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Lindsay Arnold

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!

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

 

 

 

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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.

 

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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

Ideal Meet & Greet/Photo Op

Ideal Meet & Greet/Photo Op

If I could sit down with celebrity VIP teams…

This is a topic I have been thinking about for the last few years.  It’s part of the reason for starting this blog.  I never want this page to be a negative place but, rather somewhere to share information, experiences, value etc.  If I could sit down with artist’s and their management teams to give them insight into what fans feel are best VIP practices this is what I would say:

  1. Artists should keep their commitments. It’s one of the things that I think a pop star and his team did wrong earlier this year.  If they didn’t want to do meet and greets anymore that’s fine but, finish the ones that you had committed to, implement rules to meet your needs in the interim and have your team enforce them but, respect that a good portion of your VIP attendees often are paying to travel for the experience.

 

  1. Don’t do photo assembly lines. I truly wish all artists that did meet and greets would commit to an hour or so of their time depending on the #’s and do it right, treat each person like a human being, say hello, ask their name, ask where they are from (stars may be shocked how far some will travel to see them), have a genuine interaction, then take the photo.  Let’s face it these meet and greets, photo ops, fan trips cost a large sum of money, show the fans you value and respect their time and money by giving them an interaction.  When an artist’s team brags that they did 300 pictures in 16 minutes that truly is disappointing vs a recent event I was at they had about 200 people and they devoted a solid hour or more, it wasn’t rushed and everyone that walked out after was so happy, felt so special and most of all valued.

 

  1. Make the interactions private. What I have been seeing quite a bit lately is a curtain box created and have thought that is such a great idea.  You can step in, have your interaction and not have 200-300 people watching it.  It helps with your nerves too, nobody wants to feel like they are in a fishbowl it also solves the issue of people taking photos of the entertainer/star as they approach.  It will also help the genuine interaction because then they are not still speaking to the person ahead of you etc.

 

  1. Make the rules clear, stick to them and let them know what will happen if they violate the rules. If you say don’t take your cell phones out and ask for a selfie and someone does don’t post the photo, if you say don’t hug, kiss and rub all over an artist and people do don’t post the photo.  I would guarantee you would only have to enforce it once and word would travel.  Too many fans will just take liberties, ignore the rules just to achieve their own objective and it truly does spoil the process for others in many cases and it’s disrespectful to the artist.

 

  1. Post photos in a timely manner. The companies that have them posted same day or in 24 hours always get a WOW for service from me.  VIP Nation events have been crushing it with this service the last year.  All events I have gone to hosted by them they have been up during the show or the next day.   It’s been nice to see many are getting them done quickly lately, people are always so excited to receive them so the faster the better.

 

  1. Give organic genuine experiences. A few tours recently I have seen many people asking for kisses, hugs etc.  You are putting the stars in an awkward position because if they say no then they can be looked at like they are being a jerk but, people have to realize in most cases you are a stranger or a familiar face in the crowd to the artist.  Would you want a stranger walking up and asking you to kiss them, hug them etc.?  It’s such a better experience when it happens organically and it’s something the artist initiates because it’s genuine and something they truly wanted to do.  On the flip side though as the artist make an effort to say hello, ask someone’s name and go from there.

 

  1. Please no gum or food in your mouth. I have a few photos with different entertainers with a wad of gum clearly seen in the pic and then recently had an experience where someone was eating a marshmallow.  Again people pay a lot for these experiences, travel long distances and it’s just respectful not to have food/gum in your mouth and seen in the photos.

 

  1. Respect the time of individuals paying for the VIP experience. Don’t make them arrive 2 hours ahead to just stand in line and don’t leave them in the various elements like extreme heat & cold.  Be organized. Nobody likes to stand around waiting for hours.

 

For random interactions with stars I always like to see who puts in the extra effort with their fans.  I can say after seeing it many times that Keith Urban is one of the best at this.  Keith will stop and literally do selfies with 40 people and it takes maybe 10 minutes.  Now in these random cases I think it’s fine to do a quick hello, photo and move on you are not paying for it.

I think the stars also need to be careful the way their team is representing them.  At the softball game at CMA fest one of the entertainer’s boyfriend’s came out where fans were lined up after the game and was telling a guy to hurry up and have her car pulled around because she didn’t want to stop for fans.  Another country star I saw three times at CMA fest once on the pink carpet, at Fan Fair X and then out and about and he could not be bothered to take a photo or have an interaction but as soon as a TV camera was on him he changed right away.  I personally will not spend my money, pay to travel, attend a concert of anyone that shows such disregard for fans.  It’s all in how the situation is handled.  Like I said in my CMA Fest blog from Day 3 instead of responding “NAH” to someone, say sorry not today.  Treat people like human beings and they will in turn reward you by devoting their time and spending their hard earned money to support your career.

One star recently said it best you always have to treat each person special because that may be your 1 time ever to meet that person that has supported you and you don’t know what they had to do to be at that show, if they saved for 6 months, flew across the country etc.  Whether it’s a 30 second selfie interaction or a paid meet and greet it’s your chance to make and leave an impression both on the fan and star’s end.  I will always support the ones that care and truly get it because that adds value to the experience.  I also feel we all have to treat them respectfully.

I would love to hear more thoughts on this from those that read the blog…

 

Until next time,

 

Xoxoxo

Heather

Entertainment Blog

Dancing With the Stars Mirror Ball Champions Season 22

Dancing with the Stars:   Finals Night 2 Who Wins the Mirror Ball?

#DWTS

#dwts22Finale2

Season 22/Week 10

#DWTSfinale

Just a quick reminder the contest to win ONE Silver Meet & Greet Package to see Maks & Val Tour EXTENDED to: May 29th at 5 pm EST

To all the Maks and Val fans out there, I hope this giveaway will help make someone’s dreams come true. I want to find someone really deserving of this and has never really got the chance to meet them since this is a $300 giveaway contest. But anyone who qualifies for the rules and follow them thoroughly will be entered in a random draw. The winner will receive ONE Silver VIP Meet and Greet Package which includes a premium reserved ticket in rows 5 through 20, tour program, and more! Please follow ALL these rules to be entered in my Maks And Val Live Tour: Our Way Giveaway. 1. You must live in the U.S. and can attend the show alone. 2. The city you want to attend must still have this specific package available. 3. Follow @LightsCMemories either on Instagram or Twitter (Will be checking)! 4. Post a picture of Maks/Val with a caption explaining why you want this and include the city/show you want to attend. Make sure you tag me in the picture and use the hashtag, #LightsCMemoriesGiveaway! 5. Tag some friends who would be interested in this giveaway. The more friends you tag, the better your chances are! The drawing for the winner will be on May 29th at 5 pm EST! Please get your entry in before that. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me below. BestFinale3 of luck! -Heather

I am so excited for tonight!  Truly all three are so good, anyone could go home with the Mirror Ball.

The entire show was fantastic tonight and it had to be one of my favorite finales in all the 22 Seasons I have watched.  All the guest performers were amazing from Fleur East, Dan & Shay, Fifth Harmony, Aloe Blacc and of course Pit Bull who never disappoints.

 

It was fun to see 3 past chFinale5ampions in the ballroom as well including Bindi, Shawn and Emmitt.

The Maks and Val Tour preview just made me even more excited for their summer tour!  It’s going to be filled with so much fun and amazing dancing!  I seriously cannot wait to watch their dream come to life!finale6

I also loved how they highlighted the eliminated contestants this time, the entire show was so much fun.  This season had so many fantastic partnerships I loved to see Kim/Sasha, Jodie/Keo, and Wanya/Lindsay etc together again, the football player section was great too and the Trivia game with Witney, Lindsay and Von was absolutely hilarious!   I especially loved the dance Witney and Artem performed to Dan and Shay’s “From the Ground Up”.  The dance to Summer Thing was also a lot of fun to watch and the fun Men and Women of DWTS group dances were also great!

Final Fusion Dances:

Ginger Zee and Val Chmerkovskiy

#teamGinandJuiceGinger 8

Fusion Dance:  Argentine Tango & Foxtrot:  “Just Like Fire”

Scores:  9-9-9

 

 

 

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Nyle DiMarco & Peta Murgatroyd

#redefiningdance

Fusion Dance:  Tango & Cha:  “Summer”

Scores:  10-10-10 (Perfect Score!)

 

Paige VanZant & Mark Ballas

#teamPowRightInTheKisser

Fusion Dance:  Finale7Jive & Salsa “Little Bitty Pretty One”

Scores:  10-10-10 (Perfect Score!)

All the fusion dances were good and it really capped off a fun end to a truly amazing season.  It was a special moment when Carrie Ann put in the extra effort to sign with Nyle.  They all had truly amazing journeys this year for different reasons.  Nyle truly showed the world that nothing can stop you from doing something new that some may think is impossible and he open everyone’s eyes to what it is like to be deaf in many powerful ways.

Ginger came in 3rd place and she and Val should truly be very proud of her performance this season.

Time to crown the winner! 

Season 22 Chamfinale1pions are:

Nyle DiMarco & Peta Murgatroyd

Congratulations!  It was an awesome season and you did an amazing job!  Paige and Mark you both also did such a wonderful job!  Truly this is one season where all 3 were deserving to win.

For those of you that follow my blog I have many events I will be covering this summer including:  Maks & Val Tour, CMA Fest, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Steven Tyler, JLO and more! Please stay tuned to this page, my IG/Twitter: @lightscmemories and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lightscmemories/.

Just a reminder if you want to get tickets to the HOTTEST tour this summer go to: http://www.maksanmaks and valdvaltour.com/  I will be blogging on the show and their various amazing VIP Packages this summer! It kicks off in 6 short weeks!

Until next time,

Xoxoxo

Heather

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars: Trio Week Semi-Finals

Dancing with the Stars:   Trio Week Semi-Finals

#DWTS

#dwts22

Season 22/Week 9

#dwtssemifinals

#trioweek

I cannot believe there are only 2 more weeks to go.  For those of you that follow my blog I have many events I will be covering this summer including:  Maks & Val Tour, CMA Fest, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Steven Tyler, JLO and more! Please stay tuned to this page, my IG/Twitter: @lightscmemories and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lightscmemories/ I will also be announcing a BIG giveaway in the next few days so watch IG/Twitter/Blog page for that!

