Dancing With The Stars Power Ranking – The FADS Edition: Week 5

Well, wasn't Week 5 of DWTS an interesting one for everyone? We all got to listen to some patriotic songs and watch our favorite celebrities do their thing on the dance floor as best they could. Some of the dances fit in pretty well with their accompanying tunes, while others seemed a bit out of place. Regardless, there were some really good scores on Monday all the way around, with no one dipping below 22 points this week.

Unfortunately, while last week we saw the show lose its soul, if you will, with Sugar Ray Leonard's elimination, this week we watched it lose its heart as Czech darling Petra Nemcova was sent packing by the voters (or, more correctly, a lack thereof). Even though her judges' points were higher than fellow-contender Kendra Wilkinson (106 to 100, respectively), she just couldn't match Kendra's fan support. And so we bid farewell to perhaps the most pleasant and good-spirited contestant DWTS has had on its show in years.

On with the Power Rankings.

By sheer coincidence, this week's power rankings are identical to the week's scoring ranks. I didn't mean for that to happen, but that's the way things turned out. (The "Power Couple" doesn't necessarily have to be the highest scoring couple for that week, as was evidenced in last week's Power Ranking.)

DWTS POWER RANKING - WEEK FIVE

#1 Hines Ward:
Hines scored triple-nines from the judges in Week 5, but honestly, I'm just not seeing what they're marveling at. Yes, he did a great job. But did he really do better than Cheslea Kane? I don't think so. It looked to me like he did a whole lot of following around while pro partner Kym Johnson carried the dance. Even so, judge Carrie Ann Inaba seems positively smitten by the football star. Remember last week when I mentioned how worried I was that the judges were going to hand the Mirror Ball trophy to Kirstie Alley (that is, before the "incidents")? Well, I'm starting to get that feeling again with Hines.

#2 Chelsea Kane:
It's almost a given each week that pro partner Mark Ballas is going to dream up some kind of choreography that will highlight his own dancing skills (I think he's just as earnest in his pursuit of the show's "Design a Dance" competition, where two pros are selected to do a dance, as he is with getting his celebrity partner the MB trophy). But even so, he's very lucky in having the best dancer of the competition as his partner in Season 12. Chelsea Kane compliments Mark's moves like no other celebrity in Season 12 has been able to do with their own pro partners. While others are for the most part being led around the floor by their pros, Chelsea appears to easily keep up with Mark's choreographed antics. How she only ended up with an "8" from judge Len Goodman while Hines Ward snared a "9" from him is a mystery to me. But I'm beginning to wonder if Len isn't shaving a point off of her performance just to spite Ballas, who he's had issues with this season.

#3 Chris Jericho:
I thought Chris's dance this week was very flowing and well-balanced, if a bit flat-footed (as judge Len Goodman and our own Natasha Oreshkina mentioned). This week saw the second time Chris was placed in "jeopardy" and had to sweat out the final moments of the show. That's not really fair - he's clearly a superior dancer, and I would think that with the WWE's support (they promote his appearance on DWTS online), he'd be safe more often than not. So far, however, that hasn't been the case. But I think Chris is beginning to show the DWTS viewers that he's more than just a big bag of muscles, and as the field narrows and the choices become fewer, we'll hopefully see people making the right decisions with their votes.

#4 Ralph Macchio:
Oh, Ralph, gain some consistency, will you, please? Ralph's a great guy with a large fan base, but, sheesh, he just can't seem to put two solid weeks together. I've got him at #4 this week, which is a tumble from last week's #2 spot, but he can still go even lower as the upstart Romeo seems to be making a mid-season charge.

#5 Romeo:
Romeo goes from #6 last week to #5 this week, and with another good showing in upcoming Week 6, he could very well vault himself into the Top Three. Romeo got high praise from the judges this week, but, similar to Hines Ward, I saw a whole lot of being led around by his pro partner, Chelsie Hightower. I think the best highlight of the week from this couple, in fact, came on Tuesday's Results Show, during Mike Catherwood's "DWTS Exposed!" segment when a clip showed Cheslie's "wardrobe malfunction" as the couple practiced their routine. Funny stuff!

#6 Kirstie Alley:
I'm not really clear on why Kirstie persists in wearing those belly-revealing outfits, but this makes two weeks in a row. That being said, it may shock some of you to know that I think Kirstie's performance this week was more entertaining than Hines Ward's effort. In the end, though, she's clearly not the talented dancer many of her fans hoped she'd be early on in the competition.

#7 Kendra Wilkinson:
The former Playboy bunny had the distinction of dancing DWTS's 1,000 dance this week, and I have to say she made the most out of it. After a disastrous Week 4, she actually did pretty good this week - earning a respectable 22 points from the judges. She smiled a lot and got to dance to a fun "Yankee Doodle" song, something more in line with her "unelegant" personality.

#8 Petra Nemcova:
Sigh. The Queen of Nice on DWTS Season 12 has passed into the night. Unfortunately, we got more of the usual from Petra on the dance floor in Week 5, and it just wasn't enough. Dance pro Natasha Oreshkina said in her critique that Petra as never able to fix her posture (which Natasha blamed largely on her pro partner, Dmitri Chaplin, for not fixing). Even so, she was a better dancer than Kendra Wilkinson. Just not as popular with the viewers, I guess.

*

Next week we'll have a narrowed-down field of seven couples to choose from. Out of the seven, Kendra Wilkinson is clearly the weakest dancer. But is she the weakest in viewer popularity? Possibly not. Look for next week's celebrity "in jeopardy" lineup to include: Kendra Wilkinson (always my first choice), Ralph Macchio and Chelsea Kane.

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Dancing with the Stars - Week 5 Commentary

Season 12 of Dancing with the Stars is finally upon us. Each week Syracuse, NY FADS co-owner and award-winning ballroom dancer Natasha Oreshkina will be sharing her thoughts on the competition and giving us her take on which celebrities had the best week on the dance floor and which ones should be getting ready to pack their bags.


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WEEK FIVE

[Natasha] This week was all about celebrating America, so the couples danced to songs with American themes. We had three couples tied at 22 for last place this week. As I mentioned before, because everyone goes up and down the leaderboard, we haven't really seen a clear leader for this season's competition.


Tonight's Scores:

1st Place - Hines Ward/Kym Johnson (W1:21 + W2:23 + W3:25 + W4:25 +W5:27 = 121 total) [Overall position: 1st.]
This week Hines and Kym did the Rumba. It was a very romantic dance. His technique was good and he did a solid job. As [DWTS judge] Carrie Ann mentioned on the show, he showed lots of hip action. So it was very good.

