Trav's Thoughts

To everyone experiencing severe weather, my thoughts are with you.  Stay safe.

Quick tip of the hat to HRH Prince William of Wales and his bride, the lovely Miss Catherine Middleton. 

And now, on with Set 66.

Did you know that the week before I was born, on 4 April 1964, The Beatles had the top 5 spots on the Billboard Hot 100?  They had 12 songs on the singles chart, and that's never been done before or since.

The #1 song on 11 April 1964, my birthday, was Can't Buy Me Love.  It was #1 for the entire month of April in 1964.  I've selected 4 other favorites from the year I was born.

Enjoy!




If you'd like to join in, here are the guidelines:

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 Set 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 Set, 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.

Go forth and enjoy music!

My Lakers did what they do...they went on the road and closed out a tough Hornets team in game 6 to win the first round series 4 games to 2.

Kobe Bryant led the way with 24 points.  Andrew Bynum added 18 points and 12 rebounds.  Pau Gasol had 16 points and 8 rebounds.  Lamar Odom continued his strong play as the reigning NBA 6th Man with 14 points and 8 rebounds.  In fact, LA outrebounded New Orleans 43-30. 

My Lakers host Dallas in the next round.  The Mavericks closed out pesky Portland 4 games to 2 last night as well.

I read over the weekend that muffins were invented so people could secretly enjoy CAKE for breakfast.  CAKE for breakfast...like that's a bad thing?

I get that the claims of the Glaceau VitaminWater Zero people are probably exaggerated.  But drinking the sweetened allegedly nutrient enhanced water beverage has done two things...it's got me drinking more water and it's got me off diet soda.  If nothing else, my caffeine intake is way down and my energy levels haven't suffered.  Plus I'm sleeping a little better.  So maybe VitaminWater is just tap water with sweeteners plus artificial coloring and flavoring, but the benefits for me aren't really about vitamins and minerals.

I've got a new colleague at work.  She's picking up the things that I picked up while another co-worker left to pursue a new opportunity.  So what I have to remember as I'm doing a little bit of training is that the things I have found that work for me when I'm doing transactions won't always work for everyone.  So I need to stick to the basic process, then tell the person what I've found that makes things easier for me, and then let her decide what is gong to work best for her as she gets comfortable with the tasks.

Tootsie Pops are awesome.

Memphis found out how tough it is to close out a series on the road in San Antonio last night.  The Grizzlies erased a 16 point deficit and had a 3 point lead with :01.7 left in regulation.  But they made a bad defensive switch and allowed the Spurs to get a wide open look at a 3 point shot to tie the game and force OT.  Then SA jumped out to a quick lead and held it for the win.  The Grizzlies still lead the first round series 3 games to 2 with a chance to close out at home in game 6 on Friday and avoid a game 7 back in San Antonio.

I don't think I've told you lately how much I love my Kindle.  I got it right at the end of July last year.  To date I have purchased and read 50 books.  That's a little over a book a week.  There have been some weekends when Pam and I have been like chain readers.  We'll finish a book and have another ready to download.  Here's how I break it down by genre:

• Mystery/thriller = 17
• Science Fiction/fantasy = 18
• Fiction = 14
• Non-fiction = 1

My 51st book falls in the mystery/thriller category.  It's called Shakespeare's Trollop, by Charlaine Harris.  She writes the Sookie Stackhouse stories.  I enjoy the way Ms Harris writes and Pam and I have been devouring everything we can find from her.

I've been thinking about finding some kind of graphic for Trav's Thoughts so you can follow along with what I'm reading.  But I'm reading so fast!


So I'm getting another birthday gift this evening.  All I know is that I'm supposed to leave work no later than 15:00 this evening and go straight home.  I shall report on this celebration on Monday.

It's encores and results, live from Hollywood!


Our celebrities and pros gave us some really good stuff for Monday's Guilty Pleasures Night.  Here is what we liked.  You'll have to click on the links to see the dances.  For some reason I'm not able to embed videos anymore.

I haz a worry.  That's LOLCats-speak to convey my concern with Kirstie's inability to get her breath under control after she dances.   Even so, I give the Lady credit for dancing a mighty fine Samba with Maks.  Click here to see the dance.

