My blog pal Goodnight Gram was in the hospital all last week, having a surgery and then recovering. She's home now, getting her rest and continuing to recover, knitting and thinking about stones. In fact, she wondered if I might come up with a Peace Quote about stones.
And so I went looking, and sure enough...
"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." Thomas Jefferson
The 7th Blog Blast for Peace is Thursday. You have a voice. What will you say?
Check the top of my side bar to your left and click on any of the Peace Globe links for all the information you need to participate in this year's Blog Blast for Peace. Or go directly to Mimi Writes and click any of the links just beneath the blog header.
If you need help with your Globe, let me know in comments. You know you want to join us. Come on. Do it.
We're counting down to Blog Blast for Peace on 4 November 2010 with 30 days of peace quotes.
"Though force can protect in emergency, only justice, fairness, consideration, and cooperation can finally lead men to the dawn of eternal peace." Dwight D Eisenhower
Check the top of my side bar to your left and click on any of the Peace Globe links for all the information you need to participate in this year's Blog Blast for Peace. Or go directly to Mimi Writes and click any of the links just beneath the blog header.
If you need help with your Globe, let me know in comments. You know you want to join us. Come on. Do it.
We're counting down to Blog Blast for Peace on 4 November 2010 with 30 days of peace quotes.
"What is the quality of your intent...My intent will be evident in the results." Thurgood Marshall
Check the top of my side bar to your left and click on any of the Peace Globe links for all the information you need to participate in this year's Blog Blast for Peace. Or go directly to Mimi Writes and click any of the links just beneath the blog header.
If you need help with your Globe, let me know in comments. You know you want to join us. Come on. Do it.
I suppose this week's theme is pretty obvious. The song that inspired this rainy Set 40 is Here Comes that Rainy Day Feeling Again as performed by The Fortunes, but I couldn't find it on Playlist.com.
Of course that sent us to YouTube for the video. And then that led us to quite the pleasant evening video hopping. We started with The Fortunes and after an hour ended up with I Will Always Love You as performed by the incomparable Dolly Parton. I should have kept track of the songs we hopped so you could see how we made that little journey.
Anyway, here's our rain songs for Set 40.
As always, if you'd like to join us in the musical fun, the guidelines are basic and simple.
1. Grab the banner, make your post title Five on Friday, and be sure to link back here.
2. Go to Playlist.com to make your play list of five songs. You may choose a particular theme to share with us, or post random tunes if that's your vibe for the day. You can simply post the play list, or you can add a little summary about what you are sharing.
2a. Don't feel restricted by the tracks listed on Playlist.com. And don't be discouraged if the Embed code won't work. You're welcome to use any type of media to share your Sets.
3. Be sure to sign Mr Linky so everyone can visit your Set.
4. No tags, but feel free to invite your friends to play along if they need a post topic on a Friday.
Recently I've been remiss at answering your comments. You take time out of your days to cruise by and read what I've written, or look at the pictures, or visit a link I offer, or view the video clips I find, or listen to the music I post. Many of you have been here since that first post, and others have stumbled upon this place along the way. I feel a sense of community with all of you. Early on in the process I made it my philosophy to answer comments. After all, you were moved to take a few extra minutes to write them. It's only right for me to respond.
I apologize for not doing that more regularly. The only excuse I have is that life has gotten busy. That's true, but more and more I understand that this blog is part of my life. So "life got in the way" is kind of a measly reason for not interacting with you when you so generously offer your thoughts to me.
I can't ignore the people and things in my brick and mortar world that need my attention. And I can't ignore the people and things in my virtual world that also need my attention.
So it comes down to balance, doesn't it? And after four years of having this place I realize that sometimes brick and mortar balances with virtual. Sometimes it doesn't.
You can depend on this...when the cycle of my life moves back into balance, I will answer your comments regularly. Until then, know that I read what you have to say to me and consider your words as much a part of this places as my own words and images and links and videos and music Sets.
You are my community.
"In every community there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart there is the power to do it." Marianne Williamson
Check the top of my side bar to your left and click on any of the Peace Globe links for all the information you need to participate in this year's Blog Blast for Peace. Or go directly to Mimi Writes and click any of the links just beneath the blog header.
If you need help with your Globe, let me know in comments. You know you want to join us. Come on. Do it.
If you read my recap of Monday's performance show, you might infer that my disagreement with the majority of the judges' scores last night might make it difficult for me to choose some encore routines for you today.