T-2nd Place - Chris Jericho/Cheryl Burke (W1:19 + W2:23 + W3:21 + W4:23 +W:26 = 112) [Overall position: 4th.]
Chris and Cheryl did the Viennese Waltz. I'm definitely seeing improvement in Chris. Their dance was very smooth and strong. Chris was a little flat-footed (as DWTS judge Len Goodman mentioned). We should see a foot-rise in the Viennese Waltz, and Chris looked like he was skating.


T-2nd Place - Romeo/Chelsie Hightower (W1:19 + W2:23 + W3:20 + W4:23 +W4:26 = 111) [Overall position: 5th.]
Romeo and Cheslie did the Foxtrot to New York, New York - one of my favorite songs. It's a powerful song and Romeo showed lots of energy dancing to it. It was one of his best dances.


T-2nd Place - Chelsea Kane/Mark Ballas (W1:21 + W2:18 + W3:23 + W4:26 +W5:26 = 114 total) [Overall position: 2nd.]
Chelsea and Mark did the Samba this week. This couple, I liked what they did. They were confident and showed good technique. I think this couple can be the leaders. I like Chelsea's technique, her personality and her confidence. I think she's ready to compete for the top spot.


5th Place - Kirstie Alley/Maksim Chmerkovskiy (W1:23 + W2:20 + W3:21 + W4:21 + W5:23 = 108) [Overall position: 6th.]
Kirstie and Maks did the Foxtrot, and I don't think this was the best dance they did [this season]. I think Maks should concentrate on helping his partner look good on the dance floor. He should pay more attention to Kirstie and not so much on himself. But they both had good attitudes and presentation in the dance.

T-6th Place - Ralph Macchio/Karina Smirnoff (W1:24 + W2:21 + W3:21 + W4:25 + W5:22 = 113) [Overall position: 3rd.]
Ralph and Karina did the Samba this week. It's very interesting this season how the leaders keep changing - one week they have a good week, the next week, not so much. This week Ralph's dance was too loose - he didn't look so well-controlled. He's just not consistent in his dances week-to-week.

T-6th Place - Petra Nemcova/Dmitry Chaplin (W1:18 + W2:18 + W3:25 + W4:23 + W5:22 = 106) [Overall position: 7th.]
Petra and Dmitry danced the Quickstep. This would be their last dance before being voted off on Tuesday. For once, I'm surprised by the elimination because two weeks ago Petra was at the top of the leaderboard. But I just didn't see any improvement in her posture at all. She doesn't look graceful and doesn't look correct, which probably gives her problems with her balance. She also made several mis-steps in this week's dance.


You know, I think if Petra danced with someone else she might have done better. Petra is a beautiful woman, and when she danced on her own she was nice. But when she and Dmitry danced together, her position was terrible. The pro should be fixing her problems with position and posture, but she had the same problem every week.

T-6th Place - Kendra Wilkinson/Louis van Amstel (W1:18 + W2:19 + W3:23 + W4:18 + W5:22 = 100) [Overall position: 8th.]
Kendra and Louis danced the Foxtrot to Yankee Doodle. I think this couple should have been the one eliminated before Petra. But the judges votes are only a part of it,and Petra doesn't have as many fans as Kendra.

Kendra's not the strongest dancer, and this week she was still a little weak. Last week was terrible, though, so it was better. I thought her dance was entertaining and it was fun music, but she was a little stiff in her movements.

*

So now we're halfway through the season and we still don't have a strong leader. My prediction for next week, though, is that Kendra should be the one eliminated and Chelsea should be on top.

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Dancing with the Stars - Week 4 Commentary

Season 12 of Dancing with the Stars is finally upon us. Each week Syracuse, NY FADS co-owner and award-winning ballroom dancer Natasha Oreshkina will be sharing her thoughts on the competition and giving us her take on which celebrities had the best week on the dance floor and which ones should be getting ready to pack their bags.


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WEEK FOUR

[Natasha] This week was Classic Music night, and I thought there were some very nice songs and nice dances, mostly the Viennese Waltz, Paso Doble and slow Waltz. It's very interesting because each week the leaders are changing as couples improve and switching positions on their scores.

Tonight's Scores:

1st Place - Chelsea Kane/Mark Ballas (W1:21 + W2:18 + W3:23 + W4:26 = 88 total)
Chelsea and Mark danced the Viennese Waltz. I was really impressed - it was very, very nice. They chose the Harry Potter theme, and their technique was incredible. For a moment I thought Mark was dancing with a professional partner. Chelsea wants to be pushed, she said, because she's tired of coming in third place. It was really good choreography, beautiful costumes, and they had a good connection. I'm really glad for Chelsea and Mark.

T-2nd Place - Hines Ward/Kym Johnson (W1:21 + W2:23 + W3:25 + W4:25 = 94 total)
Hines and Kym did the Paso Doble this week. Hines felt like he was challenged this week. he said he didn't understand Classical music. But the dance was strong and aggressive and he did a good job.

T-2nd Place - Ralph Macchio/Karina Smirnoff (W1:24 + W2:21 + W3:21 + W4:25 = 91)
Ralph and Karina did the slow Waltz. That was a very difficult dance - and it was to Romeo and Juliet, my favorite song. The choreography was nice. They're still in a higher place with their overall score, and I think their ready to compete with the other top couples.

T-4th Place - Romeo/Chelsie Hightower (W1:19 + W2:23 + W3:20 + W4:23 = 85)
Romeo and Chelsie danced the Paso Doble. He's definitely improved his footwork. You could tell he was excited and he loved the dance. He did a good job. They did very well.

T-4th Place - Chris Jericho/Cheryl Burke (W1:19 + W2:23 + W3:21 + W4:23 = 86)
Chris and Cheryl also did the Paso Doble. Chris has his wrestling [acting] skills and he used them well in the dance. Cheryl used very good choreography for them.

T-4th Place - Petra Nemcova/Dmitry Chaplin (W1:18 + W2:18 + W3:25 + W4:23 = 84)
Petra and Dmitry performed the Paso Doble. She wore red, which was the character of the dance. Each week I say the same thing: she's a beautiful lady but sometimes her movements look so stiff. She should look aggressive - that's the Paso - but still should have smooth movements.

7th Place - Kirstie Alley/Maksim Chmerkovskiy (W1:23 + W2:20 + W3:21 + W4:21 = 85)
Kirstie and Maks did the Viennese Waltz. I though their dance was very elegant. [laughs] I think her score now with Maks is 1-to-1 with her shoes falling off. She did manage to get the shoe back on and continue with the dance, but I hope everything with the costumes and such goes better for them so they can just concentrate on dancing.

8th Place - Sugar Ray Leonard/Anna Trebunsakaya (W1:17 + W2:17 + W3:20 + W4:21 = 81)
Sugar Ray and Anna danced the Viennese Waltz to Tchaikovsky’s Waltz of the Flowers. I loved the song - a traditional Russian piece. Unfortunately, this is the couple that was eliminated this week, so we've seen the last of them performing. Sugar Ray seemed a little nervous. He's the oldest guy in the competition, but he seemed like he really enjoyed being on the show. He talked about how much he liked tha dancing and how much the show inspired him, but unfortunately there were much stronger couples.