 

Paige VanZant & Mark Ballas

#teamPowRightInTheKisser

Trio:  Alan Bersten-Samba- “Hip Hip Chin Chin” by Club Des Belugas

This trio will be amazing!  They said they picked Alan because they had great chemistry when they danced together the week Mark was out with his back injury.  I thought the dance was fun, creative, energetic, really allowed Paige to show off her danPaige Triocing ability and truly be the lead.  Len said BRILLANT!  Bruno said she is the Queen of the Jungle.  Carrie Ann said she is unstoppable!  Everyone is still trying to figure out if Alan and Paige are dating…too cute!  If they are I think they would make an adorable couple.

Scores:  10-10-10 (Perfect Score 30 out of 30!)

Argentine Tango- “One Time” by Marian Hill

Paige told the story of her life growing up.  She highlighted that she did individual dance for many years and then she decided to do cheerleading.  That is when the bulling started girls that didn’t make the squad bullied her terrible.  Her family moved to Reno to get Paige out of that environment.  That is when Paige started to learn MMA.  Before everyone starts saying it isn’t fair Paige has dance exCeGvaQ3XIAE9fGoperience.  I can say from personal experience it’s very different taking individual dance and dancing with a partner.  It might give an edge on some things like lines & musicality but, the movement with a partner is totally different.  Their Argentine Tango was sexy as hell, lots of great lifts, a fun storyline and overall a great job!  Bruno loved how nasty it was and said it was like watching 50 shades of Paige.  Len liked it but, felt it was a little too sexy for his taste.

Scores:  10-9-10 (29 out of 30)

 

 

Antonio Brown & Sharna Burgess

#teamBoomin

Trio:  Hayley Erbert Argentine Tango-“Mi Confession” by Gotan Project

Sharna picked Hayley because she is super fierce!  I felt they should have had Antonio highlight his ability more in the beginningAntonio Trio Fixed rather than just strike poses.  Sharna and Hayley did a great job with the choreography.  Overall they did a good job.

Scores:  9-9-9 (27 out of 30)

Contemporary- “Hall of Fame” by The Script

Antonio shared his less than ideal time growing up.  His parents split up and he didn’t have that male role model and he and his Dad struggled in their relationship.  His Dad said if he had it to do over again he wouldn’t have left.  He was the underdog because of his size and circumstances but, he had that inner drive and motivation to make something of himself.  He made it in the 6th round of the NFL draft.  Many shared that the best thing about Antonio is he is a great Dad.  Sharna choreographed a beautiful dance truly highlighting Antonio’s life story.  The lifts were incredible, you could feel the emotion in the dance and overall I thought it was really good.  They got their 1st 10 from Bruno!

Scores:   9-9-10 (29 out of 30)

 

Wanya Morris & Lindsay Arnold

#teamYaYaZee

Trio:  Witney Carson Paso Doble- “Explosive” by David Garrett and Frank Heijden and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Lindsay and Wanya chose Witney because they had danced together in switch up week and she is Lindsay’s best friend.  Wanya noted that he was so focused on the work he forgot to have fun.  Wanya has such a humble way about him, you cannot help but want him to succeed.  The dance was fierce, it was hot, precise, great choreography and was just simply amazing!Wanya Trio

Scores:  10-10-10 (Perfect scores 30 out of 30!)

Charleston- “Shame on Me” by Avicil

Wanya’s family was so cute.  They saw at a very young age that he could sing. He grew up in the projects in Philly.  He dealt with a lot of struggles.  Wanya dreamed of becoming a star.  They formed the band Boyz II Men and really hit the ground running.  Wanya turned around and helped his family.  I think that is why he is so humble and kind, he never forgot where he came from.  His light shines so brightly.  Lindsay has learned selflessness from him.  Their dance was crazy high energy, so much fun, great musicality, precise and I just loved it!  Carrie Ann said he is her hero tonight and said he has electric feet.

Scores:  10-10-10 (Perfect score 30 out of 30)

 

Nyle DiMarco & Peta Murgatroyd

#redefiningdance

Trio:  Jenna Johnson Jive- “Hit the Road Jack” by Hermes House Band

Jenna said she was glad that she was in their Trio because she thinks they are going to win.  Jenna also took a few years of sign language in school so that helped her in communicating with Nyle.  It was great to show off the fun side of Nyle.  They did lose sNyle Trioome timing during the dance.  Overall I thought it was fun, cute, and full of energy.  Good job.

Scores: 9-9-9 (27
out of 30)

Argentine Tango- “Unsteady” by X Ambassadors

Nyle will be blindfolded for the dance tonight.  A lot has been said on social media about this that it’s been done before etc.  Yes it has but, not by someone that was also deaf.  Nyle will be relying totally on Peta’s body movement.  Nyle went to school because h13177215_1722869987925896_2380480704480100281_ne wanted to be a Math teacher and then Tyra stole him for America’s Next Top Model.  Nyle wants to stay on this platform because he feels he can make a larger impact for the deaf community.  He was blindfolded for part of the dance.  It was beautiful, moving, emotional, and impactful in so many ways.  I absolutely loved it.  Nyle said he likes to challenge himself and it truly came across so beautiful tonight.

Scores:   10-10-10 (Perfect score 30 out of 30!)

 

 

Ginger Zee and Val Chmerkovskiy

#teamGinandJuice

Trio: Artem Chigvintsev-Paso Doble- “Shot Me Down” by David Guetta

Val picked Artem because he is an incredible performer, teacher, choreographer and highlighted that Artem is more patient.  Val says Artem is the honey, he is mustard and Ginger is the chicken nugget lol.  I think Ginger might just be the luckiest woman on DWTS this week to be dancing with Val and Artem!  I loved it, I thought it was great.  It was strong, the character was on point, the choreography was fantastic and I really loved this trio together.  The judges pointed out aginger Trio few balance issues they saw in the dance.

Scores:  9-9-9 (27 out of 30)

Quickstep- “Fire Under My Feet” by Leona Lewis

Ginger’s parents also divorced when she was young.  She was very shy.  Ginger ended up with an eating disorder because she fVal Goodelt a need to control something in her life.  Her curiosity about weather developed into a passion.  She started on GMA in 2011.  Val said this was a fun & awesome season for him.  I have loved their partnership.  Their dance was light, fun, high energy, had a lot of content, and overall they did a great job.  Ginger has grown so much this season as a dancer, she truly is able to get into the harder characters now and should be very proud of all she has accomplished with Val.

Scores:  9-10-10 (29 out of 30)

 

Elimination Time:

Wanya & Lindsay

Antonio & Sharna

11731703_10153965770896740_5948663774764525204_o 12799222_10153965771421740_4729347111452576560_n

That leaves the following 3 for the finals next week…VOTE! Voting will already count for the finals!  We know many times it comes down to the freestyle dance.  These couples all are good and unique in their own ways.  I hope they almost all strip it down and focus just on the dancing, less about props, big stage sets etc.  Some of my favorite freestyles since Season 1 focus on the skill, the music and truly letting the partner shine.   This season was one of the most talented in recent memory and all are worthy for the win!  Let’s see who brings their “A” game next week, I cannot wait!

Nyle & Peta

Ginger & Val

Paige & Mark

Final 3 header

Just a reminder if you want to get tickets to the HOTTEST tour this summer maks and valgo to: http://www.maksandvaltour.com/  I will be blogging on the show and their various amazing VIP Packages this summer! It kicks off in 6 short weeks!  #ourwaytour

#maksandval

 

 

 

VOTE by phone, Facebook and on abc.com to avoid future surprising eliminations.

Until next time,

Xoxoxo

Heather

 

 

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars: Judges Dream Team Week

Dancing with the Stars:   Judges Dream Team Week

#DWTS

#dwts22

Season 22/Week 8

Another AMAZING opening number by the Pro’s.  It was so hot, creative and a fabulous way to kick off the show!

 

Nyle DiMarco & Peta Murgatroyd:  Paso Doble
Music: “Victorious” by Panic at the Disco

#redefiningdance

With the team dance scores factored in Nyle and Peta ended up in first place last week.   We find out right away that they are safe.  They are going to try something in their dance to try to show people what it is like for Nyle toPeta 8 dance without hearing the music.  This will be interesting.  Nyle and Peta are always so amazing to watch.

The period where they cut the music was very powerful and really drove home what it is like for Nyle each week.  I am sure it was even more so sitting in the studio audience.  It made me sad for13177215_1722869987925896_2380480704480100281_n a minute because music is such a huge part of my life, I can’t imagine not being able to hear it.  I think the moment they provided the glimpse into Nyle’s life was worth the 10’s but, the actual rest of the dance I didn’t think was as strong as past dances but, I also thought maybe it might have been the music they had.  That isn’t to take anything away from them, they are brilliant and blow me away every week.

Scores:  10-9-10 (29 out of 30)

 

Antonio Brown & Sharna Burgess:  Viennese Waltz
Music: “Love on the Brain” by Rihanna

#teamboomin

I am glad that Antonio is really stepping it up and showing up earlier than Sharna.  Antonio says there is a lot of comparison to hiSharna 8s football career.  He knows how to rise from being the underdog.

There dance was good.  Sharna always does really gooCh-rAtWVEAAtPIl.jpg larged choreography.  It was light, elegant, you could tell Antonio put in more effort on the details.  The judges acknowledged that they can tell he is putting in more effort.  Len acknowledged the improvement in his footwork as well.

Scores:  9-9-9 (27 out of 30)

 

Jodie Sweetin & Keo Motsepe:  Jive
Music: “Something’s Got a Hold On Me” by Christina Aguilara

#teamMoSweet

Jodie thank you for handling the negative press the way you did.  Keo you are a star, don’t let any of the negative press/comments get in your head.  I have had the pleasure of meeting Keo a few times and have seen him dance numerous times, he is a true professional and really wants to succeed with Jodie.  This season is filled with talent and we have seen each Jodie 8star shine at different times.

Their dance was fantastic, it was fun, filled with content and very creative!  I agree with the judges that Jodie’s light is shining bright!  Keo really showed his creativity this week!  They should be very proud of themselves for their performance tonight.  I loved their pure exuberance when they heard the scores that was a classic happiness.

Scores:  10-10-10 (Perfect score!!!!)

