Well, I love Viennese Waltz and I actually like Paso Doble but just hate watching the latter on this show for some reason. Probably because they usually completely destroy the Latin flavor and set it to heavy metal music or something ridic. Anyway, here goes:
Chuck and Julianne’s VW: Aw, sweet! Love how it ended with him on one knee before her 🙂 I guess lifts are now allowed?
I liked the first one at the beginning where he just picked her a couple inches off the ground. Pretty. I thought he did really well. He wasn’t a pro and wasn’t completely polished but he was really putting his all into it and was really gliding across the floor and trying really hard to make it look smooth and effortless. Haha — I’m commending him for trying really hard to make it look effortless 🙂 But for an amateur it is a commendation! Bruno’s right — he was really performing tonight. It looked like he threw his arms a bit out of line during some of those promenades. Oh, Carrie Ann’s calling them on the lift, so I guess they’re not allowed, unless it’s Lindy or Argentine Tango…
Lawrence and Edyta’s PD: Whoa, that was excellent! He was so powerful! Had the character of the dance down Perfectly! In places he needs to keep his legs together a bit more to make it look more polished, but who cares the way he performed that! The music was beautiful — loved the classical sound of the strings — the violins alternating with the bass to create that kind of feminine / masculine or light / dark contrast. Len’s right — both that “the dance quality’s not really all there”, and that it was Lawrence’s best dance so far. He’s a football player doing quite well at ballroom dance, which is what this show thrives on. I have no doubt he’ll do well despite the judges’ lowish scores.
Did he say his teammates were going to make him do laps or lap dances if he got booted? Someone on Twitter heard lap dances. She said, “NOW tell me men’s sports isn’t homoerotic.” HaHA!
Shawn and Mark’s VW: I love the lift they did at the end — the “pick me up and carry me over the thresshold”, as I call it. I thought it was really perfect, but to me it lacked the spark of Chuck and Julianne’s. It was nicely simple, and the footwork was difficult and excellently executed, but I wish they would have separated more and not danced in close handhold for so much of the dance. I’m sorry, but that can get really boring! …perhaps why they don’t do VW at Blackpool…
Tony and Melissa’s PD: This is exactly the kind of Paso I hate, to poppy music. You take out the Spanish flavor and the dance just seems silly. I mean, you put it to popular / social music and you wonder who the hell is going to dance like that at an American night club, you know! She did beautifully though. Lovely full ronde de jambes and kicks and she had beautiful shaping in the arms and upper body. Very difficult partnering, and she looked a bit nervous in parts, but she did wonderfully with it. Flying colors. Costume-wise, did she look like a belly dancer to anyone else?
Kym and David’s VW: Oooh, love the sexy bluesy music — brings out the kind of dangerous intoxicating quality of the Viennese Waltz. I thought he did very well — very dapper, very classy. I liked the tricks — his arabesque was lovely. The double back kicks on the stairs up front was a nice idea choreographically but his knees were bent and it made it look a bit sloppy. But then that arabesque was lovely. And the ending trick with her jumping onto his back — wow — not easy on the back! He looked like he was a bit worried about it too. It’s one of those routines that was a bit above his level, but it’s also a lot of fun for amateurs to try some of those things — the little lift, the arabesque, the kicks.
Cheryl and Gilles’s PD: Uh-oh, the son is going to break a lot of hearts — does that mean he’s married? Okay, is he shirtless? What is this Joaquin Cortes? Hehe, he IS Joaquin Cortes as it turns out! Wow, that was beyond breathtaking. That was stunning. That was … eee, wordless. Technically, his butt was sticking out in places, so his form from the waist down wasn’t entirely proper, but who cares! I like what Carrie Ann said about their bringing it back to the heart and soul, the core of the dance. Very true. I LOVE the music — was it live? The singer was singing in French?
Jackass and Lacey. I mean SteveO and Lacey’s VW (practice session with his friends got me confused 🙂 ) Well, it was a cute idea. Cute music (what’s with the French tonight?) and cute routine and cute caricature. He did okay, but he’s just not that polished. And nothing tremendously difficult in that routine, and music was slow for VW. So she didn’t give him anything over his head at least. He didn’t knock me out, but I’m still rooting for him, can’t help it!I really liked her dress, with the lacey bordello-like pinks and purples all the multi-tiers.
Ty and Chelsie’s PD: More music I hate for PD: Heart’s Barracuda. Hmmm. He looked very nervous. His posture wasn’t right — his pelvis wasn’t tucked under enough and it looked like he lost some of the footwork and then got off rhythm-wise. It wasn’t powerful and fierce enough. Just wasn’t his dance — especially with that music!
Lil Kim and Derek’s VW: That was sweet. Nice dancing, nice arabesque and developpe. It didn’t really knock me out but it was pretty and well done. Derek’s not a natural VWaltzer — he’s a better Latin man.
Hmmm, don’t know who’s gonna go tomorrow. Maybe Steve-O? What do you guys think?
