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DWTS Season 24! #teamBoybands & #teamGirlGroup Week

DWTS Season Season 24! Week 6- #teamBoybands and #teamGirlGroup Week

#dwts

#dwts24

What a fun week this will be with Team Boy Bands vs Team Girl Group!  Stay tuned for my blog from attending the Week 4 Most Memorable Year show.  Life has been a bit hectic with travel, my best friend got married last week and then a move but, I promise to share all the fun details!

It was great to have Nick Carter in the ballroom as a guest judge and have Maks back in the ballroom after his calf injury.

Simone Biles & Sasha Farber #teamGoldenGiggles

Dance:  Samba to music by:  Destiny’s Child

Sasha and Simone are too cute.  Simone is really doing well in the competition and she absolutely has the skill.  I have been trying to put my finger on what I have felt is missing a bit.  I think she isn’t totally connecting with the audience at home.  She needs to have people get invested in her/root for her on top of having the fantastic skills.  I thought their dance was really good this week though.

 

 

 

Bonner Bolton & Sharna Burgess #teamDenimNDiamonds

Dance:  Rumba to music by:  Backstreet Boys

 

I don’t agree with Bonner that he is the weakest dancer left in the competition.  I think Bonner has heart, drive and desire which in my opinion goes far.  He is improving each week and in my opinion the audience is pulling for him.  I really love the partnership with Sharna.  Sharna has such a way of bringing out the best in all of her partners.  I would agree with Nick if Bonner could just let it go each week it could take him to the next level but, as someone who has learned to dance this year it’s hard to get out of your head.

 

Nancy Kerrigan & Artem Chigvintsev #teamBladesOfGlory

Dance:  Paso Doble to music by:   En Vogue

 

I had the pleasure of meeting Nancy when I was at the show a few weeks ago and she is seriously the nicest person.  I think she gets too many negative comments for being emotional.  All creative people just have a different way in how they process things or handle stress that doesn’t and shouldn’t make people not pull for her.  I personally think she is what the competition is about, she has heart, she works hard, she improves each week and she truly gives it her all.  I thought their dance this week was fantastic, she was strong, fierce and totally crushed it.

 

Nick Viall & Peta Murgatroyd #teamBabyGotBach

Dance:  Jive music by:   Beach Boys

I would say that Nick isn’t one of the top dancers left but, Peta is right the show is just as much about personality and he is improving each week.  He does put his heart and soul into the competition that is for sure and when I met him he is one of those people that has crazy charisma.  The Jive is a hard dance and I thought they did a good job.

 

Normani Kordei & Val Chmerkovskiy:  #teamValMani

Dance:  Salsa music by:  Pussy Cat Dolls

 

Val and Normani really make another great partnership.  I think you have really seen them step things up the last few weeks after all that traveling stopped.  She’s shining at just the right time in the competition and is such a powerhouse.  I know there was the issue with Len feeling like there was much Salsa content in it.  That can go both ways they are also dealing with the music they get and how to put together the overall performance factor.  I thought the dance was good, it was dynamic and it was fierce.

 

David Ross & Lindsay Arnold #teamLadyAndTheGramp

Dance:  Argentine Tango music by:   N’Sync

 

I am still on the fence on this team.  Lindsay always works extremely hard with her partners and I didn’t really care for it when he made the disrespectful comment you are not my coach.  She is your dance coach David you need her to teach you.  I thought their dance was good, the lifts were risky for sure but, as always Lindsay has beautiful chorography.

 

 

Rashad Jennings & Emma Slater #teamShadSquad

Dance:  Tango music by:  Four Tops

 

This partnership remains one of my favorites this season and Rashad is truly a kind person.  I was so impressed by him when I met him.  He’s down to earth and just as sweet as can be.  I loved in the package that he took Emma to NFL training too.  Their dance this week was fun, intense, had a lot of great content and continued to highlight the growth Rashad has had as a dancer.

 

Heather Morris & Maksim Chmerkovskiy #teamMaksimumHeat

Dance:  Rumba music by:  TLC

 

It was so nice to get Maks back in the ballroom.  Alan did a really fantastic job filling in for him and I think he truly earned a right to be a pro in a future season.  I thought their dance this week was beautiful and it highlighted all of Heather’s technical skills.  All season I think her issue has been in her connection with the audience.  You can be the best dancer but, you need the audience/voters to pull for you.

 

Team Dances:

 

#teamboyband

 

I thought they did a great job on the team dance.  It was fun, sexy and creative.  I would say Rashad’s personality really shined like a diamond and you couldn’t help but, zoom in on him.  Their magic mike  portion to the NKOTB was awesome and showed they all had the right stuff.

 

#teamgirlgroup

 

I thought the girls did a good job.  It was fun and also creative.  The lighting issues that happened made it hard to see a lot of it.  I thought all the girls were strong and performed really well.

 

In Jeopardy:

Artem & Nancy and Heather & Maks

 

This week we said goodbye to:  Heather & Maks and it was shocking to me either couple was in the bottom.  I truly feel the issue was the connection with the audience.  You have to connect with the fans in the packages, when you have opportunities to meet them etc.  The show I attended the other dancers would step out for a few minutes and meet fans but, Heather did her interviews and then just walked the other way never engaging.  I never felt that or saw the desire to connect from Heather in my opinion.  She has talent though hands down and definitely left too early in the competition.   I absolutely don’t think Nancy/Artem belonged in the bottom 2 either and I hope fans will give Nancy a chance.  She really his working hard and a total sweetheart.

 

Until next week!

 

XOXO

 

Heather

Entertainment Blog

DWTS Season Season 24! Week 3-Vegas Week

DWTS Season Season 24! Week 3-Vegas Week

#dwts

I missed blogging last week due to having pneumonia.  I am thankfully finally feeling better and excited to blog about this week’s episode.  I did want to say it was so sad to see Witney and Chris go last week.  They were a fun match up and it’s unfortunate we didn’t learn how extensive Chris’s injury was.   Let’s see what Vegas week brings!

Super fun opening number!

 

Nick Viall & Peta Murgatroyd #teamBabyGotBach

Dance:  Tango

Song:  “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga

This partnership is really growing on me.  It’s been so great having Peta back and Nick is showing a more vulnerable side to himself.  I think he did improve week over week.  He definitely appears more comfortable and confident than the first week.  It absolutely takes time when you learn to dance.  Nick and Peta are working hard and it shows.

 

Mr T & Kym Herjavec #teamDancinFools

Dance:  Foxtrot

Song:  “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head” by Robbie Williams

This was a really different character for Mr T it was fun to see him in a more classic character.  I thought they did a good job.  I liked this softer side of him.  He seems like he is a really great guy and I have done some reading on him and he truly does give back a lot.   Keep up the great work!

 

Bonner Bolton & Sharna Burgess #teamDenimNDiamonds

Dance:  Charleston

Song:  “A Little Party Never Killed Nobody” by Fergie and GoonRock and Q-Tip

 

I thought they did a really great job this week.  Sharna is brilliant about being able to create around injuries and they are such an amazing team.   This is a tough dance.  You can tell how much Bonner cares about the competition and that he really does want to improve each week.   They are fun partnership and one that I still think will go far in this competition.  I thought the scores were a bit low.