When I heard that Romeo was going to be on the show, you could not have convinced me that the young man would be able to pull off elegant and sophisticated.  But Romeo does it.  His Waltz with Chelsie was beautiful and romantic, just like a Waltz should be.  Click here to see the dance.

The judges pointed out some minor issues with the Viennese Waltz from Hines and Kym, but I thought it was outstanding.  Click here to see the dance.  It's the long clip with rehearsal footage because I couldn't find the short one.

Even thought we're not committing votes to her at this point, I think Chelsea is definitely in the Top 3 "best" celebrity dancers this season.  Her Quickstep with Mark is our choice for dance of the night.  Click here to see the dance.

Outstanding!

Here's a review of our Guilty Pleasures leader board:

28 Chelsea and Mark
28 Romeo and Chelsie
27 Hines and Kym
26 Kirstie and Maks
25 Kendra and Louis
24 Ralph and Karina
22 Chris and Cheryl

And now on with the show!

Hanson is in the ballroom performing a new single.  And there's our Dance Troupe with a little bit of Samba.  It's not a bad song, but I find that pop tunes are almost always better with our dancing pros.

This first hour is called The Road to the Finals.  We've got clips of judges and former finalists talking strengths and weaknesses of each of our remaining 7 celebrities.

Len says that Hines is smooth, musical, and a fine technician.  He is also charming and sophisticated, with an understanding of how to maintain a strong frame for Kym.  He's very naturally elegant, and he makes everything look effortless.  And we get to see that beautiful Viennese Waltz again, with Len's commentary.

Bruno says that Chelsea's strength is her precision and timing, along with her versatility.  She brings energy, but also maintains control of her posture and footwork.  She can dance on the edge, but not go beyond it.  She's a great match for Mark because she's willing to take risks.  And we get to see the cheeky Cha Cha Cha, with Bruno's commentary.

Len says that Chris' strength is his energy and his ability to take charge of a dance.  Consensus is that Chris makes great lines with elegance and precision.  He is smooth and is a strong lead for Cheryl.  He also brings a surprising gentleness to his movement.  And we get to see the surprisingly good Viennese Waltz, with Len's commentary.

Len says that Kendra's strength is that she is taking the criticism, coming back, and trying even harder.  He praises her footwork and her technique, and says that she has learned to make wonderful lines.  He says the dancer is starting to come out.  And we get to see her patriotic Foxtrot, with Len's commentary.

Check it out!  We've got a live performance from the Tony nominated Broadway show Rock of Ages, starring Constantine Maroulis and Rebecca Faulkenberry.

Carrie Ann says that Romeo's strength is his raw style and swagger, along with his musicality.  The thing that surprised everyone was his display of elegance and sweet charm to go with that swagger, and that often overcomes his lack of technical polish.  And we get to see the transforming Foxtrot, with Carrie Ann's commentary.

Bruno says Ralph's strength is the ability to inhabit the role.  He's stronger in ballroom than in Latin, mainly because he's reticent to release the inner fire and dance with the abandon the Latin dances require.  Ralph wants to control, rather than take the risks necessary with Latin.  In ballroom he can fall into the character and rely on his ability as an actor to understand what to bring and when to bring it.  We get to see the wonderful Waltz, with Bruno's commentary.

Carrie Ann says Kirstie's strength is her confidence and sensuality.  She has great foot placement and knows how to keep her weight centered over her feet.  And she's authentic, making no apologies for who she is.  Her mental strength has served her well through several mishaps, and all of those qualities have endeared her to voters as well as her ability to perform to the audience.  And we get to see the eye opening first Cha Cha Cha that established that she can do the dancing, with Carrie Ann's commentary.

You know what?  If you read back through my show recaps, you'll find that I've said a lot of the things the judges said about each celebrity.  And I type my commentary as the dances are happening.  I never just repeat what the judges say and pass it off as my own thoughts.  It's encouraging to be mostly on the same page as people who really know what to look for with these performances.

OK...let's open the second hour with New Kids on the Block and The Backstreet Boys.  Apparently they have formed a super vocal group called NKOTBBSB to take on tour this summer.  The song wasn't bad.  Oh!  It got even better when our pros joined in the fun.

