So, Monica and Penn are the first to go. Pretty much as I expected, though I’d thought Adam might be first, but also suspected people might vote for Julianne Hough, which it appears may well be what happened. Unless you guys think Adam managed to redeem himself after the Carrie Ann cursing incident? Well, I’d definitely be happy if people were starting vote for great pro dancers instead of only the celebs!!
Also, hehe, this appears to be a picture taken by none other than dumbass moi of Fabian Sanchez at the U.S. National championships two years ago when he and his partner won the Mambo championship. I call myself a dumbass because Sharon had written me when this season’s “Dancing With the Stars” pro dancers were first announced asking if I’d heard of him and I said, “Hmmm, Fabian Sanchez, no, no, never heard the name…,” when in fact I’ve actually seen the man dance, and had written his name right on my photo page… And thanks to Mig for reminding me 🙂 Haha, that’s the year I’d so wanted my teacher Luis Grijalva and his partner Anya Fuchs to win, or, barring that, Emmanuel Pierre-Antoine and his then partner Joanna Zacharewicz. So even though Fabian was excellent and he and his partner were tremendous fun, I was probably honestly just too sad at that point to think much of the winners.
Fabian won tthe mambo championship that year with a woman he was not competing with – it was not a partnership in any sense- and they were both overweight , under-rehearsed and badly costumed at the time. For those reasons, their victory was seen more as a rebuke to the reigning champions rather than as a pure victory. They both re-disappeared promptly after the win. The routine contained a long verbal introduction consisting mainly, as I recall, of an elaborate claim of authenticity (I guess the non-latin lady was exempted from this argument) which I found particularly funny considering the word “mambo” is a Haitian one.
Anyway.
Welcome to the wonderful world of dancesport 🙂
I’m sorry but Adam should have gone home: Penn wanted to be there and was actually practicing a lot while adam was only averaging about 5 hours a week
Hey Katrina,
Just because I’m nosy like that, where did you get Adam’s practice hour numbers? That sure looks like the amount of “effort” he puts in. I REALLY wanted him to go home last night, it seems like we’d be being kind to poor Julianne. He gives me the creeps. The full on, check and see if he’s on a child molester list, creeps!
Tonya, if Val and Val are competing, could you pretty please try and get a few shots that you wouldn’t mind me sharing with my friend Deb? She runs a page about them on Myspace and most of us that follow what Maks is doing also support Val and Val. I’m so excited that you are going again. Since its a trip I’ll likely never get to take, you are my eyes and ears, lady! 😀
Sharon, someone in my LJ mentioned it during a discussion during last nights results so I don’t know exactly how they came about their numbers (and don’t worry about being nosey!). Yah he creeps me out too especially since Jules is only 19 and he was talking about going out and getting her drunk when she was 21 and telling her she’s hot. While I do agree she is very good looking but Yah he just creeps me out. I do not get why or how people think he’s funny. I kind of worry she’s going to be like Marie in that people will vote for him just to give Jules another title.
Was it my imagination or did she and Derek look extremely uncomfortable when Adam started mention about their genes. They just looked like they wanted to get out of there. Now Granted they do have good genes (Jule’s sister is also a dancer (though not Ballroom) and her uncle was a very good dancer). I felt so bad for them at that moment.
Katrina,
I know, me too. He’s just icky, and I want him gone, for Jule’s sake as much as ours. He’s smarmy and its just not right what he says and does. Shoot, if you look at their publicity stills, she looks uncomfortable. Her body language with him is very guarded, and I feel horrible for her. I bet she’s glad that there are cameramen and producers there with them all the time, I sure would be. I’d like him to go home next and then she can come back and do pro dances for the rest of the season!
Sharon, I will definitely take pictures of Val and Val! I’m always on the lookout for them at the big competitions! Oh but you must go to Blackpool someday!