Written by Sammi-T for TV Grapevine
I recently had the chance to talk to mambo champion Fabian Sanchez, who participated in season six of Dancing With The Stars. Although he and his partner Marlee Matlin placed sixth in the competition, they quickly became fan favorites. During our conversation, Fabian told me about how he got involved in the dance world, what it was like teaching a deaf student and what the future holds for him and his career.
HOW DID FABIAN GET HIS START IN BALLROOM DANCING?
Fabian started his dance career when he was twenty years old and waiting tables in Alabama. He was discovered by Alan King, who happened to be the regional owner of Fred Astaire Dance Studios. The owner loved his personality and offered him a job teaching at his school. Although Fabian had only been a social dancer at the time, he jumped at the opportunity. He began taking ballroom lessons as he was teaching and within a year and a half, was competing with his dance partner. During his ballroom training, Fabian got to work with several world-renowned dancers, including Bruno Collins, Charlie Paretella, Linda Dean and Corky Ballas.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE BEING A MALE IN THE DANCE WORLD?
When Fabian got started in the dance world, he was a very shy and only danced for fun at teen clubs. Once he began teaching and getting into competing, he realized it was not only a good way to get over his shyness, but also a way to interact with the opposite sex, since ballroom is all about a man and a woman. He said that he makes sure to teach this to his students and his son as well. He makes sure that the boys ask to dance with the girls and feels that it is a good way for males to learn how to treat a lady.
WHEN DID FABIAN GO PRO AND WHAT TITLES/RANKS DOES HE HOLD?
Since he had gone right into teaching, he was considered a professional right away and never competed in amateur competitions. He mostly competed in American Rhythm, although he was trained in all forms of American and International ballroom dancing. As a competitor, Fabian won several championships, including the Fred Astaire Rhythm Champ four times and the Rising Star US Rhythm Champ. He also was a US Open Finalist and the 2006 World Mambo Champion.
HOW DID FABIAN GET INVOLVED IN DANCING WITH THE STARS?
Fabian considers being on Dancing With The Stars a wonderful opportunity for him and his career. But how did he get chosen to be a part of one of the biggest shows in the country? It all started when Fabian met professional dancer and show favorite Maksim Chmerkovskiy at a charity event three years ago. Maks told him how wonderful the show was and invited him to see it live. Fabian was looking for a challenge and wanted to take his experience to a new level, so he decided to go for it after Maks got him an interview. After several interviews and meetings, Fabian was finally hired for season six of the show, along with good friend and show veteran Tony Dovolani.
DWTS AND A NEW CHALLENGE (AND FRIEND!)
Fabian was paired with Academy Award winning actress Marlee Matlin, who was the first deaf contestant on the show. He initially thought this would be a challenge, but he soon realized that teaching Marlee was not much different than teaching any other student. The biggest difference was that he had to make sure he had eye contact with Marlee at all times, as well as stomping his feet and clapping to make sure she could feel the beats. He also relied on lip reading and communicating through her interpreters, Bill and Jack. However, Marlee did not let being deaf bring her down or keep her from trying her best in the competition. Fabian revealed that she had such determination and talent that he would sometimes forget she couldn’t hear anything. He said that she proved that anything could be accomplished no matter what if you just put your mind to it.
LIFE AFTER DWTS
Since leaving the show, Fabian has been a very busy man. He owns a Fred Astaire Studio with his wife, something he said allows him to not only continue his career, but be a family man as well. He is also putting a show together with Strictly Come Dancing professional Kristina Rihanoff and participating in a traveling tour in October and November. He also plans on participating in the DWTS Winter Tour and possibly more seasons of the show. Either way, he feels blessed because he is living the American Dream.
I want to thank Fabian for taking the time to talk to me and wish him all the luck in the world with his future endeavors. Be sure to look out for the upcoming Dancing With The Stars tours so you can get a chance to see Fabian live!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Guess Who Came To The Fred Astaire Cincinnati Studio?
Maksim Chmerkovskiy, LARISSA KELLY, AND MISTY MAYThe Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Cincinnati, Ohio was used as a rehearsal site for Misty May Trainor and Maks in August where they worked on their Mambo routine for the show!
Monday, October 13, 2008
The United States Latin Championships
By Armando Martin
The 38th United States Dance Championships went off again like a gem under the direction of Wayne Eng, with the expert help of the best Chairman of Judges in the business, Mr. Brian Puttock, who made sure that the schedule was followed and that all the competitions took place as they were supposed to.
All in all, it was a great weekend. The absence of multitudes of Europeans was once again quite obvious this year, but to tell you the truth those people that I spoke to prefer it this way. Although it is important that the USDC continues to be the most influential competition in the United States, it is also important to remember that it is the United States Dance Championships and as such it should focus and honor the very best that the United States has to offer. I think we did that this year.
When Didio asked me to do the write-up for the US Closed Latin Championship, I wasn’t sure I wanted to do it. After all, I was one of the judges on that panel and it is difficult enough to judge without thinking about having to write about it. But knowing Didio as long as I know him, it is difficult for me to say no to him…I like him a lot.
To me, the US International Latin has been a continuously moving target for the last few years - couples coming in and out, changing all the time. For someone who only judges about 6 to 8 times per year, by choice, due to my many other responsibilities, this can be a daunting task. Since I am not aware of what the form is in that style, this was even more exciting to Didio and Keith who wanted me to write my comments on my marks regardless of previous results or form.
I must say that the talent in the competition from the semifinal on was outstanding as was the final. What I liked about the final was the difference in styles that were represented on the floor, and I will go through that as I write about the individual couples and their final positions in the final.
In first place and the 2008 US Latin Champions were Riccardo Cocchi and Yulia Zagoruychenko. This couple was in a class of their own on the floor; if there is a mold for creating male and female Latin dancers, these two are it. They danced with the power, speed and accuracy and grace of cheetahs hunting their prey with every step perfectly placed at precisely the perfect time in the music. Their bodies lunged around the floor in perfect harmony with each other. The space they filled and the music they fulfilled was artistry at its best.
In second place were Eugene Katsevman and Maria Munosova. I watched this couple dance their last Blackpool festival as amateurs and thought that they did not belong there any more. Their dancing was too mature and refined for the Amateur level where everyone dances as fast as they can with little attention put into the art of it all.
Although I liked Maria and Eugene’s dancing a lot, they again left me feeling like I wanted something more from them. I cannot criticize their technique or their skills at all, but I found myself trying to find a spot for them in their first Professional US final and having difficulty doing it. If I was pressed to comment on what I saw or did not see, I would have to say that a lack of connection with the audience and attack would have to be the words I would use; therefore, I did not place them as high as they came in.
Third place was an interesting couple: Pavlo Barsuk and Anna Trebunskaya. I say ‘interesting’ because of how different they are to each other. Anna, the daughter of Irina who is one of my favorite people ever, is what I would call a classic Latin dancer, in the style of Shirley Ballas; she is a solid technician with a very soft and feminine look. Pavlo, on the other hand, dances more like a young kid, all energy and abandonment. Somehow, this contrast of style works for them. If Anna and Pavlo stay together as a couple long enough to find a middle ground from which to further develop their ample talents, they are going to be a force to reckon with for a long time to come.
Vaidotas Skimelis and Jurga Pupelyte came in fourth position on this night, not too far from where I had them which was third. I have always liked this couple. To me, they are the quinsentenial Latin couple - a very strong and masculine man who leads his girl around the floor with the class and elegance that a lady as good as Jurga deserves. I like the way their dancing is presented, not too wild, not too quiet, just right. In my mind, this is what Latin dancing should be - not just two bodies being thrown around the floor to the rhythms of the music, but a controlled symphony of movements that say something and tell a story with each beat and each step.
In fifth place were Delyan Terziev and Boriana Deltcheva. They were my sixth place couple without a doubt. Don’t get me wrong: all the couples in this final were very good. They had to be to make it this far; however, I find Delyan a bit hard and not as flexible and rhythmical as the other guys. I also find myself looking at his feet a lot, somehow they are attracting my eyes and when I look I don’t like what I see. Boriana is another good girl on the floor; I say that because she could be any one of them - good but not special. I do like the attack and commitment this couple displays on the floor, which is the reason they deserved to be in this very good final.
The sixth place couple (Ilya Ifraimov and Nadia Goulina) was a huge shock to me, I know what you are going to say – ‘Armando is just pushing the top Fred Astaire Latin couple.’ Well, maybe a little unconsciously, but here is my argument for why this couple should be so much higher.
First of all, since when did we stop giving great, stable couples, who have been dancing in this final for years, the benefit of the doubt? Not that they needed it because they danced great, but we are marking the flavor of the day so much that we as judges are not necessarily giving enough credit to classic, strong technical dancing with developed partnerships that complete a story from beginning to end with every dance they perform on the floor.
Ilya and Nadia were much higher on my sheets because they displayed all the attributes that make up a great couple, with light, shade, elegance, and emotion. They were there in fantastic shape. They danced hard and they danced great but were not rewarded for their efforts. In my mind, all I can think of is that I must’ve been looking for different qualities than the other judges on that night. I liked what I saw out of their dancing and felt they deserved a much higher placement.
The Latin final was fun and interesting to judge because of all the different styles displayed by all the couples and the different styles displayed even within the couples. We can only hope that it continues to be that good and strong for a long time to come.
My only request is that we don’t forget to award couples who take their art much further than just how many steps or tricks they can fit into a measure of music, and instead are trying to fill that same music with emotion, beauty and personal connections. So long.
The 38th United States Dance Championships went off again like a gem under the direction of Wayne Eng, with the expert help of the best Chairman of Judges in the business, Mr. Brian Puttock, who made sure that the schedule was followed and that all the competitions took place as they were supposed to.
All in all, it was a great weekend. The absence of multitudes of Europeans was once again quite obvious this year, but to tell you the truth those people that I spoke to prefer it this way. Although it is important that the USDC continues to be the most influential competition in the United States, it is also important to remember that it is the United States Dance Championships and as such it should focus and honor the very best that the United States has to offer. I think we did that this year.
When Didio asked me to do the write-up for the US Closed Latin Championship, I wasn’t sure I wanted to do it. After all, I was one of the judges on that panel and it is difficult enough to judge without thinking about having to write about it. But knowing Didio as long as I know him, it is difficult for me to say no to him…I like him a lot.
To me, the US International Latin has been a continuously moving target for the last few years - couples coming in and out, changing all the time. For someone who only judges about 6 to 8 times per year, by choice, due to my many other responsibilities, this can be a daunting task. Since I am not aware of what the form is in that style, this was even more exciting to Didio and Keith who wanted me to write my comments on my marks regardless of previous results or form.
I must say that the talent in the competition from the semifinal on was outstanding as was the final. What I liked about the final was the difference in styles that were represented on the floor, and I will go through that as I write about the individual couples and their final positions in the final.
In first place and the 2008 US Latin Champions were Riccardo Cocchi and Yulia Zagoruychenko. This couple was in a class of their own on the floor; if there is a mold for creating male and female Latin dancers, these two are it. They danced with the power, speed and accuracy and grace of cheetahs hunting their prey with every step perfectly placed at precisely the perfect time in the music. Their bodies lunged around the floor in perfect harmony with each other. The space they filled and the music they fulfilled was artistry at its best.
In second place were Eugene Katsevman and Maria Munosova. I watched this couple dance their last Blackpool festival as amateurs and thought that they did not belong there any more. Their dancing was too mature and refined for the Amateur level where everyone dances as fast as they can with little attention put into the art of it all.
Although I liked Maria and Eugene’s dancing a lot, they again left me feeling like I wanted something more from them. I cannot criticize their technique or their skills at all, but I found myself trying to find a spot for them in their first Professional US final and having difficulty doing it. If I was pressed to comment on what I saw or did not see, I would have to say that a lack of connection with the audience and attack would have to be the words I would use; therefore, I did not place them as high as they came in.
Third place was an interesting couple: Pavlo Barsuk and Anna Trebunskaya. I say ‘interesting’ because of how different they are to each other. Anna, the daughter of Irina who is one of my favorite people ever, is what I would call a classic Latin dancer, in the style of Shirley Ballas; she is a solid technician with a very soft and feminine look. Pavlo, on the other hand, dances more like a young kid, all energy and abandonment. Somehow, this contrast of style works for them. If Anna and Pavlo stay together as a couple long enough to find a middle ground from which to further develop their ample talents, they are going to be a force to reckon with for a long time to come.
Vaidotas Skimelis and Jurga Pupelyte came in fourth position on this night, not too far from where I had them which was third. I have always liked this couple. To me, they are the quinsentenial Latin couple - a very strong and masculine man who leads his girl around the floor with the class and elegance that a lady as good as Jurga deserves. I like the way their dancing is presented, not too wild, not too quiet, just right. In my mind, this is what Latin dancing should be - not just two bodies being thrown around the floor to the rhythms of the music, but a controlled symphony of movements that say something and tell a story with each beat and each step.
In fifth place were Delyan Terziev and Boriana Deltcheva. They were my sixth place couple without a doubt. Don’t get me wrong: all the couples in this final were very good. They had to be to make it this far; however, I find Delyan a bit hard and not as flexible and rhythmical as the other guys. I also find myself looking at his feet a lot, somehow they are attracting my eyes and when I look I don’t like what I see. Boriana is another good girl on the floor; I say that because she could be any one of them - good but not special. I do like the attack and commitment this couple displays on the floor, which is the reason they deserved to be in this very good final.
The sixth place couple (Ilya Ifraimov and Nadia Goulina) was a huge shock to me, I know what you are going to say – ‘Armando is just pushing the top Fred Astaire Latin couple.’ Well, maybe a little unconsciously, but here is my argument for why this couple should be so much higher.
First of all, since when did we stop giving great, stable couples, who have been dancing in this final for years, the benefit of the doubt? Not that they needed it because they danced great, but we are marking the flavor of the day so much that we as judges are not necessarily giving enough credit to classic, strong technical dancing with developed partnerships that complete a story from beginning to end with every dance they perform on the floor.
Ilya and Nadia were much higher on my sheets because they displayed all the attributes that make up a great couple, with light, shade, elegance, and emotion. They were there in fantastic shape. They danced hard and they danced great but were not rewarded for their efforts. In my mind, all I can think of is that I must’ve been looking for different qualities than the other judges on that night. I liked what I saw out of their dancing and felt they deserved a much higher placement.