 

Paige VanZant & Mark Ballas:  Viennese Waltz
Music: “Stone Cold” by Demi Lovato

#teamPowRightInTheKisser

Paige and Mark are suPaige 8ch a great match as partners.  Loved hearing Paige talking with confidence.  I will say I cringed a bit when Mark was describing his vision for this week.  I am not a fan wheCeGvaQ3XIAE9fGon Mark gets overly theatrical.  Up until this point in the season I have been really enjoying it because he had toned a lot of that down.  It’s just a matter of personal preference.

They did a beautiful dance.  Paige is so talented and I truly think she deserves to be in the finals.  The crowd loved it.  Len noted a few minor items for improvement but, said she is a terrific dancer.  Bruno and Carrie Ann both liked it.

Scores:  10-9-9 (28 out of 30)

 

Ginger Zee and Val Chmerkovskiy:  Argentine Tango
Music: “Telephone” by Lady Gaga featuring Beyoncé

#teamGinandJuice

Ginger 8I think we are in for one red hot dance from Ginger and Val tonight.  Ginger has such a fun, bubbly personality that this character was challenging.  I would have the same problem being thVal Goodat serious.  Loved Val’s advice during camera blocking you did the hard work, now enjoy it!  You can tell how bad Ginger wants this and I love the two of them as partners.

Holy SMOKING hot!  That dance was amazing!  It had everything, passion, tension, content, heat, fire, clean lines, precision and it was perfection from start to finish!  Ginger you look amazing too girl!  I watched it 3 more times after!  Absolutely amazing and the judges all LOVED it too!

Scores:  10-10-10 (PERFECT SCORE!)

 

Wanya Morris & Lindsay Arnold: Jive
Music: “Can You Do This” by Aloe Blacc

#teamyayazee

Wanya has lost oWanya 8ver 20lbs since starting on the show.  They have a fun partnership and they clearly work well together.  LindsaCep4rolWEAEOy_n.jpg largey is so creative and I love that she doesn’t play it safe.

The dance was fun, it had high energy, and it was creative.  There were a few mistakes and when Wanya slipped he bounced back.  You can’t get down on them though, things like that are bound to happen.  It’s how you recover from them that matters.  Wanya handles everything with the best attitude which is another reason he stands out.  He takes it in stride.  It was sad to see Lindsay to sad, you can tell they have truly formed a friendship.

Scores:  8-8-9 (25 out of 30)

 

Judges Dream Team Match Ups:

 

Team Bruno:  Nyle/Peta & Jodie/Keo:   Argentine Tango

#teambruno

I loved how creative that dance was and I love that Bruno took the risk to break down barriers and have the 2 girls dance and the 2 men danTeam Brunoce together.  Jodie and Nyle did a very good job dancing together and it shows how well rehearsed they were.  Great job!  The only part that I found distracting was having the troupe involved.  I love the troupe dancers I just think in this arrangement it should have the two couples because it was distracting, I watched it back a 2nd time and still felt that way.

Scores:  10-10-9 (29 out of 30)

 

Team Len:  Ginger/Val & Lindsay/Wanya:  Samba

#teamLen

Len that was super cute, cheeky, lighthearted, fun, lots of content and I thought they all did a great job!  I love it when Len is ableTeam Len to show off his experience and creativity as a dancer.  I thought Ginger and Wanya did a good job dancing together and the part where Val opened his shirt to show off his abs and Wanya showed off the glittered ab shirt was too funny.

Scores:  10-10-9 (29 out of 30)

 

 

Carrie Ann:  Paige/Mark & Antonio/Sharna:  Paso Doble

#teamCarrieAnn529894366

Wow that was really, really good!  I loved the intensity, it truly highlighted the athletic strength of Paige and Antonio!  It was dynamic without being overly theatrical.  The lift that Antonio did with Paige was amazing and beautiful.  I really loved it.

Scores:  10-10-9 (29 out of 30)

 

Elimination Time:

Jeopardy:

Antonio/Sharna

Jodie/Keo

Wanya/Lindsay

Very sad we said goodbye to Jodie/Keo.  I am so proud of them as a team and you both went out on a high note.

IMG_3176 (2)

Next week is DOUBLE ELIMINATION:  VOTE, VOTE, and VOTE!

Also want to compliment the troupe each performance was amazing!  Great job!

#maksandval #ourwaytour

#maksandval #ourwaytour

Just a reminder if you want to get tickets to the HOTTEST tour this summer go to: http://www.maksandvaltour.com/  I will be blogging on the show and their various amazing VIP Packages this summer! It kicks off in 6 short weeks!  To view the full pre-tour info please check out the article below.

Maks & Val Chmerkovskiy’s Our Way Tour 2016: #maksandval

VOTE by phone, Facebook and on abc.com to avoid future surprising eliminations.

Until next time,

Xoxoxo

Heather

 

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars: Icons Week #dwts #iconsweek

Dancing with the Stars:  Icons Night

#DWTS

#dwts22

#Iconsweek

Season 22/Week 7

Crazy we are at week 7 already and tonight is double eliminations!  The opening with the 360 degree cameras was what they filmed when I was at the show, it was a very cool experience.  Tonight is Icons Week!

Jodie Sweetin & Keo Motsepe:  Quickstep
Music: “For Once in My Life” by Stevie Wonder

#teamMoSweetJodie2

Jodie has performed some seriously intense dances this season so far.  I am looking forward to something more lighthearted.  Jodie is trying to figure out what more they need to do to get higher scores.  I think it’s also new to Keo.  He is such a strong dancer and this is the furthest he has gone in a competition to date so they are figuring it out together.

Jodie and Keo should both be proud of their continued improvement.  This season is so tough because it has a crazy amount of talented individuals participating.  Jodie has consistently improved,IMG_2561 (2) she brings a strong desire to do well and to learn and they are a real joy to watch.  Absolutely loved their enthusiasm when their scores were announced.

Scores:   8-9-9 (26 out of 30)

 

Kim Fields & Sasha Farber:  Samba
Music: “ABC” by Jackson 5

#teamKimSha

13094104_10154137411266740_6897574259889636927_nI keep saying it but, Kim and Sasha are seriously the cutest partnership and you can tell they have formed a genuine friendship.  I love how Sasha likes to keep things light and wants to use last week’s scores to fuel their drive for this week.  This will be a fun week for them as they are dancing to a Jackson 5 song and Kim is friends with Janet.

Kim and Sasha are just a joy to watch, I thought the dance was light, the set and wardrobe was creative.  Kim is infectious with her energy.  The judges all liked it and had good comments for them.  Len said it was their best dance and I would agree!  It lead to their highest score this season and Kim was beaming.

Scores:  9-9-9 (27 out of 30)

 

 

Nyle DiMarco & Peta Murgatroyd:  Foxtrot
Music: “Beautiful Day” by U2

#redefiningdance

Nyle cauNyle2ght a lot of flak last week because of his comment about Val being his biggest competition.  He was able to clarify what he meant a bit more and he seemed to really take it to heart that people would be looking at him like he was cocky.  I don’t think there is anything wrong with aspiring to be the best in whatever field it is you are in, it’s good to stay motivated by that.12794640_1708426052703623_6862659142724183090_n

Peta put together a beautiful, stripped down Foxtrot to remind everyone what an amazing dancer Nyle is. It was absolutely moving and graceful.  I loved Peta’s overall look tonight too, that dress was gorgeous and the front braid was so pretty.  It was such an elegant dance and Nyle continues to amaze everyone.  The judges all liked it and I loved what Len said “others climb hills but, Nyle climbs mountains”.

Scores:   10-9-9 (28 out of 30) Yes there was another scoring issue, Bruno wrote down a 9 but, held up the 10 paddle.

 

Antonio Brown & Sharna Burgess:  Tango
Music: “Paint it Black” by the Rolling Stones

#teamboomin

I am so Antonio1glad that Antonio decided to stay in Los Angeles this week and really put everything into rehearsals.  They seem to be back on track and I am glad he is taking advantage of having an amazing coach on the show.

Sharna did an absolutely amazing, creative job with the chorography!  I loved it!  Antonio really seemed to get into the character and intensity of the dance.  I thought it was a great job.  Poor Sharna had a little wardrobe malfunction but, she handled it with her IMG_2560 (2)usual humor and grace.  I did wonder why Tom couldn’t have whispered something to her rather than bringing it up in such a public manner.  The judges all liked it but, they noticed a few mistakes.

Scores:  8-8-8 (24 out of 30)

 

Wanya Morris & Lindsay Arnold:  Foxtrot
Music: “I Say a Little Prayer” by Aretha Franklin

#teamyayazee

Wanya has losCep4rolWEAEOy_n.jpg larget some serious weight since starting the show and I do really like his humble attitude.  I never really care much for the packages that highlight the busy schedules because it always feels like they are trying to make an excuse.  They all have really busy schedules, some are flying coast to coast each week, others are in training camps etc.  What matters is do they find the time when it matters and put in the work when they can.

Their dance was cute, it was solid.  I definitely think Wanya excels more at the Latin dances and I really think that is because he hWayna1as such a big personality.  He is very likeable and clearly works hard.  I agreed with Carrie Ann that it was good but, she was wanting more.  Wanya has the right attitude and you can tell he is very motivated.

Scores:  9-9-9 (27 out of 30)

 

Ginger Zee and Val Chmerkovskiy:  Viennese Waltz
Music: “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston

#teamGinandJuice

Last wVal2eek’s scores and feedback had Ginger concerned and discouraged.  Val dialed up the drive and intensity so he could help her have a breakout week.  I personally love Val’s style, he wants what is best for his partner.  When he said he always does this and doesn’t want to ruin the experience for her it made me sad in a way.  Having a drive and a genuine care for your partner isn’t going to ruin the experience and Ginger is smart enough to see that.  That is one of the things I have always admired about Val compared to some other pros on the show, you can tell he does everything out of pure love and care for his partner not for his own personal gain/credit etc.Val Good

Their dance was stunningly beautiful.  Ginger absolutely embodied the character of the dance.  You felt like your heart was right there on the dance floor with them.  It was magical, graceful, powerful, romantic and absolutely perfect in every way.  Ginger and Val shined so bright and I loved it so much I watched it back a few more times!  The judges all LOVED it too!  Val,  I agree with Len, BRAVO on the beautiful chorography.

Scores:  10-10-10 FIRST PERFECT SCORE OF THE SEASON!