You would be correct.
So guess what? You get links to all the dances from Monday!
Click here to watch the Paso Doble from Jennifer and Derek. I admit to bias, but I just don't see how this dance rated at 20, despite the mistake at the end. I don't mind criticism of my favorite celebrity, but I don't care for it much when it seems fabricated based on 15 seconds of mistake at the end of 1min 30sec of otherwise solid dancing.
Click here to watch the Tango from Bristol and Mark. I thought Bristol really connected with the way Mark choreographed this dance. I thought it was entertaining and technically excellent, but the judges thought it was only worth 23. Or perhaps they really thought it was a 26, but each graded down 1 point for the air guitar break in the hold, which is a no no in competition Tango.
And for fun, here's the Rock and Roll Dance Marathon.
Here's a reminder of the leader board after Monday's performances:
36 Brandy and Maks 32 Audrina and Tony 30 Kyle and Lacey 30 Rick and Cheryl 29 Jennifer and Derek 28 Bristol and Mark 22 Kurt and Anna Let's get our first results...Kurt and Anna are safe. Bristol and Mark are safe.
The judges select the Tango from Bristol and Mark as the encore choice.
Oh yeah! It's Ann and Nancy Wilson in the ballroom...otherwise known as Heart and they rocked Barracuda! And a word to those who pre-record their vocals so they can dance around the ballroom...Heart plays it live baby. They were accompanied by Derek, Louis, Damien (from last season), Karina, Chelsie, and Anna Demidova in a great Paso choreographed by Louis.
More results...Rick and Cheryl are safe.
Check it...Alice Cooper, Dee Snider, and Bret Michaels talk about the remaining celebrities. That's hilarious. But why not? They know about as much as I do about dancing, and way more than me about what it takes to get on stage and perform.
Macy's Stars of Dance features dancers choreographed by Travis Wall, a champion high school show choir, and the kids from School of Rock, paying tribute to Rock Week. That was outstanding!
Next up...it's Kylie Minogue. That was enjoyable. More results...Brandy and Maks are safe. Kyle and Lacey are safe. Jennifer and Derek are safe.
That means Audrina and Tony are out.
The judges made a big show, whining about justice and how neither Audrina nor Jennifer should go home at this stage. Well guess what gang? Len said he was disappointed with Audrina still not getting the character of the dance. And the judges as a group handed out a 20 to Jennifer. You just can't have it both ways.
The fans voted for Baby, and didn't vote enough for Audrina. That's how the show works. One of these days, Tony...you'll hoist that Fabulous Mirror Ball Trophy.
So next week is the 200th episode of Dancing with the Stars. Taylor Swift and Rod Stewart will visit the ballroom. There will be all kinds of returning celebrities and guest judges. And, Kristi Yamaguchi and Apolo Anton Ohno will be captains for team dances. Cool, eh?
We're counting down to Blog Blast for Peace on 4 November 2010 with 30 days of peace quotes.
"The best principles of our republic secure to all its citizens a perfect equality of rights." Thomas Jefferson
Check the top of my side bar to your left and click on any of the Peace Globe links for all the information you need to participate in this year's Blog Blast for Peace. Or go directly to Mimi Writes and click any of the links just beneath the blog header.
If you need help with your Globe, let me know in comments. You know you want to join us. Come on. Do it.
This week our 7 remaining pairs face two dances, one individual piece set to rock music and then a group dance marathon. The dance marathon has become a fun feature over the last few seasons. Our dance styles are Paso Doble and Tango, which makes sense because those Latin dances fit the back beat of most rock songs.
But first, it's a count down of the Top 10 favorite dances across all seasons, as voted by fans.
10. Freestyle from Shawn Johnson and Mark Ballas, Season 8 champions 9. Argentine Tango from Donny Osmond and Kym Johnson, Season 9 champions 8. Quickstep from Helio Castroneves and Julianne Hough, Season 5 champions 7. Freestyle from Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough, Season 4 champions 6. Paso Doble from Joanna Krupa and Derek Hough, Season 9 4th place 5. Paso Doble from Mel B and Maks Chmerkovskiy, Season 5 runners up 4. Paso Doble from Nicole Scherzinger and Derek Hough, Season 10 champions 3. Samba from Apolo and Julianne 2. Argentine Tango from Gilles Marini and Cheryl Burke, Season 8 runners up 1. Freestyle from Drew Lachey and Cheryl Burke, Season 2 champions
Yes, that sound you heard was Pam's squee for Donny's Argentine Tango.