The Latin final was fun and interesting to judge because of all the different styles displayed by all the couples and the different styles displayed even within the couples. We can only hope that it continues to be that good and strong for a long time to come.
My only request is that we don’t forget to award couples who take their art much further than just how many steps or tricks they can fit into a measure of music, and instead are trying to fill that same music with emotion, beauty and personal connections. So long.
'Dancing With The Stars' Makes Ballroom Dancing Fashionable and Trendy
Written by Jan Westmark - Celebrity News Service
West Palm Beach, FL (CNS) - The ABC hit reality show "Dancing with the Stars" has dazzled audiences for several years now with glitz, glamour, celebrities and amazing professional dancers. The show has also managed to make ballroom dancing fashionable and trendy.
Steve Wilkie, manager of the Fred Astaire West Palm Beach Dance Studio in West Palm Beach, Florida, talked with Celebrity News Service about the impact that "Dancing with the Stars" has had on ballroom dancing across the country. "The show has had a wonderfully positive effect because it has shown people that anybody can ballroom dance -- young, old, men and women," he said.
He went on to add that tough football players such as Jason Taylor and Emmitt Smith, who both appeared on the show (Emmitt won season three with professional partner Cheryl Burke), have also helped make ballroom dancing look more masculine. "Strong masculine men dance and have a great time," Wilkie said.
Doreen Scheinpflug, a professional ballroom instructor and high-level competitor, added that the show's behind-the-scenes filming of the dancers practicing for "Dancing with the Stars" has also turned out to be great. "It really shows that this is a sport," she said. "A lot of people like to dance for the fitness aspect of it, and a lot of people thought that ballroom dancing was only for old people."
Scheinpflug said the only downside to the television show is that many people show up for lessons the first time and expect to become great dancers immediately. "They don't realize that on the show the celebrities are practicing eight hours a day," Scheinpflug said, adding that she can't complain, however, because the show has raised awareness about ballroom dancing.
"'Dancing with the Stars' has opened up ballroom dancing to a whole new generation of people," Wilkie said, adding that when his Fred Astaire dance studio had its grand opening Tony Dovolani from "Dancing with the Stars" came and took part in the studio's kick-off. "We had a lot of people here because they were familiar with Tony."
Tony, who started dancing at a Fred Astaire Dance Studio when he was 15, and has gone on to star on "Dancing with the Stars" and appear in the Jennifer Lopez film "Shall We Dance?"
"The show really has brought in a younger generation and shown them that dancing can be fun," Wilkie said.
For more information about Fred Astaire Dance Studios visit their website at www.fredastairewpb.com or call Steve Wilkie or Doreen Scheinpflug at the Fred Astaire West Palm Beach Dance Studio at 561-478-1400.
West Palm Beach, FL (CNS) - The ABC hit reality show "Dancing with the Stars" has dazzled audiences for several years now with glitz, glamour, celebrities and amazing professional dancers. The show has also managed to make ballroom dancing fashionable and trendy.
Steve Wilkie, manager of the Fred Astaire West Palm Beach Dance Studio in West Palm Beach, Florida, talked with Celebrity News Service about the impact that "Dancing with the Stars" has had on ballroom dancing across the country. "The show has had a wonderfully positive effect because it has shown people that anybody can ballroom dance -- young, old, men and women," he said.
He went on to add that tough football players such as Jason Taylor and Emmitt Smith, who both appeared on the show (Emmitt won season three with professional partner Cheryl Burke), have also helped make ballroom dancing look more masculine. "Strong masculine men dance and have a great time," Wilkie said.
Doreen Scheinpflug, a professional ballroom instructor and high-level competitor, added that the show's behind-the-scenes filming of the dancers practicing for "Dancing with the Stars" has also turned out to be great. "It really shows that this is a sport," she said. "A lot of people like to dance for the fitness aspect of it, and a lot of people thought that ballroom dancing was only for old people."
Scheinpflug said the only downside to the television show is that many people show up for lessons the first time and expect to become great dancers immediately. "They don't realize that on the show the celebrities are practicing eight hours a day," Scheinpflug said, adding that she can't complain, however, because the show has raised awareness about ballroom dancing.
"'Dancing with the Stars' has opened up ballroom dancing to a whole new generation of people," Wilkie said, adding that when his Fred Astaire dance studio had its grand opening Tony Dovolani from "Dancing with the Stars" came and took part in the studio's kick-off. "We had a lot of people here because they were familiar with Tony."
Tony, who started dancing at a Fred Astaire Dance Studio when he was 15, and has gone on to star on "Dancing with the Stars" and appear in the Jennifer Lopez film "Shall We Dance?"
"The show really has brought in a younger generation and shown them that dancing can be fun," Wilkie said.
For more information about Fred Astaire Dance Studios visit their website at www.fredastairewpb.com or call Steve Wilkie or Doreen Scheinpflug at the Fred Astaire West Palm Beach Dance Studio at 561-478-1400.
FRED ASTAIRE WISCONSIN: DANCING WELL AND DOING GOOD
By Linda Goethche, owner of Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Madison, WIThis past Saturday, October 4th, over 100 dancers from across the state gathered at the Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Madison to show off their skills, have fun, and help those in need at the semi-annual regional Team Match event. These dancers, all at the beginner level, came together to rumba, cha-cha, and polka and represent their studios at this holiday-themed event. Whichever studio had the most participation from their students would be declared the top studio, but that wasn’t the only award up for grabs.
In the run-up to Team Match, each studio challenged itself to see how much canned and boxed food they could raise to donate to Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin to help those who are going hungry this fall. With a regional goal of 1000 lbs, Fred Astaire Wisconsin set its goals high, aiming to be dancing stars and giving stars. Not only did we hit our goal, we almost doubled it by collecting 1884 lbs of food -- nearly a ton of canned and boxed goods to help the hungry in Madison.
The Menomonee Falls Dance Studio outside Milwaukee brought over 800 lbs and was declared Most Generous Studio. The Mequon and Madison Fred Astaire studios tied for the Top Studio award and were overjoyed at the honor. Thank you to our sponsors for supporting the Fred Astaire Dance Studio as we collected food for Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin!
Friday, October 10, 2008
Upper Montclair For the Cure
From October 2-6, students and staff of the Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Upper Montclair, NJ raised more than $500 in donations for the Women's Cancer Programs of EIF to support the fight against breast cancer. Since 1996, Lee National Denim Day has raised more than $70 million for the fight against breast cancer...$5 at a time.
For Denim Day, staff and students who wore jeans were asked to contribute $5. Our practice session was another chance to give - $15 per person. And managment donated $5 for every lesson bought and paid in full on Thursday, October 2.
One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetimes. That's a startling statistic. Thanks to Team Upper Montclair for their participation in this important cause, and congratulations to all who participated!!!!
For Denim Day, staff and students who wore jeans were asked to contribute $5. Our practice session was another chance to give - $15 per person. And managment donated $5 for every lesson bought and paid in full on Thursday, October 2.
One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetimes. That's a startling statistic. Thanks to Team Upper Montclair for their participation in this important cause, and congratulations to all who participated!!!!
Dancing With The Stars - A Teacher's Perspective on Week 3
By Debra Stroiney
I felt this week was not as exciting of a show for some reason. I don’t know what it was - maybe the whole show had a down vibe due to Misty May’s injury. But there were some great performances. The stars this season are really learning well.
Misty's injury was very surprising to me; yet, at the same time, I wasn’t surprised. I recently earned a Masters Degree in Exercise Science. When I first heard that Misty was going to be participating in Dancing With The Stars, I was surprised since she was just coming back from the Olympics. In fact, Misty started training for the show 2 days after she arrived back from China, which was a week later than the other stars on the show. When seeing how she injured herself, I was even more surprised since it was not on a trick but on a relatively basic Charleston type move.
I had a couple of theories going through my head so I decided to get up and try it myself. First, I wondered if her choice of footwear had something to do with her injury. Misty had been wearing sneakers, which might have caused more stretch to get her foot all the way to the floor. I tried what she had been doing in the heels I was wearing; in heels, my foot had less time and distance to travel to the floor. There was much more of a stretching feeling in my leg with flat shoes on then when I wore heels. I tried the move with a straight leg; this also caused more of a stretch as opposed to being soft in the knees.
The other theory that I had going through my head had to with her training for the Olympics, participating in the competition, and immediately starting to learn ballroom dancing. I did a little research and found this information about Achilles tendons on the Web MD site:
“Achilles tendon problems are most often caused by overuse or repeated movements. These movements can happen during sports, work, or other activities. For example, if you do a lot of pushing off or stop-and-go motions when you play sports, you can get microtears in the tendon. Microtears can also happen with a change in how long, hard, or often you exercise. Microtears in the tendon may not be able to heal quickly or completely. Being out of shape or not warming up before exercising may also cause Achilles tendon problems. So can shoes with poor arch supports or rigid heels. An Achilles rupture is most often caused by a sudden, forceful motion that stresses the calf muscle. This can happen during an intense athletic activity or even during simple running or jumping. Middle-aged adults are especially likely to get this kind of injury.
A rupture most often occurs in sports such as basketball, racket sports (including tennis), soccer, and softball. A tendon already weakened by overstretching, inflammation, or small tears is more likely to rupture.”
So, you can see that there is a good possibility that her Achilles tendon could have been hurt by constant use due to the Olympics or from the intensive dance training she had been receiving over the past month. Learning to dance, performing at a high level (in heels), and participating in a sport that you are not familiar with always has risk for injuries. All of these could have contributed to her injury. Regardless, I am sad to see her go. I would have liked to see how her athletic background would have faired in this competition since many athletes have done well on the show.
There has been a lot of discussion as to whether ballroom dancing is a sport and if it should be considered an Olympic event. Yes, it is a sport and it must be treated like one. Before or after your lessons, try to get in some stretches and if you are not sure what to stretch - ask someone. If you are doing any tricks or lifts in your dancing, definitely take the time to stretch and warm up prior to a lesson. And if you are still thinking of starting ballroom dance or have already done so, please don’t be worried about hurting yourself. Just be aware of your body and how it feels.
Talking of athletes on the show...I wanted to say that Maurice and Cheryl did a great job with their Jive. I feel that here we can make a connection between Maurice’s history as a runner and as a sprinter. Sprinters have to learn to move their legs very quickly and develop muscle fibers that do this. Also, their bodies adapt to moving that quickly, allowing them to work more efficiently. In dancing, that means they have more time to devote to expression, lines, and musicality. I will also compliment Cheryl’s choreography. It really suited Maurice and played to his strengths while looking like they were having a great time together.
I would like to stress again, yes again, that these 2 dances are another 2 difficult ones! OK...I know...when have there been any easy ones? But here’s the difference: the contestants could have danced a Swing instead of a Jive. Debra, you may ask, what is the difference? The difference is the speed, timing and some of the technique involved. Swing is considered an American Style dance. The music is slower and the movements are more like a pendulum with swinging of the hips. In Jive, the movement has a higher lift of the knees and the speed is much faster. So why not teach the Swing instead of the Jive? Well, it wouldn’t be as exciting, right? I can say the same for the Viennese Waltz compared to a Waltz. Both are 3-3 timing, but the Viennese Waltz is danced at a much faster speed and includes harder steps to match that speed. Why not just do a Waltz? Regardless, I am impressed because many of the contestants did a fantastic job with these dances. Even Cloris…because no 82-year-old should be made to do a proper Jive. She put on a show that was hysterically funny and appropriate for her abilities. And Corky played right along with it! This is why she is getting the audience votes. Keep voting! What if she makes it to the finals!
I felt this week was not as exciting of a show for some reason. I don’t know what it was - maybe the whole show had a down vibe due to Misty May’s injury. But there were some great performances. The stars this season are really learning well.
Misty's injury was very surprising to me; yet, at the same time, I wasn’t surprised. I recently earned a Masters Degree in Exercise Science. When I first heard that Misty was going to be participating in Dancing With The Stars, I was surprised since she was just coming back from the Olympics. In fact, Misty started training for the show 2 days after she arrived back from China, which was a week later than the other stars on the show. When seeing how she injured herself, I was even more surprised since it was not on a trick but on a relatively basic Charleston type move.
I had a couple of theories going through my head so I decided to get up and try it myself. First, I wondered if her choice of footwear had something to do with her injury. Misty had been wearing sneakers, which might have caused more stretch to get her foot all the way to the floor. I tried what she had been doing in the heels I was wearing; in heels, my foot had less time and distance to travel to the floor. There was much more of a stretching feeling in my leg with flat shoes on then when I wore heels. I tried the move with a straight leg; this also caused more of a stretch as opposed to being soft in the knees.
The other theory that I had going through my head had to with her training for the Olympics, participating in the competition, and immediately starting to learn ballroom dancing. I did a little research and found this information about Achilles tendons on the Web MD site:
“Achilles tendon problems are most often caused by overuse or repeated movements. These movements can happen during sports, work, or other activities. For example, if you do a lot of pushing off or stop-and-go motions when you play sports, you can get microtears in the tendon. Microtears can also happen with a change in how long, hard, or often you exercise. Microtears in the tendon may not be able to heal quickly or completely. Being out of shape or not warming up before exercising may also cause Achilles tendon problems. So can shoes with poor arch supports or rigid heels. An Achilles rupture is most often caused by a sudden, forceful motion that stresses the calf muscle. This can happen during an intense athletic activity or even during simple running or jumping. Middle-aged adults are especially likely to get this kind of injury.
A rupture most often occurs in sports such as basketball, racket sports (including tennis), soccer, and softball. A tendon already weakened by overstretching, inflammation, or small tears is more likely to rupture.”
So, you can see that there is a good possibility that her Achilles tendon could have been hurt by constant use due to the Olympics or from the intensive dance training she had been receiving over the past month. Learning to dance, performing at a high level (in heels), and participating in a sport that you are not familiar with always has risk for injuries. All of these could have contributed to her injury. Regardless, I am sad to see her go. I would have liked to see how her athletic background would have faired in this competition since many athletes have done well on the show.