 

Von Miller & Witney Carson:  Salsa
Music: “A Little Less Conversation” by Elvis Presley

#teamBlondeMiller

I truly th13138926_10154137411271740_4484264791927205622_nink Von is finally relaxing and allowing people to truly see his personality.  I found myself finally routing for him the last 3 weeks.   This dance should be fun and I think it’s a great idea that Witney had to incorporate lifts and take advantage of Von’s strengths this week.

I thought he did a great job getting into character.  Witney did a great job of putting together a dance that would fit the character, that was fun, dynamic, and you can tell Von is having fun in this competition.  The judges all liked it over all, they felt it was a bit rough here and there but, overall good.

Scores:  8-8-8 (24 out of 30)

 

 

Paige VanZant & Mark Ballas:  Jive
Music: “Proud Mary” by Tina Turner

#teamPowRightIntheKisser

Paige mentioned that it sPaige1hook her confidence last week being in jeopardy.  It made me sad to hear her doubting herself and if people liked her and are voting for her.  Paige you are amazing, be confident! You are beautiful, talented, sweet and truly kind and that is why people are rooting for you!CeGvaQ3XIAE9fGo

Paige and Mark blew the roof off the studio with their absolutely AMAZING dance.  The energy, content, fun factor was out of this world.  They are a great partnership and I am enjoying Mark’s chorography this year.  He is truly working towards all of Paige’s strengths and all I can say after tonight is WOW!  That was so, so good!  Judges all loved it.  Len said it UFC-Under Full Control

Scores:  10-10-10 PERFECT SCORE!  

 

 

 

Team Dances:Men vs women

Men #teamJamesBrown

I thought their dance as good.  I can’t say it had the wow factor but, it was a solid and fun performance.  I absolutely noticed that when Nyle was slightly ahead of the music that everyone else just joined in and got in sync with him.  He continued to impress me to not only do good with Peta but, in a group setting with so many moving parts it was great.  They made a good team!

Scores:  9-9-10 (28 out of 30)

Women #teambeyonce

This will be an exciting team to watch.  They are all super motivated.   I thought it was overall good, it too was lacking the wow factor of past team dances but, it was solid.  Loved the focus on girl power!  The judges liked it but, commented on a few of the mistakes that they were able to see.  Len was commenting this season is so hard because you just have no idea who will win this mirror ball.

Scores:  8-8-9 (25 out of 30)

 

Double Elimination Time: 

In jeopardy this week are:

Wanya & Lindsaydouble elmination

Witney and Von

Kim and Sasha

We said goodbye to Kim/Sasha and Von/Witney.  Both couples should walk away with their heads held high.  They both improved each week and this season is filled with crazy talent.  They will be missed.  It’s sad to see Von go at a time I felt he truly was opening himself up more to the competition.  I will miss the joy Kim has brought to the show each week.

 

Next week:  The judges will team up the dancers and each will coach two couples and then the stars of each team will step away from their pros and dance together.  From what I am seeing it looks like the match ups will be:

Carrie Ann: Antonio/Sharna and Paige/Mark

Len:  Ginger/Val and Wanya/Lindsay

Bruno:  Jodie/Keo and Nyle/Peta

Each group dance will be judged by the two remaining judges and America.  Viewers can score celebrity performances alongside Len, Carrie Ann & Bruno, live, during the broadcast (EST/CDT).  To be part of the judges’ table, viewers must visit abc.com to score performances.  A combined overall viewer score for each performance will be counted alongside the judges’ score.  Each viewer may score a performance once, and the scoring window for each couple is open for 2 minutes, 15 seconds, beginning at the start of each routine.

Also want to compliment the troupe each performance tonight was amazing!  Great job!

#maksandval #ourwaytour

#maksandval #ourwaytour

 

Just a reminder if you want to get tickets to the HOTTEST tour this summer go to: http://www.maksandvaltour.com/  I will be blogging on the show and their various amazing VIP Packages this summer! It kicks off in 6 short weeks!

 

 

 

VOTE by phone, Facebook and on abc.com to avoid future surprising eliminations.

Until next time,

Xoxoxo

Heather

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars: Famous Dances Night #famousdances

Dancing with the Stars:  Famous Dances Night

#dwts

#dwts22

#FamousDances

Season 22/Week 6

Famous Dances night is another exciting night on Dancing with the Stars and today also happens to be Len’s Birthday!

The opening number to “Putting on the Ritz” was so much fun and Val in the sparkling shorts was just too hot!  The talent of all the dancers on the show truly is endless.

Let’s get this night going!

 

Kim Fields & Sasha Farber:  Jive

#teamKimSha

Music: “You Can’t Stop the Beat” from Hairspray
It was great to see Kim and Sasha back together again, they truly have such a fun relationship.  One thing I feel needs to be said though is the packages are not always a fair/accurate portrayal.  I have met Keo on several occasions and he is not a spoileSasha Famousd sport and more than likely just needed a few minutes to himself after the tough comments he received from the judges last week but, instead they made him come off like a spoiled sport/brat.  Kim does have an injury,  a stress fracture. Kim is tough and wants to work hard and put on a great dance.

I thought they did a good job tonight.  Kim held her own with the troupe dancers backinCeqXaXfWIAA1BSqg her up, it seemed to be a seamless routine, lots of energy, lots of smiling, fun, great footwork considering her injury, I didn’t see that is affected her and it was a great way to open the show!  The judges all loved it, Carrie Ann felt it was missing a little bit of energy.

Scores:  8-8-8 (24 out of 30)

 

Von Miller & Witney Carson:  Jazz

#teamBlondeMiller

Music: “Bad” by Michael Jackson

It was awful to see Witney beatingWitney herself up over the scores last week.  She is a very talented teacher and absolutely shouldn’t take that personally.  This week Von seemed to be very much in the zone, the last two weeks he has been really turning it around in my eyes, he seems to be letting his guard down and I have found myself routing for him.  It seems he is more in it to win it than he had been IMG_2558 (2)the first few weeks.

They really had such a fantastic dance tonight.  Von did a great job and I loved the look of pure pride on Witney’s face at the end of the dance.  Von did a seamless job with the male pro’s backing him up.  He seems to be a lot more comfortable and his footwork was really good.  They should be very proud of this performance.  All the judges loved it!

Scores:  8-8-8 (24 out of 30)

 

 

Jodie Sweetin & Keo Motsepe:  Contemporary

#teamMoSweet

 Music: “Try” by Pink

It had been reported that Jodie had been injured and taken to the hospital during rehearsals this week.  It was great she was able to come back and dance.  In the footage it showed she actually had hurt her face and her ankle this week.  That sound that came from her ankle wasn’t good at all and it showed how badly she wants to stay in this competKeo Famousition.  Nothing was fractured so if she can tolerate it they would allow her to dance.   Jodie and Keo work so hard and really enjoy their partnership.

I really felt tonight’s dance suited them well.  It was emotional, it was intenIMG_2561 (2)se, the lifts were amazing and they both truly told the story in the movement.  I absolutely loved it and I am glad this partnership is back together.  Jodie should be proud of herself, every week she truly improves and tonight she was brilliant.  The judges all thought they did a great job!

Scores:  9-8-8 (25 out of 30)

 

Paige VanZant & Mark Ballas:  Jazz

#teamPowRightInTheKisser

Music: “Soul Bossa Nova” from Austin Powers

Paige and Mark staMarkrted out with a challenge because their original song got pulled due to legal reasons which set them back a few days because Mark had to start over on choreography.  I love their partnership.  This dance will be fun too because Paige will be able to show off some of her athletic abilities.

I thought their dance was fantastic.  It was quirky, it was fun, it haCeGvaQ3XIAE9fGod great musicality, and Paige brings out this really fun side to Mark.  I think they are doing an absolutely fabulous job and I truly think we will see Paige in the finals, she performs each and every week brilliantly and you can tell how much fun she is having on the show.  Great job!  Judges all loved it!

Scores:  9-10-9 (28 out of 30)


Nyle DiMarco & Peta Murgatroyd: Quickstep
#redefininPetagdance

Music: “Hey! Pachuco” from The Mask

I really wasn’t liking some of the packages this week, I know the producers are trying to create drama but, come on represent the stars/pros fairly because otherwise it gives the audience a false representation and then that can cause issues in the voting.  I am sure Nyle was likely asked do you consider yourself a front runner or something along those lines and maybe asked who his greatest competition is in in the show.  I didn’t take his response as a cocky.  Everyone should remember there is a big difference between being confident and being cocky.  I felt they did the same thing to Tamar last year in one of the packages.  Val even tweeted this after the show:

Val Tweet

I felt their dance was fun, creative, full of energy, good footwork and Nyle fully captured the character from The Mask.  The dance had a lot of content as well and the Quickstep certainly doesn’t look easy.  I wouldn’t say it was their best dance but, it certainly wasn’t bad by any means.  The judges gave mixed reviews.  Carrie Ann12794640_1708426052703623_6862659142724183090_n felt he wasn’t as crisp, that his frame was broken and that there was a section where they were out of sync.  Len had some good/poor comments.  When he made the comment that he shouldn’t compare himself to Val that it will annoy people that was a bit harsh.  I am not sure exactly what the judges were trying to accomplish tonight, perhaps to rein in the confidence or something?  If Nyle is striving to be as good as Val it’s good to have goals like that, I say Dream Big!

Scores:  8-8-9 (25 out of 30)

 

 

Ginger Zee and Val Chmerkovskiy:  Jazz

#teamGinandJuice

Music: “Nasty” by Janet Jackson

Val and Ginger make suVal Famous1ch a fun pair this season.  Ginger is just very sweet and down to earth and truly enjoys every minute of being on this show.  I don’t understand how she does it most days getting up so early for GMA, flying back and forth, spending time with her sweet baby and rehearsing but, that just shows how dedicated she is to it.  She took some time off this week and staye
d in LA so she could reset a bit.

Ginger did fantastic, she was fierce, she was fabulo
us, considering she is not an actress I feel she really can pull off the characters of each dance so well.  She was able to really show her stuff and truly stay in sync with all the male pro dancers thVal Goodat were backing her up.  Carrie Ann liked it but, was wanting to see a bit more and pointed out how rehearsed she always is.  Bruno
said she just has to punch it more to take it to the next level.  Ginger youalways make everyone proud.