9th Place - Kendra Wilkinson/Louis van Amstel (W1:18 + W2:19 + W3:23 + W4:18 = 78)
Kendra and Louis did the Viennese Waltz, sung by guest soprano Katherine Jenkins. Kendra was very disappointed in her dance. She made some mistakes and she was nervous. You could see how she messed up the choreography. She knew was was making mistakes and that threw her off even more.

*

So we have eight couples remaining for next week's competition, and we'll see what happens with them.

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Dancing with the Stars - Week 3 Commentary

Season 12 of Dancing with the Stars is finally upon us. Each week Syracuse, NY FADS co-owner and award-winning ballroom dancer Natasha Oreshkina will be sharing her thoughts on the competition and giving us her take on which celebrities had the best week on the dance floor and which ones should be getting ready to pack their bags.


There were 10 dancers on this third week of Dancing with the Stars, and this week the stars selected songs to dance to that were near and dear to their hearts. It was difficult to judge their performance because all the dances were emotional and had a lot of feeling in them. They were mostly slow dances, the Rumba, and also a cha-cha, and paso doble.

1st Place - Hines Ward/Kym Johnson (W1:21 + W2:23 + W3:25 = 69)
Hines did the Samba, which he dedicated to his mother. I think it was interesting, good choreography, with a lot of energy and good bounce. I thought he danced the way it [Samba] should be danced.

2nd Place - Ralph Macchio/Karina Smirnoff (W1:24 + W2:21 + W3:21 = 66)
Ralph danced the Rumba. He chose a song that he and his wife danced to on their wedding day, and his dance was dedicated to his wife. I thought the choreography was very good. There were interesting lines and movements. Karina did a nice job and Ralph looked good dancing with her. I liked what they did.

3rd Place - Kirstie Alley/Maksim Chmerkovskiy (W1:23 + W2:20 + W3:21 = 64)
Kirstie danced the Rumba to "Over the Rainbow." She had lost her mom, and almost her dad, in a car accident many years ago and her dance was dedicated to her parents. Maks lost his balance and they fell down during the dance. I think if they had kept balance their scores would have been much higher. She looked great.

4th Place - Chris Jericho/Cheryl Burke (W1:19 + W2:23 + W3:21 = 63)
Chris did the Rumba, dedicated to his mom. He did a great job, a very emotional dance. You could read the story through their dance. He needs to work on his arms better - he needs to be more fluid.

When you dance, you need to control your feelings and learn to relax. If you have too much control, you lose feeling, but if you have too much feeling, you lose control of the dance.

T-5th Place - Chelsea Kane/Mark Ballas (W1:21 + W2:18 + W3:23 = 62)
Chelsea did the cha-cha, and she dedicated her dance to her first love. She did a good job had a lot of rotations. I would have liked to have seen better footwork and hip action, which hopefully we'll see in the future.

T-5th Place - Romeo/Chelsie Hightower (W1:19 + W2:23 + W3:20 = 62)
Also a sad story here - Romeo lost two cousins. In dedication to them, he danced the Rumba to "I'll Be There." It was very sweet and sentimental. He finished by holding Chelsie and looking up to blow a kiss to the sky. He still needs to work on his footwork - it's very important that he gets better at that.

7th Place - Petra Nemcova/Dmitry Chaplin (W1:18 + W2:18 + W3:25 = 61)
Petra did the slow waltz which she dedicated to hope after tragedy. I loved the music - a beautiful song. The dance was very graceful, flowing and elegant. I would have liked to see a little bit better movement on the floor and better posture from her.

8th Place - Kendra Wilkinson/Louis van Amstel (W1:18 + W2:19 + W3:23 = 60)
Kendra danced the Rumba to "You and Me," which she dedicated to her husband and son. The dance looked very romantic, she showed good footwork and the choreography was very good.

9th Place - Sugar Ray Leonard/Anna Trebunsakaya (W1:17 + W2:17 + W3:20 = 60)
Sugar Ray danced the Paso Doble, which he dedicated to beating the odds - nobody thought he could ever win a boxing championship, and he was trying to beat the odds on Dancing with the Stars. He came out on the floor wearing boxing gloves and a robe. He looked very good - an improvement over the other weeks. I thought he did a good job.

10th Place - Wendy Williams/Tony Dovolani (W1:14 + W2:17 + W3:15 = 46)
Wendy did the foxtrot in dedication to her start in show business. She looked like she had a lot of fun, but the footwork was not good and her dancing was off.

Wendy was voted off the competition this week. Again, it was hard to judge because these were all emotional dances for the stars to perform. We'll see what happens next week.

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Dancing With The Stars - Week 2 Commentary

Season 12 of Dancing with the Stars is finally upon us. Each week Syracuse, NY FADS co-owner and award-winning ballroom dancer Natasha Oreshkina will be sharing her thoughts on the competition and giving us her take on which celebrities had the best week on the dance floor and which ones should be getting ready to pack their bags.


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WEEK TWO

[Natasha] Because there was no elimination last week, this week still had eleven couples dancing in the competition. The two dances the teams could choose from were the quickstep and the jive, and it was interesting to look at the couples compete.

1st Place - Ralph Macchio (W1:24 + W2:21 = 45 points)
Ralph and Karina Smirnoff danced the jive. They didn't have the same energy as they had in their first dance, but it was still a high-energy performance. Sometimes Ralph's kicks weren't as sharp as they should be. Still, it was fun to watch.

2ndt Place - Hines Ward (W1:21 + W2:23 = 44 points)
Hines Ward moved into second place with his quickstep performance with partner Kym Johnson. Hines really stepped up this week. Very good choreography and a well done routine. He needs to improve his frame and position, however.

3rd Place - Kirstie Alley (W1:23 + W2:20 = 43 points)
I really loved so much what Kirstie and partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy did last week. This week wasn't as enjoyable as last week. Most of the dance was very light on the floor, but she lost energy at the end of the routine. Still, it was high energy, and I also like the connection between Kirstie and Maks.

T-4th Place - Chris Jericho (W1:19 + W2:23 = 42 points)
Chris and his partner Cheryl Burke tied for 4th place with their quickstep. It was an easy and beautiful dance. Chris was smooth, elegant, charming and had a nice smile throughout the performance. Even judge Len Goodman complimented him, which is a hard thing to get from him.


T-4th Place - Romeo (W1:19 + W2:23 = 42 points)
Romeo danced the quickstep with partner Chelsie Hightower. Romeo had a... interesting style. He needs to be more formal. He was a little flat-footed and needs work there. He also lost some energy towards the end of the dance.

