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Dancing with the Stars-Showstoppers Night

Dancing with the Stars-Showstoppers Night
Season 23, Week 9
#dwts

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What a fun opening number. Mandy Moore is such a creative talent and truly amazes each week. Today’s guest judge is Idina Menzel. Also absolutely stunning job to Keo & Allison on their beautiful contemporary. Fantastic job to Mark Ballas and his co-stars in Jersey Boys as well! Go check them out on Broadway! Idina’s performance was also absolutely flawless.

 
img_6498Marilu & Derek
Dance: Samba to “December, 1963 (Oh What a Night) from Jersey Boys featuring guest performances by Mark Ballas

I thought Marilu and Derek did a good job this week. I am glad that Marilu finally got to the point where she is just having fun. She has improved a lot over the course of the season. She had a lot of content in the Samba and performance was her best one to date.

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Calvin & Lindsay
#TeamLindsatron
Dance: Waltz to “Memory” from “Cats”, featuring guest performance by Leona Lewis

Side note: I loved Leona Lewis’s dress. So pretty and her voice is amazing. Calvin and Lindsay are just adorable. They truly seem to have developed a really sweet friendship. They are having a lot of fun and it absolutely shows. Calvin is such a graceful dancer and he should be so proud of his journey on the show, his weekly improvement has been measurable. He went all in when he signed up for the show and that is what I love to see as a viewer and fan of the show.

img_6499Sharna Burgess & James Hinchcliffe (Jenna filling in for Sharna)
#TeamStopandGo
Dance: Jazz to “A Brand New Day” from the “The Wiz”

My gosh it was so sad watching Sharna struggle with what to do. Safety and protecting your body is always first but, I get it. You develop a bond with a dance partner. I have been in dance lessons all year and it’s an interesting process on the partners you just gel with the best. I have had 2 that I instantly clicked with and one that I just couldn’t connect with. I know how bad Sharna wants this not only for herself to potentially get to the finals but, she truly wants it for James. I think this is the first time this entire season you saw James have a misstep and forget the choreography for a sec. His dance was good and creative and I still he think he belongs in the final 3 for sure.

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Terra Jole’ & Sasha Farber
#TeamXL
Dance: Charleston to “If My Friends Could See Me Now” from “Sweet Charity”

I know I keep saying but, Terra inspires every week and I am so glad her confidence has grown, it truly shows. Sasha has been absolutely tremendous in working with Terra all season. I loved their dance this week, it was spunky, fun and a total joy to watch. On top of improving as a dancer Terra has been so great at getting into the character of the dance. Well-deserved two 10’s for that performance!

img_6501Jana Kramer & Gleb Savchenko
#TeamGlamer
Dance: Waltz to “She Used to Be Mine” from “Waitress”

Gleb was also facing an injury this week. Alan filled in for him this week in practice but, he was able to dance tonight which obviously meant a lot to Jana. I really love this partnership too. Dance has truly been a healing journey for Jana and it makes me happy to see her turn the page in her personal story. Jana has truly been another that has grown so much and transformed as a dancer this season. Their dance was absolutely beautiful, emotional and raw. It truly was a well-deserved PERFECT score!

 

img_6502Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy
#TeamVaLaur
Dance: Argentine Tango to “Cell Block Tango” from “Chicago”

On this first and foremost I have to say some of the things I read about Val telling Laurie she needed to be sexy have been off the wall. Maybe a better word would have been intense and passionate but, he certainly didn’t mean it the way some have portrayed it. Laurie is still such a fun and innocent teen. There are some dances that just are more passionate and intense than others but, I think with the younger contestants have been on various seasons you just have to adapt it in a classy way which I feel they did. Their dance was absolutely incredible! It was their best dance of the season in my opinion. It was classy, it was intense and passionate. Laurie really was able to show off her immense strength and that was just totally mind blowing! Absolutely deserved a PERFECT score! Way to go!

Team-Up Challenges:

img_6503James/Sharna & Calvin/Lindsay: Paso Doble
#teamlastmenstanding

Calvin and James are just too adorable with their Bromance. I loved their dance it was so creative, intense and straight out of the Wild West.

 

 

 

img_6504Marilu/Derek & Terra/Sasha: Jazz
#teamCubs

Artem filled in for Derek during the practice for the dance. Marilu and Terra were another fun match up. I love this point in the season where everyone truly develops friendships. Their dance was great too, very Broadway and truly matched up to the Showstopper theme really well!

 

 

img_6505Jana/Gleb & Laurie & Val: Contemporary
#teamSisters

Jana and Laurie are another special friendship. I love to see two women truly supporting each other and lifting each other up. Their dance was absolutely breathtaking. That front trust fall was incredible. It showed off the pure physical and emotional strength of each woman, their emotion, ability and I loved every single second of it. I admit I watched it a few times. Well-deserved PERFECT score!

 

Next week the couples will do a dance they have not done yet:

Laurie & Val: Foxtrot to “Hollow” by Tori Kelly

James & Sharna: Argentine Tango to “Santa Maria” by Gotan Project

Calvin & Lindsay: Tango to “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes

Terra & Sasha: Rumba to “Scars to Your Beautiful” by Alessia Cara

Jana & Gleb: Quickstep to “Go Mama” by Wayne Beckford

Next week is also Trio Week:

Laurie & Val with Maks: Samba to “Magalenha” by Sergio Mendes

James & Sharna with Jenna: Jive to “Gimme Some Lovin” by the Spencer Davis Group

Calvin & Lindsay with Witney: Salsa to “Limbo” by Daddy Yankee

Terra & Sasha with Artem: Tango to “Hideaway” by Kieza

Jana & Gleb with Alan: Paso Doble to “Kill of the Night” by Gin Wigmore

img_6508Eliminated tonight was Marilu & Derek. Marilu should be proud of her journey on show this season. She made a lot of strides from the first few weeks and I am glad on the night she was eliminated she had one of her best, most relaxed performances.

 

 

 

PS:  GREAT news! Sharna will be back next week!

Please feel free to follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook: @lightscmemories.  I will be doing some giveways soon so stay tuned to social media:-)

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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

Bon Jovi ‘This House is Not For Sale’

Bon Jovi ‘This House is Not For Sale’ Album Review

#THINFS

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I have been a fan of Bon Jovi since my early teen years, they were one of the first concerts I ever attended and I am proud to say I am still a fan today.   Over the years I have been to 150+ Jovi shows all around the world.  The last tour ironically was what I called my “go big” tour.  I went to over 40 shows in the US, Canada, Ireland, England and Australia and it was truly a difficult and special tour to be able to attend that many shows.  As everyone knows Richie Sambora stopped showing up for work one day and truly left the band in a very tough situation.  It’s true that Jon and Richie created a lot of magic together for many years but, that start of the last tour Richie’s heart didn’t seem in it anymore.  The last night I saw Richie perform with the band was his 2nd to last show in Oklahoma City, my friends and I were in the front row on Richie’s side and he never looked down or made eye contact with anyone and it felt different.  I am not here to trash Richie in any way, the chapter is closed, I don’t respect the way he handled it but, I am proud of who the band is today.  I think Phil X was the absolute perfect individual to step into that position in the band.  Phil is a true professional, a fantastic guitar player, a really great guy, he has such a genuine down to earth nature and truly enjoys interacting with the fans.