Did you know that Joey McIntyre of NKOTB was the first celebrity in the first dance in the history of DWTS?  Well he was with partner Ashly DelGrosso.  And Aaron Carter, who finished 5th in Season 9 with partner Karina Smirnoff, is the younger brother of BSB Nick Carter.  And New Kid Donnie Wahlberg is an accomplished actor who portrayed 2nd Lt Carwood Lipton in Band of Brothers 10 years ago, and currently stars in the cop drama Blue Bloods.

First results...Romeo and Chelsie are safe.  Chelsea and Mark are safe.

Len selects the Samba from Kendra and Louis as the encore.

More results...Hines and Kym are safe.  Kirstie and Maks are safe.

Macy's Stars of Dance is choreographed by Christopher Scott to Stand By Me, in tribute to romance.  And we've got kids dancing that first youthful crush, followed by young adults dancing a wedding.  And then there's a nice touch with an older couple back in the setting where the kids began the routine.  And then just an older woman alone after her husband has passed, and then ending with the two kids sitting together.  What a great story in dance, and a terrific performance.

NKOTBBSB return with two of each group's biggest hits.  I just realized that BSB is short a guy...there are only 4 of them.  What?  Of course I remember it was a group of 5 originally.  I don't know which one is missing, but I know there were 5.  Nice touch for New Kids to have Joey and Donnie do a bit of ballroom with Peta and Anna at the end of their number.

American Idol alum from this season Pia Toscano performs I'll Stand By You, accompanied by Mark and Karina.  Pia's elimination from Idol was "The Shock" of Season 10 a couple of weeks ago.  I don't buy that kind of hyperbole.  Her voice is fantastic, but she didn't get the votes.  That's how it goes.  But she seems well on her way to establishing a successful career.

Final results...Kendra and Louis are safe.  Ralph and Karina are safe.

That means Chris and Cheryl are out.


I'm surprised.  And some will tell you that this is the wrong choice.  But you know what?  It is what it is.  The other celebrities are solidifying their voting blocks, while it seems that Chris' wrestling popularity didn't translate into enough votes.

Tune in next week when our remaining couples will perform two dances.




I didn't get a chance to watch much of my Lakers last night because of the action-packed-two-hour-extravaganza-step-over-lip-lock results show.  But I did peek in during commercial breaks, and the crew did not let me down, winning the pivotal game 5 at home to take a 3 games to 2 lead in the best of 7 first round series.

The Lakers had six players in double figures, led by Kobe Bryant with 19 and Andrew Bynum with 18.  They dominated the glass, 42 rebounds to 25, led by 10 rebounds by Bynum and 8 by Pau Gasol.

Game 6 is on Friday from New Orleans. 

It's live from Hollywood!

So it's something called Guilty Pleasures Night.  Oh good grief.  It's a grown up Hanson singing Mmbop, accompanied by Tony and Lacey along with our Dance Troupe.  I still can't understand a word of that song.

But I get the Guilty Pleasures now...it's songs you won't ever tell anyone you like, and that you probably sing in the shower, and that you probably car dance to when they randomly play on your Ipod.  Yeah, randomly...because you'd never purposely scroll through for them, right? 

HA!

And our 7 remaining pairs are going to dance to some of these songs.  And Hanson is even going to stick around and play some of them between commercial breaks.

Aren't you excited now??  Let's see what all this looks like.

Kirstie and Maks dance Samba to Hit Me Baby One More Time.  I'm still concerned about her stamina.  After 6 weeks of performances and at least a month of rehearsals before the show began, she still loses her breath.  But she can do these dances.  She gets her hips shaking.  She turns her feet out.  She performs the character.  I thought at first that the tempo seemed a little sedate for Samba, but I think that was more because they controlled the movement so well.  Kirstie's movement was mostly smooth and fluid.  She relaxed and didn't over-think the choreography, which was on the difficult side, particularly with the Samba roll.  She just danced it and danced it well.  Outstanding.  Judges say 8,9,9 for a total of 26.  Yes!  That score is well deserved.  You know, the only way she's showing her age is because she can't get her breath at the end of the dance.