There has been a lot of discussion as to whether ballroom dancing is a sport and if it should be considered an Olympic event. Yes, it is a sport and it must be treated like one. Before or after your lessons, try to get in some stretches and if you are not sure what to stretch - ask someone. If you are doing any tricks or lifts in your dancing, definitely take the time to stretch and warm up prior to a lesson. And if you are still thinking of starting ballroom dance or have already done so, please don’t be worried about hurting yourself. Just be aware of your body and how it feels.
Talking of athletes on the show...I wanted to say that Maurice and Cheryl did a great job with their Jive. I feel that here we can make a connection between Maurice’s history as a runner and as a sprinter. Sprinters have to learn to move their legs very quickly and develop muscle fibers that do this. Also, their bodies adapt to moving that quickly, allowing them to work more efficiently. In dancing, that means they have more time to devote to expression, lines, and musicality. I will also compliment Cheryl’s choreography. It really suited Maurice and played to his strengths while looking like they were having a great time together.
I would like to stress again, yes again, that these 2 dances are another 2 difficult ones! OK...I know...when have there been any easy ones? But here’s the difference: the contestants could have danced a Swing instead of a Jive. Debra, you may ask, what is the difference? The difference is the speed, timing and some of the technique involved. Swing is considered an American Style dance. The music is slower and the movements are more like a pendulum with swinging of the hips. In Jive, the movement has a higher lift of the knees and the speed is much faster. So why not teach the Swing instead of the Jive? Well, it wouldn’t be as exciting, right? I can say the same for the Viennese Waltz compared to a Waltz. Both are 3-3 timing, but the Viennese Waltz is danced at a much faster speed and includes harder steps to match that speed. Why not just do a Waltz? Regardless, I am impressed because many of the contestants did a fantastic job with these dances. Even Cloris…because no 82-year-old should be made to do a proper Jive. She put on a show that was hysterically funny and appropriate for her abilities. And Corky played right along with it! This is why she is getting the audience votes. Keep voting! What if she makes it to the finals!
Dancing With The Stars Recap - Week 3
By Jackie Josephs
Yet again, this week brought drama and injuries!! I was so saddened when I saw that Misty had to cut from the competition. She was really growing into a favorite of mine. I hope that she is able to come back and performs for us one last time and that her surgery and healing process goes well!!!
DANCES: VIENNESE WALTZ/JIVE
Susan and Tony (Jive): First of all, let me comment on how cute she and Tony looked in their costumes!! Besides that, considering she hurt her ankle earlier in the day, she did a pretty good job doing all of those kicks and hops throughout the dance. She was a little slow and behind the timing. Her sailor shuffles, which is a Jive/Swing element, were rough. The choreography was a great mixture of kicks, flicks and tricks, which really matched the song well!! Her energy was a little low, as well as her confidence, which Bruno commented on. However, overall she did a great job with her injury and all!!
Warren and Kym (V. Waltz): I have loved Warren from the beginning and he made me love him even more after his performance tonight. I am so amazed that a football player of his stature is able to move around the floor with such ease and finesse. His posture and frame were much better and his footwork was very well done with heel leads and all. He really set the mood for this whimsical, romantic dance, and you can’t help but love his “concentration” face! The only thing that bothered me was he was a little “hoppy” in some areas. But, overall I loved it all: the choreography, the costume and his dancing of course!!
Toni and Alec (V. Waltz): I have to be honest: she really has not been one of my favorites thus far, and tonight was no different. Their risk of costumes and overall idea was too much for me and was quite distracting. She was off balance a lot, which I’m assuming the dress did not help with, and her frame was weak and moved a lot throughout the dance. Her footwork was sloppy and I just found the whole thing very odd. 22 was way too high in my opinion.
Cloris and Corky (Jive): All I can say is HILARIOUS!!!!! No matter what Corky comes up with it cracks me up. Her quirky movements and tricks were hysterical and the wig coming off made the dance. She definitely embodies the saying,“the show must go on.” She never gave up or stopped dancing and neither did Corky!!!
Julianne and Cody (Jive): I was excited that he got Jive and not V. Waltz so we could really see his energy and youthfulness let loose, but unfortunately for me he held back tonight. I felt that his timing and rhythm were very good and some of his lines were really nicely demonstrated. BUT… the routine was repetitious, like the judges said, and he did count out loud which is a pet peeve of any dancer or judge. His quick foot movements were nice though, and he kept that smile plastered on his face which made his energy seem consistent. Overall, he needs to use his young age to his advantage and not hold back; if he does that, he can bring a whole new spin to the competition.
Brooke and Derek (V. Waltz): By far the best dance of the evening! Her 28 was well deserved. Through all that fighting and arguing that she and Derek had throughout the week of rehearsals, she came out there and blew the judges, as well as myself, away. She is such a beautiful woman and is so glamorous on the dance floor. She was smooth and everything looked very natural; nothing looked forced or awkward. Her arms and legs were beautiful and her musicality was amazing. I hope to see many more 10s for her in the coming weeks!! Awesome job, Derek!
Rocco and Karina (V. Waltz): Poor Rocco. Again, he tried so hard with the blindfold and all, but just didn’t cut it tonight. His frame was a mess and there was no fluidity to his movement. He needs to slow down his steps. He needs to understand that by lowering into his legs and taking bigger steps, he will actually use more of the music and also move a lot more around the floor. He did improve, but at this stage of the competition, he really needs to step it up!
Maurice and Cheryl (Jive): This guy looked slick in his turquoise jacket and rhinestones, eye-catching for sure. His Jive tonight was great, his posture was much improved, and his foot work was much better as well. The choreography was challenging, yet clean, which surprised me for Cheryl because usually her routines tend to look the same from season to season. It was nothing but pure energy and fun, fun, fun!!!
Lance and Lacey (V. Waltz): Ugh Lance. I really thought that he was going to bring a really cool boy band flavor to the show, but he has been quite a letdown in my eyes. His frame was a mess, his shoulders were up, and his elbows were falling. Not to mention the fact that his footwork was unclear and ploppy. In comparison to everything else, his head carriage was better, which made him look nice and tall in his nice grey suit, but his rise and fall throughout the dance was distracting and hoppy. Although he didn’t totally blow me away, his movement was pretty good and the choreography matched the music well.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Fred Astaire's daughter visits Wymondham
Originally published in Diss Mercury
The daughter of Hollywood screen legend Fred Astaire is to visit Wymondham in the UK later this month in the latest Regal Experience film show. Featured film will be The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle, a tribute to a Norwich-born dancer who took America by storm and was a great inspiration to a young Astaire who starred in the movie with legendary screen partner Ginger Rogers.
Fred's daughter Ava will be in Wymondham for the show on Sunday, October 19, at 2.30pm at the Wymondham Ex-Services Club (Regal Cinema).
Vernon Castle, whose real surname was Blyth, was born in Mill Hill Road, Norwich, on May 2, 1887 and later attended Norwich Grammar School in The Close. He was brought up in the Great Eastern Hotel, which stood on the site now occupied by the Norwich Nelson Premier Inn.He went to the United States in 1906, and appeared in various plays and review, mainly as a conjuror or eccentric comedian. In 1911, he married an American lady, Irene Foote and for the next five years they took America and Europe by storm with their “modern dancing.”
With Ragtime sweeping the country, the States went dance-mad - and it was the Castles who set the trend. They introduced their adoring public to new dances, starred in silent movies and were leaders of fashion. Feted by top society, they were early 20th century superstars.
By 1916, Vernon was earning over £1,000 a week -a huge amount at the time - but that year he took the patriotic decision to give up his luxurious lifestyle and return to England, where he was commissioned into the Royal Flying Corps. He was posted to France and flew some 150 dangerous reconnaissance and bombing missions over German lines, downing at least two enemy planes in the process. The French awarded him the Croix de Guerre for heroism.
In 1917, he was sent first to Canada then to the United States to train Canadian and American pilots. At an airfield at Benbrook, outside Forth Worth in Texas, he was killed in an airfield accident on February 18, 1918. He was attempting a dangerous manoeuvre to avoid a trainee pilot who had inadvertently taken off in front of him.
The crash site in Benbrook is marked by a concrete pylon with an appropriate plaque and a little biplane on the top. There is also a Vernon Castle Avenue there. Strangely, apart from his name on a roll of honour in the grammar school's chapel, he has received little recognition in Norwich - his native city.
There will be a small exhibition about Vernon Castle's life and a short local interest supporting film, The Horsey Mail, made in 1938, about the floods that year.
Tickets are available from Maureen Dodman by calling 01953 605593 or Michael Armstrong on 01953 603246 and at the Wymondham Heritage Museum. They are priced at £4.50/£3.50 concs.
Vernon Castle was an inspiration to Fred Astaire. In his autobiography, Astaire said that Vernon and Irene Castle were a tremendous influence on his career, and that of his sister Adele. “They were easily the most potent factor in the development of ballroom dancing as a public pastime,” he commented.
The daughter of Hollywood screen legend Fred Astaire is to visit Wymondham in the UK later this month in the latest Regal Experience film show. Featured film will be The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle, a tribute to a Norwich-born dancer who took America by storm and was a great inspiration to a young Astaire who starred in the movie with legendary screen partner Ginger Rogers.
Fred's daughter Ava will be in Wymondham for the show on Sunday, October 19, at 2.30pm at the Wymondham Ex-Services Club (Regal Cinema).
Vernon Castle, whose real surname was Blyth, was born in Mill Hill Road, Norwich, on May 2, 1887 and later attended Norwich Grammar School in The Close. He was brought up in the Great Eastern Hotel, which stood on the site now occupied by the Norwich Nelson Premier Inn.He went to the United States in 1906, and appeared in various plays and review, mainly as a conjuror or eccentric comedian. In 1911, he married an American lady, Irene Foote and for the next five years they took America and Europe by storm with their “modern dancing.”
With Ragtime sweeping the country, the States went dance-mad - and it was the Castles who set the trend. They introduced their adoring public to new dances, starred in silent movies and were leaders of fashion. Feted by top society, they were early 20th century superstars.
By 1916, Vernon was earning over £1,000 a week -a huge amount at the time - but that year he took the patriotic decision to give up his luxurious lifestyle and return to England, where he was commissioned into the Royal Flying Corps. He was posted to France and flew some 150 dangerous reconnaissance and bombing missions over German lines, downing at least two enemy planes in the process. The French awarded him the Croix de Guerre for heroism.
In 1917, he was sent first to Canada then to the United States to train Canadian and American pilots. At an airfield at Benbrook, outside Forth Worth in Texas, he was killed in an airfield accident on February 18, 1918. He was attempting a dangerous manoeuvre to avoid a trainee pilot who had inadvertently taken off in front of him.
The crash site in Benbrook is marked by a concrete pylon with an appropriate plaque and a little biplane on the top. There is also a Vernon Castle Avenue there. Strangely, apart from his name on a roll of honour in the grammar school's chapel, he has received little recognition in Norwich - his native city.
There will be a small exhibition about Vernon Castle's life and a short local interest supporting film, The Horsey Mail, made in 1938, about the floods that year.
Tickets are available from Maureen Dodman by calling 01953 605593 or Michael Armstrong on 01953 603246 and at the Wymondham Heritage Museum. They are priced at £4.50/£3.50 concs.
Vernon Castle was an inspiration to Fred Astaire. In his autobiography, Astaire said that Vernon and Irene Castle were a tremendous influence on his career, and that of his sister Adele. “They were easily the most potent factor in the development of ballroom dancing as a public pastime,” he commented.
Worcester Studio Instructor Wins Regis & Kelly Live Cash Dance!
"Dancin' Dan" Pace, an instructor from the Fred Astaire Studio in Worcester, MA, won the grand prize of $50,000 on the October 6th "Live with Regis & Kelly" show.
The Live's Cash Dance Trivia Contest was a skill-based contest where contestants submitted a video of themselves dancing to one of Live’s Cash Dance music selections. The top five finalists who received the most votes from the public competed “live” on Live with Regis and Kelly to perform their dance.
Daniel Pace performed his winning dance to Chris Brown's "Forever."
Click here to read more.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Dancing At The Mall
By John W. Goodwin Jr. and published in the Youngstown Vindicator, Ohio
...Let it not be said that one can’t cut a rug on the tile floor of a shopping mall.
As if to prove that point, the Eastwood Mall concourse area between a jewelry store, pretzel shop and women’s apparel store was transformed into a dance arena Saturday.
The five-hour marathon of ballroom dancing in the mall was sponsored by the Youngstown-Warren Chapter 2015 of USA Dance as a part of National Ballroom Week. About 73 couples and groups came out to perform dances such as the waltz, foxtrot, quickstep, Viennese waltz, swing, cha-cha, rumba, mambo, salsa and hustle.
George Welch, vice president of USA Dance Youngstown-Warren, said the mall dancing event has been held annually for six years. He said one of the organization’s main goals is to bring ballroom dancing to the masses and a “stage” such as the mall is the perfect place to do that.
“To put on an event like this in an area with such a large public view is just wonderful,” he said. “One of the goals of USA Dance is to get ballroom dancing to be an Olympic sport.”
Welch noted that the group will hold a free dance at 5 p.m. today at the Orthodox Center on North Belle Vista Avenue in Youngstown. He said the mall dancing exhibition usually garners a lot of interest from people who ultimately show up at the free dance.
“We try to coordinate the free dance with this [mall] event because the free dance is usually our biggest dance of the year,” he said. “The two events just remind people that if they want to come out and enjoy something like this, they can. We hope to pique their interest.”
Coming out and watching the dancers take the floor can make spectators take action — at least that was what happened to Cheryl Widomski and Dean Wellendorf of Canfield.
“We have only been dancing ballroom style a little over a year,” said Widomski. “We watched our current instructor out on the dance floor at Avon Oaks and decided that we wanted to dance just like that.”
The couple performed several dances Saturday and dance every Friday at the Avon Oaks Ballroom. Wellendorf said ballroom dancing has proved to be the right step for a couple looking for quality time.
“It’s relaxing and at the same time challenging. It is one of the best things you can do for a relationship. You still get to argue but in a good way,” he said.
Some participating in the dance exhibition have been ballroom dancing a little longer than a few years.
Dustin Jones, owner of Fred Astaire dance studio in Boardman, has been dancing since he was 5 years old and teaching for the last 10 years. He performed 14 dances Saturday and said the thrill for him is in making those watching smile.
