecting through ballroom dancing.
"It's almost like you have a newfound love for each other," Dovolani says. "Discovering new steps together teaches couples to interact with each other. They're looking into each other's eyes, anticipating the next move. It opens up energy channels of feeling and connection. It rejuvenates everything."
Dovolani says learning to dance teaches communication skills and fosters respect. The physical activity is a great stress reliever and the positive feelings about the shared experience makes couples excited to carve out alone time.
Don't let the skimpy costumes on Dancing dissuade you. People of all ages, sizes and shapes can take up ballroom dancing, which encompasses everything from cha cha and salsa to waltz and foxtrot. That's why Dovolani so appreciated being paired with actress Marissa Jaret Winokur in season six. A plus-sized woman who is only 4'11", Winokur said she never felt sexier in her life, and she encouraged all women to embrace the activity.
While not all men have Dovolani's moves, it doesn't mean they can't bring out a similar reaction in their own partners. "In dance, if you make your woman comfortable, she will love you forever," Grinenko says.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Dancing With The Stars - Week 2
A Teacher's Perspective
By Debra Stroiney, Former Fred Astaire Dance Studio instructor and currently taking care of franchise business at the Fred Astaire Dance Studio Corporate Office
By Debra Stroiney, Former Fred Astaire Dance Studio instructor and currently taking care of franchise business at the Fred Astaire Dance Studio Corporate Office
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Today we will have our first elimination from the show. Other than the top 3 scores; it could be anyone….
I cannot believe how many injuries there are on the show this season. I would really like to see all of the footage of the rehearsals over the past month to obtain better insight as to why this is happening. A couple of theories: the stars are not learning the correct way to hold their bodies, use their feet and do tricks. They are not being taught to dance but rather are being thrown into things their bodies are not used to doing. Dancing a performance with adrenaline pumping can lead to injuries if you are not trained or used to dancing aggressively.
There was an improvement in all the dancers this week. We also started seeing who is better at Smooth or Rhythm dancing. Some dancers had a solid performance in both types but there are three contestants who I think will be at the top of the scoreboard for the entire season: Shawn, Melissa and Gilles. Each of these stars has performed very well in smooth and rhythm. The judges’ scores have also reflected it. Now we have to wait to see who the audience votes for. I think these three really have something special, and I hope that it continues through all the dances this season so that there truly is a competition on the dance floor.
Here are the things that will never change on the show and I will never understand why it happens:
- The judges are hard on the dancers who actually put in a solid performance and did well. Are they trying to motivate them or do they just not like them?
- Having beginner dancers perform Quick Step in the second week of competition. I will never understand this since it is one of the most difficult dances to learn. To make up for this, the choreography contains patterns that diverge from the traditional way of doing this dance. They also add tricks to improve on what would usually be a mediocre performance.
- The music. There were some pretty interesting ideas this week as to what Salsa and Quick Step music is.
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