Chris and Cheryl dance Tango to Don't Stop Believing.  I didn't know Chris was in a rock band, and I've never considered DSB to be a guilty pleasure.  Oh Sherie, maybe.  LOL!  I'm not buying this song for Tango.  The rhythm didn't feel right to me and the song doesn't lend itself to the drama and passion of Tango.  Chris gets all his usual props...he controlled the dance and provided a strong frame for Cheryl.  From a technical standard, Chris was sharp as usual.  And I thought he did a better job of turning out his feet.  I thought his musicality started better this week.  But the dance felt flat for me because that song just was wrong for Tango.  I don't know how to judge when I don't enjoy the music.  Bruno called it cold, and I think that is directly attributable to the music.  I don't think the pressure got to Chris.  I just think that the poor combination of music and dance style got to him.  Judges say 7,8,7 for a total of 22.  That's unfortunate.

Romeo and Chelsie dance Waltz to My Heart Will Go On.  I think this can be a real moment for him if he can combine his charm and personality with the technique.  Now this is how you pair music with a dance style.  I say this each season...this is how a man should dance with his Lady at least once.  That was really beautiful.  There were some moments when his frame collapsed and he rushed through a couple of poses without extending through his hands.  He was missing some of the subtle pauses that would have brought that dance to the 10 he is looking for.  But as a performance, it was wonderful.  They told a very sweet and romantic story.  I really enjoyed watching it.  Well done to Chelsie for the excellent choreography.  Judges say 10,9,9 for a total of 28.  I don't think that 10 was justified.  With Romeo's frame collapsing like it did, I think 9's across was the correct score to reward the excellence of the overall performance.

Chelsea and Mark dance Quickstep to Walking on Sunshine.  Mark injured his ankle during dress rehearsal, but he decided to tough it out and dance anyway.  I think this is another great combination of dance style and music.  There were so many clever little details in the choreography.  Mark made it youthful, but also filled it with Quickstep content.  He put an original spin on some standard moves.  That was really outstanding.  I'm glad Mark's injury allowed him to dance that with Chelsea.  In my opinion, this routine is worthy of an Emmy nomination.  It's got to be among the best dances throughout the seasons...and I don't like to go for that hyperbole very often.  It was fun and perky, and any technical flaws were so minor that I never saw them.  That's a 10 paddle from me!  Judges say 10,9,9 for a total of 28.  Yup!  Although I think she deserved a second 10.

Kendra and Louis dance Samba to La Vida Loca.  She's doing great.  She's relaxed and going for it.  This can't be the same gal from two weeks ago.  She's shaking everything she's got and maintaining her musicality and timing, which is often lacking for her.  And her technique was there too, right along with the confidence she needs.  This was definitely her dance.  Louis' choreography was difficult, but still made to emphasize her strengths.  And she does have some, despite the struggles she's had in previous dances.  Good for her!  Judges say 8,8,9 for a total of 25.  Well done Girl!

Hines and Kym dance Viennese Waltz to End of the Road.  That opening sequence when he held her by the waist was so smooth.  His rise and fall was fantastic.  All the things I love about this style were in the choreography, and they were all performed magnificently.  I found the dance elegant, classy, and sophisticated.  Len pointed out Hines' flat feet, but I never noticed that.  I have no idea what Carrie Ann was talking about, other than needing to find something to criticize about a celebrity who has these dances completely figured out.  It happens with the front runners every season.   Judges say 9's across for a total of 27.  Evidently Carrie Ann's objections weren't all that strong.  Hines is solid every week.  It might be that he's been so consistent and so good every week with any style, that the other improvement of the other celebrities makes it seem like he's just maintaining the same level.  So Hines has to be even more precise to get that 10 paddle.

Ralph and Karina dance Paso Doble to Everybody Dance Now.  Here's what I think has been the problem with Ralph the last several weeks...in trying to be precise and clean with his technique and character, he has lost the fluidity and musicality that makes a full performance.  He looks much more confident in Paso.  Oh no...Karina tripped over Ralph's feet and fell, which of course threw them completely off for several beats.  Ralph totally lost his place, and so did Karina.  That could have been a complete disaster, but then Ralph started to work it out and Karina found the place to re-enter the choreography.  That was a really tough mistake because as the lead, Ralph had to power through and help Karina, and that's difficult for the celebrity to pull off.  The mistake caused some problems transitioning between movements, particular between the side by side work and then the work in hold.  To their credit, they finally recovered from the mistake and the rest of the dance was really good.  That choreography was so complex, with a lot of dancing out of hold and away from each other.  That's tough by itself to hold your technique and timing, even despite the fall.  Judges say 8's across for a total of 24.  That's very generous after that fall, but it does reward how they recovered and finished strong.