Carol Ann Miller, 20, of Poland has been dancing since she was 6 years old and performed three dances in the mall Saturday. She said everything on the dance floor is simply for the love of dance.
“I love this. It’s something I have always wanted to do. I wanted to turn pro and now I am an instructor and pro. I meet people and it’s exercise where you don’t even realize you are exercising,” she said.
Welch said the exercise component is one that any beginning dancer should remember and appreciate.
“All of us who are ballroom dancers believe that this is one of the best thing you can do yourself in terms of physical and mental exercise,” he said.
Feel free to dance
Published in the Birmingham News in Birmingham, AL
By Bri Bruce, part-time dance instructor at the Fred Astaire Birmingham Southside studio
Not long ago, I watched two toddlers running circles around the fountain at Five Points South. They were shrieking with glee, arms flailing, feet slapping the sidewalk.
Shrieking toddlers, I must confess, tend to annoy me. Especially in quiet restaurants. I know they’re cute, but I prefer lower-pitched sounds with my dinner.
But I did not scowl at these fountain kids or their parents. I smiled instead. And watched more closely. These little bodies ran in unrestrained motion; they were simply enjoying the movement. It might have been the sun’s glare, but they looked a bit like they were dancing.
Were I to run around the fountain shrieking, arms flailing, I would probably be surrounded by questioning police officers by the 10th lap – if not already arrested. I am an adult; we do not flail around fountains. All unspoken behavioral code prohibits unrestrained motion. Even if I were to perform a choreographed dance around the fountain, a graceful waltz or ballet, I guarantee I’d raise a few eyebrows, with or without police. You can’t dance in public; it makes people nervous.
As it turns out, dancing in more private spaces also makes people nervous. As a ballroom dance teacher some 20 yards from the Southside fountain, I see first-time students walk in nearly every day. Not all are nervous, of course, but many enter suspiciously, their faces wary, eyes fixed on a single spot as if bracing themselves for a lion attack in a field of high grasses. Or their eyes dart in panic between the black and white checked tiling and the mirrors that frame the dance floor; there is nowhere to hide.
The hardest part
Not that I don’t understand: Walking in the door is the hardest part of starting any new venture. But there’s something about dancing in particular that makes even the most courageous squirm. “I can’t dance” they say to me over and over. Of course you can’t. Could you ride a bike before someone taught you how? Read a book before you learned the alphabet? If so, I am impressed; I couldn’t. I wasn’t born riding a bike, reading, or dancing. No one was.
I love teaching dance because it’s a conduit to emancipating our bodies.
I love all types of dance: ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, certainly ballroom and every other form. But perhaps my favorite dance of all time wasn’t performed in a studio or on stage. It wasn’t even “performed.”
A friend and I were in a grocery store parking lot about to load groceries in the trunk of my car.
“You know what?” I said.
My friend knew the tone of my voice well enough to raise an eyebrow. She wasn’t the private dancing type much less the public type, and she was having a terrifically bad day (or month, rather).
She sighed. “What?” Her voice was part frustration and defeat, but fatigue had deflated any inflection.
I grinned. “Let’s dance.” Her reply was immediate: “No.” Capital N. Capital O.
I rolled a shoulder.
“Come on, just a little,” I pleaded, already starting to swing my arms. My hips began to swivel, and then I was into it, the flailing-arms glory that toddlers know, the unabashed joy of liberating the most important tool we’ll ever have – our bodies. She just stared, first at me and then around the parking lot to see who else was witnessing this embarrassing display of public indecency.
“You know you want to,” I teased.
And then it happened. She started to wobble a little, bobbing her head. Soon her shoulders joined in, and then she was free. Two bodies spontaneously turned, twisted – danced – with reckless abandon. I’m sure we looked ridiculous; this was no ballroom dance or ballet. There was nothing remotely Baryshnikovian in our shimmying. When we stopped though, something amazing happened. In spite of the panting, my friend was smiling.
While I don’t teach that type of dance – if you can call it a “type” – I love the similar smiles on students’ faces after a lesson. Many come in after busy days and stressful situations and leave not only relaxed but grinning. Dancing feels good. It feels wonderful to throw off the shackles of social decorum, that rigid posture – “Sit up straight,” my mother used to say – and let go.
Integral part of life
History shows us dancing was an integral part of life: religious rituals, birth and wedding celebrations, even funeral processions. Why have we, with our advanced 21st century civilizations, regressed in this particular area? Why do we choose activities that require sitting still? Are we afraid to use our bodies? Has some kind of puritanical legacy made physical expression wrong? Or are we afraid we’ll look silly? Ridiculous?
I don’t know, but I hope we examine the imaginary bindings that make us so inert.
Isaac Newton claimed it was harder to overcome inertia and get the ball rolling than to keep it rolling. I’m no physicist. And I’m not wild about being ridiculed. But as it turns out, looking ridiculous feels really good. Better even than an expensive massage. And there’s no spa appointment required. It’s free of charge. And freeing. If you don’t believe me, find a dancing 2-year-old; soon you’ll both be smiling.
By Bri Bruce, part-time dance instructor at the Fred Astaire Birmingham Southside studio
Not long ago, I watched two toddlers running circles around the fountain at Five Points South. They were shrieking with glee, arms flailing, feet slapping the sidewalk.
Shrieking toddlers, I must confess, tend to annoy me. Especially in quiet restaurants. I know they’re cute, but I prefer lower-pitched sounds with my dinner.
But I did not scowl at these fountain kids or their parents. I smiled instead. And watched more closely. These little bodies ran in unrestrained motion; they were simply enjoying the movement. It might have been the sun’s glare, but they looked a bit like they were dancing.
Were I to run around the fountain shrieking, arms flailing, I would probably be surrounded by questioning police officers by the 10th lap – if not already arrested. I am an adult; we do not flail around fountains. All unspoken behavioral code prohibits unrestrained motion. Even if I were to perform a choreographed dance around the fountain, a graceful waltz or ballet, I guarantee I’d raise a few eyebrows, with or without police. You can’t dance in public; it makes people nervous.
As it turns out, dancing in more private spaces also makes people nervous. As a ballroom dance teacher some 20 yards from the Southside fountain, I see first-time students walk in nearly every day. Not all are nervous, of course, but many enter suspiciously, their faces wary, eyes fixed on a single spot as if bracing themselves for a lion attack in a field of high grasses. Or their eyes dart in panic between the black and white checked tiling and the mirrors that frame the dance floor; there is nowhere to hide.
The hardest part
Not that I don’t understand: Walking in the door is the hardest part of starting any new venture. But there’s something about dancing in particular that makes even the most courageous squirm. “I can’t dance” they say to me over and over. Of course you can’t. Could you ride a bike before someone taught you how? Read a book before you learned the alphabet? If so, I am impressed; I couldn’t. I wasn’t born riding a bike, reading, or dancing. No one was.
I love teaching dance because it’s a conduit to emancipating our bodies.
I love all types of dance: ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, certainly ballroom and every other form. But perhaps my favorite dance of all time wasn’t performed in a studio or on stage. It wasn’t even “performed.”
A friend and I were in a grocery store parking lot about to load groceries in the trunk of my car.
“You know what?” I said.
My friend knew the tone of my voice well enough to raise an eyebrow. She wasn’t the private dancing type much less the public type, and she was having a terrifically bad day (or month, rather).
She sighed. “What?” Her voice was part frustration and defeat, but fatigue had deflated any inflection.
I grinned. “Let’s dance.” Her reply was immediate: “No.” Capital N. Capital O.
I rolled a shoulder.
“Come on, just a little,” I pleaded, already starting to swing my arms. My hips began to swivel, and then I was into it, the flailing-arms glory that toddlers know, the unabashed joy of liberating the most important tool we’ll ever have – our bodies. She just stared, first at me and then around the parking lot to see who else was witnessing this embarrassing display of public indecency.
“You know you want to,” I teased.
And then it happened. She started to wobble a little, bobbing her head. Soon her shoulders joined in, and then she was free. Two bodies spontaneously turned, twisted – danced – with reckless abandon. I’m sure we looked ridiculous; this was no ballroom dance or ballet. There was nothing remotely Baryshnikovian in our shimmying. When we stopped though, something amazing happened. In spite of the panting, my friend was smiling.
While I don’t teach that type of dance – if you can call it a “type” – I love the similar smiles on students’ faces after a lesson. Many come in after busy days and stressful situations and leave not only relaxed but grinning. Dancing feels good. It feels wonderful to throw off the shackles of social decorum, that rigid posture – “Sit up straight,” my mother used to say – and let go.
Integral part of life
History shows us dancing was an integral part of life: religious rituals, birth and wedding celebrations, even funeral processions. Why have we, with our advanced 21st century civilizations, regressed in this particular area? Why do we choose activities that require sitting still? Are we afraid to use our bodies? Has some kind of puritanical legacy made physical expression wrong? Or are we afraid we’ll look silly? Ridiculous?
I don’t know, but I hope we examine the imaginary bindings that make us so inert.
Isaac Newton claimed it was harder to overcome inertia and get the ball rolling than to keep it rolling. I’m no physicist. And I’m not wild about being ridiculed. But as it turns out, looking ridiculous feels really good. Better even than an expensive massage. And there’s no spa appointment required. It’s free of charge. And freeing. If you don’t believe me, find a dancing 2-year-old; soon you’ll both be smiling.
Dancing With The Stars - A Teacher's Perspective on Week 2
Dancing with the Stars –Week 2
By Debra Stroiney
By Debra Stroiney
So I realized that some of my math was wrong last week regarding how many lessons the stars may have before the first show. Regardless, we don’t know how much they are actually practicing and what they are doing compared to what has been edited for television. Now, on this past episode, it was stated that most have 3 days to learn their dance and routine, and the 4th day is used for blocking the cameras and stage, although there still may be some rehearsal time for actual dancing. So let’s try the math again. 3 days at a possible 4 hours a day equals 12 lessons. Again, we don’t know as much about the backgrounds of each star other than what they tell us. There are some stars that may have the time to practice 8 hours a day and some may not. But 3 days is still a very short amount of time to learn some of these dances and perform them the way that is needed.
Being trained to teach at Fred Astaire has allowed me to use a system of teaching that helps students make progress with their dancing. Fred Astaire himself said that there are no natural dancers; it is a skill that can be learned. I do believe this because I never ballroom danced until 4 years ago. That is why I try to do the same with my own students. Now have you ever had an instructor tell you that you are not ready to learn the Paso Doble, or that we can’t teach you hip action right away because you just won’t get it? They were correct in telling you this. I was watching this week and I realized that in only their 2nd week on the show they had to perform two more difficult dances. I then remembered on the first week they had to perform a Quickstep!
Being trained to teach at Fred Astaire has allowed me to use a system of teaching that helps students make progress with their dancing. Fred Astaire himself said that there are no natural dancers; it is a skill that can be learned. I do believe this because I never ballroom danced until 4 years ago. That is why I try to do the same with my own students. Now have you ever had an instructor tell you that you are not ready to learn the Paso Doble, or that we can’t teach you hip action right away because you just won’t get it? They were correct in telling you this. I was watching this week and I realized that in only their 2nd week on the show they had to perform two more difficult dances. I then remembered on the first week they had to perform a Quickstep!
On Dancing with the Stars, there is no system of teaching. Therefore, when you walk into a studio after seeing a show and you ask to learn the Quickstep the instructors discourage you from it. There needs to be fundamental elements that you learn before you tackle a dance like the Quickstep. This also applies to the Paso Doble and Rumba.
The Paso Doble is all character and technique; if you do the steps alone, it only looks like marching. I was impressed with many of the Paso Doble routines on the show this week. I think everyone carried it off well for the training they had. On the other hand, those who dance Rumba gave away that they only had three to four days to practice and learn their routine. Many of the routines were good with some difficult tricks and poses. But, if you look really closely, you will notice that many did not have any hip action. There is only so much you can learn at one time. This is what the judges meant if they said they were stiff or did not have fluidity from one movement to another. If you also look closely, you will notice that the professional dancers did most of the work in the rumba routines. But there are a lot of tricks they are doing to cover up any lack of hip action and fluidity.
I am frequently surprised at some of the steps the professionals teach the stars for their routines. You would be surprised to know some of them are high level international steps not usually taught to someone who has only been dancing for about seven weeks.
I am so impressed by Warren. He really goes out there to perform and moves well. I hope everyone sees that it does not matter what size you are - anyone can dance if they learn how to develop their own balance and body awareness. Take a chance and try it. I bet you he is lighter on his feet than some people who are half his size.
OK, we all know that Cloris is not matching up to the other dancers on this show but lets give her a little credit. She is 82 years old!!!!!!! I wish the judges wouldn’t be so hard on her sometimes. I know that she doesn’t compare to the other dancers and they have to score that accordingly but I would just like to say if she was dancing at a regional competition where there are age categories she would be doing just fine. I think that Corky is doing a great job with her and giving her age appropriate routines. I truly hope, as many of us probably do, that I am alive, dancing and having fun at that age.
On the opposite end of the age spectrum we have Cody. I am also impressed with him because he seems comfortable with his body and how to move it. I have taught teenagers and at first you see their awkwardness as they are learning how to be comfortable in their own skin. But the best thing about that is they learn so quickly and can usually learn to overcome this giving them a confidence to deal with their teenage years. I am sure that Cody displays this confidence due to being a performer.
Speaking of being a performer before participating on this show, I urge you to make a connection between those with previous performance or other dance experience. In this season, Lance and Toni stand out as the performers to me. From being in the music industry, both have a connection with the music and know how to use the music to move around the stage. They may not always show traditional ballroom techniques and character but they are putting on a show that is enjoyable. Lance and Lacey are definitely not traditional but I have to say they are my favorites because of their entertainment value. Through the seasons, there have been many couples that do not have traditional ballroom routines. Also, if you want traditional ballroom routines then pick traditional ballroom music! The professionals are choreographing the dance to the music they are given. I don’t think that the judges should be criticizing the performers for that, if anything it is using their creative talents to make it work for them. In my opinion, the last time I heard it the song “I kissed a girl” was a Swing not a Paso Doble. In fact it was played as a Swing at the last New England Regional Fred Astaire competition. These performers sometimes have an advantage over the ones that don’t. I am happy to see when a professional is in tune with the background of their star and uses their strengths and develop their performance as opposed to forcing them into a character they're not comfortable with.