I don't agree you about Lawarance… I hated that… I think had Tony and Melissa not had Lady Gaga (seriously she makes me want to gag) and had they had the song Lawrence had I think it would have worked a lot better. My other thoughts:
~I wish if they were going to have them do Viennese Waltz that it be a true traditional Viennese waltz with no breaks but I think that's asking a little to much of ABC…
Chuck and Julianne
– um it's not about passion Jules
– Not a Viennese waltz…
– decent posture when he's in hold
– ok dance. nothing really spectacular in my book
– I agree with Carrie Ann for once. It was okay, but it wasn't spectacular
Lawarnce and Edyta
– wow this is really slow version of Espani Cani
– He still looks uncomfortable and that he's thinking too much
– One of his best dances so far though
Shawn and Mark
– See guys she just said that “Gymnastics is my thing!”
– ohh poor thing
– good posture!
– good dance!
– That was gorgeous
– Len's comment is true and I do agree
Melissa and Tony
– how in the world.. this is retarded for a Paso song
– A very good dance in terms of Spanish walks, lines, etc but that song was so distracting!
– If Len is picking apart small blunders thats at least okay. He's right. There wasn't enough tension in that dance
David and Kym
– Ug he is so annoying
– The Viennese waltz isn't suppose to be sexy
– This is really bad song…
– That turn needed a lot of work
– His posture is horrible
– His hold is extremely.y bad
– That dance was horrible
– Bruno is right. Tricks aren't necessary!
Gilles and Cheryl
– But Martial arts doesn't equal Paso….
– Without his shirt on… of course
– Good song although it's a little slow
– That was a good dance. There was one spot that his foot work needed to be just a hair stronger but it was good
– Good comment Carrie Anne!
– I Do agree with Len, there were a couple parts where it was a little busy
Stevo and Lacey
– awww I love this song!
– ohh Len's going to get him too for leading with his toes…
– needs to extend his arms and finishes those lines
– ohh there's a lifts
– Needs more holds for a better waltz
Ty and Chelsie
– They got a sucky song too
– He's trying but you can tell he's counting a little bit
– He needs a little more strength
– Yep, Carrie Ann's right, He's thinking
Lil Kim and Derek
– Why this song! I really never want to hear this song again…
– It was good but it wasn't… there… I don't know something was missing.
– Len's comment is right though!
That song was singing in French. That was from Carmen, a song called Habanera. Wikipedia page about Carmen: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmen. It's one of my favorite operas
I was really disappointed and somewhat bored with the show last night.
The Viennese Waltzes were not REAL Viennese Waltzes and the Paso's for the most part lacked passion and/or had sucky music.
Now that I've got my bitching out of the way, I really liked the Shawn/Mark Waltz, the Gilles/Cheryl Paso, and the Lil' Kim/Derek Waltz.
And maybe I'm just a sentimental sucker but I really was drawn into Steve O's and Lacey's Waltz. It was sweet, even a little melancholy at times. It wasn't great dancing on Steve's part but I just really liked his character throughout, and I agree that Lacey's dress was gorgeous. She's hit the costume jackpot this season!
Hi you guys! Thanks Katrina for that link. I knew I recognized the music from somewhere! That singer was singing live then — she was good, I mean for her singing in French. I assume it was their regular band…
Yeah, I agree with you guys about the Viennese Waltz. Susan, I think it was really American Smooth VW — because they let them break close handhold — not Standard, so not the type you see in the international competitions at all. I think they did that because they might have thought having the dancers dance in closed position might be boring? I agree that most of the Paso music was crappy. I think we're just going to have to get used to them interpreting these dances broadly and going far outside of the syllabus and rules for that dance, because that's what they seem to be doing week after week. And they're doing it increasingly season after season.
Anyway, I'm glad Steve O didn't go, or Lawrence. I figured it would be David when they said he was in the bottom two. I'm surprised Lawrence was in the bottom two as well?!
see, I would have rather seen Lawrence go home. That dance was horrible.
I was so glad to read how much you all disliked the music too. I hate it when they try to force pop music onto these very specific dance rhythms. How can the amateurs learn to dance a PD without the proper music to drive them? It seems to me it only makes things more difficult for them.
Who picks the music anyway? And why do the amateurs get blamed for bad choreography? I saw this alot on SYTYCD…we call it being BBC'd: Betrayed By Choreographer.
Do you think Gilles has enuff talent for a new career in dance? With or without the shirt.
It's a combonation of the pros and the music being un available is how the music is chosen. It's a complicated process.
I agree, I don't think it's right that the celebs get blamed for bad choreography….
Yes, my dear, Gilles is married, and Carole is a lovely woman. George, his son, is a complete doll, and quite the ham! I was lucky enough to meet Gilles and George after the show Monday night. It sounded like a rock concert in there at the beginning of their dance, I've never heard it so loud on set, they actually had to shush us!
Yes, my dear, Gilles is married, and Carole is a lovely woman. George, his son, is a complete doll, and quite the ham! I was lucky enough to meet Gilles and George after the show Monday night. It sounded like a rock concert in there at the beginning of their dance, I've never heard it so loud on set, they actually had to shush us!