6th Place - Chelsea Kane (W1:21 + W2:18 = 39 points)
Chelsea Kane danced the jive with partner Mark Ballas. I cannot say that this was my favorite. There was not much jive in this jive routine. The choreography did not work for her in this performance.

7th Place - Kendra Wilkinson (W1:18 + W2:19 = 37 points)
Kendra Wilkinson and her partner Louis van Amstel danced the quickstep. The biggest thing about this dance was that Kendra messed up her footwork. She couldn't keep up with the choreography. Kendra doesn't have enough confidence in the routine to perform it well.

8th Place - Petra Nemcova (W1:18 + W2:18 = 36 points)
Petra danced the jive with pro partner Dmitry Chaplin. I thought it was a good performance. Petra had some good kicks and flicks. She needs to work on her body position. She's a beautiful lady and I'm always looking for her to do more.

9th Place - Sugar Ray Leonard (W1:17 + W2:17 = 34 points)
Sugar Ray danced the jive with partner Anna Trebunsakaya. [Laughing] He definitely looked like he was boxing out there. The routine was high on energy and low on dancing. He needs better footwork - what he's doing is not good enough.

10th Place - Wendy Williams (W1:14 + W2:17 = 31 points)
Wendy danced the quickstep with partner Tony Dovolani. She was definitely in a better emotional place this time around. She showed more personality in this dance and there was good choreography, but she still needs better movement. Even so, it's a step in the right direction.

11th Place - Mike Catherwood (W1:13 + W2:17 = 30 points)
Mike danced the jive with partner Lacey Schwimmer. Sometimes he looked good, but mostly it did not look nice. He had said earlier it was either "jive time or die time," and he turned out to be correct.

After two weeks one couple was eliminated out of the original eleven, and that was Mike Catherwood. Ralph and Karina are still in first place with their 45 points out of a possible 60. There were some interesting results and they're getting more experience, now, so we'll see what happens next week.

- Natasha Oreshkina

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Tonight's Dance Selections on DWTS

The website Zap2it.com has a listing of the dances that each couple competing on Dancing With The Stars has selected to perform on tonight's episode. (They got the listing by following the celebs & pros comments on Twitter.) According to the site, they are:

Quickstep:
Wendy Williams & Tony Dovolani
Chris Jericho & Cheryl Burke
Kendra Wilkinson & Louis Van Amstel
Kirstie Alley & Maks Chmerkovskiy
Romeo & Chelsie Hightower
Hines Ward & Kym Johnson

Jive:
Sugar Ray & Anna Trebunskaya
Ralph Macchio & Karina Smirnoff
Petra Nemcova & Dmitri Chaplin
Chelsea Kane & Mark Ballas
Mike Catherwood & Lacey Schwimmer

"Both of these dances require dancers to be light on their feet," reports Zap2it, "and because the footwork must be clean and neat, expect the judges to make foot placement and technique a focus of their commentaries."

Zap2it reports that Cheslea Kane and her partner, Mark Ballas, should do well in their jive performance, as it's one of Mark's favorites. But, they report, celebrity Mike Catherwood might have trouble keeping up with his light-on-her feet pro partner, Lacey Schwimmer.

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Dancing With The Stars - Twitter Updates

There's a lot going on now that Dancing With The Stars has finally fired up its 12th season. Beyond the usual storylines and online news blurbs, there's also a fair amount of chatter going back and forth over on Twitter - and its coming from the stars and pro dancer themselves.

Below is a listing of Twitter comments made from celebrities and their pro dance partners going back to DWTS's premier night, last Monday, March 21.

March 21 (Premier Night)

Chris Jericho
Checkin out my costume and psyching up w some Tenacious D b4 the show. The competition is lookin STIFF!

Karina Smirnoff (Celebrity partner: Ralph Macchio)
This is it, guys! 15 min away! So nervous and equally excited! Can't wait! We r dancing 8th!

March 22
Kirstie Alley
GOOD MORNING!!! ONLY four hours sleep...yikes...I need to go back to sleep...I'm such an early bird..I should marry a farmer...a HOT farmer

Kirstie Alley
gonna get some more sleep...in five hours I am at the MERCY of @MaksimC...and speaking of MERCY...GOD have some for me today in M's arms..xo

Ralph Macchio
What at night! Thanks for all the support. I felt every one of you out there. Back in rehearsal tomorrow!

Louis Van Amstel
Thank u for all your sweet tweets. I'm very proud of @KendraWilkinson I gave her a full on routine, because she can do it. She delivered!!!!

Lacey Schwimmer (Celebrity partner: Mike Catherwood)
errand errands errands. then getting @mcatherwood JIVIN hard core!

Louis Van Amstel (Celebrity partner: Kendra Wilkinson)
Off to the gym....chest n triceps....gotta look good next to @KendraWilkinson

Lacey Schwimmer
Thank you to my @ctgnyla family for the flowers http://twitpic.com/4c7fbg

Lacey Schwimmer
Omgomg! @MCatherwood got me flowers too! http://twitpic.com/4c7hid

Maksim Chmerkovskiy (Celebrity partner: Kirstie Alley)
Quicksteping with @kirstiealley is going great! Trying to get M to 'haul ass in ONE trip'.....LOL

Kirstie Alley
WOW..what a difference a DAY makes. Last night so happy feeling like Cinderella..today, started quickstep..feeling like smashing pumpkins.

March 23
Chelsie Hightower (Celebrity partner: Romeo)
Good rehearsal today, quickstep is coming along! Gonna be a super fun dance!!

Louis Van Amstel
Kendra is so cute. Check out this article from people magazine where she talks about how nervous she was. But... http://fb.me/TjvyeWS7

Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Ola Twitterverse! Let's get 'quick and steppy'! Oh, wait....I need my M for that....LOL. Where r u @kirstiealley ???

Dmitry Chaplin (Celebrity partner: Petra Nemcova)
Done with our rehearsal, @pnemcova did great and learned all the steps for our jive! Time for the pro number

Louis Van Amstel
Just finished fitting my suit now off to see @KendraWilkinson for rehearsal...quicka di quickstep!!!

Dmitry Chaplin
@pnemcova drew her first blood! [foot] Who said that dancing is not dangerous!

Chelsie Hightower
Good rehearsal today, quickstep is coming along! Gonna be a super fun dance!!

Romeo Miller
@ChelsieKayH trying to turn me into a real ballroom dancer Haha

March 24
Louis Van Amstel
Had a great rehearsal today with @KendraWilkinson! Already looking forward to next week to show those judges a thing or two ;-)!

Chelsie Hightower
Hit a pot hole and got two flat tires...

