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'Dancing' Tour A Treat, 'Superstars' A Trick
Did anyone happen to catch "Superstars of Dance" last night on NBC?
Don't worry you did not miss anything.
Now, I'm a big fan of dance as most of you know. I love "Dancing With the Stars" and "So You Think You Can Dance" and watch them religiously each season. I love all sorts of dance from ballet to hip hop even country line dancing (I actually hosted a pilot for a line dance show!).
So, I was looking forward to seeing what Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe had in store for us. Needless to say I was disappointed from the first 10 seconds when host Michael Flatley very flatly delivered his opening lines. He's a fantastic dancer, terrible host. Then it came time to meet the judges, a real cast of characters from different countries. Unfortunately, this motley crew had about as much personality as Michael's dance shoes.
The dance routines had lots of zip but zero zing. Plus, what was with the solo dancer from the USA already having been on SYTYCD? I know he was a favorite of Nigel's but his pop and lock routine just seemed tired after having already seen it before on another show. I give it half a tap shoe out of five.
Now if you really want some dance excitement, I suggest you check out the "Dancing With The Stars" tour which continues through February 8 in cities across the country. If you are a fan of the show, I promise you it's an experience that's truly better than attending an actual taping of the show. Tapings are fun if you have never been but the floor is much smaller. So, there is less room for the dancers to move around. On the show, the celebrities are the stars -- on the tour, it's the dancers who are the stars.
Sure watching Lance Bass, Toni Braxton, Marlee Matlin and Maurice Green is OK, but seeing all the professional dancers show off their true skills is what makes this show fantastic to watch. The costumes are phenomenal, the bodies on the ladies are absolutely insane to look at and Maksim Chmerkovskiy did a fantastic job with the choreography. I didn't even mind hearing the band perform popular Top 40 songs (which on the show always sound so cheesy). On the tour it just works.
Over our holiday break, I took in the tour at the Staples Center. I was lucky enough to get the VIP treatment and sit at a table right up front. The stage in each arena is set up just like the television show where they have small tables and chairs surrounding the dance floor. Mel B and her husband and kids were just a few tables down from me enjoying the show. If you have the cash, pony up the $225 dollars for the table seats. It's worth the extra money to feel like you are right in the action.
At one point, Derek Hough actually came over to my table and stole my bag of caramel popcorn. Unfortunately for him we had already finished it! The man next to me got a lap serenade from Toni Braxton. For the record, I still stand by what I said in a blog from last month that Toni refused to dance with her dance partner Alec Mazo from the show and that's why at tour rehearsals she was introduced with and dancing with a company dancer. I guess they must have worked out their issues, because now she is back being introduced with and dancing with Alec. She also performs two of her hit singles which is a bonus treat on this tour.
And a big congrats to Maksim and Karina Smirnoff who apparently got engaged over New Years. They are dance partners on the tour so you can check out their very sizzling chemistry on the tour too! Enjoy and send me some comments if you go or have been.
Happy New Year to all. It's good to be back!
I am so excited about the DWTS tour. I will be attending in two weeks. I have sucky seats though, but that's okay.
I've watched the show religiously too (along with my entire family). Now, I'm more excited about the pros than I am about the "celebs".
I'm glad you had fun!
I saw the tour and Derek Hough is phenomenal. They are all great but he stands out head and shoulders above the rest. You can't make yourself look away from him to see anyone else when he's on the floor (and he happens to be in almost every number-more than any other dancer on the tour) I can't put in words how wonderful a dancer Derek is. But it's not just his dancing, his charm, charisma, his energy is contagious. He will be in films soon I guarantee you. I've never seen a person with more of "it" whatever "it" is. He definitely has it!!!