14606468_10154170919683978_5697857292941078621_nThe final night of the tour in Brisbane in 2013 was one of the most emotional concert experiences I have ever had.  At that time so much was unknown.  JBJ gave the speech towards the end and said this is the last time for a long time and we really were not sure when or if we would see our band perform again.  I can remember us all swaying arm and arm during I’ll Be There for You, tears streaming down our faces we felt like we were on an emotional journey with the band on that tour and it’s a night I will remember for the rest of my life.  I was glad that was my “go big” year.

 

img_6895As a fan I was thrilled to hear that the album was done, that they would be doing special Live Listening Parties and really building major excitement behind this album.  As the singles started coming out I was pleasantly surprised by everything I initially heard.  ‘This House is Not for Sale’ is raw, it’s emotional, and it’s a rock record with some of the most beautifully written and inspiring lyrics.  For me it closely measured up to ‘These Days’ which is my favorite Jovi record.  I was only able to attend one of the Live Listening Parties but, I walked out of the theater that night in Toronto blown away and beyond excited for the tour.  Many of the songs sounded even better live and the biggest take away for me was how happy the entire band was on that stage, it was a lighter feeling, the smiles were endless, they were all having fun and the heaviness that you could feel last tour was completely lifted.  Our band is back and better than ever!

img_6154I have listened to the album many times preparing for this review and unlike a few past albums there were no songs that I just felt were ok or I was tempted to skip over.  Every song on this album deserves its place on the album.  If I were to pick my two favorite songs I would say hands down “Scars on this Guitar” makes me stop and fully listen each time.  The lyrics are some of the best and most beautiful JBJ has ever written in my opinion.  As a fan it speaks to my heart, the music is what I turn to get me through hard times.  My other favorite has been Roller Coaster.  I love the lyrics, the beat and I will say this is one of the songs that blew me away when I saw it performed live in Toronto.  Both of those songs I am hoping we will hear a lot on tour.

img_6151The album has a lot of great rock songs  including “This House is Not for Sale”, “Living with the Ghost”, “Knockout”, “Born Again Tomorrow”, “New Year’s Day”, “The Devil’s in the Temple”, “God Bless This Mess”, “All Hail the King” and “We Don’t Run” which was also on the Burning Bridges Album.

JBJ has always written amazing ballads and this album is no exception.  In addition to “Scars on this Guitar” there is “Labor of Love” & “Real Love” which are also both beautifully written and the lyrics and emotion pulled at your heart.

Songs like “Reunion” will have staying power with a great message.   “Come on up to Our House” reminded me of the movie New Year’s Eve that JBJ was in a few years ago.

img_6805It’s great to have John Shanks & Everett Bradley join the band on the tour.  JBJ and the entire band should be incredibly proud of this album.  It’s an absolute hit and one of the best albums to date.  I am so glad that they continue to work hard to develop new music and are still willing to get out and tour to support it.  There is nothing like being at a live Bon Jovi show its magic the minute those lights go down.

Thank you to JBJ, David, Tico, Phil X, John, Hugh & Everett for pouring your heart, your feelings & emotions into this album and the special Live Listening Parties.  This tour will be special and I could not be more thrilled to see the happiness and energy radiating from all of you on stage.  See you in February!

If you want to see additional pictures from the Toronto Listening Party, the Q&A and of course when the tour begins please feel free to follow me on instagram, twitter and/or Facebook:  @lightscmemories

For more information on tour dates etc please go to: 

TOUR

Until Next Time,

xoxo

Heather

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars-Halloween Night

Season 23, Week 8 Halloween Night

#dwts

#halloweennight

It should be a Spooktacular time during Halloween Week on Dancing with the Stars!  It’s another fun and creative night on our favorite show.  This season is flying by!  I was hoping to be able to get out to LA for a show but, with everything else going on this fall I wasn’t able to. I love this cast and truly am looking forward to the tour!

 

img_6388Terra Jole’ & Sasha Farber

#TeamXL

Dance:  Cha Cha

Terra keeps showing everyone how much she can do week over week!  Her positivity is amazing.  I love her partnership with Sasha too and how she worked so hard at pulling a prank on him.  Their dance was a lot of fun and Terra continues to amaze every week.  Lots of personality, great content, fabulous relationship with Sasha and fun dances.

 

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Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy

#TeamVaLaur

Dance:  Viennese Waltz

Awe their package made me cry this week.  Val has such a huge heart and I hated hearing him doubting himself.  I know he has had special partnerships in the past but, I truly feel this one is the best yet, it’s raw and beautiful.  I love that he is so invested and it’s so special watching their partnership and relationship grow.  Val you are amazing always remember that.  Their dance was absolutely magical!  I loved how beautifully arranged it was and it truly highlighted Laurie’s amazing grace, beauty and talent.  It absolutely deserved a perfect score, BRAVO!

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Derek Hough & Marilu Henner

#teamhennergy

Dance:  Argentine Tango

I know in the packages it shows a few issues in the partnership but, then reading Derek’s blogs you see that isn’t necessarily true.  I know from watching the show from Season 1 the packages don’t always show the reality.  Their dance was good and Marilu has continued to improve.  It does still seem she is unsure of herself at times.  I am a fan of Derek so this is only my thoughts, I do think they should be the next to go next week because when compared to the others remaining in the competition it’s time.  This is the time of the season I always wish votes were cast for the best dances.

 

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Lindsay Arnold & Calvin Johnson Jr

#TeamLindsatron

Dance:  Quickstep

Calvin is the dark horse in the competition for me.  He has grown so much since week 1 as a dancer and he and Lindsay clearly have an amazing friendship and partnership developed.  I absolutely think we will see him in the final 4 or maybe even final 3.  Their dance this week was so fun and creative and again showed his tremendous growth.  They earned a well-deserved perfect score…BRAVO!

 

 

img_6392Ryan Lochte & Cheryl Burke

#TeamCherLoch

Dance:  Tango

I love the Tango it’s been one of my favorites to learn.  Ryan has absolutely grown in the competition just maybe not as fast as others

but, what I think he was able to show the audience is another side to him, the family man, the guy that wants to grow past his mistakes and look ahead to a brighter future.  Their dance this week was creative, intense, a lot of content and overall a good job.

 

img_6393Jana Kramer & Gleb Savchenko

#TeamGlamer

Dance:  Jazz

This will be an interesting week for this team since Gleb has never put together a Jazz routine.  They have such a fantastic partnership.  I thought their dance this week was super fun, full of energy and the characters were perfect!  Jana is another one that has grown so much since week 1.  I truly think it’s between her and Calvin on who gets to the final 3.  Gleb is really doing well as a Pro this season and I am looking forward to watching him perform on tour this winter.

 

img_6394Sharna Burgess & James Hinchcliffe (Jenna filling in for Sharna)

#TeamStopandGo

Dance:  Viennese Waltz

I was so sad to hear that Sharna’s knee injury sidelined her.  I know how much she wants to finish this season out with James it’s truly a magical partnership and they absolutely are in the running for the mirror ball so please take care of yourself Sharna and know you are missed.  I am curious about something, how do they determine who fills in when a Pro is injured.  Not to take anything away from Jenna as she is a great dancer I am just curious with the level of talent that James has why a more seasoned Pro like Witney, Emma or Allison wasn’t matched with him to fill in.  Not a slight towards anyone just curious.  James was so sweet to Sharna and I hope she will be back before the finals if her knee is better.  James did another amazing job, his talent as a dancer is just incredible to watch and his growth since the beginning is amazing.  He was perfectly in character and absolutely deserved the perfect score this week…BRAVO!

