Lots of Dancing in NYC

Wow, we've been to NYC at least four times in the past month. That's all to update for now. We'll be leaving again for more soon. Will update on anything interesting.

Congratulations Benji !

Benji, Congratulations on winning So you think you can dance. Everyone did a great job on the show and it was difficult to choose who would win. You did a great job and I love to watch your entertaining dance numbers. Good luck in your future adventure.

So you think you can dance FINALE!!!!

I would like to wish all the dance contestants good luck! You all are wonderful dancers in your own genres. I'm glad you all had such success. You have all won the title of greatest dancer, the only thing to be determined now is WHO GETS THE MONEY!!!! How much fun.

Dance Moms Know!

Just got back from a dance week in NYC. It was nice to meet up with other dance moms and hear their evaluations of the SYTYCD dancers. It was funny, but we ALL agreed 100% on our favorites for technique and performance.

I gave and received lots of good tips on choreographers, conventions and events. It was great!

Off to unpack!

A new dance target!!! GRRRRR!

Ok, so the mean posters are still ranting and raving injustice, even tho their girl is off the show. The board is calming down, but I'm now noticing that people in general have quickly jumped on new targets. Ahhhh, the dance world can be so vicious sometimes! So, I guess, in the end, that every contestant on the show is targeted by ill-wishers up until the last one standing ... or dancing.

Last season, I didn't go on the boards at all, so I didn't really know what was going on. It was a different experience for me. This year, well, my daughter auditioned for the show this season. If she made it to the final 20, I wonder how I would feel about her being a target. Not too good I don't think. I do wonder how the parents and families of the contestants can stand it. Criticisms like, she's too fat, he's a homo, she's got no technique, she's a liar, she makes faces, he thinks he's great, she's full of herself, on and on and on...... So, no matter who you are, what you've accomplished or how you act or dance, someone hates you!

I don't think I'll look at the boards if she ever makes it. She is trained in all the dance styles and does have a good chance ... so says her mommie who loves her (that would be me), and therefore thinks she can do no wrong and is a beautiful dancer. But would I be able to stop myself? I might just end up in an asylum. It is a hard position to be in.

I must say that the picture of a fat, face making, lying homo dancer who is full of him/her self and thinks (s)he is great is an awefully scary combination. Funny how people who never met you can come up with such a caracature.

I think it's great that these 20 dancers get to experience SYTYCD. I have found something great about each and every one of them, even the one with the mean family and friends. I wish them all good luck because one thing is certain: They are all doers. They set a goal and are accomplishing their goals and whether you like them as dancers or not, they should be congratulated for taking action.

Every Dance Genre Has It's Benefits

Well, I guess getting mean on the boards just doesn't pay off. Who woulda thought?

Anyway, here are my thoughts. Being trained in just one type of dance does not make you a well-rounded dancer, or an all around dancer. It means you are simply limited to your one style. Ninety-nine percent of dance styles have required technique. Most of the technique are difficult to master in a short time, but all dance styles benefit a dancer one way or another. No one dance is better than another.

Hard core ballet must be started from a young age. If a family chooses to put a child in hard core ballet, then they usually commit at least four days a week to ballet classes plus weekends for rehearsal or repetoire. It is difficult on the body for someone young to enter other forms of dance early on.

Ballet for the normal dancer with a desire to be an all around dancer: My advice, as thedancemom, is to get as much hard core training in ballet as possible, but once it becomes impossible to keep up with the schedule, start shifting some hours to other types of dance. IMO There is no substitute for hard core ballet training. Ballet is always stressed as the foundation of dance ... all dance ... and I believe that is true. It strengthens, stretches and controls the legs and arms. Hip hop dancers will find a better control of the legs and arms, tappers, jazz dancers and modern dancers will gain balance and posture.

Looking back on my daughter's training, if my desire was for my daughter to be an all around dancer, I would have started her in hard core ballet in the early years and then started moving her to other styles around the age of 8 or 9 while still trying to maintain the ballet as much as possible. This sometimes isn't possible because hard core ballet instructors don't want to teach someone if they're only going to be in class for two of the four days of training. Everything's a tradeoff! But if you start the all around dance later than 8 or 9, it's my opinion that it will be difficult to catch up with the other kids who have been doing all around training since the age of 5.

Tap helps a child learn rhythm, foot coordination, syncopation and precision. I have seen some ballerinas who could use some tap lessons and definately some tap dancers who could use ballet.

Jazz dance adds style and diverse movement and interesting shapes. Something that I don't often see in classical ballet. Jazz style can be choreographed into both tap and ballet.

Lyrical helps bring out emotional performance. Lycial dancers learn to use their faces and body movements to express emotions (sudden contraction, soft floating arms, hard, soft movement etc). Lyrical encompasses many forms of dance ... ballet, jazz, contemporary.