 

It was nice to get a preview to the Derek & Julianne Tour as well!!!   For tickets and tour info please go to:  https://moveliveontour.com/

 

Heather Morris & Maksim Chmerkovskiy #teamMaksimumHeat

Dance:  Tango

Song:  “Toxic” by Brittany Spears

 

Maks is still out injured and I am absolutely sending him out well wishes for a speedy recovery.  It was nice to see him at the studio cheering Heather on tonight.  Alan is filling in and I am glad he is getting a chance to shine as a Pro again.  I thought they had a great tango!  It was a lot of fun to watch, defiantly showed how much Heather has grown as a ballroom dancer.

 

Charo & Keo Motsepe #teamCuchiCuchi

Dance:  Foxtrot

Song:  “Chapel of Love” by The Dixie Cups

 

Charo has a huge, full of energy personality but, I really do like the friendship that seems to have developed with Keo.   Keo is such a nice guy and I am glad he was a Pro again this season.  I loved their dance tonight.  It was elegant, beautiful, sweet and a lot of fun to watch.  Bravo Keo on the wonderful choreography.

 

Simone Biles & Sasha Farber #teamGoldenGiggles

Dance:  Quickstep

Song:  “Viva Las Vegas” by Elvis Presley

 

Holy smokes that was one fast quickstep!  Hats off to both Simone and Sasha for having the energy and stamina for that dance!  Another fantastic job.  Fun, energetic, lots of great technique and they really are a dynamo team.  I am looking forward to seeing what they come up with for next week and showing a more emotional side to Simone.

 

Nancy Kerrigan & Artem Chigvintsev #teamBladesOfGlory

Dance:  Samba

Song:  “Shake Your Bon-Bon” by Ricky Martin

 

OMG Artem’s reaction to meeting Ricky Martin was awesome!  Now he knows how we feel when we meet him!  I absolutely LOVED their dance.  In my opinion they have been under-rated to date everyone should sit up and take notice tonight because they just crushed it!  Bravo, bravo, bravo!  It was fun, it was technically fantastic, high energy and they really make such a fantastic team.  I am smiling ear to ear!

 

David Ross & Lindsay Arnold #teamLadyAndTheGramp

Dance:  Jazz

Song:  “Candy Shop” by 50 Cent

 

This is another fun partnership.  David is going way out of his comfort zone this week.  He almost cracked himself up at the beginning.  Their dance was filled with humor that is for sure.  David seems like such a great guy.  It was very, fun entertaining and creative.

 

Erika Jayne & Gleb Savchenko #teamPrettyXXpensive

Dance:  Jive

Song:  “Take Me to Heaven” by Patina Miller & Debbie Kurup & Amy Booth-Steel

 

I like this partnership too.  It will be interesting to see what the judges say about the content but, other than that I liked it was more stripped down and more of a focus straight on the dance.  It’s clear Erika and Gleb work really hard each week and they are a lot of fun to watch.  The Jive is a really tough dance and I think they just put a different spin on it instead of all the kicks and flicks.

 

 Rashad Jennings & Emma Slater #teamShadSquad

Dance:  Samba

Song:  “Swallia” by Jason Derulo featuring Nikki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign

 

This is another couple that I absolutely love this season.  They have already formed such a great working relationship and Rashad can MOVE!  They are doing crazy good this season and I could not be more excited for Emma to finally shine bright with an amazing partner.  I didn’t agree with Julianne on this one I thought they did a really great job tonight.  I really felt their scores were far too low.

 

Normani Kordei & Val Chmerkovskiy:  #teamValMani

Dance:  Foxtrot

Song:  “Big Spender” by Shirley Bassey

 

I don’t know how Val and Normani have been doing it, that kind of travel is hard core tough on your body.  They absolutely freaking crushed it tonight.  What a fabulous dance!  Normani has such a sparkling presence she shines the minute she takes the dance floor.  What a wonderful job!

Jeopardy:

Keo & Charo and Peta & Nick

 

Tonight we said goodbye to Keo & Charo.  Sad to see them go especially after their performance tonight.  Much love to you Keo, be proud of all you did this season.

I will be at the live show next week!  I am so excited to experience Most Memorable Year live!

 

Until Next Time,

 

XOXO

 

Heather

 

Entertainment Blog

DWTS Season Premiere Season 24! 400th Episode

#dwts

DWTS Season Premiere Season 24! 400th Episode

I have been counting the days & weeks to the premiere!  Crazy it’s now Season 24!  Congratulations to DWTS on its 400th Episode!  I have personally never missed one!   It was another fantastic opening number!  It should be another dynamic season with a wide range of personalities as always!

Normani Kordei & Val Chmerkovskiy:  #teamValMani

Dance:  Quickstep

Song:  “Good Time Good Life” by Erin Bowman

 

This will be a challenging season for Val and Normani due to the fact they will be traveling while Fifth Harmony is one tour in Asia.  I think this pair has a lot of potential.  They had a very challenging first dance in the Quickstep but, I thought they did a really good job.  It was fun, full of energy and really kicked off the show the right way!

I did want to address one thing.  Some people thought Val was being cocky or saying something unkind about his partner when he talked about the averages.  That is 100% false and I don’t know why people have to jump to negative conclusions.  I went back and listened again to be sure I had it correct.  He was referencing Normani’s Grandmother that is a huge fan of the show and has a catalog of scores from all seasons from the very 1st.  He said with tonight’s scores it might lower his average and she will have to write them down in her catalog.

 

Nancy Kerrigan & Artem Chigvintsev #teamBladesOfGlory

Dance:  Viennese Waltz

Song:  “She’s Always a Woman” by Billy Joel

I am so excited for Artem this season.  He finally has a great partner and an athlete and I think they will go far in this competition.  I remember being a little girl watching Nancy in the Olympics.  She is so strong and full of grace and I believe this pair will be one to watch!

Their dance was elegant, beautiful and I think they did a fantastic job.  I look forward to watching Nancy grow this season.  I think each week she will feel more comfortable and relax a bit more but, it was a stunning opening performance!

 

 

Chris Kattan & Witney Carson #teamMangoTango

Dance:  Cha Cha

Song:  “What is Love” by Haddaway

 

Chris is an actor/comedian from SNL.  Witney doesn’t watch much TV so she wasn’t sure about any of his characters.  He did break his neck in the past so he is dealing with an injury.   Their dance was fun to watch and it did seem like he was trying to be in character of a bad dancer.

 

I think this team will need to put in a lot more work to make it in the competition.  Witney is very talented and I am sure she will continue to work hard and helping Chris grow as a dancer as the weeks continue.

 

Bonner Bolton & Sharna Burgess #teamDenimNDiamonds

Dance:  Cha Cha

Song:  “Move” by Luke Bryan

First of all they have serious chemistry.  It was cute watching Sharna blush!  Bonner broke his neck a year ago and was initially paralyzed and wanted to come and inspire people.  I predict this couple will be red hot all season long!  This was such a fun dance for the first week.  It was hot, it was a ton of fun to watch and for me they will be one to watch this season!

I wanted to comment too on Hand Gate.  Again I don’t know why some must automatically think the worst of someone.  When you watch the video you can see he wasn’t facing Sharna to know where his hand was he just went to put it around her waist when she came up to him.  Sharna commented on it last night on twitter “Anyone who has the ridiculous idea that it was intentional…is straight up stupid.  As in lacking the intelligence to realize it was innocent”.

