Apropos of the currently underway U.S. Open, which is captivating the attentions of many New Yorkers right now, I thought I’d mention that Martina Hingis, former tennis champ, is a contestant on this upcoming season of Strictly Come Dancing, the British (and original) version of our Dancing With the Stars.
She’ll be partnered by Matthew Cutler, that show’s last season pro winner and a former Blackpool champ. Here are a couple of videos of Cutler, in the first demonstrating a samba with his former pro partner Nicole Cutler, and the second some vintage clips (or at least they seem vintage now) of the Latin Blackpool championship from about 7 years ago. At various points you can spy 10-year-long reigning champs Bryan Watson and Carmen, as well as DWTS’s Karina Smirnoff and my love Slavik Kryklyvyy. At about the 2:40 mark, the camera focuses on them.
Kind of fun to watch these older comps. You can see how much Latin competition dancing has really changed just in the past several years (seems so much faster now, and costumes skimpier…)
Strictly Come Dancing airs on BBC beginning on September 18th.
Oh, wow: the Swiss Miss! I loved Hingis back in the day. It was kind of a running joke when I worked at Sports Illustrated. She had such an appealing, cerebral game. Is this show mostly/exclusively ballroom (about which I know nothing)?
She's smart, quick, and athletic, in any case, and I'm sure that will translate onto the dance floor. Do you think it will be on BBC America?
Is it just me, or does Martina look a bit like Natalie Portman in that pic?
I bet she'll be amazing…I was a big fan of hers, as well – probably because of the grace I saw in her. 😉
And speaking of Miss Portman: supposedly she's set to star in the film, BLACK SWAN, about a ballerina in a major NYC ballet company … directed by the gentleman (Darren Aronofsky) who did THE WRESTLER, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM,… — pretty neat for us Natalie-fans AND ballet-fans!
Hi — thank you for commenting. That's great that you met him! I had to miss Blackpool this year — for the first time in several years. Let us know how they do. She seems like she has the potential to do well to me too. I don't get BBC here but I'm hoping people will post clips of the show on YouTube!
Okay, you can tell how little TV I watch — I'm like BBC America?… That would be great it if was — I'll have to check into it! Yes, that show is just like Dancing With the Stars — it's all ballroom and Latin.
Haha, did she really have an appealing cerebral game or are you joking because she's so pretty?! I've never been much into tennis before, but my friends have been talking me into watching the USOpen with them this year (on TV, not live) so for the first time I'm starting to understand the appeal.
Oooh, thanks for the info, Anne. That movie sounds excellent! Looks like ballet is making a mainstream comeback?!…
Ha! Yes, she did have an appealing, cerebral game. Was she also a pretty Swiss girl? Oh, I hadn't noticed 🙂
She dominated right before women's tennis became much more of a power game, with the Williams sisters, Lindsay Davenport, an army of heavy-hitting Russians, et al. She fended them off for a while with anticipation, accuracy, and quickness, but then she sort of broke down physically from the wear and tear.
Sadly, Martina and Matthew were the first couple to be voted off the show. I think that her waltz was quite good but she lacks posture and a strong core. The judges on SCD are way more stricter than DWTS (Len and Bruna has to change mode) but her scores were moderate.
I think that not enough people vote for her because Martina and Matthew are suppose to be the runner up as the most well known star on SCD.
Sadly, Martina and Matthew were the first couple to be voted off the show. I think that her waltz was quite good but she lacks posture and a strong core. The judges on SCD are way more stricter than DWTS (Len and Bruna has to change mode) but her scores were moderate.
I think that not enough people vote for her because Martina and Matthew are suppose to be the runner up as the most well known star on SCD.