I think we have a tough competition ahead and I am curious to see who the judges keep marking low.
I am so impressed by Warren. He really goes out there to perform and moves well. I hope everyone sees that it does not matter what size you are - anyone can dance if they learn how to develop their own balance and body awareness. Take a chance and try it. I bet you he is lighter on his feet than some people who are half his size.
OK, we all know that Cloris is not matching up to the other dancers on this show but lets give her a little credit. She is 82 years old!!!!!!! I wish the judges wouldn’t be so hard on her sometimes. I know that she doesn’t compare to the other dancers and they have to score that accordingly but I would just like to say if she was dancing at a regional competition where there are age categories she would be doing just fine. I think that Corky is doing a great job with her and giving her age appropriate routines. I truly hope, as many of us probably do, that I am alive, dancing and having fun at that age.
On the opposite end of the age spectrum we have Cody. I am also impressed with him because he seems comfortable with his body and how to move it. I have taught teenagers and at first you see their awkwardness as they are learning how to be comfortable in their own skin. But the best thing about that is they learn so quickly and can usually learn to overcome this giving them a confidence to deal with their teenage years. I am sure that Cody displays this confidence due to being a performer.
Speaking of being a performer before participating on this show, I urge you to make a connection between those with previous performance or other dance experience. In this season, Lance and Toni stand out as the performers to me. From being in the music industry, both have a connection with the music and know how to use the music to move around the stage. They may not always show traditional ballroom techniques and character but they are putting on a show that is enjoyable. Lance and Lacey are definitely not traditional but I have to say they are my favorites because of their entertainment value. Through the seasons, there have been many couples that do not have traditional ballroom routines. Also, if you want traditional ballroom routines then pick traditional ballroom music! The professionals are choreographing the dance to the music they are given. I don’t think that the judges should be criticizing the performers for that, if anything it is using their creative talents to make it work for them. In my opinion, the last time I heard it the song “I kissed a girl” was a Swing not a Paso Doble. In fact it was played as a Swing at the last New England Regional Fred Astaire competition. These performers sometimes have an advantage over the ones that don’t. I am happy to see when a professional is in tune with the background of their star and uses their strengths and develop their performance as opposed to forcing them into a character they're not comfortable with.
I think we have a tough competition ahead and I am curious to see who the judges keep marking low.
Rockettes Scheduled for Dancing With The Stars Appearance
On Tuesday, October 7th, the Radio City Rockettes will perform a brand new number on Dancing With The Stars, specially choreographed for the show!
Open House At Fred Astaire Studio In Norwood, MA
The Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Norwood, MA is having an Open House on October 11th, celebrating Tim Brooks as the new owner. The celebration goes from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. and will include 12 professional shows performed by dancers from all over New England, group classes, champagne, and raffles.
Miley Cyrus Rumored To Appear On Dancing With The Stars
According to a recent report, Miley Cyrus has agreed to a request by Dancing With The Stars contestant and her Hannah Montana co-star Cody Linley to appear on an upcoming episode of the show.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Fred Astaire Studio in Virginia Helps School Marching Band
The Kellam High School marching band in Virginia Beach, VA is adding some tango moves to their routine, thanks in part to their local Fred Astaire Dance Studio. The band members worked with professional dancers from the studio to put together a dance and music routine to perform at the Beach Music Games, a competition involving marching bands from Virginia Beach and Chesapeake. This competition is one of a series of events this fall. Ranking high schools will compete in the Atlantic Coast Championships on November 14 in Pennsylvania. Kellam High School's band director, Cameron Baker, got this novel idea for integrating the tango into a marching band routine after taking ballroom dance lessons. Click here to read more.
Dancing With The Stars, Week 2, Day 1 Recap
By Jackie Josephs
Dances: Rumba/Paso Doble
Yay, another week of DWTS is here, and with Ted being kicked off the competition is getting smaller and harder!! This week’s dances couldn’t get much more opposite, so let me tell you what I saw….
Kim and Mark (Rumba): Ugh… another disappointing week for Kim! As usual, her costume and glamour were fantastic and that’s where it unfortunately stops. Her legs and feet were not very pretty; they were often turned in or not straightened all the way. On the up side, her lines were nicely finished and her arms were very elegant and soft. Mark did a great job with the choreography again showing enough tricks vs. rumba elements, but her sensuality was lacking and, again, it was quite boring for me.
Susan and Tony (Rumba): Well, I think that confidence boost from the Quickstep worked!! Her Rumba was definitely better than her first Rhythm dance, the Cha-Cha. She went for a little more risk and definitely was an actress on the floor the whole time. Her lines were nice, soft, and fluid and she had gorgeous developes and leg lines. For all the traveling she did, it was well rehearsed and clean. If she can keep improving every week like she has been, she will do great in this competition! GO TONY!!
Warren and Kym (Paso Doble): This guy is becoming a contender in this competition. His Paso Doble was very impressive. His intensity and movement were great, as well as his timing and footwork! The way he danced the Paso elements and tricks were powerful and demanding. Excellent job!!
Cloris and Corky (Paso Doble): You could definitely see that Corky had a little heart-to-heart with Cloris this week because she was way more tame and quiet. Her Paso Doble, again, impressed me for her age and flexibility. Her work with her skirt was really nice and her hand movements were right on with the Paso feel. She also showed nice balance and control in her solo spins. The only thing that bothered me was that the routine had a little too much of Corky dancing and NOT enough Cloris; I would have liked to see a little more elements and movement on her part. Other than that, she had a great dramatic feeling the whole time. As she said, “blondes have more fun” so let’s hope she gets a fun dance next week!!
Toni and Alec (Rumba): As most of you know, the Rumba should be sexy and romantic, which I feel it was throughout the majority of the routine. However, I thought her costume was too risqué for her. This made her leg lines show more and therefore let the audience see the fact that they were not in the correct position and that she needs to be aware of keeping her knees together. Her arms, however, accented her lines very nicely and you could tell she was very much in the moment with Alec. I feel that her score was still too high considering she had two lifts in her routine.
Misty and Maks (Paso Doble): This was, by far, one of my favorite routines of the night! She has soooo much power and enthusiasm in every step she takes. It’s incredible… a true performer! Her movement was awesome, especially considering the difficulty of Maks’s choreography. She has to keep her base smaller because it gets too wide and then she gets off balance in turns and lines. However, overall, she did fantastic and I love her determination and dramatics. She deserved higher than a 21. Ole!!
Cody and Julianne (Rumba): Once again, he proved that he can act older than 18! His rumba was sexy and mature… I loved it. His lines were really nice and the flexibility in his arms was unexpected. He also demonstrated great feeling with Julianne and the song. His effort in the tricks and stability was great and risky, which is what I like. Julianne always knows how to make her partners really step out of the box. He had a better feeling than Kim K had in her Rumba. Go Cody!!
Brooke and Derek (Paso Doble): I’m beginning to sound redundant, but Brooke, again, looked gorgeous. Her presence and confidence is contagious, she believes in herself and looks fabulous every time she is on the dance floor. Her Paso Doble was out of this world. Her lines were powerful and her solo work was incredible. She did get a little off balance, but her confidence and determination covered that up for the most part. She was the best dance of the evening deserving well above a 24!!
Rocco and Karina (Rumba): Poor, poor Rocco. He is so handsome but he just doesn’t have the finesse of a ballroom dancer. He is awkward on the dance floor and has no fluidity. He didn’t have much hip action and his steps were way too big for a Latin dance. On the up side, his stability for Karina in their tricks was really good and he had toe leads for 90% of the routine which was great to see. I give him an A for effort and hope that he doesn’t get bumped off tonight!
Maurice and Karina (Rumba): Well, contrary to what I said last week,(that the Rhythm dances were going to be his strong side) he failed to bring that to the floor tonight. The Rumba is all about smooth movements and, as a man, accenting the lady and showing her off. Unfortunately, they lacked partnership together and he was a bit clunky and heavy with his steps. His feet were turned in the whole time and the exit out of their trick was a bit scary. On the good end of the spectrum, he had great musicality as he showed off last week. Better luck next time Maurice!!
Lance and Lacey (Paso Doble): Let’s start again with the fact that they did not get a good song for the Paso Doble; in my studio, we use that song as a Swing…go figure. With that being said, I could not get a good feel for the Paso because of the song; it was not a strong, dramatic song and his frame looked weak. There wasn’t enough use of the skirt or cape turns in the routine. She needs to realize that this is ballroom dancing 100% and not So You Think You Can Dance styles. She is quite creative, but a little too risky with some of her choreography, for instance…. the kiss at the end, I found offensive. Lance did give 100% in the routine, but it was definitely not one of my favorites of the evening, and deserved lower than a 20.
Dancing With The Stars, Week 1, Day 2 Recap
By Jackie Josephs
Week 1-Day 2 Dances: Quickstep/Mambo
Well, sadly, Jeffrey and Edyta got sent home tonight which was sad. He seemed like such a sweet guy who really was enjoying himself. Like he said, “I’m more ha, ha, ha then Cha, Cha, Cha.”
However, there was much more dancing left after he got sent home….12 couples still had to go on the dance floor and prove themselves one more time. This is how I saw it:
Kim and Mark (Mambo): Once I noticed Kim in a Latin costume, I was really hoping that this is where she was going to shine since she’s young and sexy; however, that didn’t come to fruition. She was very lethargic-looking the whole time and had no punch or sass!! Mambo is all about quick movements, hip shaking, and sexy lines. Her routine was choreographed well by Mark and accented the song but she just didn’t make it come alive enough. As Bruno said, she is frustrating to watch because she’s got the look and the body...all she needs now is the confidence!
Susan and Tony (Quickstep): Tony definitely redeemed himself tonight with Susan’s beautiful Quickstep!! She danced like a different person tonight; she was fluid and on time. Her head carriage was pretty good for her first smooth dance and her footwork was great. I’m hoping that this gave her a boost of confidence and now she can start opening up more in the coming weeks. And let me add that her costume was gorgeous. Great job!!
Warren and Kym (Quickstep): As I figured, Smooth is going to be a much bigger challenge for Warren because he can’t let loose as much as he can in the Rhythm style. Surprisingly enough, however, he did do a much better job than I had imagined someone of his size would do. Because of his football background, he really knows how to move his feet quickly and that he did! The choreography was not easy at all and he did a great job of keeping up with Kym and the music. He was energetic throughout the whole routine and put 110% into it. Again, the area that he has to be aware of is his feet. They did get sloppy at certain points and heel leads were not always being done. Overall, for the first week, he did a fantastic job.
Cloris and Corky (Mambo): Wow, what do I say about Cloris??!! She has definitely brought a different spin to the show this season. Her spunk and wittiness with Corky and the judges is absolutely hilarious. The routine that Corky choreographed with her was hysterical, definitely allowing her to let loose and show off her wild side. One element that she did exceptionally well at was her chaines turns - they were really really good. I hope she stays on for a while just so we can see what else they come up with for our entertainment. You go girl!
Toni and Alec (Quickstep): Yet again, I feel that the judges were too nice to her tonight. She did dance the Quickstep well and her timing was good but her posture and frame were not. Her shoulders were way too high and her head carriage was all over the place. Like the judges stated, I thought their partnership together was apparent and they are very in tune with one another. Alec also did a good job with the structure of the dance keeping it simple while still showing the basic elements of it.
Misty and Maks (Mambo): This volleyball player can dance!! She did fantastic tonight, proving that tall and sporty doesn’t mean you can’t be sexy and elegant. She managed to take toe leads throughout most of the dance, which is not easy, and she also rocked it out with all her solo pieces showing that she’s not scared of getting all the attention. Her power and attitude was awesome as well... wish she could have given some of that to Kim. The only area she needs to improve on slightly is straightening her legs. They were both bent most the time which means she’s not using her height to the fullest. She definitely is in this competition for the long haul and deserved a higher score than a 21!
Cody and Julianne (Quickstep): He showed the judges that he can be a man and dance the more mature dances just as well as the younger, sassy ones. His Quickstep was fabulous tonight! His frame was decent and his footwork was phenomenal - quick and precise. I loved how Julianne started the routine and really got the audience’s attention. His sense of maturity throughout the dance was admirable and his finesse was fantastic. I personally loved him tonight!
Brooke and Derek (Quickstep): Brooke looked absolutely ravishing in her costume; they looked so well matched and classy for the beautiful Quickstep. Her Cha Cha was impressive in itself but to come out and again wow the audience and the judges with her Smooth dance was quite an achievement. Her movement was smooth and her timing was spot on. The choreography was adorable and had a great mix of fun and flair. Overall, her feeling of the Quickstep was nothing but accurate. She just needs to clean up her frame a little more by keeping her shoulders down and she will keep getting those high scores!
Rocco and Karina (Quickstep): As I said about Toni, I felt that the judges were a little too generous by giving him a 21. Even though you can tell that he was trying really hard, he just lost the smoothness of the dance. His frame was way too weak and his footwork was sloppy. For me, the choreography was more about tricks than it was about showing actual dancing. With that being said, the tricks were well rehearsed and the entrances and exits were clean. I also loved the energy and feeling he brought to the dance. I think with a few more “beatings” from Karina he will improve in those areas and grow into a much better dancer.
Maurice and Cheryl (Mambo): Well, he proved his quick feet again tonight!! His mambo was sexy!!! His hips never stopped moving and his feeling of the dance was oozing the whole time. The choreography was much better than the Foxtrot. It had a great mix of tricks and elements to the dance and his smile was enjoyable. He needs to work on his posture and his feet need to stay turned out a little more, but Rhythm is definitely going to be his strong side…watch out!!
Lance and Lacey (Quickstep): Let me start with the fact that they were robbed by getting that song, it was NOT a Quickstep at all. So, with that being said, Lacey did a good job with working with the song and making it actually look like a ballroom dance song! However, since the song had a funky beat the judges criticized it for being too “jivey,” but I felt that was unfair. His energetic and fresh twist on the Quickstep was exciting, but his frame bobbled too much and his head was too forward again. However, with his musical background his sense of rhythm is impeccable.
Ted and Inna (Mambo): There is something so suave about Ted. He’s a man’s man for sure. He brought out his inner Latino and shook his hips like a pro. He, again, had the best footwork of the night and his shimmies were fantastic!! He was a little awkward at times and a little unsure of himself, but his showmanship won me over and I thought he deserved more than a 19! He’s going to be an inspiration for all the men out there!!