Hip Hop emits power. I think that hip hop teaches expression of aloof emotion and coolness. It is the complete opposite of "good ship lollipop". It teaches the dancer to take whatever technique they know and just dance. Hip hop does require a lot of technique, but at the end of the day, it must be "danced" .... nothing held back. The technique must be so precise that when the dancer lets loose, the dance does not fall apart.

Modern/Contemporary is said to be close in technique to ballet. Modern definately teaches shapes and body alignment. Controlled emotional performance.

Ballroom Latin/Rhythm teaches some amazing hip movement and also gives the dance world some of the most appealing sensual body shapes in both the ladies and the men. Quick footwork and legwork that is completely opposite of anything you'll find in traditional dance.

Ballroom Smooth/Standard teaches controlled legwork and footwork, posture, balance, breadth of movement. This is a great remedy for traditional dancers who have trouble with footwork.

There are so many other types of dance that I could comment on. But, that's all I have time for this morning. Thanks for visiting!

I hate people who are just WRONG!

I've been reading the SYTYCD boards and I'm seeing some behavior that is ....well just pretty bad. There are, by my count, two contestants families who are really cut-throat about this competition. I won't tell you who, you can find that out by going to the boards and reading the messages yourself.

Anyway, some are signing up on multiple user names, posing questions and answering themselves back on another user name. Others are doing the same thing, but among friends and family members. They are ganging up on anyone who doesn't agree that thier dancer is not the absolute best in the world. Even worse, those same people are entering the conversations with those who support other dancers and trashing the other dancers in way that makes their dancer look more appealing. If I ever get to that sorry state of being .... well, I hope that I never feel I have to be that type of underhanded, sorry human being to do that to other people.

The dancers should succeed or fail on their dancing ability and/or likability on their own. Families should not enter into a blood war to destroy those competing. How sad and wrong.

Dancers sent home - I'm not surprised.

Ben and Alek went home tonight. I totally knew that Alek was going home tonight and I'm not surprised. I was surprised about Ben, though. He has some amazing technique and so much potential. I'm not thrilled with his looks, but he could be made over ... haircut and styling, cooler clothes etc. I thought Jaymz was a gonner when he fell out of his turn and did that whimpy leap ... oh yea and when he fell off the stage. I would have sent him home.

Again, I absolutely loved Dmitry! That boy has some body movement goin on! Wow!

Favorite SYTYCD couples

Wow, I had a lot of favorites tonight. I actually think I liked Heidi and Ryan the best. The dance was hot and full of energy. Primal. I also really loved Benji and Donyelle ... always in my favorites. Then Ivan and Allison. She really smoked and put on a great performance and he really surprised me. Could he have been more in charge and connected, yea sure, but he was hot. Changed my mind about him.

I think it is unfortunate for Dmitry that he is not getting strong partners. Alex does not seem very versatile and is very manic. Dmitry is beautiful to watch. What a talent! Among my daughter's many styles of dance, she dances professional ballroom, so I'll be looking to watch him at competitions.

Travis is my other favorite. He always pulls it off in my eyes, despite any criticism he's gotten so far. I think he is flawless! Love him as the all around dancer so far.

Love Musa, but he just is not as versatile as he needs to be. Steamy and handsome. He has a charisma that I love to watch. Here's hoping for him, but I don't think it's there yet. Maybe some slick chreographer will scoop him up and give him some great training in company. I think he's got the goods, but needs more classes.

As far as girls, my absolute favorite is Donyelle. Could watch her dance for days. She is great! Heidi has a ton of spirit and I like her too. However, she also is lacking in technique in traditional dance. I saw one chine leap that should have just been left out of the choreography all together. Showed her lack of technique right there. Otherwise, I like her energy.

That's it for me today! Have a great evening.

Another Great Video of Polina Seminova!!!

Check out this great video of Polina Seminova en pointe!!! It's the nineth one down on the page.

My favorite dance video Sting & Alessandra Ferri en Pointe

I love all styles of dance, but his video is especially great. Check it out: Alessandra Ferri and Sting

Top 20 So you think you can dance!

Musa Cooper, Travis Wall, Stanislav Savich, Benji Schwimmer, Ivan Koumaev, Jaymz Tuaileva, Dmitry Chaplin, Ben Susak, Ryan Rankine, Jason Williams, Donyelle Jones, Natalie Fotopoulos, Joy Spears, Allison Holker, Ashlee Nino, Jessica Fernandez, Erin Ellis, Martha Nichols, Heidi Groskreutz, Aleksandra Wojda

My favorite couples so far are Benji Schwimmer and Donyelle Jones (Benji, you really brought it! That surprised me - Nice job!) and Travis Wall and Martha Nichols. Both are great dancers individually, but I didn't like them together. Natalie Fotopoulos has a great personality and her dancing was ok, but I'll hold judgement for future shows. She is in my top 5.