Next up was the Dance off:

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Laurie and Val img_6395

Vs (Jive)

Lindsay and Calvin

I loved how Laurie said I think Calvin should pick on someone his own size.  That’s the heart of of a champion to pick someone she feels closely matched up with.  Both couples did great, they had crazy high energy but, Laurie & Val edged out Calvin & Lindsay to win the dance off.

 

img_6397Jana & Glebimg_6398

Vs (Salsa)

Terra & Sasha

Loved Terra’s spirit to try something new and do the Salsa.  Both couples were fun to watch and gave it a great effort and a ton of energy.  Jana and Gleb edged out Terra & Sasha and won the dance off but, both couples should be proud of their effort.

 

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Marilu & Derekimg_6400

Vs (Cha Cha)

Ryan & Cheryl

Both couples gave it a good effort.  I actually thought Ryan was really good and got into it more and was a bigger draw on the performance side.  I think Ryan just has more of an ability to shake it off and just have fun with moments like that.  Ryan and Cheryl won the dance off!

Elimination Time:

Bottom two were:  Ryan & Cheryl and Terra & Sasha

We had to say goodbye to Ryan & Cheryl.  Ryan should be proud of his run on the show and what a way for him to go out winning the dance off!  I did not agree with Sasha & Terra being in the bottom 2.

Next week is Showstopper week:

Marilu & Derek:  Samba to “December, 1963 (Oh What a Night) from Jersey Boys featuring guest performances by Mark Ballas & The Four Seasons.

Laurie & Val:  Argentine Tango to “Cell Block Tango” from “Chicago”

James & Sharna:  Jazz to “A Brand New Day” from the “The Wiz”

Calvin & Lindsay:  Waltz to “Memory” from “Cats”, featuring guest performance by Leona Lewis

Terra & Sasha:  Charleston to “If My Friends Could See Me Now” from “Sweet Charity”

Jana & Gleb:  Waltz to “She Used to Be Mine” from “Waitress”

 

There will also be Team-Up Challenges and they will be:

James/Sharna & Calvin/Lindsay:  Paso Doble

Jana/Gleb & Laurie & Val:  Contemporary

Marilu/Derek & Terra/Sasha:  Jazz

The one other comment I have is I truly hope everyone votes for the stars dance and not just for the Pro because there have been a few people in the bottom 2 that absolutely did not belong in the bottom 2.  It’s important to the integrity and fun of the show.

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

img_5858Finally 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-Latin & Era Weeks

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Season 23, Weeks 6 & 7

#latinnight

#Erasweek

Due to an insanely busy 10 days for the first time ever I am doing a combined week blog (Latin/Era Weeks) as I was also covering the new Bon Jovi album and listening party and the New Kids on the Block cruise last week.  I will be back to my weekly blogs next week.

First up Latin night with Mr Worldwide Pit Bull as guest judge.  I am sure the ballroom will be on FIRE tonight.  Second up is Era’s Week with Len Goodman returning!

 

2vbxatjdRyan Lochte & Cheryl Burke

#TeamCherLoch

Latin Dance:  Salsa

Era’s Dance:  90’s Rumba

Ryan and Cheryl’s Salsa was creatively interesting.  Ryan still seems a bit stiff in his movements but, absolutely trying hard each week.  I really liked the neon portion and they seemed to have fun with the dance overall.  I thought their Rumba was good, Ryan does make strides each week.  I do think he still needs to have a breakout week to stay in the competition.

 

cgztfq9iTerra Jole’ & Sasha Farber

#TeamXL

Latin Dance:  Paso Doble

Era’s Dance:  30’s Foxtrot

Terra continues to amaze me, she does so well every week and is just one heck of a performer.  I thought they did a good job.   I was not fully understanding the judge’s comments on this one.  It’s not easy for everyone to do either the super serious or the super fun dances but, there were no major errors.  I truly route for Terra each week, what she has shown the world is just tremendous and she should always be proud of what she has done.  I loved their foxtrot, it was beautiful and full of amazing content.

 

lg4ayfmzAmber Rose & Maksim Chmerkovskiy

#TeamSpicySalsa

Latin Dance:  Cha Cha

The package showed some difficulties in training.  I do agree with what Maks said I think Amber had a lot more in her to show the DWTS world.  I will say as someone that has been taking dance lessons I have always found the Cha Cha to be very hard and frustrating to learn so I get that part of it.  I thought they did well tonight and I was very sad to hear that they went home on Latin night because I think Amber was so close to hitting her stride on the show.

 

ghlbh6_cSharna Burgess & James Hinchcliffesdp2y4t

#TeamStopandGo

Latin Dance:  Rumba

Era’s Dance:   40’s Jitterbug

 

James and Sharna are just too cute, the Latin package cracked me up.  I thought their rumba was absolutely beautiful and I still absolutely think they will be in the finals this year.  Definitely one of my favorites to watch each week.  Sharna had injured her knee before they performed the Jitterbug.  They had another fabulous performance they never cease to amaze each week.

 

ric3popyDerek Hough & Marilu Henner swi77-nl

#TeamHennergy

Latin Dance:  Cha Cha

Era’s Dance:  20’s Charleston

Marilu is hitting her stride and it’s great to see it.  I think they had to come up with a way to have great communication.  Their dance this week was really good, it’s great to see Marilu having fun with the show.  I thought their Charleston was good, very much in character, a lot of fun to watch and overall

 

cirqrwcqJana Kramer & Gleb Savchenkodlvr-fte

#TeamGlamer

Latin Dance:  Argentine Tango

Era’s Dance:  70’s Samba

I completely do not understand how Jana and Gleb have been in jeopardy.  They are doing so well.  Their Argentine Tango was so incredibly hot and filled with great content and that water scene at the end there just are no words beyond HOT.  Well-deserved perfect scores on Latin night!  I also thought their Samba was really good.  Jana is another one that has made great strides every single week.

uljhaljnArtem Chigvintsev and Maureen McCormickwb7agakt

#TeamMaureen

Latin Dance:  Samba

Era’s Dance:  80’s Tango

I thought their Samba was ok, she has been one that did improve week over week and you could tell was always trying her best.  They had a lot of content which the judges always like.  I thought their tango was good and they should be very proud of their journey this season.  I was sorry to see them go tonight but, Maureen and Artem should be proud of the growth that occurred this season.

 

j4-slhw7Lindsay Arnold & Calvin Johnson Jrn9euzvbb

#TeamLindsatron

Latin Dance:  Argentine Tango

Era’s Dance:  50’s Jive

They have quickly become one of my favorites this season and I think they should be in final 4.  Calvin has such a great personality and Lindsay is doing a great job and highlighting it.  Their lifts are out of this world crazy good and how they blend them in with the content truly is one of the things that sets them apart.  Their Jive was also really good. Lindsay is truly setting herself apart as one of the top female pro’s in choreography.  They work together so well and Calvin has grown a ton.

rx0srxb4Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy6ajjp4yq

#TeamVaLaur

Latin Dance:  Salsa

Era’s Dance:  1960’s Quickstep

Val and Laurie crushed that Salsa, so crazy good!  Her light continues to shine so bright on the dance floor.  Val is handling all the dances in such a tasteful age appropriate way and they are so good.  I loved the Prom theme that Val chose and it was cute how they went about putting the dance together.  I thought their quickstep was fabulous!  High energy, a lot of content and perfectly told the story.

Team Dances:

frgko3jw#teampast:  Sharna/James, Calvin/Lindsay, Artem/Maureen & Ryan/Cheryl:  I absolutely loved their dance, it was stunningly beautiful.  I loved the choreography.