Week 1-Day 2 Dances: Quickstep/Mambo
Well, sadly, Jeffrey and Edyta got sent home tonight which was sad. He seemed like such a sweet guy who really was enjoying himself. Like he said, “I’m more ha, ha, ha then Cha, Cha, Cha.”
However, there was much more dancing left after he got sent home….12 couples still had to go on the dance floor and prove themselves one more time. This is how I saw it:
Kim and Mark (Mambo): Once I noticed Kim in a Latin costume, I was really hoping that this is where she was going to shine since she’s young and sexy; however, that didn’t come to fruition. She was very lethargic-looking the whole time and had no punch or sass!! Mambo is all about quick movements, hip shaking, and sexy lines. Her routine was choreographed well by Mark and accented the song but she just didn’t make it come alive enough. As Bruno said, she is frustrating to watch because she’s got the look and the body...all she needs now is the confidence!
Susan and Tony (Quickstep): Tony definitely redeemed himself tonight with Susan’s beautiful Quickstep!! She danced like a different person tonight; she was fluid and on time. Her head carriage was pretty good for her first smooth dance and her footwork was great. I’m hoping that this gave her a boost of confidence and now she can start opening up more in the coming weeks. And let me add that her costume was gorgeous. Great job!!
Warren and Kym (Quickstep): As I figured, Smooth is going to be a much bigger challenge for Warren because he can’t let loose as much as he can in the Rhythm style. Surprisingly enough, however, he did do a much better job than I had imagined someone of his size would do. Because of his football background, he really knows how to move his feet quickly and that he did! The choreography was not easy at all and he did a great job of keeping up with Kym and the music. He was energetic throughout the whole routine and put 110% into it. Again, the area that he has to be aware of is his feet. They did get sloppy at certain points and heel leads were not always being done. Overall, for the first week, he did a fantastic job.
Cloris and Corky (Mambo): Wow, what do I say about Cloris??!! She has definitely brought a different spin to the show this season. Her spunk and wittiness with Corky and the judges is absolutely hilarious. The routine that Corky choreographed with her was hysterical, definitely allowing her to let loose and show off her wild side. One element that she did exceptionally well at was her chaines turns - they were really really good. I hope she stays on for a while just so we can see what else they come up with for our entertainment. You go girl!
Toni and Alec (Quickstep): Yet again, I feel that the judges were too nice to her tonight. She did dance the Quickstep well and her timing was good but her posture and frame were not. Her shoulders were way too high and her head carriage was all over the place. Like the judges stated, I thought their partnership together was apparent and they are very in tune with one another. Alec also did a good job with the structure of the dance keeping it simple while still showing the basic elements of it.
Misty and Maks (Mambo): This volleyball player can dance!! She did fantastic tonight, proving that tall and sporty doesn’t mean you can’t be sexy and elegant. She managed to take toe leads throughout most of the dance, which is not easy, and she also rocked it out with all her solo pieces showing that she’s not scared of getting all the attention. Her power and attitude was awesome as well... wish she could have given some of that to Kim. The only area she needs to improve on slightly is straightening her legs. They were both bent most the time which means she’s not using her height to the fullest. She definitely is in this competition for the long haul and deserved a higher score than a 21!
Cody and Julianne (Quickstep): He showed the judges that he can be a man and dance the more mature dances just as well as the younger, sassy ones. His Quickstep was fabulous tonight! His frame was decent and his footwork was phenomenal - quick and precise. I loved how Julianne started the routine and really got the audience’s attention. His sense of maturity throughout the dance was admirable and his finesse was fantastic. I personally loved him tonight!
Brooke and Derek (Quickstep): Brooke looked absolutely ravishing in her costume; they looked so well matched and classy for the beautiful Quickstep. Her Cha Cha was impressive in itself but to come out and again wow the audience and the judges with her Smooth dance was quite an achievement. Her movement was smooth and her timing was spot on. The choreography was adorable and had a great mix of fun and flair. Overall, her feeling of the Quickstep was nothing but accurate. She just needs to clean up her frame a little more by keeping her shoulders down and she will keep getting those high scores!
Rocco and Karina (Quickstep): As I said about Toni, I felt that the judges were a little too generous by giving him a 21. Even though you can tell that he was trying really hard, he just lost the smoothness of the dance. His frame was way too weak and his footwork was sloppy. For me, the choreography was more about tricks than it was about showing actual dancing. With that being said, the tricks were well rehearsed and the entrances and exits were clean. I also loved the energy and feeling he brought to the dance. I think with a few more “beatings” from Karina he will improve in those areas and grow into a much better dancer.
Maurice and Cheryl (Mambo): Well, he proved his quick feet again tonight!! His mambo was sexy!!! His hips never stopped moving and his feeling of the dance was oozing the whole time. The choreography was much better than the Foxtrot. It had a great mix of tricks and elements to the dance and his smile was enjoyable. He needs to work on his posture and his feet need to stay turned out a little more, but Rhythm is definitely going to be his strong side…watch out!!
Lance and Lacey (Quickstep): Let me start with the fact that they were robbed by getting that song, it was NOT a Quickstep at all. So, with that being said, Lacey did a good job with working with the song and making it actually look like a ballroom dance song! However, since the song had a funky beat the judges criticized it for being too “jivey,” but I felt that was unfair. His energetic and fresh twist on the Quickstep was exciting, but his frame bobbled too much and his head was too forward again. However, with his musical background his sense of rhythm is impeccable.
Ted and Inna (Mambo): There is something so suave about Ted. He’s a man’s man for sure. He brought out his inner Latino and shook his hips like a pro. He, again, had the best footwork of the night and his shimmies were fantastic!! He was a little awkward at times and a little unsure of himself, but his showmanship won me over and I thought he deserved more than a 19! He’s going to be an inspiration for all the men out there!!
Monday, September 29, 2008
Dancing With The Stars - A Teacher's Perspective
By Debra Stroiney, Fred Astaire dance instructor and Franchise Compliance administrator for Fred Astaire Corporate
Dancing With The Stars - Week 1
As this being my first blog for Dancing With The Stars, this may seem a little vague and varied on topics. The first week is overwhelming with the 3 nights, 2 dances and 2 contestants being voted off. Everyone had to learn their steps, how to dance, how to perform and how to wear ballroom dancing shoes and costumes! What we want to see is who picked up the steps the best, which one has a great stage presence, who may get by on votes alone?
So what level would the contestants be at if they started at a Fred Astaire studio with an introductory offer? If they danced 4 hours a day for 6 weeks that would be 24 one-hour lessons; on average this would put the student at the end of Social Foundation, and early Bronze level. Wow! Can you imagine your instructor asking you to be in a dance competition on national TV at the Social Foundation or Bronze level!
Ever since the first season, I do view the male contestants on the show differently. I think of the male students in our studios when they do their first competition. The male contestant must develop their leading skills, have good posture while also trying to remember the routine, clean footwork and having a presence out on the floor. The female contestant must also do many of these things but they do not have to worry about leading as much. They have a strong male lead to put them in the right spot, to highlight them in the correct character, and yes they still have to do it well but there is something about it that doesn’t seem as difficult as it is for the men.
And, of course, this week on the show 2 male contestants were eliminated. In their circumstances, I feel that Ted did well in his Fox Trot when you consider that he had to do feather steps, telemarks and pivots in his routine! Fox Trot can be one of the hardest international dances to learn. But at Fred Astaire we start by teaching the Fox Trot because it is an opportunity for us to get the students to do what they already know…walking. I know that Dancing With The Stars is a competition and you have to do competitive moves to feel that you have a chance, but what happened to teaching some simpler moves, doing some easy tricks and teaching the stage presence, the posture, and the ability to go out there and present yourself well? I feel that some of the weaker dancers on the show may hear better comments from the judges if they were to start this way. Regardless of how they did perform they also have to get the votes… So when you pair a low mark with the fact that they haven’t won over the viewing audience and are not a well known star, then we have eliminations. This is also what can be said happened to Jeff Ross. He went out there with a great attitude but there were others that got higher marks and I have never heard of him before making it hard for him to last very long on the show.
I feel that this season of Dancing With The Stars could be very exciting. On the first night I felt like there were many great performances and dancers. I could see the contestants that had previous training versus the ones who have not. Not everyone always sees this as fair but this is how it works in any ballroom dancing competition. There will always be the ones that have had more experience in one way or another. There will always be the ones that learn faster than others. There will always be ones that will get better marks for unknown reasons. But unlike ballroom dancing competitions, audience votes count! So if you see someone who you think did great but got low marks, vote for them! Trust me - it’s a great feeling that the audience loves you even if the judges don’t!
Dancing With The Stars - Week 1
As this being my first blog for Dancing With The Stars, this may seem a little vague and varied on topics. The first week is overwhelming with the 3 nights, 2 dances and 2 contestants being voted off. Everyone had to learn their steps, how to dance, how to perform and how to wear ballroom dancing shoes and costumes! What we want to see is who picked up the steps the best, which one has a great stage presence, who may get by on votes alone?
So what level would the contestants be at if they started at a Fred Astaire studio with an introductory offer? If they danced 4 hours a day for 6 weeks that would be 24 one-hour lessons; on average this would put the student at the end of Social Foundation, and early Bronze level. Wow! Can you imagine your instructor asking you to be in a dance competition on national TV at the Social Foundation or Bronze level!
Ever since the first season, I do view the male contestants on the show differently. I think of the male students in our studios when they do their first competition. The male contestant must develop their leading skills, have good posture while also trying to remember the routine, clean footwork and having a presence out on the floor. The female contestant must also do many of these things but they do not have to worry about leading as much. They have a strong male lead to put them in the right spot, to highlight them in the correct character, and yes they still have to do it well but there is something about it that doesn’t seem as difficult as it is for the men.
And, of course, this week on the show 2 male contestants were eliminated. In their circumstances, I feel that Ted did well in his Fox Trot when you consider that he had to do feather steps, telemarks and pivots in his routine! Fox Trot can be one of the hardest international dances to learn. But at Fred Astaire we start by teaching the Fox Trot because it is an opportunity for us to get the students to do what they already know…walking. I know that Dancing With The Stars is a competition and you have to do competitive moves to feel that you have a chance, but what happened to teaching some simpler moves, doing some easy tricks and teaching the stage presence, the posture, and the ability to go out there and present yourself well? I feel that some of the weaker dancers on the show may hear better comments from the judges if they were to start this way. Regardless of how they did perform they also have to get the votes… So when you pair a low mark with the fact that they haven’t won over the viewing audience and are not a well known star, then we have eliminations. This is also what can be said happened to Jeff Ross. He went out there with a great attitude but there were others that got higher marks and I have never heard of him before making it hard for him to last very long on the show.
I feel that this season of Dancing With The Stars could be very exciting. On the first night I felt like there were many great performances and dancers. I could see the contestants that had previous training versus the ones who have not. Not everyone always sees this as fair but this is how it works in any ballroom dancing competition. There will always be the ones that have had more experience in one way or another. There will always be the ones that learn faster than others. There will always be ones that will get better marks for unknown reasons. But unlike ballroom dancing competitions, audience votes count! So if you see someone who you think did great but got low marks, vote for them! Trust me - it’s a great feeling that the audience loves you even if the judges don’t!
Dancing With The Stars, Week 1, Recap
By Jackie Josephs, professional dancer and Fred Astaire Studio owner
Another season of "Dancing with the Stars" is upon us!!!! With a mix of so many different personalities and talent it's sure to be an amazing 12 weeks of dancing, drama, and excitement!!
Week 1-Day 1
Dances: Foxtrot/Cha Cha
Cody and Julianne(Cha Cha): These two are perfect for each other! Young, fresh and full of energy! As soon as they walked out onto the floor they looked amazing, their costumes were fabulous and his performance was a great way to start the show off! His technique was pretty good for his first time doing a rhythm dance, lines were strong and his timing was excellent. One area that he can improve on is his posture just a little bit. Sometimes his shoulders go up, which affects his lead. I also enjoyed the choreography. It was clean, easy and showed off his strong points. As for his performance, I thought that he had great feeling in this dance and really presented himself well by opening up his chest and presenting Julianne well by letting her do her thing. Overall he did a great job for his first dance and in my opinion he deserved a much better score than an 18!
Susan and Tony(Cha-Cha): Well, first of all it's so exciting that our own FADS man made it back yet again for another season and got paired up with the beautiful and sophisticated Susan Lucci. As she walked onto the floor she looked beautiful in her sexy red dress; however, as the music began, the routine was a little rough on the eyes. Her leg action was not smooth and she got off time in a few areas. As the judges stated, she does look quite frail and safe. I think the smooth dances will be her stronger point. On the plus side, her constant smile during the routine was very pleasant and the choreography was well suited for her ability and age. I would like to see her open up more in the next rhythm dance that she does and get a little riskier.
Warren and Kym(Cha Cha): I love this guy!!! He is such a big ball of fun and rhythm!! His sense of style and his natural ability of timing shined through this routine from start to finish. His confidence on the floor was fantastic and his "freestyling" was so enjoyable to watch. You could tell he was having so much fun the entire time. He is definitely the Emmitt Smith of Season 7. The only thing that he has to be more aware of is his foot action. His feet are so large that sometimes they"plop" onto the floor instead of keeping pressure into the floor. I feel that Kym did a great job with the choreography and let him show off his own moves as well as keeping the basic elements of the Cha Cha. I cannot wait to see more of him and see him get more and more comfortable with his size on the dance floor!
Cloris and Corky(Foxtrot): I'm not going to lie, I didn't know what to expect when she walked onto the floor; however, I was pleasantly surprised. Even though she is 82, she has proven that ballroom dancing is for all ages. She had a great fluid motion throughout the dance and Corky did a great job without overdoing it with her but at the same time challenging her. She had great pivots which was quite unexpected and she had a great sense of the sexiness and sass of the Foxtrot. My opinion is that for her to get out there and dance as well as she did that the judges could have been a little easier on her. Of course her movement and technique were not the best but I feel she still did an excellent job.