 

Charo & Keo Motsepe #teamCuchiCuchi

Dance:  Salsa

Song:  “Cuban Pete” by Mambo Companeros

Keo absolutely has his hands full this season.  Charo has a big personality but, I am glad he is getting another shot as a Pro because he is very talented and such a nice guy.  Their first dance was extremely energetic and fun.

I don’t know what happened at the end after the judge’s comments.  I absolutely think she might want to relax a bit and listen to the judges or she’s going to give the audience the wrong impression.

 

Nick Viall & Peta Murgatroyd #teamBabyGotBach

Dance: Cha Cha

Song:  “Let Me Love You” by DJ Snake & Tiesto featuring Justin Bieber

 

First of all, welcome back to Peta and congratulations on beautiful baby Shai.  I wasn’t sure at all what to expect from Nick as a dancer.  He surprised me a bit.  He executed the moves well but, I agree he needs to try to relax and make it flow a bit more.  It seemed a bit stiff.

Peta is known to always bring out the best in her partners and I am sure she will continue to work to bring out all of Nick’s strengths.  He definitely has the determination to grow and continue to improve.

 

Heather Morris & Maksim Chmerkovskiy #teamMaksimumHeat

Dance:  Viennese Waltz

Song:  “Make Something Beautiful” by Ben Rector

 

I worry a bit about this pair just because of the chatter about it not being fair she is on the show because her title on social media says Professional Dancer.  My opinion is everyone needs to give her a fair shot as ballroom and Latin dancing with a partner are very different than what she has done in the past.  Julianne touched on that as well during her comments.  We should also remember that she is not the first person on the show that has had dance experience.

Their first dance was full of grace, she is very light when she dances and she was able to get into character.  It was beautiful and they will be one to watch this season.

 

David Ross & Lindsay Arnold #teamLadyAndTheGramp

Dance:  Quickstep

Song:  “Go Cubs Go” by Steve Goodman

 

David is the first baseball player to be on the show and seems to have a really fun personality.   This partnership will be a lot of fun to watch and Lindsay is really good at pulling out her partner’s strengths.

Their first dance was a ton of fun to watch!  I think David will surprise people this season as he gets more comfortable each week.  I thought for a first week they did a good job.  They definitely had the performance factor!

 

Erika Jayne & Gleb Savchenko #teamPrettyXXpensive

Dance:  Salsa

Song:  “XXPENSIVE” by Erika Jayne

 

I have always liked Erika on Real Housewives because she keeps it real.  When I found out she would be paired with Gleb I was excited to see what they come up with this season.  They are sure to bring the heat and the sizzle.

I thought they did a good job in the first week. It was sexy and they performed well!   I think if they just relax a bit they will be one to watch this season.  I am excited to see them tackle a ballroom routine and show some of her vulnerability.

 

Rashad Jennings & Emma Slater #teamShadSquad

Dance:  Cha Cha

Song:  “24K Magic” by Bruno Mars

 

I am beyond thrilled for Emma that she has a great partner this season and I was literally on my feet clapping for them as they were dancing last night.  They are in it to win it and absolutely will be one to watch this season.  Their personalities mesh so well and I bet they bring the fun all season long!

Their performance literally lit up the room!  Bravo!  I cannot wait to see what they do this season and it was awesome to see Emma beaming and so excited.  She’s the sweetest!

 

Mr T & Kym Herjavec #teamDancinFools

Dance:  Cha Cha

Song:  “Theme from the A-Team” by Mike Post, Pete Carpenter & The Daniel Caine Orchestra

Welcome back to Kym it’s always nice to have her on the show!  Mr T was one of the cast members I was interested to watch this season.   I use to watch the A-Team as a kid and I know he has done a lot of work with youth over the years.

He has basic rhythm and a lot of positive energy.  I think the more comfortable he gets the more we will see from this team.  They have potential for sure.

 

Simone Biles & Sasha Farber #teamGoldenGiggles

Dance:  Tango

Song:  “Untouchable” by Tritonal and Cash Cash

 

This is another pair that is in it to win it!  They both have such fun playful personalities and it will be a really fun match up!   They had so much content skill for an opening week performance.

They were fantastic tonight.  Simone was very graceful, they were a ton of fun to watch and I know this team will go far this season.

 

 

 

This season will be a ton of fun to watch and there is so much talent!  It will be interesting to see who will make the final 3!  As a fan I couldn’t be more excited!

Top of the leaderboard was Simone/Sasha.  Bottom was Witney/Chris

If you want to see some fun pictures from the DWTS Winter Tour please feel free to follow me on social media @lightscmemories FB/IG/Twitter  www.lightscmemories.com

 

Until Next Time,

 

XOXO

Heather

Entertainment Blog

DWTS We Came to Dance 2016-17

Dancing With the Stars

#dwtstour

We Came to Dance Winter 2016-17

This was my 4th Dancing with the Stars tour (#DWTSTOUR) and hands down the BEST one to date! The stage set up with fantastic, great music/dance selection and the cast was filled with not only great talent but, the kindest people.

I am attending 5 shows on this tour and have one more to go in Costa Mesa on the last night of the tour and did VIP for each.  If you want to learn about their amazing VIP experience check out this link:  http://lightscmemories.com/vip/dwts-vip-came-dance-tour-2016-17/ and I have also kept track of the cast photos and mingles as I know many of my followers like to guess who will be in their VIP:  http://lightscmemories.com/entertainment-blog/dwts-tour-cast-meet-greet/

Cast: Valentin Chmerkovskiy, Sharna Burgess, Laurie Hernandez, Lindsay Arnold, Artem Chigvintsev, Gleb Savchenko, Keo Motsepe, Emma Slater, Alan Bersten, Jenna Johnson and Hayley Erbert!

This year’s tour really focused on each dancer’s story and it was so beautifully put together.  You would find yourself laughing, in tears, with goosebumps and just sitting on the edge of your seat.  To highlight just a sample:  Val and Laurie perform a few of their favorite dances from the season, there is a section on favorite movie dances that is just fun and stunning at the same time, special dances for just the men and just the women and a lovely moment as Emma shares the story of her engagement. The girls and Artem perform a fun Spice Girls number that will really take you back.  I loved the opening & closing numbers and the piece they all participate in on how they put together the dances each week.  There is also a section after intermission that will leave you in stitches it is so hilarious.  Jenna Johnson performs a really amazing number to Seduces Me that is just breathtaking.  Sharna & Val perform a high energy jive that just totally rocks and Sharna performs a steamy tango with Alan that I just loved!  Alan and the ladies perform a special number that will leave every man in the room jealous of him.  Artem and Gleb heat up the stage in their respective pieces that tell their stories.  Lindsay hits all the right notes in her dances too including the one she dedicates to her Dad…Crazy Train.  Keo also has some moving pieces to his life story and a rumba with Emma.   Jenna and Artem perform a special piece from La La Land that is visually and emotionally stunning.  The contemporary numbers that Jenna & Artem and Hayley and Val do are so beautiful and passionate.  The number that makes me cry and I get goosebumps every night is Sharna’s story.  I don’t want to spoil it for those that have not yet seen it but, it’s a story some can really relate to and will pull at your heart strings for sure.   This was just a quick highlight of my thoughts.  All of the performances are just amazing!