Scores:  8-8-8 (24 out of 30)

 

 

 

Doug Flutie & Karina Smirnoff:  Bollywood

#teamKutie

Music: “Jai Ho” from Slumdog Millionaire

Doug is truly the Doug famousone you want to root for each week because you can tell how hard he is working, how much he wants to improve and he is truly on such a tough season because the talent is just crazy this season.  This will be a challenge since Karina had never done this style either.

The dance was great, it was fun and I absolutely would say its Doug’s best dance.  He truly seemed to be having a ton of fun.  He really held his own with the troupe as well.  Doug has an amazing spirt and I can see why he is so respected and has so many fans.  The judges all complimented him.

Scores:  7-7-7 (21 out of 30)

 

 

Wanya Morris & Lindsay Arnold:  Jazz

#teamyayazee

Music: “Bye Bye Bye” by NSYNC music video

Great to have Lindsay and Wanya together again, they have a magic partnership.  I loved what Wanya was saying to Witney after the scLindsay famousores last week, he truly is a class act.  It’s going to be fun to see him dance to an NSYNC song since he and Joey are good friends.  Lindsay is such a fantastic choreographer and she is really able to demonstrate it more and more each week.

The dance was incredible, Wanya absolutely crushes the faster styles.  Loved the section with the screens, they had perfect timing and it looked like a professional video shCep4rolWEAEOy_n.jpg largeoot.  Wanya is so much fun to watch, he has insane charisma and like I said above a ton of class.  They both should be very happy with their performance tonight. The judges, Lance and Joey all loved it!

Scores:  10-9-10 (29 out of 30)

 

 

Antonio Brown & Sharna Burgess: Jive

#teamboomin

Music: “Footloose” from Footloose

I have been a fan of Antonio’s all season but, I have to say tonight was disappointed in his comments to Sharna in the package.  Sharna is one of the best pros on the show not just because she is so good but she is understanding, compassionate and she keeps it real Sharna famouswith her partners.  I felt his attitude was unwarranted.  Maybe he needs to step it up and give the experience on the show that much more.

I did like their dance tonight.  It was a lot of fun, it appeared most of his footwork was totally in step with the troupe dancers.  They brought the fun, super high energy and overall his attitude was better and he had a renewed desire to win it all and seemed to work hard thIMG_2560 (2)is week.

 

Scores:  9-9-9 (27 out of 30)

 

Elimination Time:  I admit I had a WTF moment when they said Paige and Mark, no way did they belong in jeopardy.

In jeopardy this week:

Paige & Mark

Von & Witney

Doug and Karina

Doug and Karina were eliminated.  It was time for Doug to go but, he certainly should go with his head held high.  He’s done a great job, he has worked hard and brought a lot of heart!

Next week is DOUBLE ELIMINATION:  VOTE by phone, Facebook and on abc.com so your favorites are not sent home!  Next week is also Team Dances Men vs. Women!

I truly think from here on out things get really hard on the eliminations.  This season is just filled with so much talent as I keep saying.  I am not liking that Val & Ginger, Von & Witney and Kim and Sasha were all tied for the bottom of the leaderboard.

Few other points of interest:

Jenna Johnson @dance10Jenna and Artem Chigvintsev @theartemc have this amazing dance video to Zayn’s “Pillow Talk” Share this video so they may get a chance to perform it live on the show!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVPqbQTnC6Q

#PillowTalk

Also want to compliment the troupe each performance tonight was amazing!  Great job!  Alan and Brittany that was an insane Swing Bumper you did this week!

 

Just a reminder if you want to get tickets to the HOTTEST tour this summer go maks and valto: http://www.maksandvaltour.com/  I will be blogging on the show and their various amazing VIP Packages this summer

#maksandval

#ourwaytour

 

VOTE by phone, Facebook and on abc.com to avoid future surprising eliminations.

Until next time,

Xoxoxo

Heather

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars: Switch Up Night

Dancing with the Stars:  Switch Up Night

#dwts

#switchup

#switchupnight

Season 22/Week 5

This week is always an interesting one on Dancing with the Stars.  I really think the couples are matched up perfectly this season and I was so excited to see them all perform.  I was in the audience last night and I will be writing a separate article on what’s its like being in the studio.

Loved the opening number it was so full of energy and so much fun to watch!

Wanya Morris and Witney Carson (Lindsay Arnold): Tango

#teamyayazee

Song: James Bay’s “Hold Back the River”

I was really excited for this match up.  I love Witney as a pro but, I haven’t been feeling the maCgHAg_1WQAA_idngic spark between she and Von this season and I think Wanya’s personality and skills will make for a fun match up.  He reminds me so much of Alfonso with his charisma.

I thought their dance was good, it was clean, sharp, seemed to connect really well.  Wanya seems to truly excel in the faster dance styles an
d I think it’s because has just so much energy and he can release it in the faster dance styles but, I think he continues to improve and is still a contender this season.  Len felt it was hectic.  Bruno liked it and highlight the difficult content included and stated that he has incredible ability.  Carrie Ann mentioned that it was a tough song to do the Tango to which also was a valid point.  I do love how classy Wanya is with the judges’ comments, scores etc.  He truly seems to take it to heart and you can tell he has that winning spirit.

Scores:  8-7-7-8 = 30 points
Phone: 800-868-3412

 

Kim Fields and Keo Motsepe (Sasha Farber): Viennese Waltz

#teamKimSha

Otis Redding’s “These Arms of Mine”

I think this will be another great match up.  Keo is a talented dancer and Kim’s personality is truly shining through these last few weeks.  The height difference may be an issue but, I hope they both have fun with this partnership.

Kim has one of the most expressive faces in the competition and she has been radiating joy the last several weeks.  She’s a pleasure to watc12963408_10154092835801740_7525276824160041752_nh.  I thought their dance was good, emotional, passionate, in character but, not much of it was done in hold.  I personally have not learned this dance style yet in the lessons I have been taking but, going off what I have seen in past seasons and on the DWTS tours I was thinking that might be the biggest comment from the judges.  Maks said it was a hard one that it was a great performance but, not a Viennese Waltz, lacking frame etc.  Bruno thought they were on the money on the emotion of the dance and Carrie Ann loved it.  Len agreed with Maks and he wanted to know why there wasn’t one step in hold.  Maks reminded Keo of the height differences between him and Meryl Davis.  My opinion is that Keo felt he was choreographing the best he could dealing with the height differences and I think he will continue to grow as a pro.   Keo and Kim should be proud of a solid performance this week.

Scores:  8-6-6-8 = 28 points
Phone: 800-868-3406

 

Doug Flutie and Peta Murgatroyd (Karina Smirnoff): Tango

#teamKutie

Song:  Sam Sparro’s “Black & Gold”

This is another great match up.  Peta is an incredible teacher and Doug absolutely has the drive and the desire to learn and improve every week.   Not everyone learns dance at the same speed but, it’s hard not to route for someone that you can tell truly wants to succeed and improve every week.  It’s hard to get out of your own head at times and just relax into the dance. 12998679_10154092835786740_1870049239380947740_n

I think tonight was Doug’s best dance to date.  He did a great job and really seemed to work well with Peta’s style of teaching.  That is not to take anything away from Karina though.  It was a solid performance, it was intense, his footwork definitely showed improvement and he is also improving in getting into the character of the dance with his facial expressions.  The judges still think he needs to work on his musicality.  Maks highlighted that it was full of content and told him to just work on enjoying himself in the dance.  Tom Brady gave him a shout out and Bill Belichick doing an IG video post for him as well was great support.    Doug continues to improve so I would say BRAVO to you and Peta for a great job this week.

Scores:  7-7-7-7 = 28 points
Phone: 800-868-3402

 

Ginger Zee and Mark Ballas (Val Chmerkovskiy): Salsa

#teamGinandJuice

Eddie Palmieri’s “La Malanga”

Ginger grows by leaps and bounds each week.  The joy on her face is so evident and it really shows in all of her performances.  She wa12961545_10154092835591740_691835640881001394_nnts to go far in this competition and it is very evident in the hard work she demonstrates each and every week.  I will miss seeing her and Val dancing together this week but, I think this partnership with Mark has some fun potential.  Ginger’s husband, Ben is such a riot.  I crack up each week with what they air in the packages from Ben.  This week is a classic, Mark is like a glass of merlot and Val would be a dirty martini and then later Mark is the marrying type but, Val is more the Russian love slave.  Too funny!

Ginger took the stage full of sass tonight.  I loved her dance she absolutely crushed it this week!  The hip action was incredible, the lift, she nailed the character of the dance and you can tell she is having an absolutely amazing time on the show.  I thought it was a flawless performance in my opinion.  Kudos to Mark on choreography that truly made Ginger shine!  I know earlier in the season Ginger was hoping to get her sexy back, girl you got it!  Val was beaming with pride watching you!  The judges all absolutely loved it as well!  I did however think you deserved at least 9’s this week, the 8’s were too low.

Scores: 8-8-8-8 = 32 points
Phone: 800-868-3404

Antonio Brown and Karina Smirnoff (Sharna Burgess): Cha Cha

#teamBoomin

Song:  Dusty Springfield’s “Son of a Preacher Man”

I have really liked Antonio all season and felt he was underscored.  Since watching the show since 13012618_10154092835126740_7282044135142724463_nSeason 1 I also am interested to see the stories that are portrayed in the packages each week. Often I take them with a grain of salt.   This week there seemed to be a lot of emphasis on Antonio being late and not putting in the work.  Over the seasons a lot of celebrities have had very challenging schedules but, still put in the work it’s part of the commitment to the show and if he truly is late all the time that is not only disrespectful to the experience but, to your partner as well.

Karina you did a great job with the choreography this week.  Antonio had an explosive start to the dance with his flip.  It was full of energy but, this wasn’t his best dance to date.  The footwork didn’t seem as sharp as it was in past performances.   The judges overall were not impressed.  Len told him you have to polish and take it to the next step.

Scores:  7-6-6-7 = 26 points
Phone: 800-868-3401

 

Paige VanZant and Sasha Farber (Mark Ballas): Rumba

#teamPowRightInTheKisser

Song:  One Direction’s “Perfect”

I am excited to see this match up as well.  Sasha and Paige seem to have developed a fun friendship on the show.  It’s been great having Sasha back as a pro this year.  He is incredibly talented and matched with Paige’s amazing skills this should be a great dance!  We were all handed candles to hold during this performance which set the mood in the room.