Let's see how our stars handle Latin dances to rock tunes.
Audrina and Tony dance Paso Doble. I thought she was going to be a real contender, but I think she's going backwards. She looks very unsure of her steps. She did fine when Tony was placing her, but when she had to dance, I thought it was just completely flat. I didn't feel any of the aggression and passion that I expect from Paso. I think she really does have the ability and talent to get better, but she's just not improving in her performances. Maybe she's just not able to be comfortable with the Latin styles. Her posture and control are pretty good. I'd like to see her extend and emphasize each movement. Carrie Ann said it well...Audrina needs to understand the intention behind each movement, and that will help her with her performance. Judges say 8's across for a total of 24. I don't understand the score. The judges were lukewarm about the dance, but the score suggests that they liked it better than they described.
Kyle and Lacey dance Tango. I like the way he attacked this dance. He had the right demeanor. He did fumble a few steps, but I thought his posture and his frame was pretty solid. He stayed in character also. There didn't seem to be any of the little charm breaks that he's had in most of his dances. I think that was his best dance to date and I loved Lacey's choreography. He demonstrated control throughout the entire dance. He concentrated on his footwork and straightened out his pidgeon toes. His performance and connection to the audience still carries him, but I can see that he's beginning to bring performance and technique more into balance. This dance made me smile and was definitely an improvement over last week. Judges say 8,7,8 for a total of 23. Now I thought this dance was better than Audrina and Tony.
Jennifer and Derek dance Paso Doble. I have very high expectations for this dance. This dance might make my list of Top 10 dances. I loved the intensity and the passion. It was dramatic, but also sophisticated. It was also very fast paced, and that caught up to them right at the end. Jennifer lost her balance right on the last spin, and then Derek lost his timing. They really pushed it, and as the dance got to the end the speed of the footwork and spins got away from them. I thought the dance was excellent right up until that last few moments when it got away from them. Judges say 6,7,7 for a total of 20. I don't understand that score. The dance had everything a proper Paso needs. They just missed on about 15 seconds at the end. Have I gone completely blind to what they are doing because Jennifer is my favorite? Sure they weren't perfect with that miss at the end, but I don't see how that is a 20 dance.
Do you notice a theme? I'm not on the same page as the judges.
Rick and Cheryl dance Tango. Well, it looks like he's gone back to Optimus Prime. I thought he was very stiff and mechanical in his movement. And his face was completely expressionless. He's an actor, so I would have expected he could portray the passion and drama of this dance. I was not impressed by the performance. On the positive side, I did think his posture, frame, and hold were very good. This Tango was more like a Paso with the aggression and intensity. I prefer a more romantic and passionate Tango. I think maybe his need to analyze every step is coming across in trying to be too precise with technique and footwork, which is impacting his performance. At least it is for me. Judges say 8's across for a total of 24. I don't get that score either.
Bristol and Mark dance Tango. Now I can actually recognize proper Tango steps in this choreography, and see them performed well. She was precise and clean with her footwork. And that break for the bit of air guitar didn't put her off her game. She got silly, then she got right back into character. Unfortunately, that break in hold is a penalty in a competition Tango because once you take up hold you must maintain it until the end. I think this was her best performance to date...because it was a complete performance, combining the technique with the character. That was really enjoyable. It was a proper Tango and it was danced very well. Even with the penalty due from the air guitar break, this was a terrific dance. Judges say 8,7,8 for a total of 23. Oh for Pete's sake! I thought that was as good as or better than Audrina or Rick!
Kurt and Anna dance Paso Doble. He had the Paso attitude, but I had some problems with what he was doing with his free arm a couple of times. In hold I thought he was terrific. But when he separated from Anna, something got lost. The crowd went nuts, but I can't really figure out why. I thought the dance was actually a bit sloppy and quite awkward. I think the best thing I can say about the dance was the intensity, but it ended up being a bit too rough and tumble. He had plenty of attitude, but lacked the technical proficiency. Judges say 6's across for a total of 18. This would be the first time I kind of agreed with the scoring. And I think from the reaction of the crowd that we can expect plenty of folks to get the phones out for Kurt.