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#teamfuture: Laurie/Val, Marilu/Derek, Terra/Sasha & Jana/Gleb:  I really liked the creativity behind this dance as well.  I did feel bad for Terra in the package.  I know that nobody meant to make Terra feel bad but, it’s always sad to see someone feeling emotions like that.

#teampast won in the judge’s scores but, both teams should be pleased with their performance.

The one other comment I have is I truly hope everyone votes for the stars dance and not just for the Pro because there have been a few people in the bottom 2 that absolutely did not belong in the bottom 2.  It’s important to the integrity and fun of the show.

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

Until next time,

 

XOXO

Heathe

 

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars-Most Memorable Year Week

Season 23, Week 5 No Elimination Most Memorable Year

#memorableyear

This by far is one of my favorite weeks on the show.  I love Most Memorable year for so many reasons.  I think it makes the stars that much more vulnerable and it comes out in their dancing.  It shows triumphs, challenges, happy moments, strength etc.

The opening number was awe inspiring.  The music and dancing was just simply beautiful.

img_5971Artem Chigvintsev and Maureen McCormick

#TeamMaureen

Dance:  Foxtrot

Maureen told her story of going through and coming out of a cocaine addiction.  Watching her grow on this show has been really special.  I truly think she was paired with the best person for this journey as well.  I thought hands down this was Maureen’s best dance to date.  It was beautiful, elegant and perfectly told the emotion behind her story.  It was precious when Artem teared up in the segment with Maureen and her husband.  Love this match up.

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Lindsay Arnold & Calvin Johnson Jr

#TeamLindsatron

Dance:  Jazz

Calvin’s most memorable year was the year he broke Jerry Rice’s record in football.  It was so touching he walked off the field after doing it that he gave his Dad the game ball.  Calvin has such a fun personality and he and Lindsay really are doing well this season, it’s another great partnership.  Their dance was full of energy and those lifts were just off the hook amazing.  What a fun surprise for Calvin to be surprised with Jerry Rice tossing him the ball at the end.

 

janaJana Kramer & Gleb Savchenko

#TeamGlamer

Dance:  Contemporary

Jana told the powerful story of survival.  Her most memorable year was this year the year she had her daughter and it showed her how strong she truly is.  She shared the story of an abusive relationship she was in 10 years ago.  I give her tremendous credit for sharing that story that so many women keep inside or keep it quiet for various reasons.  I think her daughter would be immensely proud of her Mom and how strong she is. Their dance was incredibly beautiful and I think feeling the emotion of the story in the dance this week truly helped Jana to take dancing to the next level.

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Ryan Lochte & Cheryl Burke

#TeamCherLoch

Dance:  Contemporary

First up congratulations to Ryan on his engagement.  Stunning photos and I am glad he is achieving happy moments again on this life journey.  His most memorable year was the first time he went to the Olympics in 2008 and not only getting a gold medal but the world record too.  It was so beautiful that he dedicated his dance to his Mom for always standing by him in the good and bad times.  It was so sweet for his mom to say she wants everyone to know who Ryan is not just the one mistake he made.  I thought their dance was really good and Ryan truly was able to display his vulnerability and emotion this week.

 

img_5968Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy

#TeamVaLaur

Dance:  Paso Doble

Laurie’s most memorable year was this year because she achieved her dream of going to the Olympics.  She overcame a lot of injuries to achieve her dreams.  The package showed some struggles this week in rehearsals.  I give Laurie a lot of credit for showing another side to herself.  It’s so hard to express yourself sometimes and it’s also hard when you have the pressure of being so good.  People need to remember even though the stars are talented it doesn’t mean they have ever done this type of dance before.  I hope Laurie will continue to keep Val in the loop on how she is feeling.  He truly wants the best for her but, he has said over many seasons he gets intense because he knows when he is working with great talent and wants to bring out the very best.

 

img_5967Derek Hough & Marilu Henner

#teamhennergy

Dance:  Viennese Waltz

Marilu’s most memorable year was the year her Mom passed away and Marilu got her first big break with her role on Taxi.  It was such a sad story of how Marilu’s mom’s illness affected her.  I was standing up clapping after Marilu’s dance this week.  Definitely her best dance this season, she looked like she was having a lot of fun, she just let go and it showed.  Bravo!  I am so glad she had this breakthrough.  Her Mom would be so proud of her.

 

img_5966Amber Rose & Maksim Chmerkovskiy

#TeamSpicySalsa

Dance:  Samba

Amber’s most memorable year was the year she had her son and she wanted to do a dance to celebrate women and moms.  They had a rough time at camera blocking this week.  I think this is a tough point in the competition you get tired, you are vulnerable because of the story etc.  I thought Amber did a good job.  She definitely takes ownership of the stage each performance.  She kept up really good with the pro dancers in that section too which was great.

 

img_5965Sharna Burgess & James Hinchcliffe

#TeamStopandGo

Dance:  Tango

James’s story of his most memorable year was incredible.  He is so lucky to be alive and he was meant to live through that awful crash to truly bring something special to the world.  He is such a special person, with such a great attitude and it shows in all he does.  It’s incredible it was just 18 months ago.  I keep saying it but, I think Sharna and James will be in the finals.  Their dance was absolutely stunning.  It was so full of content and just perfectly performed.  Bravo!  2 10’s were very well deserved!

 

img_5964Terra Jole’ & Sasha Farber

#TeamXL

Dance:  Contemporary

Terra’s most memorable year was the year she lost her Dad.  It was such a heartbreaking story. Her Dad truly inspired her to go for her dreams and would be so proud of her.  There is truly nothing like a bond a daughter has with her Dad.  Terra your dad is always watching you from above and celebrating your success.  The dance was absolutely stunning and emotional.

Next week one couple will be eliminated.  This is the part of the season it starts to get really tough because all the couples are doing well, all the partnerships have developed into such fun relationships.

Next week:  Latin week with Pit Bull as guest judge!  Below are the dances that they will do.

Marilu & Derek:  Cha Cha

Laurie & Val:  Salsa

James & Sharna:  Rumba

Calvin & Lindsay:  Argentine Tango

Terra & Sasha:  Paso Doble

Jana & Gleb:  Argentine Tango

Ryan & Cheryl:  Salsa

Maureen & Artem:  Samba

Amber & Maks:  Cha Cha

I went to see Val’s talk at the Southern Women’s show in SC.  As always he was wonderful and charming.  If you want to see pics from event check out social media at @lightscmemories Instagram, Twitter and FB.

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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-Cirque du Soleil Week

Season 23, Week 4 Double Elimination:  Cirque du Soleil

#CirquedusoleilNight

First and foremost huge congratulations to Emma Slater and Sasha Farber on their absolutely beautiful engagement tonight on the results show.  They are two incredibly kind people and what a beautiful surprise on tonight’s show.  I wish them so much happiness.

I was so excited for a new theme week this season, Cirque du Soleil!  It seems like anything else there was very mixed reviews online.  I personally loved it and in my opinion it really brought out fantastic creativity in the Pro’s and almost all the dances were off the hook amazing.

At the start of the show they dropped the bomb that it would be double elimination Tuesday.  I also don’t know what happened at the start of the show again with the microphones.  Couples were just coming out without hearing any audio.  BTW I loved Erin and Julianne’s dresses Monday night.  I would love to know the designers.  If anyone sees that info let me know.