Here's our Guilty Pleasures leader board:

28 Chelsea and Mark
28 Romeo and Chelsie
27 Hines and Kym
26 Kirstie and Maks
25 Kendra and Louis
24 Ralph and Karina
22 Chris and Cheryl

Pam and I think this is going to come down to fanbases.  It usually does, but I think it's even more important this time around.  There will be those who are voting based on "best", but I suspect there are more voting on "who".

But I'll tell you something.  Pam and I are splitting our votes between Ralph, Hines, and Kirstie right now.  But we could just as easily be voting for Chris or Chelsea or Romeo.  And tonight we could have thrown a few votes Kendra's way.

We've got an action-packed-two-hour-extravaganza-step-over-lip-lock results show, so tune in if you get a chance.  And check back here tomorrow for the usual encores and a recap.

Later gang!

When my Lakers are committed to playing strong defense, to getting the ball inside to take advantage of their size, and to making the extra pass to turn a good shot into a better shot, they are very difficult to contend with.  New Orleans faced that team in game 3, and it didn't end well for the Hornets.

Pau Gasol had his best game of the series so far with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists.  Kobe Bryant shot 50% from the floor and finished with 30 points.  Andrew Bynum had another great game, finishing with 14 points and 11 rebounds.  LA got 20 points from the bench, led by Lamar Odom's 13.

Chris Paul had 18 points for the Hornets in the first half, but only scored 4 more as the Lakers controlled him in the second half.

And that means that, after a 14 point win, my Lakers lead the best of 7 first round series 2 games to 1.  Game 4 is Sunday from NOLA.

Welcome to Five Degrees of Musical Progression, Volume 3!

I hope everyone had as much fun with this one as I did.  If you're just cruising by and have no idea what I'm talking about, the basic idea is to start with a song and then let something about the song...a lyric, the artist, the way the record was produced, etc...lead you to the next track.  And keep following that progression until you have a 5 song Set.

Easy peasy!

For Volume 3, I thought it would be fun for everyone to start with the song Sundown by Gordon Lightfoot.  Here's my progression.

• Track 1:  Sundown, Gordon Lightfoot.  The reason I chose this song is because of the many different interpretations that can be made of the lyrics.  It's a little sinister and a little sad.  It hints at bad men taking advantage of women in unfortunate circumstances, and maybe even makes you wonder about those women turning the tables on those men. 
• Track 2:  My selection of Creep from Radiohead was inspired by this lyric in Sundown..."When I find you've been creepin' round my back stair".  This song seems to continue the sinister/sad theme.  Perhaps the guy knows he doesn't deserve the gal, but then maybe he just doesn't care.  He's going to stay because she's special, but maybe he won't change even if he knows he should.  He'll tell you that's probably important, to know whether he should change, but he won't really believe what he tells you.
• Track 3:  My choice of Streetcorner Symphony from Rob Thomas was inspired by the group Street Corner Symphony, a Nashville acapella vocal group who performed the song Creep on the musical competition show Sing Off last year.  With this selection we take a leap in the other direction to a song with the positive message that even if it sucks right now, if you keep trying then maybe tomorrow it'll be OK.  But even if it still sucks tomorrow, there's always the next day.
• Track 4:  My selection of It's Alright as performed by Huey Lewis and the News was inspired by this lyric in Streetcorner Symphony..."Things will be alright, try to find a better life".  The song was written by Curtis Mayfield and was a hit for the Impressions in 1963, but I chose the Huey Lewis cover because it's performed acapella, which is a secondary tie to Track 3. 
• Track 5:  Curtis Mayfield wrote One Love.  Bob Marley and the Wailers released it in 1984.  It's a perfect finale for this Set.

So did you find the theme in this progression?  It's life in music.  You're going to have peaks and valleys from the moment of your first breath in this world until the moment of your last.  That's reality.

What we all have is control over our reactions and our choices.  It can get better.  We have to try and hang in through the rough times.  Then when we get good times, we should enjoy them but maybe put a little aside to keep as a bright light when next we drop into that valley.




Here's a bonus.  Since I couldn't find the group Street Corner Symphony on Playlist, click here to see a video of their performance of Down on the Corner by Creedence Clearwater Revival.  Stoopid embed police.

Now if you're just passing through and would like to join us one of these Fridays for our regularly scheduled Five on Friday, here's how you do that.