Toni and Alec (Cha Cha): First of all, I have to give props to Toni for getting out there and dancing with her heart condition - that's an achievement in itself. Her Cha Cha was very sexy and sultry and her footwork was pretty good throughout the majority of the routine. The area that bothered me the most was her posture. She kept her head up but her shoulders were too high, which made her frame look weak. The only thing that bothered me was that it was choppy, the transitions were not fluid and she "hopped" in some areas instead of staying grounded. Her score for me was a little too high.
Max and Misty (Foxtrot): Legs, Legs, Legs!!!! She is sooo tall that Max definitely has his hands full with her to get them sexy and pretty and not too sporty looking; however, her stature demands attention. As soon as she walked onto the floor you could tell she was a true competitor and had her "game face" ready. I didn't really know if it was going to be fluid or not because she is so tall; however, she was great. Her frame was very good and she kept her shoulders down for the most part, which again is very difficult with no prior training. Her lines were beautiful, she definitely used her wing span to her advantage and her musicality was right on key. Overall I loved how graceful she looked and her enthusiasm is going to take her very far!
Kim and Mark (Foxtrot): Being the past winner of DWTS, Mark is dealing with a whole different level of talent with Kim. She is such a beautiful girl and she looked gorgeous in her dress. Her presence on the floor was pleasant and safe and her frame stayed pretty strong. However, her movement was not big enough in the basics and her face never changed throughout the entire routine, quite boring. The routine matched the musical hits well and her awareness of that was good in some areas; however, overall, she has to open up out of her shy shell and become more risky and demanding on the dance floor. With a partner like Mark, she's going to need to step up so he doesn't look like he is over dancing her.
Jeff and Edyta (Cha Cha): Well at least he's funny right?? I felt so bad for him because you can tell he tries so hard and put everything he had into with his broken eye and all but he has a lot of areas that he has to improve on if he's going to stay in this competition. His posture was not good and his footwork wasn't either. On the up side, he did the tricks well with Edyta and kept his energy up the entire time. He just didn't have much musicality and he's really going to need to buckle down in the studio to stay around in this competition. Edyta however did do a great job in bringing him this far with noooo dancing in his past. I like him though and I hope he can stick it out for a little longer!
Brooke and Derek (Cha Cha): WOW!! From her sexy look and that pant suit she was ready for business. In the past, the models have not done well on the show but Brooke is changing that for sure. Her musicality and sass were hot and her extension was really surprising as well as her great understanding of hip action. To be a mom of four and have a body like that is impressive. She was fabulous for her first dance and the choreography was perfect, Derek did an excellent job. She is going to be around for a long time if she stays on this path!!
Rocco and Karina (Foxtrot): Rocco is definitely a cutie and like Jeff tries really hard, but has some major areas that he needs to improve on as well. The Foxtrot for the guy is all about the frame and finesse and his was a little askew. He was too jumpy during the basics where he should have been smooth and the exit of the trick they did was not smooth... it was a little scary. On the flip side, his musicality with the song and choreography was nice, and he had an adorable smile the whole time which showed he was truly enjoying himself.
Maurice and Cheryl (Foxtrot): Being a runner, he definitely has fast feet and knows how to move quickly which will be a plus for him. During his Foxtrot, he had good posture and his footwork was good as well. Like Misty and Warren, you can see his sportsmanship and competitiveness come out as he's dancing and training. I felt that the choreography was too funky for Foxtrot though; Cheryl should have put more basic elements in it and showed the true concept of foxtrot rather than making it "hip-hop" looking. However, I think with his determination he will be around for a long time.
Lance and Lacey (Cha Cha): He was one of my favorites tonight! I knew that he would be talented anyway because he does have a dance background from being in 'N SYNC. Their Cha Cha definitely embraced the feeling of the dance. It was hot, edgy and very sexy. His timing was right on through the entire routine and the choreography was very different and cool. The only thing that he needs to be aware of is his base - it gets a little too wide and his head gets a little forward. Other than that he did a great job for the first night!!
Ted and Inna (Foxtrot): Ted was shockingly elegant and sophisticated. Very smooth throughout the dance and the choreography was nice and "trotty." Frame was nice and strong and it looked like he was actually leading most of the time. His footwork was also the best of the evening. I'm hoping that he will be able to stick around longer and be able to improve from week to week!
Week 1-Day 1
Dances: Foxtrot/Cha Cha
Cody and Julianne(Cha Cha): These two are perfect for each other! Young, fresh and full of energy! As soon as they walked out onto the floor they looked amazing, their costumes were fabulous and his performance was a great way to start the show off! His technique was pretty good for his first time doing a rhythm dance, lines were strong and his timing was excellent. One area that he can improve on is his posture just a little bit. Sometimes his shoulders go up, which affects his lead. I also enjoyed the choreography. It was clean, easy and showed off his strong points. As for his performance, I thought that he had great feeling in this dance and really presented himself well by opening up his chest and presenting Julianne well by letting her do her thing. Overall he did a great job for his first dance and in my opinion he deserved a much better score than an 18!
Susan and Tony(Cha-Cha): Well, first of all it's so exciting that our own FADS man made it back yet again for another season and got paired up with the beautiful and sophisticated Susan Lucci. As she walked onto the floor she looked beautiful in her sexy red dress; however, as the music began, the routine was a little rough on the eyes. Her leg action was not smooth and she got off time in a few areas. As the judges stated, she does look quite frail and safe. I think the smooth dances will be her stronger point. On the plus side, her constant smile during the routine was very pleasant and the choreography was well suited for her ability and age. I would like to see her open up more in the next rhythm dance that she does and get a little riskier.
Warren and Kym(Cha Cha): I love this guy!!! He is such a big ball of fun and rhythm!! His sense of style and his natural ability of timing shined through this routine from start to finish. His confidence on the floor was fantastic and his "freestyling" was so enjoyable to watch. You could tell he was having so much fun the entire time. He is definitely the Emmitt Smith of Season 7. The only thing that he has to be more aware of is his foot action. His feet are so large that sometimes they"plop" onto the floor instead of keeping pressure into the floor. I feel that Kym did a great job with the choreography and let him show off his own moves as well as keeping the basic elements of the Cha Cha. I cannot wait to see more of him and see him get more and more comfortable with his size on the dance floor!
Cloris and Corky(Foxtrot): I'm not going to lie, I didn't know what to expect when she walked onto the floor; however, I was pleasantly surprised. Even though she is 82, she has proven that ballroom dancing is for all ages. She had a great fluid motion throughout the dance and Corky did a great job without overdoing it with her but at the same time challenging her. She had great pivots which was quite unexpected and she had a great sense of the sexiness and sass of the Foxtrot. My opinion is that for her to get out there and dance as well as she did that the judges could have been a little easier on her. Of course her movement and technique were not the best but I feel she still did an excellent job.
Toni and Alec (Cha Cha): First of all, I have to give props to Toni for getting out there and dancing with her heart condition - that's an achievement in itself. Her Cha Cha was very sexy and sultry and her footwork was pretty good throughout the majority of the routine. The area that bothered me the most was her posture. She kept her head up but her shoulders were too high, which made her frame look weak. The only thing that bothered me was that it was choppy, the transitions were not fluid and she "hopped" in some areas instead of staying grounded. Her score for me was a little too high.
Max and Misty (Foxtrot): Legs, Legs, Legs!!!! She is sooo tall that Max definitely has his hands full with her to get them sexy and pretty and not too sporty looking; however, her stature demands attention. As soon as she walked onto the floor you could tell she was a true competitor and had her "game face" ready. I didn't really know if it was going to be fluid or not because she is so tall; however, she was great. Her frame was very good and she kept her shoulders down for the most part, which again is very difficult with no prior training. Her lines were beautiful, she definitely used her wing span to her advantage and her musicality was right on key. Overall I loved how graceful she looked and her enthusiasm is going to take her very far!
Kim and Mark (Foxtrot): Being the past winner of DWTS, Mark is dealing with a whole different level of talent with Kim. She is such a beautiful girl and she looked gorgeous in her dress. Her presence on the floor was pleasant and safe and her frame stayed pretty strong. However, her movement was not big enough in the basics and her face never changed throughout the entire routine, quite boring. The routine matched the musical hits well and her awareness of that was good in some areas; however, overall, she has to open up out of her shy shell and become more risky and demanding on the dance floor. With a partner like Mark, she's going to need to step up so he doesn't look like he is over dancing her.
Jeff and Edyta (Cha Cha): Well at least he's funny right?? I felt so bad for him because you can tell he tries so hard and put everything he had into with his broken eye and all but he has a lot of areas that he has to improve on if he's going to stay in this competition. His posture was not good and his footwork wasn't either. On the up side, he did the tricks well with Edyta and kept his energy up the entire time. He just didn't have much musicality and he's really going to need to buckle down in the studio to stay around in this competition. Edyta however did do a great job in bringing him this far with noooo dancing in his past. I like him though and I hope he can stick it out for a little longer!
Brooke and Derek (Cha Cha): WOW!! From her sexy look and that pant suit she was ready for business. In the past, the models have not done well on the show but Brooke is changing that for sure. Her musicality and sass were hot and her extension was really surprising as well as her great understanding of hip action. To be a mom of four and have a body like that is impressive. She was fabulous for her first dance and the choreography was perfect, Derek did an excellent job. She is going to be around for a long time if she stays on this path!!
Rocco and Karina (Foxtrot): Rocco is definitely a cutie and like Jeff tries really hard, but has some major areas that he needs to improve on as well. The Foxtrot for the guy is all about the frame and finesse and his was a little askew. He was too jumpy during the basics where he should have been smooth and the exit of the trick they did was not smooth... it was a little scary. On the flip side, his musicality with the song and choreography was nice, and he had an adorable smile the whole time which showed he was truly enjoying himself.
Maurice and Cheryl (Foxtrot): Being a runner, he definitely has fast feet and knows how to move quickly which will be a plus for him. During his Foxtrot, he had good posture and his footwork was good as well. Like Misty and Warren, you can see his sportsmanship and competitiveness come out as he's dancing and training. I felt that the choreography was too funky for Foxtrot though; Cheryl should have put more basic elements in it and showed the true concept of foxtrot rather than making it "hip-hop" looking. However, I think with his determination he will be around for a long time.
Lance and Lacey (Cha Cha): He was one of my favorites tonight! I knew that he would be talented anyway because he does have a dance background from being in 'N SYNC. Their Cha Cha definitely embraced the feeling of the dance. It was hot, edgy and very sexy. His timing was right on through the entire routine and the choreography was very different and cool. The only thing that he needs to be aware of is his base - it gets a little too wide and his head gets a little forward. Other than that he did a great job for the first night!!
Ted and Inna (Foxtrot): Ted was shockingly elegant and sophisticated. Very smooth throughout the dance and the choreography was nice and "trotty." Frame was nice and strong and it looked like he was actually leading most of the time. His footwork was also the best of the evening. I'm hoping that he will be able to stick around longer and be able to improve from week to week!
Standing Room Only At Fred's South Charlotte Grand Opening!
Vitaliy and Lyudmila opened their new studio to a packed house this past Friday, September 12, dazzling the audience with performances from students and instructors alike. The crowd was electrified with energy from all of the different dances on display for them, ranging in character from the powerful Tango and Paso Doble, to cheeky and flirtatious Cha-Chas, Swings, and Quickstep, all the way to passionate Rumbas and romantic Waltzes among others performed that night. Even passers-by were captivated, stopping to watch from the windows. Vitaliy and Lyudmila were very honored and proud to host such a crowd and could not have envisioned the grand opening of their studio going any better. Requests for dance sessions are already pouring in and the studio is still abuzz with the energy from that night. The entire staff of Fred Astaire South Charlotte is looking forward to spreading their love of dance throughout the community, and would like to thank all that helped make their grand opening an outstanding success!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Spotlight On...Sasha & Olga Bylim
By Catherine Brill, Fred Astaire Corporate Copywriter
Twelve years ago, Sasha and Olga Bylim came to the United States in search of a better life, both personally and professionally. Their move was a huge leap of faith. Although they had traveled around the world as professional dance competitors, they’d never been to America before, and their two-year-old daughter, Olesya, had to stay in the Ukraine with grandparents for a few months while they got settled. When they first arrived, they had an offer to work at an independent studio in Indianapolis. "Thank God," Olga recalls, "that didn’t work out. It went bankrupt within a year."
Twelve years ago, Sasha and Olga Bylim came to the United States in search of a better life, both personally and professionally. Their move was a huge leap of faith. Although they had traveled around the world as professional dance competitors, they’d never been to America before, and their two-year-old daughter, Olesya, had to stay in the Ukraine with grandparents for a few months while they got settled. When they first arrived, they had an offer to work at an independent studio in Indianapolis. "Thank God," Olga recalls, "that didn’t work out. It went bankrupt within a year."
With the encouragement of Marina and Taliat Tarsinov and Darius and Jolanta Mosteika, the Bylims joined the Fred Astaire New York East Side studio. Now they are owners of two Fred Astaire franchises and honored members of our National Dance Board. "We are living the American dream," Sasha says.
Sasha and Olga first met in a dance studio in their hometown in the Ukraine. They competed for 23 years with remarkable success: they were finalists in the 1990 Soviet Union 10-Dance, 3 Time Ukrainian Professional Standard Champions, 1996 Fred Astaire National Champions, 2000 U.S. National Rising Star International Standard Champions, 2000 U.S. National International Standard finalists, and finalists in many more major international championships. They also owned a dance studio in the Ukraine for 10 years.
When Mikhail Gorbachev came to power, the Bylims were hopeful and excited that conditions might improve in their country. But as time went by and their hopes began to fade, they knew they had to leave their homeland. Meeting up with the Tarsinovs at a Blackpool Festival one year, they heard great stories about the Fred Astaire organization. "It sounded as if life could be so much different and better in the U.S."
They taught at the NY East Side studio for three years before opening a new studio in Tarrytown, New York, 18 miles from New York City. The Tarrytown studio has been very successful throughout the years and will celebrate its 10th anniversary next year. Two months ago, Sasha and Olga branched out once again, and opened a franchise in Huntington Station, New York, along with Oleg Skrypnyk and Lena Tolochiy. This area in Long Island has great potential for additional studio locations and they plan on opening five studios there in the next 10 years.