Brandy and Maks dance Tango. I expect her to be very good in this dance, but she has to do what she did last week, which is forget about everything and just dance it. I hated the costumes, but everything else about this dance was outstanding. When she settles down and trusts Maks, she is excellent. She put everything into that dance. Maks' choreography was perfect. It worked with the music and it worked for her ability. She took all of the emotion from the last few weeks and channeled it into an excellent performance. It wasn't perfect...there were a few balance slips. But not being perfect didn't keep it from being very enjoyable. Judges say 8,9,9 for a total of 26. That's well deserved.
Here's our leader board after the individual dances:
26 Brandy and Maks 24 Rick and Cheryl 24 Audrina and Tony 23 Bristol and Mark 23 Kyle and Lacey 20 Jennifer and Derek 18 Kurt and Anna
Now we have the dance marathon. It's 4 minutes with everyone dancing on the floor at the same time, in their own spotlight. They can do legal lifts and moves from Jive and Lindy Hop. They dance to be last couple standing, and points are awarded based on the way they finish. I can never judge so many couples on the floor at once, so I'll just report the order of finish.
Kurt and Anna are out for 4 points. Bristol and Mark are out for 5 points. Rick and Cheryl are out for 6 points. Kyle and Lacey are out for 7 points. Audrina and Tony are out for 8 points. Jennifer and Derek are out for 9 points. Brandy and Maks win the dance marathon for 10 points.
Here's our combined leader board:
36 Brandy and Maks 32 Audrina and Tony 30 Kyle and Lacey 30 Rick and Cheryl 29 Jennifer and Derek 28 Bristol and Mark 22 Kurt and Anna
We were extremely irritated with the scoring. We're willing to admit that maybe we're purposely not seeing the issues the judges have with Jennifer's performances over the last two weeks. But we also understand what this show is about. So we will not apologize for taking both of our personal cell phones and both of our work cell phones, and using all our possible votes for Jennifer and Derek.
Put Baby at the bottom of the leader board? Nobody puts Baby at the bottom of the leader board! Not if I have anything to say about it.
Tune in tonight for results, and check back tomorrow for encores.
Later gang!
We're counting down to Blog Blast for Peace on 4 November 2010 with 30 days of peace quotes.
"A wise man makes his own decisions; an ignorant man follows public opinion." (Chinese proverb)
Check the top of my side bar to your left and click on any of the Peace Globe links for all the information you need to participate in this year's Blog Blast for Peace. Or go directly to Mimi Writes and click any of the links just beneath the blog header.
If you need help with your Globe, let me know in comments. You know you want to join us. Come on. Do it.
We got our ballots in the mail last week, and this weekend we took some time to consider and then to fill them out. Today we'll drop them in the mail.
It always makes me feel good to vote. I know, without a doubt, that I have done my part to hold accountable those who make decisions in my name. That's my duty as an American citizen and I take it very seriously.
Since I know that you, my blog pals, are all civic minded individuals who understand the importance of participating in the election process, I won't spend any time admonishing you about either mailing your ballots or getting to the polls next Tuesday. Prepare to vote, and then vote on 2 November.
What? Oh. Sorry about that. Just a small admonishment, OK?
We're counting down to Blog Blast for Peace on 4 November 2010 with 30 days of peace quotes.
"None of us got where we are solely by pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps." Thurgood Marshall
Check the top of my side bar to your left and click on any of the Peace Globe links for all the information you need to participate in this year's Blog Blast for Peace. Or go directly to Mimi Writes and click any of the links just beneath the blog header.
If you need help with your Globe, let me know in comments. You know you want to join us. Come on. Do it.
We're counting down to Blog Blast for Peace on 4 November 2010 with 30 days of peace quotes.
"I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday." Abraham Lincoln
Check the top of my side bar to your left and click on any of the Peace Globe links for all the information you need to participate in this year's Blog Blast for Peace. Or go directly to Mimi Writes and click any of the links just beneath the blog header.
If you need help with your Globe, let me know in comments. You know you want to join us. Come on. Do it.
It's bad news for my pal Vinny. Texas beat the Yankees last night to win the ALCS 4 games to 2. The Rangers did three things consistently well during this series...they made productive outs, they got timely base hits, and they shut down the Yankee bats with outstanding pitching. So NY will not get a chance to repeat as World Series champs.
This is the first World Series appearance for Texas. Congrats to the Rangers.
