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valentin chemerkovskiy

Dancing with the Stars-Halloween Night

Season 23, Week 8 Halloween Night

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

Terra Jole’ & Sasha Farber

#TeamXL

Dance: Cha Cha

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

Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy

#TeamVaLaur

Dance: Viennese Waltz

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

Derek Hough & Marilu Henner

#teamhennergy

Dance: Argentine Tango

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

Lindsay Arnold & Calvin Johnson Jr

#TeamLindsatron

Dance: Quickstep

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

Ryan Lochte & Cheryl Burke

#TeamCherLoch

Dance: Tango

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

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

Jana Kramer & Gleb Savchenko

#TeamGlamer

Dance: Jazz

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

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

#TeamStopandGo

Dance: Viennese Waltz

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

Next up was the Dance off:

Laurie and Val

Vs (Jive)

Lindsay and Calvin

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

Jana & Gleb

Vs (Salsa)

Terra & Sasha

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

Marilu & Derek

Vs (Cha Cha)

Ryan & Cheryl

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

Elimination Time:

Bottom two were: Ryan & Cheryl and Terra & Sasha

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

Next week is Showstopper week:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

James/Sharna & Calvin/Lindsay: Paso Doble

Jana/Gleb & Laurie & Val: Contemporary

Marilu/Derek & Terra/Sasha: Jazz

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

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

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

Until next time,

XOXO

Heather

November 3, 2016

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars-Most Memorable Year Week

Season 23, Week 5 No Elimination Most Memorable Year

#memorableyear

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

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

Artem Chigvintsev and Maureen McCormick

#TeamMaureen

Dance: Foxtrot

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

Lindsay Arnold & Calvin Johnson Jr

#TeamLindsatron

Dance: Jazz

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

Jana Kramer & Gleb Savchenko

#TeamGlamer

Dance: Contemporary

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

Ryan Lochte & Cheryl Burke

#TeamCherLoch

Dance: Contemporary

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

Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy

#TeamVaLaur

Dance: Paso Doble

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

Derek Hough & Marilu Henner

#teamhennergy

Dance: Viennese Waltz

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

Amber Rose & Maksim Chmerkovskiy

#TeamSpicySalsa

Dance: Samba

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

Sharna Burgess & James Hinchcliffe

#TeamStopandGo

Dance: Tango

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

Terra Jole’ & Sasha Farber

#TeamXL

Dance: Contemporary

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

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

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

Marilu & Derek: Cha Cha

Laurie & Val: Salsa

James & Sharna: Rumba

Calvin & Lindsay: Argentine Tango

Terra & Sasha: Paso Doble

Jana & Gleb: Argentine Tango

Ryan & Cheryl: Salsa

Maureen & Artem: Samba

Amber & Maks: Cha Cha

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

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

Until next time,

XOXO

Heather

October 15, 2016

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars-Cirque du Soleil Week

Season 23, Week 4 Double Elimination: Cirque du Soleil

#CirquedusoleilNight

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

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

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

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

Cirque KURIOS

Lindsay Arnold & Calvin Johnson Jr

#TeamLindsatron

KURIOS Cabinet of Curiosities: Charleston

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

Cirque Mystere:

Artem Chigvintsev and Maureen McCormick

#TeamMaureen

Mystere: Argentine Tango

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

Cirque The Beatles LOVE

Jana Kramer & Gleb Savchenko

#TeamGlamer

The Beatles LOVE: Foxtrot

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

Cirque KA

Derek Hough & Marilu Henner

#teamhennergy

KA: Paso Doble

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

Cirque Zumanity

Amber Rose & Maksim Chmerkovskiy

#TeamSpicySalsa

Zumanity: Argentine Tango

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

Cirque "O"

Ryan Lochte & Cheryl Burke

#TeamCherLoch

“O”: Viennese Waltz

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

Cirque The Beatles LOVE:

Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds & Allison Holker

#TeamHolkerFace

The Beatles LOVE: Tango

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

Cirque "O"

Terra Jole’ & Sasha Farber

#TeamXL

“O”: Samba

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

Cirque Michael Jackson ONE

Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy

#TeamVaLaur

Michael Jackson ONE: Jazz

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

Cirque La Nouba

Vanilla Ice & Witney Carson

#TeamIceNSpice

La Nouba: Viennese Waltz

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

Cirque PARAMOUR

Sharna Burgess & James Hinchcliffe

#TeamStopandGo

PARAMOUR: Quickstep

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

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Sadly eliminated tonight were:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Until next time,

Xoxo

Heather

October 4, 2016