Great live performers on the results show too:  DNCE, Zara Larson

Cirque KURIOS

Lindsay Arnold & Calvin Johnson Jr

#TeamLindsatron

KURIOS Cabinet of Curiosities: Charleston

First off bravo to Lindsay this was such a fun dance!  Fantastic creativity and Calvin is such a joy to watch and he was able to really show off his strength and personality this week.  The dance was super fun, the lifts were all amazing and I actually had to rewind and watch it again it was so good.  I thought they deserved 9’s.  A fun partnership indeed!

Cirque Mystere:

Artem Chigvintsev and Maureen McCormick

#TeamMaureen

Mystere:  Argentine Tango

Their package was hard to watch.  Maureen is clearly a very sensitive person and I just wish every week she would just find the fun in this and just trust in Artem.  It was sad to have Artem say maybe I am in the wrong business.  He is one of the kindest men you could ever met and just wants the best for his partner.  I hope Maureen will get to the point where she will walk in and feel the joy everyday so they can stay.  I really thought their dance was really good tonight, it was definitely Maureen’s best dance to date.  Just remember dance is FUN.

Cirque The Beatles LOVE

Jana Kramer & Gleb Savchenko

#TeamGlamer

The Beatles LOVE:  Foxtrot

It looked like it was a tough week for Jana and Gleb but, clearly they shook it off.  All the traveling is exhausting and not all dances come together as quickly as you want.  They remain a great partnership and I thought their dance was beautiful, classy, graceful and moving.  She is determined so I am sure she will keep working on it.

 

Cirque KA

Derek Hough & Marilu Henner

#teamhennergy

KA: Paso Doble

I still think Marilu needs to just relax and remember dance is supposed to be fun.  I get the desire to be great and perfect but, don’t focus so much on that and lose the fun.  I did think this was Marilu’s best dance to date and I know she has the desire to do this and she has the skill to do it but she needs a breakthrough I think in the performance.  It was a good performance, the creativity was great!

 

Cirque Zumanity

Amber Rose & Maksim Chmerkovskiy

#TeamSpicySalsa

Zumanity:  Argentine Tango

Amber and Julianne had a bit of a misunderstanding from last week.  I have met Julianne a few times and she is a complete sweetheart but, I also can see where Amber was coming from.  Not every girl is a size 0 or 2 and every woman should celebrate what makes her sexy, curves and all.  I felt that both women handled the interaction with class and demonstrated how women should handle issues, talk it out like grownups and move on.  I thought Amber and Maks’s dance tonight was very sexy, filled with passion, intensity, content and really good.

Cirque "O"

Ryan Lochte & Cheryl Burke

#TeamCherLoch

“O”:  Viennese Waltz

Ryan has been on quite a journey but, I really think he is showing improvement every week and allowing everyone in and to get to know him better.  Their dance was beautiful, elegant and showed a lot of beautiful creativity.  This show is about a journey and I love to route for individuals that are growing each week and improving. Ryan should be proud this week.  Some individuals did yell something out when he was getting the judges’ comments but, I was glad to hear they were positive people yelling “Go Gators”.

Cirque The Beatles LOVE:

Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds & Allison Holker

#TeamHolkerFace

The Beatles LOVE:  Tango

Oh I felt so bad for Babyface and Allison tonight.  This was definitely not their best night.  It was very tough needing to stay on time with the lights and it was just off.  They are both really amazing, classy people and I wish it had gone better for them.  I had a feeling they would be going home tonight.

 

Cirque "O"

Terra Jole’ & Sasha Farber

#TeamXL

“O”:  Samba

Terra and Sasha have a great partnership.  I hope Terra continues to believe in herself, girl you are a dancer!  He’s pushing you because he knows you can do it!  Terra goes out every week and just kills it and this week was no exception.  It was sharp, crisp, had lots of hip action and content.  Another job well done it’s always fun to watch this team hit the floor!

Cirque Michael Jackson ONE

Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy

#TeamVaLaur

Michael Jackson ONE:  Jazz

I absolutely love seeing how happy and excited Val is this season.  He always gives it his all but, you can see the joy this season.  Laurie is just an inspiration.  She works hard every week and comes out and just nails the performance.  I had a feeling this dance was going to get the first perfect score of the season.  It was absolute perfection. It was filled with sass and class and hard core dancing.  Bravo and well deserved perfect scores!

Cirque La Nouba

Vanilla Ice & Witney Carson

#TeamIceNSpice

La Nouba:  Viennese Waltz

Vanilla Ice really has impressed me.  He clearly works hard at learning and still maintaining his schedule like many others do on the show.  I really thought he was going to be the dark horse of the competition and be with us for a while.  I thought their dance this week was choreographed really well by Witney and it was good.  It went along with the character of the dance.  Vanilla should be proud of the effort he put into the show.

Cirque PARAMOUR

Sharna Burgess & James Hinchcliffe

#TeamStopandGo

PARAMOUR:  Quickstep

Sharna always has fantastic creativity and chorography and James is one that is blowing me away this season.  He reminds me so much of Hélio when he danced with Julianne. James has crazy charisma and the skills and I look forward to their dance each week.  I thought their dance was absolutely fantastic, it had great energy, and it was super fun.  It’s always fun when Sharna channels her inner Jessica Rabbit too.  Bravo. I do have to say that Sharna & James absolutely positively did NOT belong in the bottom 3 tonight that is just crazy to me.

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Sadly eliminated tonight were:

Babyface & Allison:  What a class act Babyface was sad to see them go.

Vanilla Ice & Witney:  I was surprised to see Vanilla go so early too I really thought he would be one to watch as the season went on.  He and Witney were good!

 

 

Next week:  Most Memorable Year will post more info as it becomes available.

I went to see Val’s talk at the Southern Women’s show in SC.  As always he was wonderful and charming.  If you want to see pics from event check out social media at @lightscmemories Instagram, Twitter and FB.

Finally tickets and meet & greet VIP Packages went on sale this week so don’t miss out!  www.dwtstour.com

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Ladies, I am in love with these new Coach bags, check them out:  http://www.coach.com/shop/women-handbags-satchels

Bebe also has some pretty fall tops:  http://www.bebe.com/Tops/184.sec

 

Until next time,

Xoxo

 

Heather

 

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars Face Off Week

#dwts

Week 3 Season 23

This week DWTS was cut short on Monday night due to the Presidential debate.  It was Face Off week!  I also want to do a shout out to Kym Johnson who filled in for Erin on Tuesday.  I thought Kym did a really great job!

One other thing I would like to say is this season’s cast is really good.  It seems in some season’s past there was always at least one that either didn’t seem to really want to be there or wasn’t loving learning to dance but, this season it seems like everyone is there and giving it their absolute all with great attitudes.

Babyface vs Jana face off

Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds & Allison Holker

#TeamHolkerFace

VS (Jive)

Jana Kramer & Gleb Savchenko

#TeamGlamer

img_5634img_5414 I thought both dances were ok.  Jana’s seemed to be a bit more refined and had more typical jive in it and I think she is way more comfortable of the two on the dance floor.  Babyface just seems like he needs to relax and have fun with the dance.  He is good and he has the presence just needs to relax.  The jive just seemed stiff hopefully he will have a break out week so where he just let’s go and has a lot of fun.  Jana and Gleb won the face off.

 

 

Rick vs Vanilla face off

Rick Perry & Emma Slater

#TeamDanceForOurVets

VS (Paso Doble)

Vanilla Ice & Witney Carson

#TeamIceNSpice

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Rick’s injury looked really painful.  He had such a strong desire to learn and be a part of the show.  I thought they did a good job and attitude is half the battle with anything in life.  I think Vanilla and Witney also did a good job, definitely not perfect but, he also seems to be giving it a lot of effort.  The score was tied so Len broke the tie and gave Vanilla and Witney the face off win.