Every style of dance was perfectly portrayed, you could feel the raw emotion and energy and each performance flew by because it was just that good.  This year’s tour was very fast paced which I loved it seemed to be shorter numbers but, with a lot more content packed in which I absolutely loved.

You will absolutely walk out of the theater feeling like you have truly gotten to know the Pro’s.  They open their hearts and souls to us in this tour.  So often on DWTS it’s always focused on the celebrity. It was so special to learn all of their stories and see how it shaped their joy not only in dance but, in life.

The dancers gave it their all every single night of the performances and I cannot say enough what a privilege it was to meet them at the meet and greets, but to sit in the audience and watch their talent and brilliance come to life.

For even more photos please visit my Instagram, Twitter or Facebook pages @lightscmemories!

Also thank you and shout out to VIP Host Anthony Jones for continuing to be our rock star, taking truly memorable pictures, always being very organized and truly being invested in the fan experience!

Until next time,

Xoxoxo

Heather

Check out my favorite online shops!

Bebe:  http://www.bebe.com/

Nordstrom:  http://shop.nordstrom.com/

White House Black Market:  https://www.whitehouseblackmarket.com/store/

 

Entertainment Blog

NKOTB Cruise to Cozumel 2016

NKOTB Cruise 2016: aka STILL Selfie Madness

#nkotb

October 2016

NKOTB Cruise!  I really have never been one that is into cruising.  I am usually the type that prefers an all-inclusive beach vacation but, I have seen how much fun these charter cruises are.  This year I booked ahead and stayed with a friend of mine and it was absolutely an improvement this year to be in a cabin with the balcony.

I have to say they keep you busy and by the end of the trip you will be more exhausted than you ever have been in your life.   Donnie Wahlberg especially I am convinced never sleeps.

Each night on the cruise they have theme nights.  I must admit that they were a lot of fun:  Theme’s on this cruise included Purple Night, Neon Night, Halloween Night and GPS Night.   These parties were held out on the main lido deck each night and it was fun to see all the creativity that went into them both by the other cruisers and the guys.

One thing that became very obvious to me again in the first hours of being on the ship was the extreme selfie madness that was about to happen.  It almost became this challenge.  Can you get a selfie with each New Kid and it left you feeling like if you didn’t you were some sort of cruise failure.  It truly took away from a lot of the theme nights in my opinion.  It was also frustrating when you were waiting or wanting to get a selfie with a New Kid to see someone else that had already had 5 with them were trying to get in for another one.  All you saw were cell phones in the air and it’s almost like those circling the various stages cared less about the performance of the guys and more about pushing their way into location to get a selfie.  I ended up getting a selfie with 2 out of the 5 this year.  It was fun to be a part of Donnie’s World Record breaking selfie line.  He did it officially this year!

nkotbThe rest of the time on the ship you were kept entertained with NKOTB Game show which was funny and it was nice to see the guy’s fun personalities shine.  They were really funny and a just a bit naughty this year.  We also had a concert one night and were able to check out a taping of Jenny McCarthy’s Dirty Sexy Funny Sirius XM show that she taped on the ship.  There were a lot of fun surprises that occurred during that taping with guest appearances by the guys.  I was excited to see the Trifecta added to the schedule this year with Danny, Joe and Jordan.  I just wish each guy had equal time singing solos.  I loved the Solo Wood portion, Jordan’s time was pretty short and he is amazing and Joe and Adam Ray also kept us entertained.  I will also say I missed Duets at Dusk this year, last year it was such a touching part of the cruise.

The day we got off the ship we were in Cozumel.  I had the worst sea legs so ended up getting back on the ship and laying out.

The group photos of 10 with the guys also took up a significant amount of time in the schedule over the course of two days. It was so frustrating having to find two additional people, I felt like I wasted an entire afternoon finding ppl to join our group and then waiting in line for hours for the actual picture.  In the end what bummed me out even more was that was actually a beautiful day where we could have enjoyed the weather b/c our last day to sea was chilly.  I have thought since what could improve it or make it better and I am not sure why the suggestions have not been taken from last year.  I almost think why not allow people to get their selfie with each guy as they go down the line because you are already saying hello and hugging each guy quick.   I know it might take a bit longer but, if everyone knew that was the one time they could ask for one it might make the rest of the cruise more pleasant and everyone would have one with each guy or don’t make people get in groups of 10.  The Backstreet Boys do a similar cruise and I believe they only require groups of 4 or 5.  They you are not wasting so much time searching for groups of 10.   I do however realize that would be a lot for the guys.  They are all very sweet and a lot of fun.

The ship smelled really bad this year too and I thought the food and service in the dining rooms was just ok.  Guy’s Burger place on the Lido desk however was very good!  I also think Carnival needs to vastly improve the wifi on the ship.  It’s a good amount of money to pay for something that works insanely slow.  The boarding process this year was a lot smoother going out of New Orleans!

Final thoughts/suggestions:  Overall I had fun, I met up with my friends and made new ones!  I do hope either Rose Tours or NKOTB can come up with some way to solve the selfie madness and the group photos.  I am not sure if I will cruise again the sea legs make it really hard to get back to normal after.   I would love to see the night parties start on time or at least close to on time.  Selfie madness have a solution whether it be we take them at the group photo time, each guy sets up a time like Joe did in 2015 and if you want one you wait in line for it or give us colored bracelets one for each guy, when you get the selfie the bracelet gets ripped off.  Truly the best option would be the line up like Joe did or at the group photos.  Maybe spread that over 3 days instead of 2 so it’s not so many at once for the guys.

Tips for cruise virgins:

  1. Come well rested because you will be going, going, going.
  2. Be prepared for something to help with motion sickness. I had used the arm bands and was fine.
  3. Take advantage of what you can bring on the ship. I am a red bull drinker and was glad I was able to bring on a package because they didn’t have any on the ship.
  4. Pack lots of comfortable shoes
  5. Get into the theme nights they are a lot of fun
  6. Try to get in a photo group ahead of time but spend time getting to know people either on the fan club boards, the various facebook pages etc.
  7. Be prepared that you may deal with sea legs/motion for days after you get off the ship. I keep the arm bands on but, still dealt with that for a good 4 days after I was home.
  8. Don’t stress, just live in the moments and have fun.

Some of my favorite shops to get cruise ready:

Bebe:  http://www.bebe.com/

Nordstrom:  http://shop.nordstrom.com/

White House Black Market:  https://www.whitehouseblackmarket.com/store/

Until next time,

Xoxo

Heather

 

Entertainment Blog

DWTS Tour Cast Meet & Greet Updated List

I know a lot of people are trying to figure out the Cast Meet & Greet Schedule.  I will update this after each show so maybe it will help get an idea:-)

#dwtstour

1: Reno, NV:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Artem  (Meet & Mingle:  ??)

2:  San Jose:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Gleb  (Meet & Mingle:  Alan & Keo)

3:  Redding:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Hayley (Meet & Mingle:  Jenna & Lindsay)

4:  Eugene:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Emma:  (Meet & Mingle:  ??)