Kirstie Alley
I talked to Maks.... He's IN!!! We will "Flap" you on DWTS during bumpers!!! To acknowledge u as our Twittter Friends.. WOO HOO.. Watch 4 it

Chelsie Hightower
Man things get so much more difficult without a car haha

Cheryl Burke (Celebrity partner: Chris Jericho)
Our quickstep is coming along....violently! Already scratched @IAmJericho's shoulder. And he loves whining about it too! ;)

Chris Jericho
Had a great rehearsal today but @cherylburke scratched me! She has sharp nails and It really hurts! WahWahWah...

Maksim Chmerkovskiy
My brother (@iamValC) and I grew up in Jewish dad/Christian mom family. My best friend (@TonyDovolani) is Muslim. THAT'S how I'm blessed!

Kirstie Alley
@MaksimC Ya tebya lublyu.....Mozhete na menya raschityvat....:)

Lacey Schwimmer
Rehearsal with @MCatherwood jive time baby!

Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Stop fishing for compliments M! You look fantastic :) RT @kirstiealley: getting hair and make up for LENO.....thank God for hair and make up

Lacey Schwimmer
Off to bed loooong day tomorrow! Fitting rehearsal w/ @MCatherwood interview and then rehearsal with @dmitry_ch for a special number! Xo

March 25
Louis Van Amstel
Having a little too much fun w @CherylBurke and @LaceySchwimmer in rehearsal w @MaksimC

Kirstie Alley by iluvssw
@MaksimC You can ACCIDENTLY end up at practice tomorrow morning on time........sorta like me calling the kettle black...hehe

Ralph Macchio
Body soreness has reached a new level this morning. Working on wk 2 and 3 dances. Drawing off ur energy to deliver another strong perf Mon!

Kirstie Alley
It always makes me laugh to see who's team people are on.. We are creatures of competition... Myself included

Louis Van Amstel
Can u believe it at one point we had 37.000.000 million viewers monday night!!!wooohooooo.....w an average of 23.000.000


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DWTS returns with its 2nd performance episode on Monday, March 28, and its first elimination episode on the following night, Tuesday, March 29.

Dancing With The Stars - Week 1 Commentary

Season 12 of Dancing with the Stars is finally upon us. Each week Syracuse, NY FADS co-owner and award-winning ballroom dancer Natasha Oreshkina will be sharing her thoughts on the competition and giving us her take on which celebrities had the best week on the dance floor and which ones should be getting ready to pack their bags.


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WEEK ONE

[Natasha] On the premiere episode of Dancing with the Stars we had 11 different celebrity couples coming from many different areas – from athletes and talk show hosts to models and even a Disney star. Having seen them dance only once, it’s difficult at this stage of the competition to give an accurate prognosis. But here’s a brief list of what I saw from the first show.

1st Place – Ralph Macchio (24 points)
Ralph Macchio danced with pro partner Karina Smirnoff. They danced the foxtrot, and I thought he had the best routine of the night. His dance was very smooth and elegant with nice lines, and the judges saw that, too. It was a very good performance.

2nd Place – Kirstie Alley (23 points)
Kirstie Alley danced the cha-cha with professional Maksim Chmerkovskiy, and they finished one point behind Macchio. I was surprised by Kirstie’s performance – I didn’t think she would dance so well. Before she danced, I was asking myself, “How is she going to move? How is she going to keep up with Maksim?” On the first night, celebrities usually don’t have good technique. But she was very balanced and her timing was very good. Maksim is a very experienced professional, and he picked a routine that was not too complicated and enough to make his partner look good. She has a lot of chances to win the competition.

T-3rd Place – Chelsea Kane (21 points)
Chelsea danced with professional Mark Ballas and they did the foxtrot. I thought Chelsea also looked good. Her routine was progressive and flowing, with good movement. She needs to work on her footwork, but she’s got good potential.

T-3rd Place – Hines Ward (21 points)
Hines Ward danced the cha-cha with dance pro Kym Johnson. It was a very nice dance. His lines and balance were very good for a first dance. I look forward to seeing what they can do in the future.

T-4th Place – Chris Jericho (19 points)
Chris Jericho danced the cha-cha with pro partner Cheryl Burke. I always like to watch Cheryl’s choreography and I had a lot of fun watching their routine. Their cha-cha showed a lot of energy – I liked the leather and Chris tearing off his sleeves! He needs to concentrate more on posture, though, and there was too much bending of his legs. Perhaps because of his wrestler training, he was also too tight in the shoulders.

T-4th Place – Romeo (19 points)
Romeo danced with professional Chelsie Hightower and they also did the cha-cha. I thought it was… okay – not so much fun and excitement as [fellow 4th Place finisher] Chris. You could see he was not ballroom dancing. Chelsie had a hard time with him – he doesn’t feel comfortable dancing ballroom style, so we’ll see how he does. He needs work.

T-5th Place – Petra Nemcova (18 points)
Petra Nemcova danced the foxtrot with pro partner Dmitry Chaplin. I was expecting a little more from Petra. As a model, I thought she would be a little more graceful on the floor. She was a little too closed – she needs to dance more openly and show her personality. She can do better than her first dance.

*On the question of whether or not Petra’s pelvic injury will affect her ability to compete: It might happen – especially the Latin dances might bother her. But it’s also a good opportunity for her to develop her body [through therapy] and pick up her self-confidence.

T-5th Place – Kendra Wilkinson (18 points)
Kendra Wilkinson danced the cha-cha with professional dancer Louis van Amstel. She was not bad, but I can’t say she was one of my favorites. Her footwork was not so good. The dance showed a lot of energy, but she looked a little too nervous in all of the excitement. When someone is dancing a routine, the audience should not have to worry or think about trips or falls. The dancers should be having fun and enjoy what they’re doing, and so that way the audience can enjoy it, too.

9th Place – Sugar Ray Leonard (17 points)
Sugar Ray Leonard did the foxtrot with pro partner Anna Trebunsakaya. What Sugar Ray did didn’t look like the foxtrot. The foxtrot should be smooth, elegant, with nice lines. He was so messy I couldn’t tell what it was.

10th Place – Wendy Williams (14 points)
Wendy Williams danced with professional Tony Dovolani and they did the cha-cha. [deep sigh] Very sad. Tony’s such a good teacher, we always hope he gets a good celebrity, but again this year not so. They didn’t look good. But Tony’s good, so hopefully he can straighten her out.

11th Place – Mike Catherwood (13 points)
Mike Catherwood danced the foxtrot with pro dancer Lacey Schwimmer. That was for sure the worst dance. Messy dance, posture not good – his shoulders were up, he looked nervous. The foxtrot should be a smooth dance, and he was awkward and stiff. I didn’t get the feeling they enjoyed dancing together. But I am looking forward to seeing what they can do in the future.

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This season should be a very good season. There were three ties this week – so that’s good competition. Again, it’s hard to tell so early on how each celebrity will do, but after next week (the first elimination round) we’ll get a better idea of where they are.