 

 

 

 

Ryan vs James face off

Sharna Burgess & James Hinchcliffe

#TeamStopandGo

VS (Cha Cha)

Ryan Lochte & Cheryl Burke

#TeamCherLoch

img_5430img_5424Holy super sexy Cha Cha to James and Sharna!   James is really good and keeping right up with Sharna’s great creativity in their dances.  I will be absolutely shocked if we don’t see them in the final 2 this season.  I do see improvement in Ryan each week.  I think similar to Babyface he just needs to let it all go one of these weeks and really have fun with it.  James and Sharna won the face off.

 

Calvin & Terra face off

Terra Jole’ & Sasha Farber

#TeamXL

VS (Viennese Waltz)

Lindsay Arnold & Calvin Johnson Jr

#TeamLindsatron

 img_5423

Terra is awesome and her attitude is tremendous.  She wants to turn a disability into an ability and she shines every week in this competition.  I thought Calvin and Lindsay did really good this week, he wasimg_5426 incredibly graceful.  They edged out Sasha and Terra and won the face off.

 

 

 

 

Amber vs Maureen face off

Amber Rose & Maksim Chmerkovskiy

#TeamSpicySalsa

VS (Salsa)

Artem Chigvintsev and Maureen McCormick

#TeamMaureen

 img_5428img_5429

I can see Amber improving each week, she and Maks took a chance this week doing a more hip hop salsa routine and I can see Amber is trying to put her own personality stamp on the dances.  I didn’t agree with all the judges’ commentary.  Maureen seems to be coming into her own and relaxing in the competition.  I absolutely thought this was Maureen’s best dance so far and it was a lot of fun to watch.  Artem & Maureen won the face off.

 

Laurie vs Marilu face off

Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy

#TeamVaLaur

VS (Tango)

Derek Hough & Marilu Henner

#Teamhennergy

 img_5751-2img_5411I had read beforehand people wondering how Laurie would do because the Tango is a sexy dance.  I take dance lessons and I don’t totally agree with that.  I think it doesn’t have to be sexy if you bring the intensity and get into the character of the dance.  It was nice to see that side to Laurie.  Laurie is just on the mark every week and continues to grow.  I think Marilu is also good but, still needs to do what I was saying with Babyface and Ryan, just relax into it, and remember she is there to have fun too.  Val and Laurie won the face off.

 

What a wonderful pro number by the women of DWTS.  Perhaps we will see that on Tour this winter…I also loved the Maks and Val piece.  The performers were also fun this week including Florida Georgia Line and Fitz & The Tantrums.   All the dance performances by the Pro’s and Troupe members were fantastic!  It’s been such a fun season!

In Jeopardy:

Rick Perry and Emma Slater

Amber Rose & Maks Chmerkovskiy

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Sadly we had to say goodbye to Rick and Emma.  Emma is such an amazing pro, such a kind person and it was really sad to see them go.  They were working so hard and Rick had such a great attitude but, he should walk away proud of the effort he put in.

 

Next week:  Cirque Du Soleil which is a new theme!

Maureen & Artem:  Mystere

Vanilla & Witney:  La Nouba

Amber & Maks:  Zumanity

Jana & Gleb:  The Beatles LOVE

Terra & Sasha:  “O”

Calvin & Lindsay:  KURIOS Cabinet of Curiosities

James & Sharna:  PARAMOUR

Marilu & Derek:  KA

Babyface & Allison:  The Beatles LOVE

Laurie & Val:  Michael Jackson ONE

Ryan & Cheryl:  “O”

I went to see Val’s talk at the Southern Women’s show in SC.  As always he was wonderful and charming.  If you want to see pics from event check out social media at @lightscmemories Instagram, Twitter and FB.

Finally meet & greet VIP Packages went on sale this week so don’t miss out!  www.dwtstour.com

Ladies, I am in love with these new Coach bags, check them out:  http://www.coach.com/shop/women-handbags-satchels

Bebe also has some pretty fall tops:  http://www.bebe.com/Tops/184.sec

 

Until next time,

 

Xoxo

 

Heather

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars TV Night!

Dancing with the Stars TV Night!

#dwts

This season absolutely is filled with a lot of talent, a lot of heart and a desire to be a part of the show and they are giving it 100% which is fantastic.  I also am personally glad that it’s back to 2 nights.  I loved how they did it last night and hearing the insight from the mics on the judges as the couples danced.  I was excited to see what they all would do with TV Night

A few other things I noticed:

It was great to havdwtse the dance with Cheryl, Derek & Maks since they returned to the show and all three had been on the show for a long time so they deserve the extra recognition.  However,  I think they should have been paired up to dance with the 3 other returning pro’s Emma, Allison & Gleb just to give them some credit and recognition as well.

Bravo to the 3 musical performances including Gavin DeGraw who performed both nights, Daya & Charlie Purth.  I also loved all the Pro numbers this week.  Mandy Moore is just amazing!  Bravo to all the hard work of the troupe too!  You all work so hard and it’s absolutely recognized.

 

 

img_5626Artem Chigvintsev and Maureen McCormick

#TeamMaureen

 img_5429

You cannot help but route for Maureen, she has such a great spirit and drive.  I love their partnership. Artem has that natural calmness which I think will help Maureen throughout the season.  I really thought they improved a lot over last week.  Maureen seemed to shake off the nerves and had a lot more confidence and have fun with the dance.  I thought they were underscored by a few judges when compared to the other dances of the night.

 

img_5624Jana Kramer & Gleb Savchenko

#TeamGlamer

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Jana shared that she had an injury that she was battling this week in which she has torn muscles between her ribs.  Injuries like that are so hard because it really just takes time, I know she mentioned after the show that she had a steroid shot and they do work wonders so let’s hope she heals quickly.  They are such a great couple with so much promise.  I thought they performed really well tonight given the injury and have the potential to be in the final 3 on the show as of right now.   Also kudos to Gavin DeGraw for a great performance as they danced.

 

img_5627Rick Perry & Emma Slater

#TeamDanceForOurVets

img_5639

Rick really got lucky with his partnership with Emma.  Emma has natural spunk, great sense of humor, patience and she’s a great teacher.  I thought the dance was full of character and it was entertaining to watch.  Definitely could be better but, Rick has never danced before and he truly is putting his heart into learning and has an exuberance that is contagious.  It was fun.  Half the battle in learning anything new is the attitude you have.

 

img_5618Lindsay Arnold & Calvin Johnson Jr

#teamLindsatron

img_5426

I am enjoying Calvin.  He has a captivating personality and he’s a lot of fun.  He and Lindsay have a fun banter and are developing a great partnership.  I loved their dance to Family Matters.  He looks like he is having fun and working hard.  He also has the ability to get into character which isn’t always easy as we have seen in the past on the show.

 

img_5625Amber Rose & Maksim Chmerkovskiy

#TeamSpicySalsa

img_5428

I like this partnership.  I truly didn’t know much about Amber prior to the announcement but, I am glad so far the packages are allowing us to get to know her better.  I know she had a rough first week but, overall I thought she improved a lot this week.  I thought she showed a lot more confidence and engagement with Maks.  She did a great job of staying in the character of the dance and WOW Maks looked so good as well.  You can tell she is a hard worker and will keep building on her performances.