The Bylims are very proud of the wonderful staff members in their studios – all former students of theirs from the Ukraine. "They are wonderful dancers. We know for sure because we’ve watched them grow," Sasha says. They want their staff members to have the same kind of opportunities that they’ve enjoyed, and would like to help them move forward professionally. "You can’t keep employees happy just by paying them well. Everyone needs incentives to grow in their career."
In January of this year, the Bylims became U.S. citizens, completing full-circle the journey they started twelve years ago. "As immigrants to this country," Olga explains, "it’s always been important to us to feel like we belong." We are fortunate that they found a new family with us at Fred Astaire.
The 38th United States Dance Championship
By Armando Martin, Fred Astaire National Dance Director
America’s most prestigious Dance Championship was held in Orlando, Florida from September 2-6 2008. It is hard to believe that it has been 38 years since John Monte, Fred Astaire's longtime Dance Director, began with a dream of running the United States Championships and - with so much hard work and perseverance - made it into what it is today.
USDC is where everyone from all over the world goes to showcase their talents, win titles, and why not, go to Disney World afterwards and this year was no exception. Having more that 7000 entries and couples from more than 37 countries, USDC was once again the place to be the first week in September.
It is only fitting that a competition that was created by the Fred Astaire Company would have so many of our couples compete and, in some cases, win the TOP titles; in fact, couples that are or will be affiliated with FADS very soon won 4 of the TOP 5 titles at this year’s championships…something that we should all be very proud and ecstatic about.
First and foremost, I would like to congratulate all of our FADS couples that participated all week long. Both Pro and Pro-Am couples truly made a great statement about the incredibly high caliber of dancing we have in our company today. There were times when I looked out onto the dance floor and saw two or three FADS Pro-Am couples in a final of a competition that started with 30 to 40 couples - very impressive.
The International Latin was won by our very own Riccardo Cocchi with his partner Yulia. The speed, power and precision that these two perfect Latin dancers displayed on the floor was incredible. They won all 5 dances with ease and conviction. Also in the Latin category, we had our longtime FADS National Latin Champions, Ilya and Nadia from New Jersey. Ilya and Nadia must have been very disappointed with their final result as I was; I thought their dancing was strong, classy, and full of their very own unique style.
The American Smooth was won by Jonathan Roberts and Valentina who have been doing a lot of work with our company since my first meeting with them last July and will be fully joining the company by October. Their dancing was fantastic and they had to be to uncrown last year’s champions the way they did. Valentina, as always, danced like a princess in some kind of perfect dream, never going outside of her character and always delighting the onlookers. Jonathan was the perfect partner to her, always showcasing her beauty and elegance.
Also in the Smooth final was one of my favorite couples in the competition, Misha and Gala from the New York East studio. They had the night of their lives! Although this couple has been coming up very quickly through the competitive ranks under the watchful eyes of Marina and Taliat Tarsinov, I believe that they surprised themselves with their placement, having never been in the US final before they jumped straight up to 4th place this year. Their dancing was inspired, beautiful and larger than life. If they continue to improve on this track, there is no title this great looking couple cannot win.
Other couples who deserve an honorable mention in the Smooth are Vladimir & Vera Kosarev from our Rochester, NY studio; Warren and Babette Brown from our Jupiter studio, and Yuriy Simakov and Oksana Klyuchnyk from North Carolina. All three couples showed great promise and, I am sure, will have much success in the future.
Although the standard competitions didn't produce any FADS winners, it was a great showcase for two very good couples in our company. Greg Fidurski and Gabriela Jileva from Montville, NJ were in the final of the Open to the World Rising Star competition and were also second in the Standard Showdance. This couple’s expression and musicality truly sets them apart when they are on the floor. Greg's happy-go-lucky personality is always a refreshing sight on the Standard floor, which is sometimes filled with very serious and focused faces.
Ruslan Meshkov and Sandra Nema from the Albany, NY studio had a fantastic USDC, placing second in the US Rising Star competition and fourth in the Open to the World Rising Star. This young, beautiful couple continues to improve by leaps and bounds. They have a very tall look on the floor while at the same time showing great depth in the use of their legs and feet. I haven’t seen this kind of combination since John Woods and Ann Lewis were the World Champions about 12 years ago. Keep watching for this couple in the future.
For the first time in a long time, the Open Rhythm competition did not showcase a FADS couple in the final, although Albina Habrle and Hayk Arshakian from Milwaukee danced well enough to have been in it. Aaron Desoto and Jaana Lillemagi turned out a great showing; they placed 6th in the Rising Star Rhythm, but in my estimation they could have been higher. They have a very good look on the floor and their dancing is getting better every time I see them.
Another couple to look out for is Ilya Velednitsky and Mandy Carlyle. I love this girl - she is a pleasure to watch and they have tons of talent and lots of time to develop it. Also Andrey and Elena from South Carolina made a good showing. Technically and visually, this couple has it all. If they could be a little more passionate and even wilder, they could really climb up the standing in this style.
The Cabaret competition was totally dominated by FADS. The top two couples fought a very good fight for the entire competition, no last names needed here…Eric and Georgia and Jesse and Kimalee, both trained by Luann and Bruno, were flawless in their performances. I had the difficult task of having to make a decision as one of the judges and I was well prepared to give the top ranking to Jesse and Kimalee until Eric laid Georgia flat on his head and began to spin as fast as was humanly possible. He stopped suddenly and she continued to spin on his head like a helicopter before coming down to a complete stop! Right then and there, my mark changed.
But I must congratulate both couples for their efforts, in a style that is full of some very weird even laughable performances. These four young people bring out all that is best in dance, athleticism and artistry.
Well, that's enough from me this time, but listen, as they say on the NFL, the winners always go to Disney World, so you too can see these great performances again in October at the Fred Astaire National Dance Championships in Orlando, FL. Come and be entertained and amazed at the talent that our company has to offer! See you in Orlando.
America’s most prestigious Dance Championship was held in Orlando, Florida from September 2-6 2008. It is hard to believe that it has been 38 years since John Monte, Fred Astaire's longtime Dance Director, began with a dream of running the United States Championships and - with so much hard work and perseverance - made it into what it is today.
USDC is where everyone from all over the world goes to showcase their talents, win titles, and why not, go to Disney World afterwards and this year was no exception. Having more that 7000 entries and couples from more than 37 countries, USDC was once again the place to be the first week in September.
It is only fitting that a competition that was created by the Fred Astaire Company would have so many of our couples compete and, in some cases, win the TOP titles; in fact, couples that are or will be affiliated with FADS very soon won 4 of the TOP 5 titles at this year’s championships…something that we should all be very proud and ecstatic about.
First and foremost, I would like to congratulate all of our FADS couples that participated all week long. Both Pro and Pro-Am couples truly made a great statement about the incredibly high caliber of dancing we have in our company today. There were times when I looked out onto the dance floor and saw two or three FADS Pro-Am couples in a final of a competition that started with 30 to 40 couples - very impressive.
The International Latin was won by our very own Riccardo Cocchi with his partner Yulia. The speed, power and precision that these two perfect Latin dancers displayed on the floor was incredible. They won all 5 dances with ease and conviction. Also in the Latin category, we had our longtime FADS National Latin Champions, Ilya and Nadia from New Jersey. Ilya and Nadia must have been very disappointed with their final result as I was; I thought their dancing was strong, classy, and full of their very own unique style.
The American Smooth was won by Jonathan Roberts and Valentina who have been doing a lot of work with our company since my first meeting with them last July and will be fully joining the company by October. Their dancing was fantastic and they had to be to uncrown last year’s champions the way they did. Valentina, as always, danced like a princess in some kind of perfect dream, never going outside of her character and always delighting the onlookers. Jonathan was the perfect partner to her, always showcasing her beauty and elegance.
Also in the Smooth final was one of my favorite couples in the competition, Misha and Gala from the New York East studio. They had the night of their lives! Although this couple has been coming up very quickly through the competitive ranks under the watchful eyes of Marina and Taliat Tarsinov, I believe that they surprised themselves with their placement, having never been in the US final before they jumped straight up to 4th place this year. Their dancing was inspired, beautiful and larger than life. If they continue to improve on this track, there is no title this great looking couple cannot win.
Other couples who deserve an honorable mention in the Smooth are Vladimir & Vera Kosarev from our Rochester, NY studio; Warren and Babette Brown from our Jupiter studio, and Yuriy Simakov and Oksana Klyuchnyk from North Carolina. All three couples showed great promise and, I am sure, will have much success in the future.
Although the standard competitions didn't produce any FADS winners, it was a great showcase for two very good couples in our company. Greg Fidurski and Gabriela Jileva from Montville, NJ were in the final of the Open to the World Rising Star competition and were also second in the Standard Showdance. This couple’s expression and musicality truly sets them apart when they are on the floor. Greg's happy-go-lucky personality is always a refreshing sight on the Standard floor, which is sometimes filled with very serious and focused faces.
Ruslan Meshkov and Sandra Nema from the Albany, NY studio had a fantastic USDC, placing second in the US Rising Star competition and fourth in the Open to the World Rising Star. This young, beautiful couple continues to improve by leaps and bounds. They have a very tall look on the floor while at the same time showing great depth in the use of their legs and feet. I haven’t seen this kind of combination since John Woods and Ann Lewis were the World Champions about 12 years ago. Keep watching for this couple in the future.
For the first time in a long time, the Open Rhythm competition did not showcase a FADS couple in the final, although Albina Habrle and Hayk Arshakian from Milwaukee danced well enough to have been in it. Aaron Desoto and Jaana Lillemagi turned out a great showing; they placed 6th in the Rising Star Rhythm, but in my estimation they could have been higher. They have a very good look on the floor and their dancing is getting better every time I see them.
Another couple to look out for is Ilya Velednitsky and Mandy Carlyle. I love this girl - she is a pleasure to watch and they have tons of talent and lots of time to develop it. Also Andrey and Elena from South Carolina made a good showing. Technically and visually, this couple has it all. If they could be a little more passionate and even wilder, they could really climb up the standing in this style.
The Cabaret competition was totally dominated by FADS. The top two couples fought a very good fight for the entire competition, no last names needed here…Eric and Georgia and Jesse and Kimalee, both trained by Luann and Bruno, were flawless in their performances. I had the difficult task of having to make a decision as one of the judges and I was well prepared to give the top ranking to Jesse and Kimalee until Eric laid Georgia flat on his head and began to spin as fast as was humanly possible. He stopped suddenly and she continued to spin on his head like a helicopter before coming down to a complete stop! Right then and there, my mark changed.
But I must congratulate both couples for their efforts, in a style that is full of some very weird even laughable performances. These four young people bring out all that is best in dance, athleticism and artistry.
Well, that's enough from me this time, but listen, as they say on the NFL, the winners always go to Disney World, so you too can see these great performances again in October at the Fred Astaire National Dance Championships in Orlando, FL. Come and be entertained and amazed at the talent that our company has to offer! See you in Orlando.
Dancing Tips - Cuban Motion
By Stanley Mc Calla, US 10 Dance Finalist, Fred Astaire National Smooth Champion, Fred Astaire National Dance Board Member, Coach and Adjudicator, Fred Astaire Dance Board Examiner
Hello there! I hope everything is well with you. A competition that I recently judged gave me the inspiration to revisit an article that I had submitted to you in the past.
While judging during that weekend of competition, I found myself rocking from foot to foot to an array of rhythmical melodies that were simply infectious to the soul. The energy projected and the fun expressed by the dancers brought me a nostalgic feeling that I couldn’t control. All the while I felt my essence swaying my body from left to right along with the competitors at the same time I was unconsciously wanting to help some of them with a better use of foot, leg and body action.
That’s why today I want to talk to you about Cuban motion and how you can practice it.
Cuban motion is described as the lateral motion of the hips which occurs as a result of the flexing and straightening of the knees and never a conscious swing of the hips. You can use this technique in the Rumba, Bolero, Mambo, Cha Cha, Merengue, and Salsa, to name a few.
Stand with your back straight, your shoulders lined up over your hips, your center pulled toward your spine, feet together with toes turned out. You should feel that your weight is poised towards the balls of your feet. Start by bending one knee at a time, and then straighten it. While doing this, you should control the movement through the center of your body. In order to feel your center, tighten your stomach muscles as well as your plexus muscle.
You should then feel the natural and lateral motion of your hips. If you don’t, then your posture is incorrect.
Once you feel the correct motion, try to use the same principle by taking a small step to the side with your left foot then slowly close your right foot to your left foot. All the while, remember your posture, the center, and bending and straightening your knees one at a time.
Make sure that you confirm what you’re doing with your teacher.
Until next time, happy dancing!
Cheers,
Stanley McCalla
Hello there! I hope everything is well with you. A competition that I recently judged gave me the inspiration to revisit an article that I had submitted to you in the past.While judging during that weekend of competition, I found myself rocking from foot to foot to an array of rhythmical melodies that were simply infectious to the soul. The energy projected and the fun expressed by the dancers brought me a nostalgic feeling that I couldn’t control. All the while I felt my essence swaying my body from left to right along with the competitors at the same time I was unconsciously wanting to help some of them with a better use of foot, leg and body action.
That’s why today I want to talk to you about Cuban motion and how you can practice it.
Cuban motion is described as the lateral motion of the hips which occurs as a result of the flexing and straightening of the knees and never a conscious swing of the hips. You can use this technique in the Rumba, Bolero, Mambo, Cha Cha, Merengue, and Salsa, to name a few.
Stand with your back straight, your shoulders lined up over your hips, your center pulled toward your spine, feet together with toes turned out. You should feel that your weight is poised towards the balls of your feet. Start by bending one knee at a time, and then straighten it. While doing this, you should control the movement through the center of your body. In order to feel your center, tighten your stomach muscles as well as your plexus muscle.
You should then feel the natural and lateral motion of your hips. If you don’t, then your posture is incorrect.
Once you feel the correct motion, try to use the same principle by taking a small step to the side with your left foot then slowly close your right foot to your left foot. All the while, remember your posture, the center, and bending and straightening your knees one at a time.
Make sure that you confirm what you’re doing with your teacher.
Until next time, happy dancing!
Cheers,
Stanley McCalla
Behind The Scenes Look at Jersey Boys
If you missed out on seeing the Fred Astaire Dance Studio's "Jersey Boys" showcase, go to www.dplab.com for great pictures. You can also order prints and a video of the show there.
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