I loved Pai13015683_10154092835586740_263735648576239341_nge’s dress tonight, it was beautiful!  Paige is too cute and I bet it’s hard to channel your inner sexy for such an intimate dance in a room full of people with a new partner.  I felt Sasha did a great job building that trust with Paige in this week.  I LOVED their dance.  It was beautiful, it told a story and had such elegance.  Every week I am in awe of Paige that she can be such an tough fighter and yet so incredibly graceful.  If I had to pick a top 3 today I would say for sure Paige will be in this for the long haul.  She is beautiful inside and out and absolutely should be proud!  Maks told her she is capable of winning but, was bothered by a lack of rumba content. Bruno and Carrie Ann really loved it! I thought Maks scored it too low, I understand his comments on the content but, the overall performance deserved at min straight 8’s at least.

Scores:   8-8-7-8 = 31 points
Phone: 800-868-3410

Von Miller and Lindsay Arnold (Witney Carson): Jive

#teamBlondeMiller

Song:  Beans & Fatback’s “Hips”

I was hoping that Von would be matched with Lindsay.  I wanted to see if maybe he would have different chemistry with Lindsay.12961491_10154092835121740_8021071907562028779_n  Taking away nothing at all taking away from Witney.   I have just been trying to put my finger on my thoughts on Von all season.  Some partnerships have this amazing chemistry from the start, others it takes time to grow.

This was the first time this season I was truly impressed by Von.  He really brought it this week.  It was fun, it had high energy, he seemed highly engaged in the dance and you could tell he put in the effort.  For me it was his best dance of the season.  The judges all had great feedback.  Carrie Ann congratulated Lindsay how she worked with Von’s style.  The judges still want more out of Von but, I think he’s made the turn after this week and I hope it will continue.

Scores:  8-7-7-7 = 29 points
Phone: 800-868-3411

 

Nyle DiMarco and Sharna Burgess (Peta Murgatroyd): Viennese Waltz

#RedefiningDance

Ruelle’s “I Get to Love You”

I absolutely was so excited to hear that Sharna would be matched with Nyle this week.  Both Sharna and Peta have amazing teaching abilities and truly can do amazing work with their partners.  They always make sure their partners shine and I think 13000179_10154092835811740_8166748323986911424_nwe are all in for seeing magic tonight.

Tyra Banks came to watch Nyle perform tonight.  Sharna is awesome, I love that she is just so real, their package was too funny.  When they were talking about relationships and Sharna said was he deaf referring to Nyle’s 10 year relationship and Nyle said no she was deaf as well.  Innocent mistake Sharna but, love that you can laugh it off.   Nyle is amazing to watch on television but, in person it is even more incredible.  I say it every week but, I am just in awe of his dancing abilities.  It truly shows everyone that nothing is a road block if you want to do something bad enough.  Sharna choreographed an absolutely stunning, raw, emotional, elegant and just beautiful Viennese Waltz.  I had tears in my eyes watching them.  Bravo Sharna and Nyle.  You did not disappoint tonight, you took our breath away.  Carrie Ann hit the nail on the head that Nyle truly has the advantage because he has been telling a story with his body his whole life.  LenCarrie Ann loved it and said it was a total eclipse!  Maks said best dance of the night & of the season and he still cannot figure out how it is possible for Nyle to perform so well.  Bruno loved it.  OMG seeing Nyle, Sharna and Peta all in tears too it was just so beautiful.

The scores were a huge issue because Maks and Bruno held up a 10 but, they were supposed to be 9’s.  The way it was explained is that at the end of a dance the judges all say the scores, Len writes them down and hands them off to production.  Bruno and Maks said they said 10’s but, Len heard 9’s and they have to go by what is written that goes to production.

Please check out Carrie Ann’s explanation on it on the Access Hollywood screen shot.

Scores:  9-10-9-9 = 37 points

Phone: 800-868-3409

 

Jodie Sweetin and Val Chmerkovskiy (Keo Motsepe): Paso Doble

#teamMoSweet

Song:  Calvin Harris & Alesso’s “Under Control”

This is another partnership for switch up a lot of people were excited to see especially after Val and Maks did the guest starring role on Fuller House recently.  I do not understand why Jodie has been in the bott13006545_10154092835116740_5667847527826495275_nom 2 each week but, she needs a breakthrough to hopefully keep her in the competition and I know Val can do that.  He is such a strong, amazing leader and I think he can help Jodie get out of her head a bit more this week.

I was so excited watching their dance.  Val did a great job working with Jodie.  It has to be so hard to be in the bottom 2 and still
have that fire to come out and put down an amazing performance but, hands down Jodie did it!  It was dynamic, it was strong, it was a clean, full of content, intensity and Val choreographed and amazing Paso which perfectly highlighted Jodie’s fierce determination.  Bravo!   Len said last week was lemonade but, tonight was champagne!  Maks reminded the audience of Sabrina Bryan that was talented and sent home early.  Bruno and Carrie Ann also loved it.  It was so great to see such happiness in Jodie’s face and she fully got that it is just a dance.  Keep it up girl, you can go far in this competition!

Scores:  9-8-9-9, = 35 points
Phone: 800-868-3405

 

No eliminations this week.  They are going to combine the votes/scores from Disney week with Switch Up week and then someone will go home next week.  Overall it was a good week, I will work on another in-depth article on what it’s like to be in the live audience and post it in the next few days.  I loved every single moment of the experience.

A few final thoughts, Artem Chigvintsev and Jenna Johnson’s dance to “Let it Go” by James Bay was nothing short of pure magic.  It was so passionate and just one red hot dance number.  Fantastic job to you both!

Also want to compliment the troupe each performance tonight was amazing!  Great job!

Just a reminder if you want to get tickets to the HOTTEST tour this summer go to: http://www.maksandvaltour.com/  I will be blogging on the show and their various amazing VIP Packages this summer

#maksandval #ourwaytour

#maksandval #ourwaytour

 

VOTE by phone, facebook and on abc.com to avoid future surprising eliminations.

 

Until next time,

 

Xoxoxo

Heather

 

 

 

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars: Disney Week

DISNEY Week

Season 22/Week 4

Disney promo

 

Who is ready for a magical night?  It’s always a great week on Dancing with the Stars, love all the creativity that flows, the sets, the costumes/makeup and feel good music.  This year’s cast continues to impress so I bet they will not disappoint tonight.

 

Opening number was so much fun to watch!  All the pro’s look amazing and who doesn’t love watching Val play violin and dance at the same time, his talent is well…endless.  I think tonight will be a special night!

Welcome to Zendaya as guest judge this week!  It was nice to have her back on the show.  Also great to have Brittany Cherry back in the troupe tonight.

Also note the dances all go up to 1 min 30 seconds this week.

 

Antonio Brown & Sharna Burgess:  

Dance: Jazz/Song: “Friend Like Me” from Aladdin

#teamboomin

There is just something I love about Antonio.  I really feel he shares his heart with us each week.  Sharna is such a great instructor.  She mentioned he needs to bring his cool cat to the routine and she hopes it is his best dance yet.  First of all Sharna looks absolutely amazing tonight, you go girl!

I thought Antonio absolutely had his best dance to date, he held his own wiIMG_2560 (2)th the male pro dancers and he absolutely brought the cool factor.  FANASTIC performance.  It was fun, it was creative and he demonstrated so much personality in the character. I had to go back and watch it again I loved it!  Bravo!  I truly hope the judges break out the higher paddles for this dance because they deserve it!  FINALLY some good scores for #teamboomin!!!

Scores: 9-8-9-9 (35 out of 40)
Marla Maples & Tony Dovolani:

Dance:  Waltz/Song:  “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid

#teamMarTony

Marla seems like such a sweet person, I love her Zen attitude, when it gets stressful let’s just do a cartwheel.  She and Tony have such a great partnership.

I loved their dance, the opening animation was great, their dance with clean, classy, graceful and really told the story.  Great job to Tony on the choreography.  I know a lot of people have said they think they have played it safe.  I think they have just been giving us good, clean, solid dances each week.  Marla is so classy.  The judges gave them all good feedback. Zendaya made a good point to enjoy the process.  I am sure it’s extremely hard with so much going on each week.

Scores:  7-7-7-7 (28 out of 40)

 

 

Nyle DiMarco & Peta Murgatroyd:

Dance: Samba/Song: “Trashin The Camp” from Tarzan

#redefiningdanceIMG_2680

Every week I am on the edge of my seat when it’s time for Nyle and Peta.  I am just in awe of this couple.  It will be very interesting what happens during switch up week.  I am hoping Sharna gets matched with Nyle.  Nyle is going to be one smoking hot Tarzan! 12794640_1708426052703623_6862659142724183090_n

OMG that was the BEST!  I think that was my favorite dance I have ever seen Peta perform with a partner!  It was so much fun first and foremost but, my gosh,  I am speechless.  Nyle hits every single beat, every single move at just the right time and it is just amazing.  Kudos to Peta for fantastic choreography and for another week of inspiring teaching ability.  Nyle you showed off such amazing charisma, your fun personality and well you might just be the hottest Tarzan any of us ladies have ever seen!  FANTASTIC job to you both!  I am sure you will be getting some great scores!  The judges were all blown away.

Scores: 8-8-9-9 (34 out of 40)
Doug Flutie and Karina Smirnoff: 

Dance: Jazz/Song: “A Spoon Full of Sugar” from Mary Poppins

#teamkutieIMG_2684

I am always interested in what they are showing in the packages each week as in many ways that is the producers telling a story and sometimes it does catch the stars at their most frustrating moments.  My impression of Doug is he is a perfectionist.  I think he has always been good at everything he has done and this is hard because he may not be picking it up as quickly as he wants to.  Karina made a good point when he got frustrated and said it’s only dancing. I hope he finds the fun in this experience.

If there is an underdog this season I routed for it would Cep-pQ4WEAAirCqbe Doug, I do think he tries, I just think it’s not coming together for him to the point
of progressing as much as some of the others.  This is a tough season filled with a lot of talent.  Their dance was fun, there were some mishaps and it’s just not up to the same level as the other pairs right now but, I truly applaud Doug for the effort he puts in each week.

When Tom told them they are safe after their dance I have to say my mouth fell to the floor.  We are in for a surprise elimination this week I am afraid to say.