5:  Portland:  Val, Laurie, Lindsay & Hayley (Meet & Mingle:  Sharna & Gleb)

6:  Seattle:     Val, Laurie, Sharna & Keo (Meet & Mingle:  Alan & Jenna)

7.  Ft Meyers:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Gleb (Meet & Mingle:  Lindsay & Alan)

8.  Orlando:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Artem (Meet & Mingle:  Emma & Keo)

9.   Hollywood, FL:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Gleb  (Meet & Mingle:  Jenna & Alan)

10 & 11.  Clearwater, FL:  Mat/Evening: Val, Laurie, Sharna & Keo  (Meet & Mingle:  Lindsay & Emma)

12.  Atlanta:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Artem  (Meet & Mingle:  Alan & Jenna)

13.  Richmond:  Emma, Sharna, Keo & Laurie (Meet & Mingle:  Lindsay & Hayley)

14.  Lancaster Night 1:    Keo, Laurie, Sharna & Gleb (Meet & Mingle: ??)

15.  Lanchaster Night 2:  Val, Laurie, Emma & Artem (Meet & Mingle:  Alan & Hayley)

16.  Niagara Falls:  Val, Laurie, Gleb & Emma  (Meet & Mingle:  Alan & Hayley)

17 & 18:  Casino Rama Mat/Evening:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Artem   (Meet & Mingle:  Jenna & Lindsay)

19.  Pittsburgh:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Keo  (Meet & Mingle:  Alan & Emma)

20.  Poughkeepsie, NY:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Gleb   (Meet & Mingle:  Lindsay & Hayley)

21.  Upper Darby, PA: Val, Laurie, Sharna & Artem (Meet & Mingle:  Alan & Jenna)

22.  Verona:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Emma (Meet & Mingle:  Keo & Lindsay)

23 & 24.  Bethlehem, PA (2 shows):  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Gleb (Meet & Mingle:  Alan & Hayley)

25.  Baltimore: Val, Sharna, Laurie & Emma  (Meet & Mingle:  Jenna & Lindsay)

26.  New York City:  Val, Sharna, Laurie & Keo  (Meet & Mingle:  Alan & Hayley)

27.  Bangor, ME:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Artem    (Meet & Mingle:  Emma & Jenna)

28.  Boston:  Val, Laurie, Emma & Hayley   (Meet & Mingle:  Gleb & Lindsay)

29:  Mohegan Sun Night 1:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Gleb (Meet & Mingle:  Jenna & Alan)

30.  Mohegan Sun Night 2:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Artem (Meet & Mingle:  Hayley & Lindsay)

31.  Red Bank  Night 1: Val, Laurie, Sharna & keo   (Meet & Mingle:  Alan & Emma)

32.  Red Bank Night 2:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Gleb (Meet & Mingle:  Jenna & Alan)

33.  Cleveland:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Artem  (Meet & Mingle:  Lindsay & Hayley)

34.  Windsor Early & Late Show:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Emma (Meet & Mingle:  Lindsay & Alan)

35.  Chicago Early & Late Shows:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Gleb  (Meet & Mingle:  Jenna & Keo)

36.  Indianapolis, IN:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Artem    (Meet & Mingle:  Alan & Hayley)

37.  Cincinnati, OH:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Emma (Meet & Mingle:  Keo & Alan)

38.  Columbus, OH:  Laurie, Sharna & Alan (Meet & Mingle:  Jenna & Lindsay)

39.  Richmond, KY:  Laurie, Val, Artem (Meet & Mingle:  Lindsay and Emma)

40.  Birmingham:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Alan (Meet & Mingle:  Emma & Lindsay)

41/42.  New Orleans (Both shows):  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Gleb (Meet & Mingle:  Keo & Jenna)

43:  Sugarland, TX:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Artem (Meet & Mingle:  Alan & Hayley)

44.  Austin: Keo, Laurie, Sharna & Emma (Meet & Mingle:  Lindsay & Hayley)

45.  Grand Prairie, TX:  Val, Laurie, Artem & Sharna (Meet & Mingle:  Alan & Hayley)

46.  El Paso, TX: Val, Laurie, Sharna & Keo  (Meet & Mingle:  Emma)

47.  Phoenix Early Show: Val, Laurie, Gleb & Sharna   (Meet & Mingle:  Hayley & Jenna)

Phoenix evening:  Val, Laurie, Gleb & Sharna (Meet & Mingle:  Lindsay & Keo)

48.  Thousand Oaks:  Val, Laurie, Artem & Emma

49.  Riverside (Early/Late):  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Gleb (Meet & Mingle:  Jenna & Hayley)

50,.  Costa Mesa:  Val, Laurie, Sharna & Lindsay (Meet & Mingle:  Keo & Hayley)

 

Entertainment Blog

Dancing With the Stars We Came to Dance Tour 2016-17

Pre-Tour Blog

#dwtstour

I wanted to share some pre-tour info with you all.  On December 16 the tour will kick off in Reno, NV and travel around the country to 40+ cities!

If you don’t have your tickets yet please go to:  http://www.dwtstour.com/

If you would like to hear what past tours are like or VIP check out these articles!

http://lightscmemories.com/vip/dancing-stars-vip/

http://lightscmemories.com/entertainment-blog/dancing-stars-dance-night-tour/

Picture4

Here is a photo with the fantastic cast!

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If you have never done VIP absolutely buy a package if you are able to.  The cast is truly kind and this is a unique opportunity to not only see an amazing performance but, get a photo with select members of the cast and meet & mingle with others at the party.  Last tour Val & Alek were in all photos and then the rest rotated every other show and then the troupe rotated and two were at each meet and mingle party.  Not sure yet if it will be the same this tour.

Dancing With the Stars Dance All Night Tour 2015-2016It sounds like this tour will be even more incredible than the last so definitely don’t miss out!

 

 

 

 

 

The VIP Packages include:

***FRONT ROW ULTIMATE VIP MEET & MINGLE PACKAGE***  

Approximately:  $599 (varies by location)

– One reserved ticket in the front row
– Meet & Greet and individual Professional Photo Op with select cast members of the DWTS touring cast INCLUDING SEASON 23 MIRRORBALL CHAMPION AND OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST LAURIE HERNANDEZ
– Access to pre-show DWTS Lounge for an exclusive Meet & Mingle party, including:
—- Green screen photo booth to capture additional photos of yourself at the VIP party
—- One (1) drink ticket for the pre-show lounge (beer, wine, soft drinks, water)
—- Mingle with select members of the DWTS touring cast
– VIP Meet & Greet laminate
– Exclusive Autographed Tour Program
– Exclusive DWTS gift item
– Crowd-free merchandise shopping
– On-site VIP host

pizap-com14805532502771
***PREMIUM VIP MEET & MINGLE PACKAGE***

Approximately:  $399 (varies by location)

– One reserved ticket in rows 2 through 4
– Meet & Greet and individual Professional Photo Op with select cast members of the DWTS touring cast INCLUDING SEASON 23 MIRRORBALL CHAMPION AND OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST LAURIE HERNANDEZ
– Access to pre-show DWTS Lounge for an exclusive Meet & Mingle party, including:
—- Green screen photo booth to capture additional photos of yourself at the VIP party
—- One (1) drink ticket for the pre-show lounge (beer, wine, soft drinks, water)
—- Mingle with select members of the DWTS touring cast
– VIP Meet & Greet laminate
– Exclusive DWTS gift item
– Crowd-free merchandise shopping
– On-site VIP host
Picture5

