Tag Archives: dancing

A cautionary tale

image

Don’t become a pussycat doll who dances in Vegas. In view of the restaurant with kids. Classy.

Yellin’ and screamin’ and dancin’

Back in my improv days, we learned that agreement was the name of the game. Audiences don’t want to sit and watch people disagree, right?

Then why do I enjoy Dance Moms so much?

grrrrrI started watching the Lifetime reality show at first out of simple curiosity.  But I was quickly sucked in.

I could pretend it’s the dance numbers.  Or the rehearsal process.  But let’s be honest –

It’s the conflict.

Abby, the dance teacher, yelling at the kids.  The moms yelling at Abby.  The entire group yelling at moms and dancers from other troupes.  They are whackadoodle, and I love every minute of it.

I’m not sure what that says about me.  Perhaps my life is just so calm and centered that I am looking for vicarious insanity?

Doubt it.

The dark and light of it

So I’m working in front of the TV — really, I am — and the original Footloose comes on.

As you may recall, the opening sequence shows a close up of feet dancing.  Men and women.  All different kinds of shoes and socks, including dark tights with light shoes.

I hate dark tights with light shoes.  I think they disrupt the line of the leg.  But not everyone agrees with me.

dark tights light shoes3dark tights light shoesdark tights light shoes2

 

 

 

 

Hey — isn’t that Sarah Jessica Parker in the center photo?  She was in Footloose, too.

Maybe this trend is all her fault.

Taxi talk

Cause or effect?

Do I tend to get chatty cab drivers…or make cab drivers more chatty?

Regardless, my conversation with George — who drove me to the train station today in Paoli, Pennsylvania — now puts me at two degrees of separation from Beyonce herself.

Put a ring on that.

George’s nephew is one of Beyonce’s dancers..and is currently featured on Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition. Abby is the Abby Lee of Dance Moms fame. I’ve seen one episode of Ultimate, but of course didn’t realize I was gazing upon George’s nephew.

George himself is a DJ: he says the entire family is musical. And everyone is mighty proud of their boy for his work with Beyonce…as they should be.

Regardless of the reason, I’m glad George got chatty with me.  What a fun story!

Not guilty at all

“Guilty Pleasures” week on Dancing with the Stars has been fun on a couple of levels.

(Yes, I am just now catching up on DVR.)

First, it’s fun to see what cliche songs ‘speak’ to the celebrities.  The theme to Titanic.  Copacabana by Barry Manilow.  Disco anthems.

Stars…they’re just like us.

Which leads to the second thing I enjoy — imagining what song I would select in the same circumstance.

The Barry Manilow song catalog would be a good place to start, although probably one of the love ballads like Ships or Weekend in New England.  Or maybe I would pick a hit from the Kansas ‘Point of No Return’ album.

I thought they were very deep at the time.

Or we could always pull out the soundtrack to Les Miserables.

Bring Him Home should score a ’10′ with the judges.

Perfect pairing

If today’s announcement of the Dancing with the Stars All-Stars celebrity/pro pairings was on your entertainment radar –

You’re at the right blog.

When DWTS earlier revealed the celebrities for the season — all past winners, runners-up and audience favorites — I knew I would be torn between three:

  •  Actor Giles Marini
  • Olympian Apolo Ono
  • Race car driver Helio Castroneves

They danced in different seasons — the latter two winning DWTS with pro Julianne Hough, who is not returning — but head-to-head?  How will I choose?

The pro dancer pairing, of course.

And based on today’s announcement alone, I am prepared to predict the winner of Dancing with the Stars All-Stars:

 

Actor Giles Marini and dancer Peta Murgatroyd…and here’s why:

  1. Giles should have won Season 8, but Olympian Shawn Johnson — who is also dancing in All-Stars — secured the popular vote.  He deserves redemption.
  2. Peta won DWTS last season — her first as a pro — so she clearly has the chops.
  3. Just look at the two of them.  Together, how can they lose?

Can’t wait for the season to start and be proven right!

Dance, dance baby

I love a good documentary on a Saturday morning.

And First Position, which is currently in theatres and available OnDemand, is great.

The feature film documents the journey of six young ballet dancers as they attempt to qualify and compete in the Youth America Grand Prix in New York City, the most prestigious youth ballet competition in the world. 

This contest isn’t just about trophies or medals; it’s serious business.  The winning dancers receive full scholarships to top ballet schools and contracts to the most prestigious ballet companies in the world — jobs that are few and far between.

The filmmakers have amazing access to the dancers at home, in the rehearsal studio, and in the wings before, during and after their competition performances.  It’s pretty incredible…and no small wonder the documentary was named the audience choice’s first runner up for Best Documentary at the Toronto Film Festival where it premiered.

See?  Told you it was great.

Happy dance

I am in the best mood right now.  I have been literally dancing around my living room.  The dog has joined in.

And I didn’t even win the Powerball.

No, I’m watching That Thing You Do on Encore.  And I defy anyone to be in a bad mood when that movie is on.

I’ve watched the film before…at least seven or eight times, I would guess.  But every time I do, I am struck by the positive energy and sheer happiness radiating from every frame.  I’m sure if they filmed me watching the movie, I would be grinning from ear to ear (when I’m not moved to tears).

I’m also amazed at how many times they play the title song “That Thing You Do,” and how it never seems to get old.  It’s like the engine driving the film, and every time they play it, the movie gets another burst of life and energy.

There it goes again!  Gotta dance.

The Ides of Carson

A friend had a brilliant inspiration during Dancing with the Stars last night that she posted on Facebook.  Today I devote The Egg to officially launch her campaign:

BERGERON-KRESSLEY
Dancing with the Stars Co-Hosts

That’s right — Brooke Burke out; Carson Kressley in.  If you watched last night’s results show, we all got a taste of exactly what that might look like.

Fun.  High energy.  Witty.  Filled with the unexpected.  All the things that an evening of hosting — and conversation, I would guess — with Brooke Burke is not.

Full disclosure  — I’ve never been a fan of Brooke.  I wasn’t when she started hosting; I’m not now.  While she is lovely to look at, I just don’t think she has much else to offer.

If she were flipping letters on Wheel of Fortune, that would be fine.  But DWTS requires she be quick on her feet, and she’s simply not.  Standing next to Tom Bergeron — the best host in the biz — well, it’s just sad.  And she’s not getting any better.

But Carson and Tom together?  Totally different personalities, of course, but both big.  Both bold.  Both smart as a whip.  And funny?!

Oh, I think America would buy tickets to that party.


Ringer

Okay, so I checked.  I haven’t talked about Dancing with the Stars since late August…before the show even premiered.

Talk about self-control.

Now the competition is in full swing.  I like David and Carson and find Nancy Grace annoying as predicted.  They’ve had their first truly shocking celebrity elimination — Kristin Cavallari, say it isn’t so!

But, as usual, the team that is surging to the forefront — the one that is the clear audience and judge’s favorite is…

Derek Hough + one

It doesn’t matter who he dances with, really.  She can be famous, unknown, tall, short, talented, or just so-so.  If Derek is dancing with her — and choreographing their numbers — you will be hard-pressed to find another pair that can take that glittery, mirror ball trophy away from him.

Except maybe his sister Julianne…and she’s moved on to bigger and better things.  (See Footloose this weekend.)

If you aren’t a DWTS watcher — my my, what you are missing — go to the Intertubes and get a load of Derek and Ricki Lakes’ tango to the Psycho movie theme song that they danced last night.

Killer.