Scores:  6-6-6-6 (24 out of 40)

 

Kim Fields and Sasha Farber: 

Dance: Quickstep/Song “I Wanna Be Like You” from The Jungle Book

#teamkimsha

Kim and Sasha are another pair I really look forward to each week.  Kim has truly relaxed and embraced the fun of the show.  She is full of joy, spunk and they are just such a great pairing!  It’s so great having Sasha back as a pro this year!

Their dance was so much fun, it was light, full of content and creativity!  It was hard not to smile and you could feel Kim’s joy right through the screenCeqXaXfWIAA1BSq!  Len really loved it and said it was her best dance so far and I totally agree.  Every week Kim improves.  Her smile is contagious.  It was hilarious when she dove on the desk to thank Bruno for his compliment.

Scores: 8-8-8-8 (32 out of 40)

 

 

Jodie Sweetin & Keo Motsepe:

Dance:  Cha-cha/Song: “Try Everything” from Zootopia

#teamMoSweet

Jodie has the right mindset.  Loved what she said in her package that last week was emotional but, now it was time for some fun.  It’s apparent she works really hard with Keo each week and really wants to excel.  I am still shocked they were in the bottom 3 last week.  Loved seeing Jodie’s kids come to practice and be so excited for this week!

Their dance was a lot of fun, Keo is really getting to show his talents IMG_2561 (2)as a pro on the show this season and Jodie never stopped smiling even though they were having a few issues in the dance.  She said later that she couldn’t hear the music over the enthusiastic fans which really made it hard for her in the Cha-cha.  Bruno is waiting for the WOW factor, I agree she has it in her absolutely.  She just needs a breakout week.  Len had a lot of positive comments which I thought was great.  Jodie really has the potential and I hope they have the chance to let it shine.

Scores: 7-6-7-7 (27 out of 30)

 

Von Miller and Witney Carson:

Dance:  Viennese waltz/Song: “A Dream Is A Wish” from Cinderella

#teamblondemiller

Witney looked absolutely breathtaking tonight. The perfect Cinderella.  This couple I am still on the fence about.  I don’t think the packages help matters, especially the comment on how did we end up with the same scores as them?  I don’t blame Witney for her rules that would drive me crazy too and it’s just not polite.

Witney did a great job with the choreography, with the major height difference bIMG_2558 (2)etween them I am sure this dance was challenging to keep the frame.  I found it hard when I was learning to dance to do it with someone the same height as me.  I do think this was Von’s best dance to date.  I just think maybe he isn’t connecting with the audience or something.   Will be interesting to see how he does in switch up week.

Scores: 8-8-8-8 (32 out of 40)

 

 

Ginger Zee and Valentin Chmerkovskiy

Dance:  Foxtrot/Song: “Belle (Bonjour)” from Beauty And the Beast

#teamGinandJuice

I am in love with #teamGinandJuice!  They are such a great positive match and I look forward to their dances each week.  Ginger is totally living the dream of so many on this show and to be partnered with Val too!  Val is so relaxed and you can tell how much fun they are having even as they work hard!

Ginger could easily be on Broadway I literally smiled through their entire dance it was absolute PERFECTION. Val made a very sexy Gaston it was so fun watching them both bring their characters to life tonight! Val Good Val you deserve tremendous praise for your creativity on this dance.   You perfectly choreographed to all of Ginger’s strengths and I truly thought it deserved 10 but, let’s see what the judges say.

I thought it deserved a 10 but, straight 9’s still puts them to the top of the leaderboard.  You had your breakout week Ginger!

Scores: 9-9-9-9 (36 out of 40)

 

 

Wanya Morris & Lindsay Arnold:

Dance: Samba/Song:  “Circle of Life” from The Lion King

#TeamYaYaZee

Wanya is such a powerhouse, I am thinking tonight he will be one to watch.  He Cep4rolWEAEOy_n.jpg largeseems to excel with the faster dance styles.  He absolutely has that competitive drive and he’s fun to watch.

Their dance was crazy powerful, fast, really allowed Wanya to show off his tremendous presence.  Lindsay has been doing a great job creating very unique, fresh dances each week.  She and Wanya really are a fun partnership to watch as
well.   He has a great spirit and I love his drive to be his personal best which will take him far in the competition.

Scores:  8-9-9-9 (35 out of 40)

 

Paige Vanzant and Mark Ballas:

Dance:  Quickstep/Song: “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” from Toy Story

#teamPowRightInTheKisser

Paige seems like such a sweet girl.  Love that she has found friends on DWTS.  Their song tonight truly fits her sweet and fun personality.  She’s an absolute contender this season and she shines every single week when she hits the daCeGvaQ3XIAE9fGonce floor.

I am enjoying Mark’s choreography this season.  Sometimes his routine
s are a bit too theatrical for me but, this season he is in a great zone.  He is showing off Paige’s talent and personality in every routine.  They did such a great job tonight, it was fun, it was filled with content and you can tell Mark is really challenging her.  They truly captured the story, I absolutely loved it!

Scores:  9-9-9-9 (36 out of 40)

 

Elimination Time:

Bottom 2:

Keo and Jodie

Tony and Marla

Neither of these couples belonged in the bottom 2 in my opinion.  It was awful to see Tony and Marla go home.  Marla was so amazing all season and I truly enjoyed her partnership with Tony.

Final thoughts:

Bravo to ALL of the dancers, makeup artists, crew, set design, hair, costumes and everyone that worked hard on this show.  It was truly an amazing production from start to finish!  It’s the Switch Up next week below would be my ideal switch up’s. Switch up week is always so interesting because we are just seeing all of these partnerships grow and then they get thrown a curveball but it can also be helpful to get another pros prospective.   The new partners will be announced on GMA 4/13.

My ideal switch up partners:

Val and Jodie

Keo and Ginger

Mark and Kim

Sasha and Paige

Sharna and Nyle

Peta and Antonio

Witney and Wanya

Lindsay and Doug

Karina and Von

 

13015249_970713546338692_580889263012040987_n

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on social m
edia!  To follow me go to @lightscmemories on IG & Twitter and Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/lightscmemories/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just a reminder too if you want to get tickets to the HOTTEST tour this summer go to: http://www.maksandvaltour.com/  I will be blogging on the show and their various amazing VIP Packages this summer.

maks and val

I could not be more excited & happy to say that after watching for 22 seasons I will be a part of the live audience next week!  It will give me a whole new perspective watching it live and I cannot wait to see all of these talented individuals perform in person!

VOTE by phone, facebook and on abc.com to avoid future surprising eliminations.

 

Until next time,

 

Xoxoxo

Heather

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars Season 22 Week 3

                    Most Memorable Year

This week is always one of the more emotional weeks on the show.  It allows you to learn more about the stars, their history, loss, love, struggle, triumphs, survival, dreams and so much more.  You also start to see the relationships truly forming between the Pros and their partners.

Break out the tissues I am sure it will be a special night!

 

Ginger Zee and Valentin Chmerkovskiy:  Contemporary

#teamginandjuice

Ginger

Ginger is just adorable.   She seems so sweet and genuine.  I loved learning more about her story.  Her most memorable year was 2013 when everything in her life started to change, she took Val to the spot where she had her first date, her first kiss and engagement with her now husband.   She also shared that her career had always been #1 until she met her husband Ben.  For me personally her story really hit home.  I think life puts you in the path of what is meant to be and you have to be open to the new experiences, the adventures, the change because just like Ginger it could be fate is putting you in the path of your Mr. Right, your dream job and the path you are meant to take in life.  Now they have a beautiful baby.  They danced to Phillip Phillip’s Home.

Ginger and Val did a really beautiful contemporary dance.  I thought it was clean, emotional, beautiful, fun and truly expressed Ginger’s love story.   Plus I think it allowed us the viewers to see a different side to Ginger’s abilities.  The firVal Goodst two weeks she had the faster dances in the Samba and Jive.   This time she had to slow it down and I thought she truly demonstrated the emotion of the dance which isn’t always an easy thing to do when you have so much swirling through your head.  Val always delivers 100% to his partners, brilliant choreography and displays pure kindness.  That’s what makes him such a great partner and teacher.  BRAVO Ginger and Val what a great way to start off the night. OMG how cute was Adrian, and Ben’s blinged out baby carrier wrap was the best! I thought the judges scored it too low.

Scores:  7-7-7 (21 out of 30)

 

 

Doug Flutie and Karina Smirnoff:  Waltz

#teamKutie

  Doug

Doug is so sweet and truly takes the approach to dancing from the heart.  I am really routing for him because you just see the improvement and desire in him each and every week. He had such a wonderful upbringing, humble roots and a very loving home.  Doug’s most memorable year was 2015.  Doug’s family suffered a truly heartbreaking double tragedy.  His Dad passed away and his Mom got up and walked over, gave his Dad a kiss and then fell forward and passed away as well.  Doctor’s said the only explanation was dying of a broken heart.   He and Karina are dancing to the song Rainbow Connection to honor his parents.

I don’t know how anyone could watch that dance and not have tears.  Karina choreographed a beautiful tribute to Doug’s parents.   Doug continues to improve weeCep-pQ4WEAAirCqk after week and this week was no exception.  He overcame a tiny mishap where it looked like he might have tripped on Karina’s foot, but, he recovered it well.  You could feel the love and loss through every movement of that dance.  That is one of the things I love so much about dance when you have the ability to show the feelings inside through the movement.  The judges all gave him great feedback and suggestions but, acknowledged what a beautiful job he did.

Scores:    7-6-7 (20 out of 30)

 

 

 

Kim Fields and Sasha Farber:  Foxtrot

#teamkimsha

 

Kim

I think Kim is also improving week over week.  I can remember watching Kim on Facts of Life as a little girl.  Her most memorable year was 1976 when she booked her first gig in the Mrs. Butterworth commercial.  Loved the message her Mom gave her telling her she had to believe this is why they went to CA and believe God isn’t going to let you down.  She went back out and a star was born!  It lead to Good Times and then Facts of Life. Kim wanted this dance to be a thank you to the fans.  I saw a huge change in Kim this weekCeqXaXfWIAA1BSq.  She seemed to relax and was having a lot more fun with the rehearsals. Kim and Sasha make such an adorable partnership.

Tonight was their best dance to date hands down.  Again, it truly looked like Kim had fun through the entire dance.  It was spunky, it was clean, it was so much fun and free spirited.  The judges all thanked Sasha for all the great content.  I loved seeing Kim’s pure exuberance and she and Sasha should both be so proud of their great performance.