The Giants look to close out the defending NL champion Phillies today. SF leads the NLCS 3 games to 1. I cannot root for the Giants...it's a Dodger thing. But I'll be happy for my pal Katherine if SF wins today, because she's a Giants fan.
We're counting down to Blog Blast for Peace on 4 November 2010 with 30 days of peace quotes.
"Never take a person's dignity: it is worth everything to them, and nothing to you." Frank Barron
Check the top of my side bar to your left and click on any of the Peace Globe links for all the information you need to participate in this year's Blog Blast for Peace. Or go directly to Mimi Writes and click any of the links just beneath the blog header.
If you need help with your Globe, let me know in comments. You know you want to join us. Come on. Do it.
We're counting down to Blog Blast for Peace on 4 November 2010 with 30 days of peace quotes.
"Wisdom ceases to be wisdom when it becomes too proud to weep, too grave to laugh, and too selfish to seek other than itself." Kahlil Gibran
Check the top of my side bar to your left and click on any of the Peace Globe links for all the information you need to participate in this year's Blog Blast for Peace. Or go directly to Mimi Writes and click any of the links just beneath the blog header.
If you need help with your Globe, let me know in comments. You know you want to join us. Come on. Do it.
I felt like some metal for Set 39. I'm not a metal expert, but I think Rob Halford has one of the best voices of the genre.
So today I offer Judas Priest. Oh...the song titled Ram It Down is actually Priest's excellent cover of Johnny B Goode.
As always, if you'd like to join us in the musical fun, the guidelines are basic and simple.
1. Grab the banner, make your post title Five on Friday, and be sure to link back here.
2. Go to Playlist.com to make your play list of five songs. You may choose a particular theme to share with us, or post random tunes if that's your vibe for the day. You can simply post the play list, or you can add a little summary about what you are sharing.
2a. Don't feel restricted by the tracks listed on Playlist.com. And don't be discouraged if the Embed code won't work. You're welcome to use any type of media to share your Sets.
3. Be sure to sign Mr Linky so everyone can visit your Set.
4. No tags, but feel free to invite your friends to play along if they need a post topic on a Friday.
If you've set up your earning and spending to add up to $0.00 on 21 December 2012, you might want to re-think your strategy.
Mayan prophecy pegged to wrong year? Isn't that the problem with those pesky prophecies though? They always predict the worst, but they can't really tell you exactly when the worst is going to happen.
I prefer to look at it like this...the future is going to be what it is.
We have control over our decisions, even if our choices are limited. If you've got at least two choices, you get to make a decision.
We have control over our actions, even if our options are limited. If you've got at least two options, you get to pick an action.
We have control over our attitude, because there is no standard way to react to any given situation.
Make the most of the choices you have. Act in the way that seems best to you.
And no matter what you encounter, be positive in your mind and you'll be positive in your life.
We're counting down to Blog Blast for Peace on 4 November 2010 with 30 days of peace quotes.
"There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why...I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?" Robert F Kennedy
Check the top of my side bar to your left and click on any of the Peace Globe links for all the information you need to participate in this year's Blog Blast for Peace. Or go directly to Mimi Writes and click any of the links just beneath the blog header.
If you need help with your Globe, let me know in comments. You know you want to join us. Come on. Do it.
We liked the Quickstep from Kurt and Anna, danced to the theme from Bewitched, because it was delightful and charming. And we forgive Anna for not knowing who Walter Payton was. Click here if the video doesn't play.
We liked the Rumba from Rick and Cheryl, danced to the theme from Hill Street Blues, for its smooth elegance and sophistication. Click here if the video doesn't play.
I'm prepared to admit that I may be blinded to whatever negative things the judges saw in the Foxtrot from Jennifer and Derek, because she is my favorite. I honestly thought this was a wonderfully theatrical performance, danced to the theme from Married with Children. Click here if the video doesn't play.
Dance of the night goes to the Quickstep from Brandy and Maks, danced to the theme from Friends. I think this dance showed what she is capable of when she settles in and doesn't worry about being perfect. Click here if the video doesn't play.
Good stuff gang!
Here's a reminder of our leader board for TV Theme Week:
27 Brandy and Maks 25 Jennifer and Derek 24 Kurt and Anna 24 Rick and Cheryl 23 Audrina and Tony 21 Florence and Corky 20 Kyle and Lacey 18 Bristol and Mark
Results to start..Kyle and Lacey are safe. Bristol and Mark are safe.