- Natasha Oreshkina
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Key Dates for Season 12 of "Dancing With The Stars"

Dancing With The Stars premieres tonight at 8:00pm EST on ABC. Below are key dates that fans might want to take note of as the season unfolds. (Dates provided by TVGrapevine.com and may be subject to change.)

- "Dancing with the Stars'" two-hour season premiere performance show, MONDAY, MARCH 21 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET).

- "Dancing with the Stars the Results Show" one-hour season premiere, TUESDAY, MARCH 29 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET).

- "Dancing with the Stars'" 1000th Competitive Dance, MONDAY, APRIL 18 (8:00-9:31 p.m., ET)

- "Dancing with the Stars'" final performance show, MONDAY, MAY 23 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET)

- "Dancing with the Stars'" season finale, TUESDAY, MAY 24 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET)

DWTS Celebrities Prepare for Showdown on the Dance Floor

As Season 12 of Dancing with the Stars gets ready to kick off this March 21, celebrity contestants are prepping their moves and hoping that what they’ve got will be enough to take home the much-coveted Mirror Ball Trophy.

Contestant and former Playboy model Kendra Wilkinson was quoted as saying she’s really just a freestyler and that other contestants such as Sugar Ray Leonard, Chris Jericho and Ralph Macchio might have an edge on her because "they’ve done choreography before."

From the entertainment website Gather, blogger Matt Clark quotes Kendra: "I'm all about freestyle and shaking my butt! That's all I got! And I think Kirstie Alley wins the popularity vote; she has the most fans, I think."

Meanwhile, contestant Sugar Ray Leonard says he’s "in it to win it, baby!" and BleacherReport.com has their own "Ten Reasons He’ll Succeed" list posted on their website:
10.) He had to deal with Don King
9.) He knows how to deal with adversity
8.) TV cameras love him
7.) He knows a thing or two about footwork
6.) He gives a great interview
5.) It’s just another comeback for him’
4.) He’s a reality TV veteran (hosted The Contender)
3.) He looks the part (whatever that means)
2.) He’s got the competitive edge
1.) He could make boxing look graceful

Outside of the boxing ring, actress Kirstie Alley says she’s probably been asked to appear on DWTS "every year" before finally agreeing to go on for Season 12. She told Zap2it.com she changed her mind this year because, "It's sort of like a guy who keeps asking you out on a date. You say, 'No, no, no, no,' but then you think, 'He's so tenacious. All right, OK…."

As far as her first rehearsal went, Kirstie admitted to being unprepared for the workout: "I literally thought I was going to die," she told Zap2it. "I was dehydrated. You've got to drink a lot of water."

"Dancing with the Stars" Pro Lineup Announced

The entire lineup of professional dancers set to appear on Season 12 of Dancing With The Stars is listed below. (The pros are in bold, their celebrity partners are to their right.) The season starts on Monday, March 21st!

Tony Dovolani --- Wendy Williams
Anna Trebunskaya --- Sugar Ray Leonard
Chelsie Hightower --- Romeo
Cheryl Burke --- Chris Jericho
Dmitry Chaplin --- Petra Nemcova
Karina Smirnoff --- Ralph Macchio
Kym Johnson --- Hines Ward
Lacey Schwimmer --- Mike Catherwood
Louis Van Amstel --- Kendra Wilkinson
Maksim Chmerkovskiy --- Kirstie Alley
Mark Ballas --- Chelsea Kane

Check out all their bios at the DWTS website, here.

Also check out the bios of the celebrity dancers, here.

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Dancing with the Stars: Seeason 12 Celebrities Announced

Last night Dancing with the Stars announced its celebrity cast of competitors for Season 12. This season's Dancing Stars are:
Men
- Rapper Lil' Romeo
- Retired boxer Sugar Ray Leonard
- The original "Karate Kid," Ralph Macchio
- Wrestler Chris Jericho
- Football player Hines Ward
- "Loveline" host Mike Catherwood

Women
- Disney actress Chelsea Kane
- Model Petra Nemcova
- Reality star Kendra Wilkinson
- Talk show host Wendy Williams
- Actress Kirstie Alley

Meet the entire cast on ABC's website, here.

"Live to Dance" Steps onto the National Dance Stage

The world of dance has greatly benefited from such television hits as Dancing With The Stars and So You Think You Can Dance, and this year dancing fans everywhere have been given yet another treat to satisfy their craving for high-energy dance competition.

Live to Dance premiered on January 4, 2011 with a diverse assortment of acts and with a judging format that gave the viewing audience considerable say in which acts moved forward through the competition. Produced by former American Idol judge Paula Abdul, who also acts as one of three judges (called “experts” on this show) in addition to her role as being a coach and “mentor” to the competitors, the show is derived from the successful British series, Got to Dance. In the 2-hour premiere episode of the American spin-off, 17 acts were chosen by the judges (Abdul and co-judges Travis Payne and Kimberly Wyatt) and one act was chosen by the voting audience to participate in the series’ semi-finals. The semi-finalists were then divided into three groups of six to appear in three semi-final episodes which aired January 12, 19, and 26. In each of those episodes, two acts were chosen – one by the judges and the other by the voting audience – to advance onto the finals. Beginning in February, then, the six remaining finalists performed in front of the audience for the last time before voting began for the show’s Grand Finale episode, which aired on February 9th, and in which the contestants were whittled down first to three finalists and then to two before the winner of the competition was announced.

Live to Dance has a no-age-limit, no-style-limit format which many viewers may have found difficult to judge the various acts by after years of watching episodes of Dancing With The Stars or even the more diverse So You Think You Can Dance. (The acts on Live can range from solos and couples to large ensembles of dancers, and can consist of anything from a Lindy Hop presentation to a Broadway-style show.)

The contestants on Live to Dance compete for a $500,000 prize, which certainly makes all their preparation, practice and performances worthwhile for them. Unfortunately, the new series didn't get the best of reviews from a number of media sources, who were critical of both the show's format and its talent, so its unclear how long of a run the show will enjoy. Still, while it lasts, Live to Dance offers yet another outlet for aspiring dancers to show off their talents on the national stage while providing yet another showcase for the dance profession itself. And for that we can only wish them the best and hope that the televised dance craze that started out with DWTS and SYTYCD can continue on with this latest incarnation.

Oh yeah, and the winner of this year’s Live to Dance competition? Congratulations to ballroom dancers D’Angelo & Amanda!

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Karen Hauer Compares Performing on TV versus Stage

In the latest issue of Dance Beat, writer Andrew Pueschel interviews professional dancer Karen Hauer.

Hauer and her husband & partner, Matt, are currently ranked #6 in the USA in NDCA American Rhythm and captured 2nd place in Mambo at the 2007 NDC Championships, according to Hauer's Facebook page. Hauer has also danced with partners Kevin Hunte (Cha-Cha) and Victor Smalley (Tango, hip-hop) on TV's So You Think You Can Dance.

