Helio Castroneves and Julianne Hough by Carol Kaelson/ABC
I don’t know about you, but I got my wish Tuesday night. Boiled down to three words: Anyone. But. Marie. Seriously folks, if Dancing with the Stars’ trophy had gone to Marie Osmond the underdog — or rather, underdoll, as I like to think of her after Monday’s bizarre freestyle nondance that would have been better suited for the Island of Misfit Toys — I might even have joined the legions of disgruntled fans who tend to declare "I’m never watching again" after each cycle when their favorite doesn’t win.And then, of course, they return the following season, because once hooked on this deliriously entertaining reality contest, few can resist the spectacle of watching B-list celebs put on their dancing shoes with varying degrees of nerve, style and success. New stars tend to emerge from this process, and few have blazed with such effortless charm than the eventual winner, Helio Castroneves, whom I’d bet very few outside of my Indy-500-obsessed fami...
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Mark Ballas, Sabrina Bryan, Edyta Sliwinska and Cameron Mathison by Carol Kaelson/ABC
Dancing with the Stars hoofer Maksim Chmerkovskiy is sock-hopping mad. No way should Sabrina Bryan and soap stud Cameron Mathison have been in the bottom two this week, he railed to TV's Extra: "There were celebrities that should've been eliminated. The two in the bottom two were not [them]." (Marie Osmond, cute as ya are, I think he might be talking to you.) Added judge Carrie Ann Inaba: "I'm kind of heartbroken. As a female competitor, we have never seen anybody as good as Sabrina." Um, excuse me, but Stacy Keibler?Related: Backstage at Dancing with the Stars: A Recount Is Demanded!Thursday's Today's News was written by Ben Katner.
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So long Sabrina. Sabrina Bryan, Mark Ballas by Carol Kaelson/ABC
by guest blogger Katie BottnerEpisode Recap: "Elimination Number Six"I am speechless! I think I can still hear the boos resonating from the TV as we just learned Sabrina Bryan is going home. She was pegged to be one of the final two in this competition. What happened? I didn't think her latest dance was enough reason for her to go home this week. The rest of the dancers better stay on their game. Sidenote: after reading your comments about a possible romance between her and dance partner Mark, I have to say I agree. Did you catch the "baby" and "I love you"? Hmm...I was also shocked — shocked — that Jane Seymour was announced safe second. Now, we did not get to see Jane tonight as she was absent due to a bout with food poisoning. I'll bet she is feeling better now!Did everyone catch Marie mouth, "I am going to faint" when the judges made her wait through a commercial break to find out her fate? It was a surprise that she was not in the bottom two, but that Cameron fo...
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Tony Dovolani and Jane Seymour by Carol Kaelson/ABC
After Dancing with the Stars' Carrie Ann Inaba repeatedly slammed Tony Dovolani's use of illegal lifts in his and partner Jane Seymour's routines, the pro hoofer presented the judge with a ballroom rulebook....read more
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Tony Dovolani and Jane Seymour by Carol Kaelson
After Dancing with the Stars' Carrie Ann Inaba repeatedly slammed Tony Dovolani's use of illegal lifts in his and partner Jane Seymour's routines, the pro hoofer presented the judge with a ballroom rulebook. "Because she does not know anything about ballroom, I figured she should at least read [it]," Tony tells People. "I highlighted the parts I wanted her to read, including the description of what a lift is." Unfortunately for Dovolani and Seymour, Inaba was neither amused nor enlightened. He says the ex-Fly Girl "gave me the finger.... I thought I hit home." Or certainly too close to it. — Ben KatnerFor more on Dancing with the Stars, read this morning's backstage report.
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It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Cameron! Cameron Mathison, Edyta Sliwinska by Carol Kaelson/ABC
Episode Recap: "Week Four"Did the foot touch the floor? Who cares! I love the lift. Carrie Ann was digging her grave with the audience by calling out Jane Seymour, Jennie Garth and company. I consider a lift to be something over the shoulder... like Dirty Dancing! Let the people lift, I say.Here is my main problem with the show: of the two dances each performance night, one is always more exciting than the other. How can you expect me to be wowed by a waltz when the Paso Doble is setting the floor on fire? Is it just me? What do my loyal readers think? I think it would probably get boring if everyone did the same dance, though, so I really have no solution to my problem.Tonight's BestOur first perfect score went to Sabrina Bryan. I must say it was well-deserved. She set the bar very high for the night and though some came close, Sabrina has shown she is the front-runner in this competition. At this point, I have no idea if anyone can beat her!Where did Cameron Mathison come from? Th...
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Dolly Parton
Some stars can cause a commotion just by walking into the room. And that was certainly the case with country legend Dolly Parton, who brought the crowd to its feet without any prompting from Dancing with the Stars' warm-up Cory Almeida. Rarely has the ballroom seen this kind of over-the-top reception for a guest performer. The only question was whether the 500 members of the studio audience would settle down long enough to let her sing. "I didn't have to say a word," says Almeida. "Come on, it's Dolly Parton."
Like most television shows that go out live to the satellite, Dancing with the Stars pretapes special segments that require too much extra setup to be done on the fly. There might be special staging, as there was for the exceptional performance by tap dancer
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Jane Seymour's still got it! Dancing With the Stars by Carol Kaelson/ABC
Episode Recap: "Premiere" (Sept. 24, 2007)Wow! Before the premiere of DWTS, I had no idea who Sabrina Bryan was — but now I won't forget her! That was some cha-cha. The best ever on the show, according to Carrie Ann Inaba. I agree. This girl is the one to beat!If anyone can go toe-to-toe with Sabrina, it's Mel B. She looks fantastic and she can shake it too! Her energy is surprising, considering she has an infant at home! Speaking of infants, congratulations go to Samantha Harris on the birth of her baby girl! It is different without her, is it not? It surprises me to say it, but I miss her. Drew Lachey is a welcome addition as host, but the backstage interviews just aren't the same.But back to the dancing! I love Jennie Garth. Is it me, or is she more beautiful now than during her 90210 days? Once she finds her confidence, I think she has major potential. I am rooting for her all the way!Someone else to look out for is Jane Seymour. She is grace personified! But maybe that sh...
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Drew Lachey by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com
Dancing with the Stars Season 2 champ Drew Lachey is staying in step, having signed on to host ABC's new midseason dance-off Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann. The show, to air this winter for a half-dozen episodes, has DWTS judges Tonioli and Inaba forming rival performance troupes that will face off in weekly song-and-dance battles. I'm rooting for the Jets, though I hear the Sharks could upset.Previously, the competition was called "Strategic Dance Occupation," but then Congress decided they weren't kidding any one.Auditions kick off Sept. 15 in Nashville. Visit MySpace.com/carrieannvsbruno for details.
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Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli by Bob D'Amico/ABC
Or are they scouting dancing singers? Hmm. ABC has greenlit a dancing-themed competition to be hosted by Dancing with the Stars judges Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli and based on the hit BBC series Dance X. In this instance, however, Carrie Ann and Bruno will be positioned as rivals, as they each coach-choreograph troupes of singing dancers, picked "schoolyard style," in styles ranging from breakdancing to disco.The BBC version, Variety notes, was an instant hit upon its recent premiere, trouncing the U.K. edition of Singing Bee.
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