***VIP MEET & MINGLE PACKAGE***

Approximately:  $299 (varies by location)

– One reserved ticket in rows 5 through 15 (up to row 20 in certain markets)
– Meet & Greet and individual Professional Photo Op with select cast members of the DWTS touring cast INCLUDING SEASON 23 MIRRORBALL CHAMPION AND OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST LAURIE HERNANDEZ
– Access to pre-show DWTS Lounge for an exclusive Meet & Mingle party, including:
—- Green screen photo booth to capture additional photos of yourself at the VIP party
—- One (1) drink ticket for the pre-show lounge (beer, wine, soft drinks, water)
—- Mingle with select members of the DWTS touring cast
– VIP Meet & Greet laminate
– Exclusive DWTS gift item
– Crowd-free merchandise shopping
– On-site VIP host

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I will be attending several shows and I look forward to sharing the experience and photos with you all!  Please be sure to follow my Instagram, Facebook and twitter @lightscmemories to be the first to see them!

Want to find some really cute dresses and tops to wear for your photo ops?

Check out my favorite online shops!

Bebe:  http://www.bebe.com/

Nordstrom:  http://shop.nordstrom.com/

White House Black Market:  https://www.whitehouseblackmarket.com/store/

Special offers just for my followers for this shopping season!

Coach Winter Sale: Up to 50% Off Select Styles at Coach.com Plus Free Shipping and Returns!

http://www.coach.com/shop/sale-women?skimoffer=84134

Your Dancing with the Stars or  New Year’s Eve dress is waiting for you at Nordstrom. Free shipping & returns!

http://shop.nordstrom.com/c/womens-dresses-shop?campaign=1128DressSpotlightmedia&mcamp=3784&siteId=TnL5HPStwNw-IoGQuX9MwxopzkHb_gNUpQ&skimoffer=83139

 

Until next time,

Xoxo

Heather

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars 23-Mirrorball Champions!

Mirrorball Champions are…

#dwts

img_6674I have been a fan of this show ever since Season 1 and I have to say this season will be a hard one to top.  The entire cast truly came in with a great attitude and really put in the effort.  It was hard not to fall in love with the personalities and stories of each of our stars this season.  There were so many shining stars.

 

 

Just a few quick notes:

img_6717

  • RIP to the wonderful Florence Henderson who sadly passed away on Thanksgiving. She was a contestant on DWTS and a regular smiling face in the audience.
  • Congratulations to Mark Ballas & BC Jean who were married on Friday.
  • This season also brought the engagement in the ballroom of the very kind Emma Slater and Sasha Farber! They are both such sweethearts and it will be a night we always remember from Season 23

 

 

 

  • MirrorballI want to give a huge shout out to the Season 23 Dance Troupe: Brittany Cherry, Alan Bersten, Hayley Erbert, Keo Motsepe, Britt Stewart, and Dennis Jauch.  You all worked so hard all season and truly provided us with fantastic quality and creative dance numbers.  I think it’s time to have a few of the troupe members from the last several seasons get a chance at Pro.  They truly have proved themselves.
  • It was announced on the finale that Laurie would be joining the #dwtstour #wecametodance. I am sure she will be a fantastic high energy addition to the show and I look forward to seeing her perform.
  • I will be attending a handful of tour shows and will be posting pics to my various pages starting with my Instagram page so please feel free to follow me @lightscmemories.

 

img_6681On to the finale:

I absolutely loved the opening number.  Choreographed by the amazing Mandy Moore.  She is an absolute creative genius.

Andy Grammer also performed his new single Fresh Eyes tonight.  Andy is not only a DWTS alum he is a fabulous live performer.  If you get a chance to check him out in concert, do it!  Allison and Keo danced along to his performance and did a beautiful job!

cx7udgyxuaagixl-jpg-largeIt was too fun to watch Maureen McCormick live her huge fan dream of dancing with Babyface, Ryan, Artem, Keo and Dennis tonight.  Maureen was one that I truly felt grew a lot this season.  It’s always fun when a star is also a fan of the show because it allows us at home to live it through their eyes.

The number that Maks did with a group of the ladies was a lot of fun too.  It was so nice to have Maks back this season.  I know he has said he won’t be returning next season because we will enjoying his time being a new Daddy.  I am so happy for him and Peta and wish them so much happiness!

img_6723I loved the friendship that developed between Vanilla Ice and Rick Perry this season.  Vanilla’s performance was a fun blast from the past and even though they might not have been the strongest dancers the partnerships between Witney/Vanilla and Emma/Rick were fun to watch all season and both did work hard.

 

 

For the first time ever it came down to 3 athletes in the finale!

img_6725Sharna Burgess & James Hinchcliffe
#TeamStopandGo

They chose their favorite dance to perform again which was the Foxtrot from Cirque night which was a great pick for them.  Full of energy and truly highlighted the skills, fun and fabulous relationship of this team.  James and Sharna had that something truly special.  Sharna has such a humble, unique, genuine way she builds relationships and performs.  She has had several memorable partnerships but, this one truly had that very special magic.  James had tremendous growth all season, he has such an amazing survival story and a personality that shines.

img_6672The gift that James gave to Sharna of the race suit he wore the first time he raced again after his accident was truly sweet.  Sharna truly put together the most amazing piece to close the chapter on James’s survival journey.  They performed a fusion dance of Foxtrot & Viennese Waltz.  It was absolutely beautiful.  James demonstrated all the grace in his movements and it again highlighted the beautiful friendship that developed between them this season.  It was stunning.

 

img_6728Calvin & Lindsay
#TeamLindsatron

Calvin and Lindsay chose their Argentine Tango from Latin Week as their favorite dance and it was a fabulous choice for them as well.  That dance was filled with passion, absolutely out of this world lifts and it absolutely was a great reminder of the growth that Calvin has had this season.  Calvin really had such a glowing personality and it was fun to watch him develop into a dancer this season.

img_6670Calvin & Lindsay did a Jive & Quickstep fusion.  Calvin and Lindsay almost developed a big brother/little sister relationship this season. Calvin should be so happy with his journey this season.  He grew immensely and I think kept his attitude on the fun this entire season.  He was a joy to watch!  Their fusion dance was a lot of fun, high energy and again showed off all the great dance qualities that Calvin brought to the floor.

 

 

img_6722Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy
#TeamVaLaur

Laurie and Val picked their Trio Dance with Maks for their favorite dance.  This Samba was crazy good and it absolutely highlighted Laurie’s amazing skills and the ability to truly get into character of the dances.  Plus who wouldn’t want to dance with the Chmerkovskiy brothers.  Laurie has been such a bright light this season.  She showed a lot of talent, positive energy, poise, courage and maturity beyond her years.

img_6669Val and Laurie had a Foxtrot & Argentine Tango Fusion dance.  Their package was so adorable.  It was sad hearing them talk about this season ending.  I think Val was a tremendous positive influence on Laurie.  Laurie grew so much before our eyes and is truly a remarkable young lady.  Their fusion dance was incredible.  Laurie had that fire, pure determination and the look of champion in her eyes when they started that fusion dance.  I do disagree with those that felt Laurie had an edge this season because of gymnastics.  Laurie was the first gymnast that didn’t use the tricks in the dances this season.  I can speak from personal experience at a lower level.  I was a cheerleader and when I started taking ballroom & latin dance lessons it is totally different and definitely not easy to learn to dance with a partner.