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 Set 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 Set, 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.

And every once in awhile, we'll do a twist on the basics, like today.  Go forth and enjoy music!

Making mistakes is part of life.  Taking responsibility for your mistakes is a sign of maturity.  Learning from your mistakes, and investing yourself in making things better, is a sign of humanity.

Last week, Kobe Bryant used a gay slur to express his displeasure with referee Bernie Adams.  The NBA fined him $100k.  Mr Bryant attempted several different types of explanation for his outburst, none of which contained the words "I'm sorry for my inappropriate remarks".

After several days of being publicly called out, Mr Bryant finally worked out the taking responsibility part of making a mistake.  He said that his comment was "stupid and ignorant.  In this situation, seeing how many people were affected, it helps you understand the weight that comes from that word.  That's why it's very important for me to communicate how sorry I am to use the word". 

So now, fair is fair.  Mr Bryant may have had a tough time getting an actual apology to come out of his mouth, but Kobe and the Lakers do know the value of positive public responsibility.  This is what Kobe and the Lakers intend, from a statement issued by Lakers spokesman John Black:

"What happened in Tuesday night's game is not representative of what the Lakers stand for.  We want to reaffirm our commitment to all our fans and our appreciation for the support we receive from all segments of society.  We also understand the importance of positive messages in helping us convey this.  We appreciate the input we've received from GLAAD the past two days and will look forward to working with them on ways to help educate ourselves and our fans, and to help keep language like this out of our game."

Kobe made a mistake with his remark.  It may have taken him a few days, but he is now taking responsibility for his mistake.  Now he and the Lakers are looking to turn the negative into a positive message of respect.

I could be cynical and suggest that it's all about PR and damage control.  And I'm not about to give Mr Bryant any credit, because his use of the derogatory term was ignorantly and intentionally designed to hurt.   But I'm going to choose to believe in the sincerity of what Kobe and the Lakers are doing in the aftermath, to build this relationship with GLAAD.

I believe that words have power.  Negative words hurt.  Positive words can heal.

It would be nice if Mr Bryant would re-think his appeal of the $100k fine.  Instead, perhaps Kobe could pay the fine and suggest that the NBA donate the money to the It Gets Better Project.  What better way to demonstrate your sincerity than in action?


My Lakers played a committed game last night to beat New Orleans and even the best of 7 series at 1 win each.  Although Kobe didn't have a very good scoring game with 15 points, he played strong defense.

Before the game, Lamar Odom accepted the NBA's 6th Man Award.  Then he went on to have an outstanding game, with 16 points and 7 rebounds.  Andrew Bynum took control of the lane, finishing with 17 points and 11 rebounds.  Ron Artest added 16 points, and combined with Kobe to harass Hornets guard Chris Paul into just 20 points.

I can't call it a great game.  It was clunky and much too physical for my taste.  Players from both teams spent a lot of time yelping to the officials.  New Orleans hurt itself with very poor free throw shooting.  But as I've said, you need 16 wins however you can get them, and that's 1.

The series shifts to New Orleans for game 3 on Friday.

But really...these kinds of pictures should never never ever ever be the first things to pop up on my home page.



OK.  The article doesn't use my term, NCELM.  That's why I put it in brackets.

Since Terminix was here in March, we haven't seen any NCELMs...not a one.  So I guess we can chalk up this drive-by-picture-on-my-home-page-NCELM to cosmic karma.  The universe wants to scare me with NCELMs, so I get a picture scare.

Or something like that.

It's encores and results, live from Hollywood!

The idea behind America Week was well intentioned, but lacking in the execution.  That's my opinion anyway.  Some celebrities were required to mash dance styles with music that just didn't work, while others caught a break with better musical selections.

Still, there were a few dances we liked.  

The Viennese Waltz from Chris and Cheryl was one that made good use of a wonky musical choice.  I like America the Beautiful, but not for dancing.  The embed police are out, so you'll have to click here to watch.

Romeo earned a spot in the encore post with the most entertaining Foxtrot he danced with Chelsie.  Click here to watch.

Chelsea and Mark had perhaps the best pairing of music and dance style.  They danced Samba to Party in the USA.  Click here to watch.

Hines and Kym earned dance of the night, despite the ridiculous task of trying to Rumba to Proud To Be An American.  Click here to watch.