Hauer is out of the SYTYCD competition these days. She started touring with the theatrical show "Burn the Floor" last year (actually late December of 2009). In the interview, Pueschel asks Hauer about the difference between performing on television and performing on stage.

"It's totally different," Hauer responds. "[On TV] you only have ONE chance to create a character that the audience will either get behind or turn their backs on." She said that in contrast to television, the stage allows a performer to develop their character. "My character grows throughout the show and I can be more myself - who Karen really is."

Pueschel then asked Hauer how she thinks experienced ballroom dancers will view "Burn the Floor."

"Those who know more about the techniques seem to appreciate not only the difficulty and clarity of the routines, but [also] relate to the insanely high level of energy - the acting, the development of each character and the telling of each individual story throughout the evening," she explained. "It really is something that dancers of all levels can be inspired by!"

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Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow...

This past January has been a snowy one for us here at FADS Corporate. In one week's time we had about three feet of snow dumped on us as two storms came by, one after the other (click on the photo above for a larger view). Now it's snowing again today, and local forecasts are calling for another foot-plus to fall by Wednesday.

Happy days!

"Dancing With The Stars" Changed Bristol Palin's Life

Pop Eater reports that Bristol Palin says she has left her Alaska home for good and that "Dancing With the Stars" was the catalyst.

"Bristol loves her mom and family, but it was time for her to start her own life with her son," writes Rob Shuter of Pop Eater, citing a friend of Palin's. "'Dancing With the Stars' changed her life. She had never left home before, and it gave her the confidence to know she can survive and finally step out of her mom's shadow."

Check out the entire story here.

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West Coast Dance Championships Results

Below are the award winners at this year's FADS West Coast Dance Championships.

Congratulations to all the award winners in this year’s event. Special thanks to everyone who helped organize this event and to all the attendees!

Top Amateur Couple
Maria and Tony Sanchez, Pasadena, CA

Top Newcomer Students
Male - David Harris, Portland, OR
Female - Erin Brown, West Hartford, CT

Top Bronze Students
Male - Wayne Lee, San Diego
Female - Linda Coughlin, New York East

Top Silver Student
Barbara Fry, Memphis East

Top Gold Student
Barbara Fry, Memphis East

Top Male Teachers
6th Place - Martin Raphael, Oceanside
5th Place - Olaf Pries, West Hartford
4th Place - Tim Bishop, Chandler
3rd Place - Benjamin Smith, Memphis East
2nd Place - Eguene Graev, New York East
1st Place - Ryan Lockhart, Oceanside

Top Female Teachers
2nd Place - Jessica Reynolds, Portland
1st Place - Dani Palmer, San Diego

Top Studio Runner-Up: San Diego
Top Studio: Oceanside

New FADS Franchise Opens in Greenfield, WI

This news was first announced in our online In Step newsletter, but I thought I'd get it out here for those who don't subscribe to it.

We have welcomed in yet another Fred Astaire Dance Studio franchise, in Greenfield, Wisconsin. Owners Richard and Vanina Soppa have been with Fred Astaire for several years, now, and decided to start their own "Fred Astaire Family," which opened this January 10.

Visit their website here (which is still being put together).

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Fred Astaire "Top 10 Dance Scenes"

Over at a website called Film Misery, blogger Alex Carlson has put together what he calls Fred Astaire's top 10 finest dancing scenes. He's listed them all along with accompanying YouTube videos.

Regardless of whether you agree with his selections, the videos are some of Fred's best moments in film.

Check out the post here.

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On New Year's Resolutions and Ballroom Dancing

The Upper Montclair FADS blog has a great post on New Year's resolutions that relate to ballroom dancing. Actually, the resolutions themselves are pretty general on their own, but the post follows up their listing with a more detailed analysis on why they are all, in fact, associated with the benefits of ballroom dance.

Read the Upper Montclair FADS post here.

Videos: 10th BDFI Malaysia Open DanceSport Championships

On January 9, 2011, the 10th BDFI Malaysia Open DanceSport Championship was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Below is a video clip from the event along with a link below that to more videos.



Check out this link for more videos of the 10th BDFI Malaysia Open DanceSport Championships 2011.

Stamford, CT, First Lady to Start “Dancing Classrooms”

Stamford, CT, first lady Maureen Pavia is set to launch her version of Dancing Classrooms today (January 10th) after the project was initially announced last September.

Pavia, who, according to The Daily Stamford, is herself an accomplished ballroom dancer, is excited about the opportunity. She spent a week in New York last November training for her role in the program. "I'm thrilled, I'm absolutely thrilled,” she told The Daily.

Dancing Classrooms was created in 1994 as the educational component of New York's American Ballroom Theater Company, and is being run in Stamford as part of Pavia’s Stamford Gives Back Association, The Daily reports. The program was established with the goal of helping to improve children’s self-esteem, confidence and social connections.

Pavia will be teaching dance at Stamford’s Waterside School, while another dancer, Maribel Velasco, of Fairfield, will teach at the city’s Boys & Girls Club, The Daily reports. The lessons will include “basic ballroom dancing,” according to Pavia, including the tango, cha-cha, and merengue.

[Photo credit: Deb Failla]

Junior High School Students Show Their Steps

Competitive ballroom dancing isn’t just for studios and television, and in December students at Jefferson Jr. High School, in Woodridge, Illinois, took to the dance floor to compete in that school’s 6th annual Dance Finals Contest.

“During the four-week unit,” writes Woodridge Patch Editor Mellissa Tussing, “the students worked on the waltz, cha-cha, tango and swing and line dancing.

“Students competed during each gym class to be named first, second or third for each of the four ballroom dances. One couple was chosen from each class to go to the dance finals,” Tussing explained in her December 18, 2010 story.

More than 70 judges took part in the final balloting. The top three couples were all 8th-graders, Tussing reported, with students Amanda McCash and Scott DeLaby eventually taking first place.

McCash told the Woodridge Patch her favorite dance is the tango, which she found to be the “least awkward,” and that her favorite part of the competition was just being able to dance with other students. "It was really fun being with our friends and dancing," she told the Patch.

Ballroom Dancing is Child's Play

Keeping your kids occupied can be a chore sometimes. (Keeping them away from video games can be even harder!)

Over at the Stop Tantrums blog, writer "Matt" has a great idea to keep our bored children busy: Ballroom dancing.

"For those who have been searching for a new activity for your youthful child that is certainly as advantageous to them as it is fun, how about ballroom dance lessons?" Matt writes.

Matt lists several of the advantages of putting the kids through lessons, including exercise, building confidence and making friends.

Check out the post here.

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Eastern U.S. Dancesport Championships set for February in Boston

The Eastern United States Dancesport Championships are set for February 18-20, 2011, at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel. According to the event's website, they are expecting an estimated 3000-plus participants. The three day event will include "a variety of dance, clothing, food, sports equipment and health-related products and services."