 

img_6673More on the finale…

The holiday performances of Babyface and Felicia Barton and the beautiful dance numbers performed by Artem & Jenna and Allison and the dance troupe really got you in the holiday spirit!

That all male dance number was totally off the hook.  Hmmm wondering if we might get to see that on the DWTS Tour this year like we did the Magic Mike number from last year’s finale.  I know they are going to switch up the format a bit this year. img_6727

What a treat to get to see Jana & Gleb’s hot Argentine Tango again.  That dance will absolutely go down in the DWTS history as being one of the hottest numbers of all time.  I am really excited that Gleb will be joining the tour this winter.  It will be nice to meet him and see him perform live!

Terra and Marilu’s special highlight number was also a lot of fun to watch.  Many people were asking where Derek was, he was at rehearsals for Hairspray Live!

The Macy’s Stars of Danimg_6721ce number was also choreographed by the amazing Mandy Moore.  This was truly remarkable.  It was creative, it was a technical and visual delight the way she was able to bring the story into motion using the special screen to make the young girl’s dream a reality.  It truly was an absolute Masterpiece!

I loved the tour preview dance we had tonight.  I highly recommend the tours, if you are able to go you will not be disappointed.  It’s always a fantastic entertaining time and the cast this year is fantastic!

Jana’s performance of her hit song Circles as we watched the video of the final 3 couples was just perfect.

The Results:

Lindsay and Calvin came in 3rd place.

MirrorballSharna & James and Val & Laurie were the final two couples and truly they were both so good it could have been a tie this season.  Each partnership just had that special something.  The talent, the creativity of Val & Sharna with their respective partners was just unstoppable this year.  I would have been absolutely thrilled if their partnership had won.

 

Sharna & James came in 2nd place.

Mirrorball

 

Dancing with the Stars Season 23 Winners are:

Laurie & Val! 

Bravo & congratulations to Laurie & Val.  What a season it was and your partnership was just incredible.  It was great to see Val relaxed and so happy and Laurie grew and improved as a dancer and just proved she was the total package with dynamic ability.  Laurie you absolutely do inspire as does Val!  Keep it up!

 

 

Please feel free to follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook:  @lightscmemories

img_6726img_5790

Finally meet & greet VIP Packages and general tickets are on sale for the DWTS Tour so don’t miss out!  www.dwtstour.com

Until next time,

 

XOXO

Heather

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars Season 23-Finale

Season 23, Week 11, Finale Night 1

#dwts

kfkarmobI absolutely cannot believe we are at the finale already for this truly amazing season!  First up welcome back to Len!  Tonight one couple will be eliminated and the final 3 will compete tomorrow doing a special dance fusion for the final judge’s scores.  Train did a great job on performing their new song and Artem, Cheryl, Keo, Alan performed a fantastic dance.  I also loved the special performance of La La Land.

Finally one big shout out to the Troupe this year!  You all work so hard and have to be in so many places at once as well and you all give it 200% all the time.  I am standing here applauding you all!

FYI:  I am doing 8 Days of Giveaways on my Instagram page to thank you all for helping me to hit 8000 followers!  It started today so check it out, tell your friends to join in on the fun and follow @lightscmemories on IG!  Day 8 will be a BIG giveaway plus I will be posting a bunch of pics from the We Came to Dance Tour:-) 

cpoci-b_Calvin & Lindsay (Viennese Waltz)
#TeamLindsatron

I thought their dance was nice, it was clean, beautiful and you can absolutely see the growth and improvement that Calvin had from the 1st week of the season.  I wasn’t too surprised with the scores, I thought the dance was good but, just didn’t have that WOW factor.   That moment when they brought Calvin’s son out was just absolutely precious. xvpstkqd

Freestyle:  I absolutely have to hand it to Lindsay on this fun choreography and concept.  It absolutely highlighted all of Calvin’s strengths with the lifts, his athletic skills and his fun personality.  Very good job, BRAVO.  Well-deserved perfect scores across the board for the Freestyle!

 

 

acmnmbahJana Kramer & Gleb Savchenko (Tango)
#TeamGlamer

The judges picked the Tango because that was the week Jana had the injury.  Poor Gleb also had the flu this week.  Gleb is very artistic in his dances and I really like all the visual effects.  It’s been great to have him back this season.  I thought they did a great job on the Tango, it was beautiful and Jana also has made tremendous improvement and growth this season. ets7kb91

Freestyle:  I loved the unique creativity that they included in this dance.  The dance was full of emotion, beautiful style, intensity, passion and I really loved every moment of it!  Fabulous job to them both.  My gosh with Gleb getting emotional, don’t focus on a bump in the dance, focus on the beauty of the dance you just did.

 

 

 

au0qmed3Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy (Paso Doble)
#TeamVaLaur

I thought it was great they picked the Paso for their redemption because I think that was their breakthrough week as partners.  WOW they absolutely slayed the Paso.  Laurie is truly an impressive girl.  She is unstoppable!  What an absolutely fabulous job!  I don’t know what the judges were thinking they deserved straight 10’s!  zyynalko

Freestyle:  Fabulous job to both Val and Laurie.  Bravo to Val on really fun creativity and what a light, fun, beautiful way to highlight not only all of Laurie’s talent but, the fun partnership and friendship you both have built this season.  I have loved this partnership all season!  Well deserved-PERFECT score!

 

 

13wpvqbmSharna Burgess & James Hinchcliffe (Foxtrot)
#TeamStopandGo

I loved the dance off James and Hélio Castroneves had.  I really love this partnership too.  James has also grown a lot as a dancer, especially his lines and grace.  They did a beautiful job tonight, he is incredibly talented but, the partnership with Sharna really has made him a shining star all season.  It’s unfortunate they had a little stumble because the judges took off a point for it all but, Bruno.y7gkcs_s

Freestyle:  Sharna deserves a tremendous amount of credit for her amazing vision for this freestyle, it was absolutely amazing.  The beauty, the truth in the story, the emotion it was awe-inspiring.  They are in it to win it for sure!  Absolutely stunning, BRAVO!  Well-deserved PERFECT scores!

 

 

 

 

Elimination Time:  I was so sad to see Jana and Gleb eliminated tonight.  I truly felt they absolutely deserved to be in the final 3.  They should be extremely proud of themselves.  They have been a joy to watch and I loved their partnership!

Prediction:  Final 2 will be James/Sharna and Laurie/Val!

Who will win the Mirrorball?  What are your predictions?  I would love to hear from you!