There's your first hint about the fanbases. Remember, this show is not always about who dances well. It's about viewer votes.
The judges select the Quickstep from Brandy and Maks for the encore.
Jason Derulo is in the ballroom. I hated it. But that's not really music that is directed at me. Moving on now.
More results...Brandy and Maks are safe.
There's a very moving video about a family from the Congo...a woman and her five sons who emigrated as refugees to make a better life. The boys are all hip hop dancers, and DWTS gave them a chance to dance for their mom. They each danced with one of our pro gals...even the littlest guy. They danced Cha Cha Cha, and then got to work the hip hop.
More results...Kurt and Anna are safe.
Shakira visits the ballroom. Give her credit...she always brings a lot of energy. I guess it's OK that the guest performers bring their own dancers. I enjoy a good show. But I miss watching our pros.
Jason Derulo returns, performing his cover of Georgia On My Mind. I'm sure this young man is very earnest about his craft, but his voice sounds way too immature for this song. But we did have two guest pros to accompany the performance. I didn't recognize them.
More results...Audrina and Tony are safe. Jennifer and Derek are safe. Rick and Cheryl are safe.
So that means Florence and Corky are out.
Well, if you've never watched the show before, next week would be the time to check it out. Not only do we have Rock Week, but Monday at 8pm we'll have a count down of the Top 10 dances across all seasons, as chosen by viewers. I know I've got my favorites. Do you have yours?
Later gang!
We're counting down to Blog Blast for Peace on 4 November 2010 with 30 days of peace quotes.
"Without continued growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning." Benjamin Franklin
Check the top of my side bar to your left and click on any of the Peace Globe links for all the information you need to participate in this year's Blog Blast for Peace. Or go directly to Mimi Writes and click any of the links just beneath the blog header.
If you need help with your Globe, let me know in comments. You know you want to join us. Come on. Do it.
This week our 8 remaining pairs dance to TV theme music. Hmmmm...
The first 30 minutes is a judges' summary of what it's going to take for each celebrity to have a chance to win the competition, along with a recap of the dances the judges feel were the best so far for each pair.
For the performances, I hope that the producers have matched each couple with music and a dance style that make sense. We shall see.
Brandy and Maks dance Quickstep to the theme from Friends. The opening of the dance had great energy. It set the tone for a fun dance, and then they followed through. They danced all over the stage. It bothered me a little bit because there seemed to be a bit more running than dancing in parts. But the dancing they did was so fast. And I was impressed by how she was able to maintain the controlled and poised upper body, while her legs and feet were moving wildly through some pretty intense footwork. And she never missed a step. Plus, she hung right with the tempo and kept up without Maks having to drag her through it. As for performance, she nailed it. Judges say 9's across for a total of 27. That's well deserved. The judges may have said that her Rumba last week was her best dance, but I think this Quickstep just surpassed that.
Florence and Corky dance Tango to the theme from The Brady Bunch. I'm not sure how you Tango to this song. The band has emphasized the beat to make it seem like Tango music. It's actually working in terms of the steps, but Tango is supposed to be dramatic. It started out well, but then it became kind of silly. It's like last week's Rumba, almost a parody of what the proper dance should be. The performance was very entertaining and she looked like she had a great time dancing it. But it just didn't feel like a proper Tango to me. I think Corky did a good job designing the dance around music that didn't really match the style, and Florence danced very well in parts. But then the movements got kind of frantic and jerky. The end of the dance just felt foolish to me. Judges say 7's across for a total of 21. I think she earned that score because she did get through the steps.
Kurt and Anna dance Quickstep to the theme from Bewitched. I think this is another strong match of music with dance style. The opening was clever, as she twitched her nose as if to wake up the dancer in Kurt. His posture looks pretty good this week, and he is definitely leading her through the dance. He looks very elegant. This was fun and light choreography, and I really enjoyed the performance. It had a charm about it. He managed to make the dance float in places. And he paid attention to so many little details that lets us overlook some of the heaviness in his legs at times. That helped to enhanced the performance and make it really wonderful. Judges say 8's across for a total of 24. Yup! The quality of the performance overshadowed a few of the technical issues.