 

img_5622Jake T Austin & Jenna Johnson

#TeamJSquared

I had a feeling Jake was going to be the one that went home this week.  The performances both weeks were a bit off on timing and it looked like he was constantly trying to catch up.  Plus complaining about the judges this early was probably not the best and there was one or two eye rolls when the scores were given.   Confidence is good but, also understand you need feedback to grow at anything in life.  You are learning to dance and the judges are trying to provide feedback to help you improve your scores week over week.  Jenna worked hard at her first season as a pro and its unfortunate it ended after the 1st elimination.

 

img_5621Vanilla Ice & Witney Carson

#TeamIceNSpice

img_5629

 

OMG Witney nailed the character!  It was super fun to watch.  He has a great personality and has been fun to watch on the show so far.  Definitely could use a bit more polish but, it’s week 2 and all of the celebrities will continue to grow as the weeks go on.  I thought they did a good job and loved the character of the dance.

 

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Terra Jole’ & Sasha Farber

#TeamXL

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Terra is really doing so good!  I give her a lot of credit and her attitude is fantastic.  She works thorough her challenges but, doesn’t want to be defined by them.  Her revenge on Sasha’s prank too was absolutely hilarious.  Bravo to Sasha who has done a fabulous job of working with the challenges and putting together wonderful dances.  Terra keep that confidence up girl you are doing really well.

 

img_5628Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds & Allison Holker

#TeamHolkerFace

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Babyface really floored me this week.  I think he is going to be a dark horse and one to watch in this competition.  He also mentioned that he is shy.  It’s so interesting to learn that many entertainers are actually quite shy people.  I thought their dance this week was really good.  Bravo to Allison on her creativity.  It was so clean, precise, sexy and a lot of fun to watch.

 

img_5616Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy

#TeamVaLaur

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Laurie came out and owned the dance floor once again this week and her personality just shines when she performs.  She is just so precise and just a total dynamo to watch.  She is living her dream being on the show and clearly working hard at her performances.  I disagree with those that say she has an advantage from being a gymnast.  Yes she is fit and had to do floor routines but, ballroom dancing is totally different.  She clearly is working hard and it’s so much fun watching Val having so much fun with this partnership.  Bravo!  Loved that Julianne told her she is Disney’s Beyoncé!

 

img_5617Sharna Burgess & James Hinchcliffe

#TeamStopandGo

img_5430

I absolutely think James and Sharna have the potential to be in the final 3 this season.  James has the natural dancing abilities for sure and clearly also can get into character of the dance.  He is taking all of the feedback and improving every week.  I am excited to watch him perform each week.  Sharna is absolutely fabulous as always.  I really love this partnership.  I thought they were scored a bit low.

 

img_5620Derek Hough & Marilu Henner

#TeamHennergy

img_5411

Derek had a real challenge on his hands this week.  The music was incredibly slow but, Derek was able to work with it and put together a unique performance.   Marilu was graceful and showed improvement over last week.  It’s always so much fun watching people live their dreams.

 

img_5619Ryan Lochte & Cheryl Burke

#TeamCherLoch

img_5424

I think after this week they should stop discussing the incident and let Ryan shine on his dancing.  Their dance was a lot of fun and I thought Ryan did a good job.  He clearly is not a natural dancer but, you can tell he is working at it and wants to be successful.  I thought the dance was creative and showed improvement.

 

In Jeopardy: 

 

Amber & Maks

Ryan & Cheryl

Maureen & Artem

Jake & Jenna

Jake & Jenna were eliminated. 

Next week:

Per Maks’s blog on EW.com

“Next week will be the presidential debates, and we will only have an hour-long show. So, the format will be different — it’s going to be a face off. They split us into six groups of two pairs, and each pair has the same style of dance. So we’ll each dance, and then we get a score, and whoever has the higher score will have immunity from elimination.”

These are the Face Off Match ups:

Laurie & Val VS Marilu & Derek:  Dance Tango

Calving & Lindsay VS Terra & Sasha:  Viennese Waltz

Ryan & Cheryl VS James & Sharna:  Cha Cha

Jana & Gleb VS Babyface & Allison:  Jive

Rick & Emma VS Vanilla Ice & Witney:  Paso Doble

Amber & Maks VS Maureen & Artem:  Salsa

On a style note:  Ck out http://www.bebe.com/ for some really beautiful fall fashions and really fun new bag colors go to:  http://www.coach.com

 

Until next time,

 

Xoxo

Heather

Entertainment Blog

Dancing With the Stars Season 23 Premiere!

Dancing With the Stars Season 23 Premiere!

#dwts23

I have been a fan of Dancing with the Stars since the very 1st season.  It keeps improving year over year and still is one of the hottest shows on TV and absolutely one I look forward to.  This was the first premiere I wasn’t able to watch live due to a prior commitment but, you can look forward to regular blogs the rest of the season and live tweeting.

This season brings back some of our favorite pro’s including Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Emma Slater, Derek Hough, Cheryl Burke and Gleb Savchenko and it brings in Jenna Johnson a former troupe member for her first season as a pro.

I think the cast for this season is absolutely amazing and it promises to be another entertaining season.   One thing I noticed on twitter is some of the cruel comments being made about some of the celebrities.  Let’s all remember to practice kindness.  Making comments about anyone’s appearance is just not nice but, remember you too will be in your 60’s one day and you will see changes in your body.

What an amazing opening number and a tremendous way to kick off the show!

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Derek Hough & Marilu Henner

#TeamHennergy

Marilu has a lot of super positive energy and overall they did well, I think the first night always brings a level of nerves but she clearly has the desire to work hard and do well and I am sure Derek will bring out the best in Marilu’s skills.img_5430

 

 

Sharna Burgess & James Hinchcliffe

#TeamStopandGo

Wow James is quite the survivor.  He has a lot of heart and spirit and I am so excited he is paired with Sharna.  After watching him dance I think he will be one of the ones to watch this season and it would be great to see Sharna win a mirror ball!

 

img_5426

Lindsay Arnold & Calvin Johnson Jr

#TeamLindsatron

I thought Calvin showed some promise as a dancer and it will be fun to watch him grow this season.  He definitely has a fun positive personality and I am sure Lindsay will bring out the best in him.

 

img_5429

 

Artem Chigvintsev and Maureen McCormick

#TeamMaureen

Maureen is so sweet and I love that she is paired with Artem.  I think Artem will help increase her confidence as a dancer.  There were a few nerves in play in their first dance but, I think it’s wonderful to see someone come on with such excitement and desire to make an imprint on the show.

 

img_5414

Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds & Allison Holker

#TeamHolkerFace

I thought Babyface was good.  He and Allison will be a fun partnership to watch this season.  I think each week he will get more comfortable on the floor.  He clearly has grace in his movement.

 

img_5428

 

Amber Rose & Maksim Chmerkovskiy

#TeamSpicySalsa

I was so glad when Maks announced he would be back on the show he has been missed!  I am excited about this partnership too.  I think their combined personalities will be great.  Maks is intense but, he is so kind.  I hope Amber will have many princess moments this season.  I thought they did well, nerves were showing in many of the couples but, it’s the first week.

 

 

img_5425

Vanilla Ice & Witney Carson

#TeamIceNSpice

This partnership will be a lot of fun given Witney’s abilities in hip hop  First week was lacking content but I am sure Witney will find ways to integrate his style with the content each week.  I think he could be a dark horse and may just surprise everyone as the season goes on.

 

img_5421

Jana Kramer & Gleb Savchenko

#TeamGlamer

One word for this couple is smoldering…holy smokes!  They are absolutely going to be couple to watch this season.  They have the passion, the skills and quite clearly are in it to win it.

