Cue that theme music!
Posted: Wednesday, October 16, 2013 by Travis Cody inIt's encores!
Monday found our couples telling a story in dance about a memorable year in their lives. As always, it was an emotional evening and most of the celebrities had their best nights of dancing so far.
Here's what we liked.
I thought Christina and Mark danced a first class Cha Cha Cha. It's a shame it came on the night she was eliminated. Click here if the video doesn't play.
I thought Jack and Cheryl danced a lovely Waltz. Click here if the video doesn't play.
I thought Corbin and Karina nailed their Foxtrot. Corbin began the season as something of a ringer, but I think he is actually improving his technique with every dance. Click here if the video doesn't play.
Despite Len's most likely valid criticism that Amber and Derek didn't spend enough time in proper hold, I still thought their Foxtrot was the cat's meow. Click here if the video doesn't play.
Dance of the night goes to the outstanding emotional Contemporary piece from Brant and Peta. Click here if the video doesn't play.
Not for nothing, here is a video of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing a performance Foxtrot from the show Roberta. They spend more than half of the piece out of hold. Now I know this piece wasn't choreographed to competition ballroom rules. It's from a movie and designed with the story in mind, and to show off Fred and Ginger to best effect. But DWTS isn't a true ballroom dancing competition either. I get where Len is coming from, but he earned his stink eye last night for that 7 paddle on the Foxtrot from Amber and Derek. If you're going to invoke Fred Astaire as justification for your annoyance with Derek's choreography, then at least make sure I can't find a contrary example!
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Some really emotionally powerful dancing. However, I have to agree with Len that Derek did not choreograph a Foxtrot. It might have been easier to overlook if they had been dancing to a Foxtrot song. Then more of the Foxtrot styling and feel would have come across in the character and feel of the dance. That's something that the Fred & Ginger video you show has that Monday's routine did not. Derek knows what Len will do in that situation, so I have no sympathy. If Carrie Ann can ding Leah and Tony for not having enough Contemporary style and technique in a dance style that the pro has no experience, then Len can certainly ding for absence of Foxtrot.