Browsing Tag

TeamSpicySalsa

Dancing with the Stars-Latin & Era Weeks

Season 23, Weeks 6 & 7

#latinnight

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

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

Ryan Lochte & Cheryl Burke

#TeamCherLoch

Latin Dance: Salsa

Era’s Dance: 90’s Rumba

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

Terra Jole’ & Sasha Farber

#TeamXL

Latin Dance: Paso Doble

Era’s Dance: 30’s Foxtrot

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

Amber Rose & Maksim Chmerkovskiy

#TeamSpicySalsa

Latin Dance: Cha Cha

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

Sharna Burgess & James Hinchcliffe

#TeamStopandGo

Latin Dance: Rumba

Era’s Dance: 40’s Jitterbug

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

Derek Hough & Marilu Henner

#TeamHennergy

Latin Dance: Cha Cha

Era’s Dance: 20’s Charleston

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

Jana Kramer & Gleb Savchenko

#TeamGlamer

Latin Dance: Argentine Tango

Era’s Dance: 70’s Samba

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

Artem Chigvintsev and Maureen McCormick

#TeamMaureen

Latin Dance: Samba

Era’s Dance: 80’s Tango

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

Lindsay Arnold & Calvin Johnson Jr

#TeamLindsatron

Latin Dance: Argentine Tango

Era’s Dance: 50’s Jive

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

Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy

#TeamVaLaur

Latin Dance: Salsa

Era’s Dance: 1960’s Quickstep

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

Team Dances:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Until next time,

XOXO

Heathe

October 27, 2016

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars-Most Memorable Year Week

Season 23, Week 5 No Elimination Most Memorable Year

#memorableyear

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

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

Artem Chigvintsev and Maureen McCormick

#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

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars Face Off Week

#dwts

Week 3 Season 23

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

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

Babyface vs Jana face off

Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds & Allison Holker

#TeamHolkerFace

VS (Jive)

Jana Kramer & Gleb Savchenko

#TeamGlamer

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

Rick vs Vanilla face off

Rick Perry & Emma Slater

#TeamDanceForOurVets

VS (Paso Doble)

Vanilla Ice & Witney Carson

#TeamIceNSpice

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

Ryan vs James face off

Sharna Burgess & James Hinchcliffe

#TeamStopandGo

VS (Cha Cha)

Ryan Lochte & Cheryl Burke

#TeamCherLoch

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

Calvin & Terra face off

Terra Jole’ & Sasha Farber

#TeamXL

VS (Viennese Waltz)

Lindsay Arnold & Calvin Johnson Jr

#TeamLindsatron

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

Amber vs Maureen face off

Amber Rose & Maksim Chmerkovskiy

#TeamSpicySalsa

VS (Salsa)

Artem Chigvintsev and Maureen McCormick

#TeamMaureen

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

Laurie vs Marilu face off

Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy

#TeamVaLaur

VS (Tango)

Derek Hough & Marilu Henner

#Teamhennergy

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

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

In Jeopardy:

Rick Perry and Emma Slater

Amber Rose & Maks Chmerkovskiy

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

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

Maureen & Artem: Mystere

Vanilla & Witney: La Nouba

Amber & Maks: Zumanity

Jana & Gleb: The Beatles LOVE

Terra & Sasha: “O”

Calvin & Lindsay: KURIOS Cabinet of Curiosities

James & Sharna: PARAMOUR

Marilu & Derek: KA

Babyface & Allison: The Beatles LOVE

Laurie & Val: Michael Jackson ONE

Ryan & Cheryl: “O”

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

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

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

Until next time,

Xoxo

Heather

September 29, 2016

Entertainment Blog

Dancing with the Stars TV Night!

#dwts

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

A few other things I noticed:

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

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

Artem Chigvintsev and Maureen McCormick

#TeamMaureen

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

Jana Kramer & Gleb Savchenko

#TeamGlamer

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

Rick Perry & Emma Slater

#TeamDanceForOurVets

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

Lindsay Arnold & Calvin Johnson Jr

#teamLindsatron

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

Amber Rose & Maksim Chmerkovskiy

#TeamSpicySalsa

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

Jake T Austin & Jenna Johnson

#TeamJSquared

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

Vanilla Ice & Witney Carson

#TeamIceNSpice

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

Terra Jole’ & Sasha Farber

#TeamXL

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

Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds & Allison Holker

#TeamHolkerFace

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

Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy

#TeamVaLaur

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

Sharna Burgess & James Hinchcliffe

#TeamStopandGo

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

Derek Hough & Marilu Henner

#TeamHennergy

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

Ryan Lochte & Cheryl Burke

#TeamCherLoch

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

In Jeopardy:

Amber & Maks

Ryan & Cheryl

Maureen & Artem

Jake & Jenna

Jake & Jenna were eliminated.

Next week:

Per Maks’s blog on EW.com

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

These are the Face Off Match ups:

Laurie & Val VS Marilu & Derek: Dance Tango

Calving & Lindsay VS Terra & Sasha: Viennese Waltz

Ryan & Cheryl VS James & Sharna: Cha Cha

Jana & Gleb VS Babyface & Allison: Jive

Rick & Emma VS Vanilla Ice & Witney: Paso Doble

Amber & Maks VS Maureen & Artem: Salsa

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

Until next time,

Xoxo

Heather

September 21, 2016

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 1^st 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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

September 18, 2016