 

img_5427

Jake T Austin & Jenna Johnson

#TeamJSquared

The Jive must be a tough first dance to do for a beginner dancer.  I think it looked like Jake was chasing after Jenna through most of the dance but, I think if they can even out their energy and tempo and get in sync they will be better.

 

 

 

 

img_5422

Rick Perry & Emma Slater

#TeamDanceForOurVets

First of all I am so glad Emma is back, she was so missed last season.  She is so sweet and has such positive energy.  I must say I wasn’t sure what to expect when I saw that Rick was on the show but, he has a desire to learn and enthusiasm which is key.

 

img_5423

Terra Jole’ & Sasha Farber

#TeamXL

This partnership I was interested to see.  I love Terra’s attitude and I think Sasha will do a good job with the challenge ahead of them.  What a challenge they had the first week with the Jive.  Terra clearly showed her joy in dancing and she should be proud!

 

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Ryan Lochte & Cheryl Burke

#TeamCherLoch

I had mixed feelings about Ryan being given the chance to dance this season.  I had always been a fan of his in the pool and was disappointed in his actions in Rio.  However, I also know that nobody is perfect, we all make mistakes big and small and we all deserve redemption.  If Ryan can find that on the dance floor then good for him.  I thought what happened was absolutely awful and thankfully nobody got hurt.  I know when you enter the studio you do go through metal detectors but, still must have been scary for everyone.  I thought Ryan did a good job on the dance.  He showed good presence and promise in this dance.

 

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Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy

#TeamVaLaur

I was extremely excited to see this partnership announced because Val and Laurie both have insanely bright and positive personalities and I knew they would SHINE on the dance floor.  It must not have been easy to take the stage after all that happened in the ballroom ahead of them but, Laurie took that stage like she owned that dance floor.  I loved the look they shared before the music started it was like saying the journey starts now let’s do this!  If they keep up performances like today this season they will be mirror ball champs hands down.

 

 

I am so excited for this season!  After tonight’s performance I would say the 3 to watch couples would be:  Val & Laurie, Sharna & James and Gleb and Jana but, bravo to all couples for week 1.  It’s not easy to learn how to dance and everyone should be proud of their performances.

This week will be TV Theme night!  Spoilers on dances/songs below:

*Jake T Austin & Jenna Johnson:  Cha Cha to Go, Diego, Go! Theme

*Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds & Allison Holker:  Argentine Tango to The X-Files Theme

*Marilu Henner & Derek Hough:  Foxtrot to Taxi Theme

*Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy:  Jive to Ducktails

*James Hinchcliffe & Sharna Burgess:  Paso Doble to The Walking Dead

*Calvin Johnson Jr & Lindsay Arnold:  Foxtrot to Family Matters Theme

*Terra Jole’ & Sasha Farber:  Quickstep to Bewitched

*Jana Kramer & Gleb Savchenko:  Tango to “I Don’t Want to Be” from One Tree Hill, performed by Gavin Degraw

*Ryan Lochte & Cheryl Burke:  Quickstep to The Muppet Show Theme

*Maureen McCormick and Artem Chigvintsev:  Quickstep to Brady Bunch Theme

*Rick Perry & Emma Slater:  Quickstep to Green Acres Theme

*Amber Rose & Maksim Chmerkovskiy:  Viennese Waltz to Game of Thrones Theme

*Vanilla Ice & Witney Carson:  Foxtrot to “Love and Marriage” from Married with Children

 

On a style note:  Ck out http://www.bebe.com/ for some really beautiful fall fashions!

 

Until next time,

Xoxo

Heather

Entertainment Blog

Review: David Bergman live concert photography workshop with Andy Grammer

#andygrammer

What an opportunity to photograph Andy Grammer with David Bergman!

Ever since I was a little girl and we still used film in our cameras I have always loved taking pictures and most of my friends will tell you I am the one getting pictures of vacations, events and special moments because I love to have them for memory sake.

img_5539The last few years I have really been working on my photography skills and truly love concert photography.  It’s a challenging environment at times because you are battling with others taking pictures on their cell phones and iPad but, for me I like to capture the emotion of a moment you are sharing not only with the artist but, all the fans in attendance at the shows.

When David Bergman posted that he was going to do his first ever live concert photography workshop I thought wow what a great opportunity but, I wasn’t sure if I had enough experience or knowledge of the high end technology to attend.  At a friend’s encouragement I sent an email to David and was so thrilled to receive notice that I was invited to take the class.  David provided us with very detailed instructions and outlined all the specifics we needed etc.

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For those of you that do not know David Bergman is a world renowned photographer.  He has had 13 Sports Illustrated covers, been Bon Jovi’s tour photographer since 2010, and covered 5 Olympic Games, 11 Super Bowls, and multiple World Series games, NBA Playoff, Stanley Cup Finals and Daytona 500.   David also created a GigaPan photo of President’ Obama’s first inaugural speech which was viewed by over 30 million people and named a Canon Explorer of Light in 2015.  To learn more about David you can visit his website at:  http://www.davidbergman.net/index. He is extremely talented.

The event I attended was held at Wente Vineyards in Livermore, CA.  We were photographing Andy Grammer who is currently on a dual headlining tour with Gavin DeGraw.  This venue was absolutely beautiful and allowed for a lot of creativity.  The workshop was excellent.   There were 5 attendees all of various degrees of experience and technology levels and it was the perfect size for effective learning.   David was extremely patient and covered a wide range of topics from what makes an ideal photo, the ideal settings for various lighting situations, etiquette, what to look for to make unique pictures and so much more!

img_5537I have always had Canon Point and Shoot cameras and truly love the brand.  We were loaned some fantastic high end equipment from Canon including Canon 1DX and 5D3 bodies and two different lenses.  We were also given gifts from Tenba and Adorama which was really nice!

Andy Grammer is a fantastic performer and I cannot tell you how much fun I had when it was time to photograph the show.  We were allowed access to photograph the entire set vs the usual first 3 songs.  I enjoyed working from different angles, moving around the venue and especially using the great equipment that Canon loaned us.  One of the hardest things in concert photography is gaining experience because 99.9% of venues will only allow you in img_5554with a point and shoot camera.  I have really worked hard at the craft of getting good shots on my high end point and shoot but, it’s a totally opportunity to shoot with the types of cameras we were using.  The colors are much richer, enhanced zoom options, angles and shots you can get are just in a league of their own.  I made sure to get around the venue the like I mentioned but, found myself really working on my style of photography, looking for the emotion, the art of incorporating the background and environment etc.  It was such a privilege to shoot alongside David, hear his live tips and be able to take action on them in the moment etc.
The night absolutely flew by but, it was truly one of the best experiences I have ever had and I am extremely thankful for the opportunity.  I included a few of my favorite shots in this article.  For more keep an eye on my IG/Twitter/FB pages: @lightscmemories.
img_5553Thank you so very much to David Bergman for sharing your time, knowledge, experience and patience with us!  Thank you to Wente Vineyards (https://www.wentevineyards.com/) & Andy Grammer ()  for the beautiful location and opportunity to cover your show!  If you have not seen Andy on tour yet go buy your tickets (http://andygrammer.com/tour/), he is one not to be missed!  Thank you to Canon (http://global.canon/en/index.html ), Adorama (http://www.adorama.com/) & Tenba (http://www.tenba.com/) as well for the equipment and gifts!

For more on Andy Grammer, tour etc:

TOUR

Until next time,

xoxo

Heather