Rockette Audition - Important Info

Rockette Audition - Important Info for Dance Moms!!!!
Bathroom location. Look for this entrance on Rockefeller Plaza, near NBC, enter the doors and take a left, go down the stairs then take a right. The bathrooms are in the corner by UPS! The bathrooms are plenty, basically cleaner than a highway rest stop and they have potty seat covers. How much better can it get?!!! :)

Also, trash! There usually are no trash barrels in Rockefeller Plaza. Sometimes you'll find one in front of NBC, but they take that away often. There are trash cans at the same location as the bathrooms.

There is also an underground shopping area, restaurants and a food plaza through those doors. The shops include Anthropologie, J Crew, Sharper Image, Brookstone, the NBC Shop, and all the great shops on Fifth Avenue and more.

Dirty Dancing - A Reality T.V. competition!

Dirty Dancing - A Reality T.V. competition!

Women's Entertainment (WE T.V.) is taping Dirty Dancing, an original new series, this weekend, June 2nd-4th!

Dirty Dancing is an all new dance competition that combines Dancing with the Stars and the storyline of the hit movie Dirty Dancing! Six amateur female dancers are paired with six professional male dancers in a dance camp/ dinner theater based on the hit movie starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. This weekend we are taping the semi-finals and finale as we crown the Dirty Dancing champion... More at Women's Entertainment (WE T.V.)

Note: There is a rumor that Artem Chigvinsev from So You Think You Can Dance Season 1 is one of the six professionals on this show.

Everybody's in the Act JLo Chris Judd Dance Show

Jennifer Lopez & Ex-Husband To Launch Dance Shows
Jennifer Lopez and ex-husband Cris Judd will go head-to-head when they both launch television dancing shows later this year. Lopez is working with MTV on her reality series "Moves" where she will select and audition dancers, as well as act as an executive producer.

The hitmaker will use her dance training and experience to assist aspiring dancers in their careers in the fly-on-the-wall show.

Meanwhile, former dancer and choreographer Judd will host "Dirty Dancing: Living The Dream," a small-screen version of the 1987 Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey movie with a reality TV twist. The series will pair novice female dancers with experienced professionals who will train and compete for a featured role in the national cast of the upcoming Dirty Dancing musical.

Judd's series will air on Women's Entertainment (WE).


Star Pulse Blog

EtchingsDance.com So you think you can dance info.

You can follow the contestants and judges on Fox's So you think you can dance at Etchings Dance. So you think you can dance www.etchingsdance.com .
You can get biographies, what the prizes are, songs that they use. Check it out.

New B-Boy Dance Show by Bad Boy

MTV and Bad Boy Entertainment, Sean “Diddy” Combs’ production company, are teaming up as dance partners for an as-yet-untitled series that will center on street dance troupes across the country. Combs will executive-produce the pilot episode.

Broadcasting Cable

It seems that Sean Combs is joining the dance crowd with this new dance show focusing on street dancers. Actually, I think it's a good idea because street dancers can be AMAZING, but they often don't have the training to compete against dancers that will make the top ten on shows such as So you think you can dance. Those street dancers often don't have the money to take weekly dance classes at a studio, so good for Diddy for making that move.

America's top choreographers

America's top choreographers: Brian Friedman, Mia Michaels, Shane Sparks, Mary Murphy and Ron Montez. So you think you can dance.

Mary Murphy So you think you can dance judge - blog

http://www.marymurphy.tv/ Here is the blog address for Mary Murphy's blog. She is one of the judges and choreographers on the So you think you can dance show on fox. The link is the official website
of Mary Murphy, ballroom dance champion, choreographer, accredited judge, and TV personality. I have also included this ballroom dancing link in the dance link list on the bottom left of this blog! Also, here is her MySpace.com profile.

Ballroom Bootcamp? Is it returning?

Ballroom Bootcamp on TLC Discovery -

Does anyone know if Ballroom Bootcamp is returning. I had a lot of fun with that show too! Check it out.

....Top ballroom dance professionals Susannah Cuesta, Gocha Chertkoev and Christian Perry will attempt to give the participants the physical, mental and social tools necessary for success, and stop at nothing to transform the participants from ordinary to extraordinary.

The Ballroom Bootcamp participants will learn one of five dance styles — the cha cha, waltz, tango, jive or rhumba — and then face off against one another in an authentic, professionally adjudicated competition.

It's the ultimate fish-out-of-water story. Think plumbers, couch potatoes, football players, moms and more unusual suspects. It's a chance to test regular people in a way they've NEVER been tested before....