A big ppppfffffftttttt to the embed police.

Here's how our leader board looked after Monday's performances:

27 Hines and Kym
26 Chelsea and Mark
26 Chris and Cheryl
26 Romeo and Chelsie
23 Kirstie and Maks
22 Petra and Dmitry
22 Ralph and Karina
22 Kendra and Louis

Alrighty then.  I think we're ready for some results...Hines and Kym are safe.

The judges choose the Foxtrot from Romeo and Chelsea as the encore.

Toby Keith is in the ballroom.  I'm not a fan.  But I do appreciate that he didn't lip sync to a recording.  The song is Shoulda Been a Cowboy, and he is accompanied by Maks, Lacey, and our Dance Troupe.

More results...Chelsea and Mark are safe.  Romeo and Chelsie are safe. 

Macy's Stars of Dance transforms the ballroom into New York City for a special dance tribute, choreographed by and starring Jamal Sims.  This is like a hip hop interpretation of the young hoofer ballet from Singing in the Rain.  The dancers are from the Step Up movies.  Damn that was fantastic!

More results...Ralph and Karina are safe.  Kendra and Louis are safe. 

Toby Keith returns to perform American Soldier, accompanied by Anna and Jonathan.

Final results...Kirstie and Maks are safe.  Chris and Cheryl are safe.

And that means Petra and Dmitry are out. 


Well dangit.  I liked her.  But you know what?  I like all of the celebrities this season, so every week it's hard to see somebody go.

But that's the game.

Later gang!

It's live from Hollywood!

Our 8 remaining pairs are back and this week they'll make dances to patriotic music.  I honestly don't know about this one, gang.

But I can say that we're half way through Season 11, and there are still many couples who can win based not only on dance ability, but active and vocal fanbases.  And as we know from past seasons, there's no telling how the fans are ultimately going to go.

So let's have American Week and see what happens!

Ralph and Karina dance Samba to Sweet Home Alabama.  The Brazilian party dance to Lynyrd Skynyrd.  Unfortunately the mix of down home southern rock and Latin movements just didn't work for me.  And it didn't seem to work for Ralph all that well either.  He had the energy for it and he got most of the steps squared away.  But the hip action wasn't smooth and loose.  It wasn't an awful dance.  But I agree with Len that Ralph isn't consistent.  He's certainly better in the ballroom styles than in the Latin.  I thought Karina did a good job of trying to fold classic Samba choreography into the tempo and rhythm of the song.  Judges say 8,7,7 for a total of 22.  That's still a pretty good score for this particular dance.  I'll say that his performance and energy were fine.  But still, how about a Texas Two-Step instead of Samba here?

Chris and Cheryl dance Viennese Waltz to America the Beautiful.  Seriously?  A gravity chamber at the fair...now I've never heard Viennese Waltz described that way, but it makes sense because of all the spins you can put in the choreography.  Chris continues to show a very strong frame, which makes them look fantastic as they move across the floor.  There were moments when he kind of clanked when I wanted him to glide.  But it was a very credible performance.  He showed an elegance that still surprises me, and it shouldn't anymore.  Chris has established his bona fides, and he works hard on technique and on creating classic lines.  He handles Cheryl with such delicacy.  I was more able to appreciate this pairing of song and dance style.  I enjoyed the performance.  Judges say 9,8,9 for a total of 26.  I don't think it was that good.  I thought 8's across.  But still, they did deserve a good score for that performance.

Petra and Dmitry dance Quickstep to Viva Las Vegas.  I really like her.  She has a sweet charm about her that I find very attractive.  The way she has learned to stretch her very long neck adds even more elegance to her posture.  Dmitry has done a fabulous job helping her improve her technique, and this choreography was wonderful.  I thought that was a terrific performance.  The tempo was just right for her to keep up.  I disagree with the judges that it was too fast.  Perhaps there were a couple of moments where she lost her musicality, but I would say that musicality is not her strength.  For me, Petra is the kind of celebrity from whom I forgive some technical gaps.  I like her lines.  I think she danced this week with more confidence, despite a few foot mis-placements.  I enjoyed the performance.  Judges say 7,7,8 for a total of 22.  I would have said one more 8.