For more information, check out their webpage, here.

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"Burn the Floor" Comes to Oklahoma City to Start 2011

The stage production "Burn the Floor" came to us long before there ever was a Dancing with the Stars or So You Think You Can Dance. Celebrity Attractions now brings the show to Oklahoma City to kick off 2011...

Celebrity Attractions kicks off 2011 with production of ‘Burn the Floor'

Ballroom Dancing Next Challenge for Wheelchair-bound Bodybuilding Champ

Vowing not to let misfortune bring him down, bodybuilder champ Nick Scott transformed himself in just a few years' time from a depressed, out-of-shape victim of a car crash (which left him wheelchair-bound) to a national bodybuilding champion.

Scott achieved his goal and then some, becoming the nation's leading advocate for wheelchair bodybuilding, according to Kansas City Star reporter Edward M. Eveld.

And now Scott's next challenge is to compete in ballroom dancing, which, he says in Eveld's article, "It’s totally different from power lifting and bodybuilding."

Scott and his dancing partner, Aubree Marchione, have already taken first-place awards at the Atlantic Coast Dancesport Championships in Philadelphia and the Heart of America Dancesport Championships in Kansas City, reports Eveld.

Check out Nick and Aubree in these videos from Scott's site: http://www.nickfitness.com/wheelchair_dancing

Read more of Eveld's story on Scott here: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/12/27/2545038/wheelchair-bodybuilder-champ-nick.html#ixzz19VZEMoKh

See also: Wheelchair Ballroom Dancing gets a Boost

West Coast Dance Championship Dates

The West Coast Championships are set for January 21 & 22, 2011 (Friday and Saturday):

Friday January 21, 2011

Hotel Check in

• All Smooth Divisions
• All International Latin Divisions
• All Smooth Solos and Showcases

Saturday January 22, 2011

• All Standard Divisions
• All Rhythm Divisions
• All Rhythm Solos and Showcases

Awards Banquet

Showcase of Championships featuring Mikhail Zharinov and Galina Detkina

Fred Astaire Look-a-Like

Below is an interesting comparison photograph I ran across. Not bad!


see more Celeb Look-A-Likes

Illinois "Dancing with the Stars" charity benefit

This just in from the Illinois News Tribune:

"Planning has begun for the 2011 edition of Illinois Valley Cellular’s Dancing with the Stars for Charity.
Local charities and high-profile local “stars” can submit requests to participate by emailing Don Grant Zellmer at dongrantzellmer1@yahoo.com and including “Dancing with the Stars ‘11” in the subject line.
The annual event pairs local celebrities with choreographers for months of training and one night of competitive dancing. The 2011 event is scheduled for Sunday, May 22 at Senica’s Oak Ridge, La Salle."

Florence Henderson booked for "Ballroom Dance Celebration at Sea 2012"

Brady Bunch fanatics and fans of Florence Henderson will get a chance to see their favorite celebrities on board a week-long cruise planned for 2012.

The "Ballroom Dance Celebration at Sea 2012" is set to sail January 7-14, 2012, heading out of Miami, Florida on a round trip voyage. "Mrs. Brady" will be along for the trip and will also be hosting a cocktail party. Other Brady Bunch alumni going along on the trip will be Barry Williams (“Greg”) and Susan Olsen (“Cindy”).

According to the news story reporting on the cruise, the dancing on board will feature professional dancer Corky Ballas, holder of several Latin dance championship titles.

See more on the cruise HERE.

Controversy Follows "Dancing with the Stars" 11th Season

All lot of talk has been swirling since last November’s Season 11 finale of Dancing with the Stars. At the center of the controversy has been the apparent edge celebrity dancer Bristol Palin (daughter of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin) received as a result of anonymous email balloting that occurred during the season.

Commenting on professional dancer Derek Hugh, the Green Celebrity Network reported: “Winning with Jennifer Grey against Bristol Palin could not have felt too great – because, bottom line, a loophole in the voting system allowed [for] artificially cast votes done by fictitious and anonymous email to over inflate the votes for Sarah Palin’s daughter, thereby errantly eliminating anyone who could have truly beaten Jennifer in earlier rounds.”

Lori Calabrese, reporting from the national edition of the Examiner website, reported: “Palin's longevity, despite landing at the bottom of the leader board four times this season, was credited to her mom Sarah Palin's political supporters, and it all came to a head when Bristol beat Brandy and Maksim Chmerkovskiy to enter the finals.”

Due in large part to this latest controversy, there is concern now, too, Calabrese reports, that DWTS may be turning into more of a popularity contest than a dancing skills competition, with people flooding the voting lines in support of their favorite celebrity as opposed to the best dancing team. Worse, ABC executives might not necessarily see that as a bad thing.

“The Bristol Palin-fueled Dancing with the Stars Monday night,” Calabrese notes, “posted the strongest results for a Dancing performance finale in six seasons.”

2010 WDC Disney World Open Championship Results (Amateur) - Paris, France

DECEMBER UPDATE: The winners of the 2010 WDC Disney Resort World Open Championship's Amateur Ballroom competition, held on December 10 - 12 in Paris, France are:
1.) Gaetano Iavarone & Emanuela Napolitano (Italy)
2.) Andrey Sirbu & Alexandra Hixson, of (England)
3.) Ben Taylor & Stefani Bossen (England)
4.) Richard Still & Morgan Hemphill (England)

Got the Post-"Dancing with the Stars" Blues?

With Season 11 now in the bag (as of this past November), fans of Dancing with the Stars will have to suffer through yet another long, cold winter before they get to resume their addiction this coming spring, when the hit show begins its 12th Season.

But the harsh winter weeks don't have to all be about living in the "doldrums," as writer Gina Carbone puts it. Carbone, who writes for WetPaint.com, has a few ideas to help keep folks busy as the cold winter season passes between fans' fixes of Dancing. Below are a few of her listed suggestions for passing your time.

1. Take some time to decide once and for all if you are Team Maks or Team Derek.

2. Relive the best and worst routines of Season 11 and mentally prepare yourself for the highs and lows of Season 12.

3. Check out our Season 12 suggestions for DWTS categories like Cutest Old Person and Controversial Figure and suggest your own playlist for Pop Singer, Soap Star, Disney Kid, etc. There are so many "types" to choose from!
....

6. Try to get tickets to watch the show liiiiiiive in the studio audience. Because Derek and Maks are probably even hotter when they're taking their shirts off 10 feet in front of you. We can only imagine. And, oh man, do we imagine...

11. Calculate if any of your relationships lasted longer than the real-life couples of DWTS.

13. See if you even like any of the celebrities who want to be cast next season.

Carbone, who appears to have a soft spot for Maksim Chmerkovskiy, has other ideas, as well. Checkout her entire listing of things to do, here.