Please feel free to follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook:  @lightscmemories

Finally meet & greet VIP Packages and general tickets are on sale for the DWTS Tour so don’t miss out!  www.dwtstour.com

img_5790img_5858

Until next time,

 

XOXO

Heather

 

 

 

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars-Semi-Finals/Trio Wk

Dancing with the Stars-Semi-Finals & Trio Night

Season 23, Week 10

#dwts

I seriously cannot believe we are already at the Semi-Finals, this season absolutely flew by and it truly has been one of my favorites.  The talent and personalities have been such a pleasure this season.  Everyone came to work hard and enjoy the experience.  Welcome back Sharna!

img_6544Sharna Burgess & James Hinchcliffe (Argentine Tango)
#TeamStopandGo

It is so absolutely fantastic to see Sharna and James back together again, they have one of those amazing partnerships and I am glad they will be able to finish out the season together.  I still predict they will be in final 2. I loved the blindfold idea.  It’s a little similar to what my dance instructor did recently to get me to stop looking down.  Dancing with your eyes closed/blindfolded is a totally differeimg_6549nce experience you have to trust and just be able to feel everything.  I LOVED their Argentine Tango it was sexy, intense, filled with fun content and that hand stand at the end was just so good.

Trio dance with Jenna Johnson (Jive):  This was a super fun, high energy Jive.  What a creative job Sharna did on the choreography.  I loved it, truly highlighted all of James’s strengths and it was absolutely flawless.  Fantastic PERFECT score!

 

img_6545Terra Jole’ & Sasha Farber (Rumba)
#TeamXL

Terra has truly been so impressive this entire season.  Her attitude, her drive, her fabulous personality have just absolutely shined this season.  Sasha has always been fantastic but, he took it to an even higher level this season with how wonderful he worked with Terra and reminded everyone what a wonderful man he is.  I really liked their Rumba tonight.  It was beautiful dance and how they related to each other.  You can see the amazing effort that this pair puts in each weimg_6550ek.  Loved Carrie Ann’s quote:  “Quality of the movement was like the quality of you, it was untouchable”.  Well-deserved PERFECT score…BRAVO!

Trio dance with Artem (Tango):  The package had me cracking up.  Yes Terra we agree Artem is hot and sweet too!  I absolutely LOVED this dance.  It had sex appeal, it was intense and Terra just nailed it.  Both Artem and Sasha were fabulous with Terra…BRAVO!  Another PERFECT score!

 

img_6546Jana Kramer & Gleb Savchenko (Quickstep)
#TeamGlamer

Jana has steadily improved this entire season.  I have really enjoyed the partnership of Jana and Gleb.  You can see how the show has almost helped her through a difficult time in her life too.  She just shines now.  First off I loved her dress tonight, stunning.  Their quickstep was a ton of fun, very elegant, full of energy, a lot of great content and spunk.  I truly think they deserve to go to the final 3. img_6551

Trio dance with Alan (Paso Doble):  These 3 have a fun relationship too.  It was incredibly creative, powerful, intense, fabulous content and Jana really nailed the character of the dance.  Bravo to this trio they really did a fantastic job.  You can tell Jana wants to be in the finals she was in it to win it tonight.  BTW we need to see Alan have a chance at Pro next year he would be fantastic!  PERFECT score, BRAVO!

 

img_6547Calvin & Lindsay (Tango)
#TeamLindsatron

Calvin seems like such a fantastic and genuine soul.  Loved the package description.  Their tango was good but, I wouldn’t classify it as one of their better dances.  There was a slip up mid-dance which seemed to get them off time a bit.  Calvin is still always a joy to watch.  I am on the fence on this pair in regards to the finals.  I do thimg_6552ink Calvin improved a lot as the season went on but, I am not as engaged in them as a partnership.

Trio Dance with Witney (Salsa):  This looked a comedy skit in rehearsals.  Their salsa was full of energy and they took advantage of Calvin’s strength to do some really fantastic choreography and lifts.  Perfect score…BRAVO!

 

img_6548Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy (Foxtrot)
#TeamVaLaur

I literally cried my eyes out with the package on Laurie’s grandmother and her unfortunate passing the day after the video was recorded. It’s heartbreaking to lose your grandparents and even harder to watch them suffer through Alzheimer’s.  I have been there and it’s not easy. Laurie is only 16 years old but, demonstrates the strength, courage, grace and maturity of someone much older.  I don’t know how she found the inner strength to get through that but, what a treasure for her to always have that video of her Grandma telling her that she loves her and is proud of her.  Given how important family is to Val it made me even happier to know they were partnered up and he treated her with such care and compassion.  Their Foxtrot was on a whole new level this week, all that emotion was so evident in each movement and their partnership grew even stronger.  Absolutely beautiful in every way.  Well-deserved PERFECT score!img_6553

Trio Dance with Maks (Samba):  Laurie was living so many girls’ dreams of getting to dance with the Chmerkovskiy brothers and again on such a difficult week for her I am glad she had two of the sweetest guy’s ever to do this Trio with.  I absolutely LOVED this dance.  It was fun, filled with fabulous energy, content and just crazy good!  I totally agreed with what Carrie Ann said that it was her best dance EVER!  It showed off her talent, her sassy side and highlighted her fabulous shining personality.  PERFECT score once again!

img_6554Elimination Time:  It was so sad to see Terra and Sasha eliminated.  They truly have been amazing all season, Terra showed the world nothing should ever hold you back from trying something you want to do.  Sasha and Terra seem like they will be forever friends.  It was one of those amazing partnerships you see develop on DWTS that you will always remember as truly special and Terra should be very proud of herself for a tremendous job on DWTS!

 

Next week is the 2 Day Finale:

Monday Night: 2 hour show: 

Laurie & Val:

Redemption Style:  Paso Doble-“Wicked Ones” by Dorothy

Freestyle:  “Brand New” by Ben Rector

 

James & Sharna:

Redemption Style:  Tango-“It Had to Be You” by Harry Connick Jr.

Freestyle:  “Beethoven’s 5 Secrets” by The Piano Guys

 

Calvin & Lindsay:

Redemption Style:  Viennese Waltz-“I Am Your Man” by Ryan Shaw

Freestyle:  “Please Mr. Postman”/”I Want You Back” medley by The Marvelettes/Jackson 5

 

Jana & Gleb:

Redemption Style:  Tango-“Stay the Night” by Zedd

Freestyle:  “Unstoppable” by Sia

At the end of the night one couple will be eliminated and three final couples will compete for the Mirrorball.

 

Tuesday Night:  2 Hour Finale

All 13 of this season’s couples will reunite at the Grove.  It will be filled with great performances from Vanilla Ice who will perform “Ice Ice Baby” featuring Rick Perry and Witney Carson; a special guest performance by Andy Grammer of his new global hit single “Fresh Eyes”, Babyface will perform “Winter Wonderland” featuring pro dancers Artem, Cheryl and Allison.  There will also be an all-male number to Bruno Mars “24K featuring all the males from this season.  It will also feature a special performance choreographed by Mandy Moore that promises to be truly magical.  There will also be a special performance from the upcoming DWTS “We Came to Dance” tour hitting the road soon!

Couples from across the season will celebrate their time on the show by repeating one of their favorite dances.  The final element will be the final 3 competing for judge’s points a dance they put together in 24 hours called the “24-Hour Fusion Challenge”.

Who will win the Mirrorball?  What are your predictions?  I would love to hear from you!

Please feel free to follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook:  @lightscmemories

Finally meet & greet VIP Packages and general tickets are on sale for the DWTS Tour so don’t miss out!  www.dwtstour.com

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Until next time,

 

XOXO

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