Scores:  8-7-7 (22 out of 30)

 

Von Miller and Witney Carson: Contemporary

#teamblondemiller

Von

 

I am still trying to put my finger on what Von hasn’t shown us yet…maybe more vulnerability? I don’t think he is bad dancer, I just think for me anyway something isn’t connecting or translating to the viewers the same way it is for Doug and Antonio.  I think the package this week helped everyone to get to know him a little better.   His most memorable year was 2016 when he won the Super Bowl and was named the MVP.  We learned his backstory that is Dad didn’t want him to play football in the beginning but, his Mom went behind his back and signed up both boys. In the end what a wonderful decision she made, you know what they say Momma knows best.  His Dad is quitIMG_2558 (2)e proud to say his son was the MVP of a Super Bowl!  In the Air Tonight is the song they are dancing to which is the song Von listens to before each game to put him in the right mindset.

This is always one of Witney’s best dance styles to choreograph.  She did another wonderful job tonight.  I thought tonight was also Von’s best dance to date.  I thought the judges all had great feedback for him and maybe Carrie Ann nailed it by saying she doesn’t feel he is giving it 100% all the way through.  I definitely felt like he was more in it this week than the last two weeks and you can see the partnership growing.  He seemed more relaxed this week too so maybe it will just take time, I think everyone’s journey is always different.

Scores:  7-6-7 (20 out of 30)

 

Marla Maples & Tony Dovolani:  Jive

#teamMarTony

marla

 

Marla is just such a classy woman, it truly comes across in all that she does.  I think she and Tony make such a wonderful pair.  Her most memorable year was 1993 when her daughter Tiffany was born.  She and Donald Trump divorced in the year 2000 and Marla became a single mom to Tiffany.  She seems like she would be such a hip, fun mom.  You could see the special bond they have in the package.

They danced to the song Happy.  I loved it!  Their daTony goodnce was light, it was fun, had lots of content and filled with joy.  Marla always pays attention to the details and clearly works on it.  I would say Tiffany is probably beaming with pride for her mom right now.  Tony’s pure joy is also so much fun to see.  I love it when he gets great partners and can really demonstrate what an amazing teacher/dancer he is and his fun personality.  The judges all had great feedback and suggestions.

Scores: 7-7-7 (21 out of 30)

 

 

Antonio Brown & Sharna Burgess (Guest appearance by Antonio Jr):  Foxtrot

#teamboomin

Antonio

 

I am impressed by Antonio each week and I love his partnership with Sharna.  Antonio makes himself vulnerable and I truly feel he gives it 100% each week.  I love his attitude when he said it’s not about how we start its how we progress and how we finish.  His most memorable year was 2007, he was a freshman in college, and broke a college record on the same day his son was born.  The birth of his son truly impacted his life.  He realized right then that he had to work hard and wanted to give his son the life he didn’t have growing up.  Telling your children that you love them, playing with them and giving them your time are all precious gifts.  Antonio’s eyes truly just lit up in the package when he was talking about his children.

They danced to 7 Years which was a beautiful song choice and I loved how they incorporated Antonio Jr in the piece.  Antonio Jr has such a bright personality like his dad.  I loved it, I route IMG_2560 (2)for Antonio each week for many reasons.  He makes improvements each week, he is fun and animated.  He is just a joy to watch.   Judges had mixed reviews.  Carrie Ann loved it, Len still thinks a lot of improvement and refinement was needed.  Again this week I feel the scores were too low for Antonio and Sharna.

Scores:  7-6-7 (20 out of 30)

 

 

Paige Vanzant and Mark Ballas:  Paso Doble

#teampowrightinthekisser

paige

 

Mark is back after being out last week due to a back injury and Paige continues to be one to watch this season.  She is a very talented dancer and it’s amazing how graceful she is coming from being a UFC fighter.  Her most memorable year was 2014 when she was in her first UFC fight. Her story about being bullied I am sure resonated with so many of the viewers.  It’s truly one of the most difficult things to go through as a teen or adult.  I love to see amazing stories like this where they got through it, she found her inner strength and found an outlet.  She is currently in the top 10 best fighters in the world.  Anyone being bullied right now please see you can get through it, even though the days can be dark you will find your bright light, your outlet, your passion.  Don’t give in because the bullies win if you do.CeGvaQ3XIAE9fGo

Their dance was nothing short of AMAZING.  If we don’t see Paige in the final 3 I will be really shocked.  She put down another strong, intense, fantastic performance.  Mark pushed the limits in his choreography which he often does.  I thought he perfectly showcased Paige’s story this week.  It truly was a wonderful performance, way to go!  Will be interesting to see what the judges say.  Len liked the performance but, to him it wasn’t a Paso.  Carrie Ann said it was Bad A**.

Scores:  8-7-8 (23 out of 30)

 

 

Jodie Sweetin & Keo Motsepe:  Foxtrot

#teamMoSweet

Jodie is opJodieening herself up more and more each week.  Her story wasn’t always perfect, she went through some tough times with drug and alcohol addiction when she was trying to numb the pain she was feeling inside.  It’s a common issue for child actors.  They live these bigger than life experiences and then the role ends and the world in a way gets quiet and they are still just a teen trying to grow up.   Her most memorable year was this year when Fuller House came back in 2016.  She has been sober now for 5 years.  She is a Mom and it was great listening to her co-stars describe what a real person she is.  The story of her mom saying that she had such a bright light when she was a kid and how she watched it become very dark really pulled at your heart strings.

They danced to Rise Up by Andra Day.  My initial thought was they should have had the performer off the floor because it was distracting watching the dance. I thought Jodie performed absolutely beautiful and put her whole heart inIMG_2561 (2)to every movement.  It was clean, it was purely emotional and you could see how bright Jodie’s light truly is shining once again.  They should be incredibly proud of their performance tonight.  Hands down Jodie’s best dance to date.

Scores:  8-7-8 (23 out of 30)

 

 

Mischa Barton and Artem Chigvintsev:  Samba

#teamblackvelvet

Mischa

There was lot of discussion last week about Mischa’s behavior after the performance among the fans.  I can see how some felt she walked off because she didn’t want to get upset on camera but, I still hold the opinion she was being a bit of a diva.  I think the package also showed that.  Blaming Artem?  Seriously he has been extremely patient with her and is one of the sweetest pros.  He truly seems like he had his hands full.  So many people would love to have the opportunity that Mischa has by being on this cast and it has felt every week to me like she didn’t want to be there.  I still think they will be the ones going home tonight which makes me sad for Artem.  Her most memorable year was 2008 when the OC was at its prime and she wasn’t sure she was enjoying it anymore.   My opinion she knew this was going to be her last week on the show and she did show up and seemed to enjoy it.

They danced to Party in the USA.   It was definitely her best performance to date.  It was ok overall.  It was nice to see her smiling and having more fun.  Artem it seems deserves an award for patience.

Scores:  6-6-6 (18 out of 30)

 

Wanya Morris & Lindsay Arnold:  Waltz

#teamyayazee

Wanya

 

Wanya is such a joy to watch perform and I think he will continue to be one to watch this season.   His most memorable year was 1996 when Boyz II Men performed at the closing ceremonies of the Olympics in Atlanta after a terrorist bombing.  Wayna shard how impactful it was to perform not only in front of all those people, under those circumstances but, it was such a huge moment for him.  He felt like they truly had made it.

They danced to the National Anthem.   I thougCep4rolWEAEOy_n.jpg largeht they had another solid performance.  I do think the slower dances are just different and maybe a bit more challenging for Wayna.  His big personality shines more in the faster tempo dances but, it was still a good performance.  Y
ou can tell he works hard, he has determination and overall a pleasure to watch each week.  Without a doubt everyone is very proud of you Wanya and fabulous job in the choreographed Lindsay!

Scores: 8-8-8 (24 out of 30)

 

 

Nyle DiMarco & Peta Murgatroyd:  Tango

 

Nyle

I really look forward to Nyle and Peta’s dance each week.  I am in awe of Nyle and his fearlessness and willingness to learn to dance and not let his challenges stop him.  Peta continues to do an absolutely stellar job not only teaching Nyle but, standing up for him.  I completely agree what Peta said about the judges’ comments last week about his musicality. My family and I were talking about that earlier this evening.  I don’t know how you can make a comment like that when he is deaf and what he is doing week after week is nothing short of remarkable.  I sit on the edge of my seat each week to watch this beautiful story unfold.  His most memorable year was 2012 when he traveled the world without an interpreter.  I love that his mom never taught Nyle that deaf people are disabled she taught him that he is who he is, a human being.  He comes from a deaf family that goes back 4 generations. He truly is fearless in every single way and I hope he knows what a true inspiration he is to so many.  Nothing should stop you from trying something new, to putting yourself out there.12794640_1708426052703623_6862659142724183090_n

They danced to Verge.   Their dance was bold, dynamic, passionate, powerful, and precise and again I am sitting here blown away at the performance.  Nyle is also one to watch!  He hits every beat, every move, and every emotion of the dance. It was stunning.  I am glad Carrie Ann acknowledged her comments last week and clarified what she meant.  I have to agree he is better than Superman.  Phenomenal.

Scores:  8-8-9 (25 out of 30)

 

Elimination Time:

1st couple in jeopardy:  Doug and Karina

2nd couple in jeopardy:  Mischa and Artem

3rd couple in jeopardy:  Jodie and Keo

You literally had to pick my mouth up off the floor when they announced Jodie and Keo were in jeopardy.  This is why you have to VOTE!  They absolutely did not deserve to be in jeopardy.

Mischa and Artem were eliminated.  I cannot think of a time that someone looked so happy to be going home.  Artem you are a gem as always and we hate to see you go so early in the season.

 

Top of the Leaderboard this week: 

Nyle and Peta

Bottom of the Leaderboard this week, tie with all 3 football players:

Doug & Karina

Von & Witney

Antonio & Sharna

 

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on social media!  To follow me go to @lightscmemories on IG & Twitter and Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/lightscmemories/

Just a reminder too if you want to get tickets to the hottest tour this summer go to:  http://www.maksandvaltour.com/  I will be blogging on the show and their VIP Pkgs this summer.

maks and val

REMEMBER TO VOTE for your favorites to avoid any surprise eliminations!

 

Until next time,

Xoxo

Heather