Audrina and Tony dance Rumba to the theme from The Hills. I'm not familiar with the program or the song, so we'll see how this goes. She looks amazing. And I guess the dancing looked fine to the judges and the studio audience. The music matched really well with the dance style. But I didn't really feel the romantic connection between the two of them that I expect from a Rumba. And I thought that her hips were actually twisting rather than rolling through the movement, and that took the sensuality out of the dance for me. The performance ended up feeling flat and bland to me. Maybe I just really wanted it to be great. I'll have to watch it back and see if what I saw matched what the dance was. Judges say 7,8,8 for a total of 23. Carrie Ann took a point off for a lift she said she saw. I didn't see a lift, but it's possible that I missed it. I wonder if I might be overly critical of Audrina.
Kyle and Lacey dance Foxtrot to the theme from Charlie's Angels. The music and dance style didn't match very well. Lacey threw in a few disco moves, but that didn't really change the fact that it just wasn't Foxtrot music. This is unfortunate. Lacey was constrained by the music and the style, and she did the best she could with it. I liked what she tried to do. However, it really didn't have enough Foxtrot in it. I have to agree with Len and Bruno that the dance just wasn't very good. On the runs in hold, rather than gracefully floating across the floor, they bounced. And the way I learned it, there's no bouncing in Foxtrot. I like Kyle's enthusiasm and I enjoy Lacey's youthful choreography, but this dance just didn't work for me. It felt too silly, and silly is not a good description of a Foxtrot. Judges say 8,5,7 for a total of 20. I would have gone 6's across.
Rick and Cheryl dance Rumba to the theme from Hill Street Blues. That is one of my all time favorite shows, and one of my all time favorite pieces of TV music. The music has a drama all it's own. I thought Rick dance well. He maintained a strong and confident posture. He moved Cheryl through the dance. It was relaxed, and this time he managed a gentleness in his movement. There was nothing robotic in his dancing this week. He was smooth, and there was an elegance to the choreography that I appreciated. I did miss some of the sensual connection between the two of them. But I thought the performance was very good, much better than last week. Judges say 8's across for a total of 24. Nice!
Bristol and Mark dance Jive to the theme from the Monkeys. There is no hiding in a Jive. It needs energy, personality, and performance. They started the dance in monkey suits. Well, I guess she tried. She took a step forward in her performance, but that was while she was in the monkey suit. When she took the suit off, the dance fell apart on her. She forgot some steps. Her musicality suffered. Outside of the monkey suit, she just couldn't pull a performance together. And in the interview after the dance she said she didn't like the Jive. Maybe so, but you can't let that show in the performance. That comes from not having any experience as an entertainer. Judges say 6's across for a total of 18. Well, at least they can't call her a "teen activist" anymore. It's her 20th birthday. Happy Birthday!
Jennifer and Derek dance Foxtrot to the theme from Love and Marriage. Dammit. I hate the drama in the rehearsal. But at least she walks away from it, takes a break, lets it go, and comes back ready to work. I love the characterization of this dance. It was light and classy. I thought I saw a couple of mis-steps, but they were covered very well. The judges picked on the dance. I expected that, since she had such an amazing Tango last week. It did seem like Derek took a week off in terms of difficult and intense choreography. They took extra time at the top to get into the dancing, and more time at the end to dismount from the routine. Since they have two dances next week, that makes sense. I liked the theatricality of the dance, and the story they told with it. I enjoyed the performance. Judges say 8,8,9 for a total of 25. Even though the judges were critical, that's a pretty solid score. Here's our leader board:
27 Brandy and Maks 25 Jennifer and Derek 24 Kurt and Anna 24 Rick and Cheryl 23 Audrina and Tony 21 Florence and Corky 20 Kyle and Lacey 18 Bristol and Mark
I think this week we're really going to see who has the fanbase. Are the Brady fans there for Florence? Are the Disney kids there for Kyle? Where are the votes coming from for Bristol?
We stuck with Rick and Jennifer again this week. I think we might just be locked in, as long as both of them keep making it through. We like what Brandy, Kurt, Kyle, and Audrina are doing, but we're not compelled to change our votes yet.
You know the drill...tune in tonight for results, and check back tomorrow for my encores.
Later gang!
We're counting down to Blog Blast for Peace on 4 November 2010 with 30 days of peace quotes.
"Don't find fault. Find a remedy." Henry Ford
Check the top of my side bar to your left and click on any of the Peace Globe links for all the information you need to participate in this year's Blog Blast for Peace. Or go directly to Mimi Writes and click any of the links just beneath the blog header.
If you need help with your Globe, let me know in comments. You know you want to join us. Come on. Do it.
