dwts23

I 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:

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

I 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.

On 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-large It 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!

I 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!

Sharna 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.

The 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.

Calvin & 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.

Calvin & 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.

Laurie 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.

Val 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.

More 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.

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 Dance 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 3^rd place.

Mirrorball Sharna & 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 2^nd place.

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

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

November 26, 2016

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars Season 23-Finale

Season 23, Week 11, Finale Night 1

kfkarmob I 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:-)

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 1^st 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!

Jana 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.

Laurie 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!

Sharna 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

Until next time,

XOXO

Heather

November 21, 2016

Contests/Giveaways

Day 1 of 8 Days of Giveaways

To thank you for getting me to 8000 followers on Instagram we will be doing 8 days of giveaways! Thank you for allowing me to share my passion with you!

Day 1: Candle set given to VIP Pkg holders at the Maks & Val Tour this summer. To enter: Go to my IG page @lightscmemories Be sure you FOLLOW the page, then comment below the photo and tag 2 friends inviting them to like my page. Bonus entry will be given to anyone that signs up for my newsletter on this website.

Drawing will be done Saturday 11/26 at Noon EST via random name picker!

WINNER Via Random Draw: @dancingwtsabc! Congratulations!

November 21, 2016

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars-Semi-Finals/Trio Wk

Dancing with the Stars-Semi-Finals & Trio Night

Season 23, Week 10

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!

Sharna 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 difference 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!

Terra 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 week. 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!

Jana 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.

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!

Calvin & 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 think 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!

Laurie 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!

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!

Elimination 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

Until next time,

XOXO

Heather

November 17, 2016

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars-Latin & Era Weeks

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!

Ryan Lochte & Cheryl Burke

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.

Terra 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.

Amber Rose & Maksim Chmerkovskiy

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.

Sharna Burgess & James Hinchcliffe

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.

Derek Hough & Marilu Henner

#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

Jana Kramer & Gleb Savchenko

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.

Artem Chigvintsev and Maureen McCormick

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.

Lindsay Arnold & Calvin Johnson Jr

#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.

Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy

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.

7qyzrdvr

#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

October 27, 2016

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.

Artem Chigvintsev and Maureen McCormick

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.

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.

Jana Kramer & Gleb Savchenko

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.

Ryan Lochte & Cheryl Burke

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.

Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy

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.

Derek 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.

Amber Rose & Maksim Chmerkovskiy

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.

Sharna Burgess & James Hinchcliffe

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!

Terra 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.

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

October 15, 2016

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars Face Off Week

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

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

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

VS (Cha Cha)

Ryan Lochte & Cheryl Burke

Holy 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

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 was incredibly graceful. They edged out Sasha and Terra and won the face off.

Amber vs Maureen face off

Amber Rose & Maksim Chmerkovskiy

VS (Salsa)

Artem Chigvintsev and Maureen McCormick

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

VS (Tango)

Derek Hough & Marilu Henner

#Teamhennergy

I 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”

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

September 29, 2016

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars TV Night!

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 hav dwts e 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.

Artem Chigvintsev and Maureen McCormick

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.

Jana Kramer & Gleb Savchenko

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.

Rick Perry & Emma Slater

#TeamDanceForOurVets

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.

Lindsay Arnold & Calvin Johnson Jr

#teamLindsatron

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.

Amber Rose & Maksim Chmerkovskiy

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.

Jake 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 1^st elimination.

Vanilla Ice & Witney Carson

#TeamIceNSpice

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.

Terra Jole’ & Sasha Farber

#TeamXL

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.

Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds & Allison Holker

#TeamHolkerFace

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.

Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy

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!

Sharna Burgess & James Hinchcliffe

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.

Derek Hough & Marilu Henner

#TeamHennergy

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.

Ryan Lochte & Cheryl Burke