Romeo and Chelsie dance Foxtrot to New York New York.  Now that song makes some sense with Foxtrot.  He had perfect character throughout that dance.  I like to see a kid really embrace a style like this and have fun with it.  He managed to mix his own personal style and "swagger" with the class and sophistication of a Foxtrot.  There were some choppy moments when he lost the thread and didn't make smooth connections from step to step.  But what he did was use the choreography as an expression, and that's a credit to Chelsie.  She understands her celebrity and is teaching him in a way that lets him be himself while staying within the proper framework of each dance.  He understood what the style was meant to convey, and added a personal charm and flair to it.  Well done young man.  I really enjoyed that.  Judges say 9,8,9 for a total of 26.  I'll agree with that score.

Hines and Kym dance Rumba to Proud To Be An American.  Oh for Pete's sake.  I muted the sound so I could just focus on the dancing, which I thought was outstanding.  I like that Kym designed an actual dancing Rumba, rather than a posing one.  I like to see a gentleman actually dance in this style rather than just provide a base for the lady to swivel around.  Without the music, I could see the sweetness of the romance between the two of them.  I thought he had the right amount of hip action.  Hines continues to be so relaxed and in control on the floor.  His partnership with Kym looks so comfortable.  Their connection makes everything look so effortless.  I don't think there's going to be a style he can't do extremely well.  Judges say 9's across for a total of 27.  Yup.

Kirstie and Maks dance Foxtrot to American Woman.  Oh for crying out loud!  But look who's talking to them in rehearsal...it's Travolta as the Dance Doctor.  So despite the completely wrong music and the outrageous costumes, there was actually some proper Foxtrot content in the dance.  You know what Maks did?  He just went as far out as he could with the music.  It was ridiculously wrong for Foxtrot, but it worked because it was just on the edge and out of control.  Naturally it didn't appeal to Len, and I understand why.  It really was way over the top.  But, nobody fell down and nobody had any wardrobe malfunctions.  So call it a success because both of their personalities were woven throughout.  It won't appeal to classic Foxtrot fans, but the performance was exciting and fun.  Judges say 8,7,8 for a total of 23.  

Kendra and Louis dance Foxtrot to Yankee Doodle.  And this is the 1000th competitive dance of the show.  Now that I can see as Foxtrot music.  This week I just want to see Kendra have some fun, relax, and not worry what anyone is going to think or say about her.  The choreography was fun and full of energy, and I could tell she enjoyed doing the stomps and marches in the steps.  She still looked a little tense in places, but this was a much better performance than she's delivered so far.  I think she's learning how much the show grabs you and doesn't want to let you go.  I'm glad it's finally starting to sink in for her.  Judges say 8,7,7 for a total of 22.  Good job.

Chelsea and Mark dance Samba to Party in the USA.  The girl is talented, and she's got a good piece of music for Samba.  I think she did a great job with this dance.  It was youthful, fun, and full of energy.  The musicality was fantastic.  Mark's choreography was basically traditionally, with a few steps outside the box.  But the work they did on her technique this week was really evident.  She kept her feet turned out, and that helped with her hip action.  There was just that little bit of footwork flub right at the end.  Otherwise there wasn't all that much to pick at.  Well done young lady!  Judges say 9,8,9 for a total of 26.  The mistake in her footwork at the end of the dance was the only thing that keeps her 1 point down in second on the leader board.

Speaking of our leader board, here it is for American Week:

27 Hines and Kym
26 Chelsea and Mark
26 Chris and Cheryl
26 Romeo and Chelsie
23 Kirstie and Maks
22 Petra and Dmitry
22 Ralph and Karina
22 Kendra and Louis

Note to producers...don't do this again.  Or if you do, please make better pairings of music and dance style.  Some of the couples got jobbed on the music and the style of dance.  But, that's what you deal with and sometimes your fanbase just needs to carry you through a tough week.

And so, one of my phones was for Ralph and the other was for Kirstie.  Pam went exclusively for Ralph with both of her phones, on a no-squee night.  She's nervous about his prospects for making it through this week.

We'll be honest though.  We think the best dancers are Hines and Chelsea.  And we're a little bit embarrassed that we're going counter to "best" and voting mainly for "favorite". 

Not so embarrassed that we'll apologize for it.  You understand, right?  Right?

You know the drill.  Tune in tonight for results, and check back tomorrow for some encores and my results recap.

Later gang!