Great Quote About Purpose

"Look for purpose
For purpose breeds passion
And
Passion is fully equipped
To overwhelm fear."

-- Roger Teel

I know this to be true. In my job, I do things that make me uncomfortable - public speaking, social interaction, eating with others, travel, sharing a hotel room, etc - because they are all aspects of my job, and the work that I do that is so important to me. I have such a passion for locating information, disseminating information, and helping people, that I deal with the uncomfortable aspects in order to achieve the goals and live the purpose that I feel I was put on this earth to do. I am not brave, but my career, and the purpose within that occupation, makes me braver than I would be otherwise.

librarianintx

Dancing with the Stars Season 23 Eras Nite

Hello dance fans!
It's "Eras Nite"!
And Len's back! So are the team dances! Here we go!

Round 1: Individual Dances

Laurie / Val
60's Quickstep
Val as my prom date? HELL, YES! :)
Extra dancers, ugh! This will not be the only time I write this tonight.
It took them awhile to start dancing, but once they did, they had good energy and lots of fancy footwork. But did the dance have enough quickstep elements? Evidently yes, but Len said she lost technique and Carrie Ann admonished the pair for not one, but two lifts. Why Val? You know Carrie Ann is going to mark y'all down for lifts, so why put them in when they're not allowed. Sigh. I've had this imaginary conversation with Val before; obviously it didn't do any good. :)
Scores: 8, 8, 9, 9

Ryan / Cheryl
90's Rumba
Ryan and Cheryl danced to Arrowsmith's "Don't Wanna Miss a Thing," which is an amazing song. Unfortunately, the dance was just "a'right." I saw more partnering skills, and his hips moved some. It was a sexy dance. But Cheryl still did most of the work. It was obvious that the judges are frustrated with Ryan. They want Ryan to really dance, to work harder at this, to feel and interpret the music. They said he lacks musicality and technique. I agree with whatever judge said that Ryan looks like he's just doing what Cheryl tells him to do. But Len did like the straightforwardness of the dance - meaning no extra dancers or props. I don't mind props, but obviously I agree with Len on the extra dancers.
Scores: 7, 7, 7, 7

Marilu / Derek
20's Charleston
I think this dance suits Marilu because it's quirky and fun, but she was still too slow and tentative for it to be entirely successful for me. I do realize that she is in her 60's, and likely will not be able to dance like someone in their 20's or 30's. But at times I thought she had it. The judges said that she and Derek were out of sync..
Scores: 7, 7, 8, 7

Calvin / Lindsay
50's Jive
Calvin and Lindsay totally sold this dance. It was fun, energetic, good technique, they had big smiles on their faces and their yellow costumes made the dance even brighter. I thought the performance was a little choppy; it didn't flow quite as good as a jive should. The judges loved it, and for the most part I did too, even though there were extra dancers. 
Scores: 9, 9, 9, 9

Maureen / Artem
80's Tango
I love Bon Jovi, but...um...okay. The costumes were cheesy. Maureen was not convincing to me as a bad girl, until she was listening to the critiques. She had a big stumble during the routine, and it affected the rest of the dance. Artem said he stepped on her dress. Anyway, it was a mess. I'm sorry, Maureen.
Scores: 7, 7, 7, 7

Terra / Sasha
30's Foxtrot
I thought the dance was lovely, and Terra looked lovely. Good movement, nice flow, good technique, it was very dreamy. I enjoyed it. Bruno said she channeled Jean Harlow. Yes! And Len said, "you put the 'all' in small." Cute, and appropriate!
Scores: 9, 8, 9, 8 (I think the scores should have been all 9's)

Jenna / Gleb
70's Samba
Perhaps a touch formulaic, but I loved the music, and they looked like they were having fun. Good samba rolls, which is a tough move to perform. I didn't get the whole laundry concept, but whatever. I thought they were overall quite good. Carrie Ann chastised them for the lifts. Len said there wasn't enough samba content, and Gleb mouthed off at him. Ooohhh! Do we have another rebel in the making?
Scores: 8, 8, 9, 9

James / Sharna
40's Jitterbug
Extra dancers all the way through the routine - ugh!
I actually thought there were too many lifts and tricks, and not enough jitterbug content. Len agreed with me. And some of the tricks didn't go perfectly. But it was entertaining, and the judges were ecstatic, as they usually are about James.
Scores: 9, 9, 9, 9

Round Two: Team Dances

Team Past:
James / Sharna
Calvin / Lindsay
Ryan / Cheryl
Maureen / Artem
Viennese Waltz
This was a beautiful dance! The costumes were gorgeous, and I loved the music (theme from "Outlander.")
The couples looked surprisingly evenly matched. The choreography was simple, but very effective, and the result was an absolutely lovely performance. I agree with Len: this was a proper team dance. Their synchronicity was excellent. The judges loved it, and I did too!
Scores: 10, 9, 9, 10

Team Future:
Laurie / Val
Jana / Gleb
Terra / Sasha
Marilu / Derek
Argentine Tango
The choreography was more difficult in this dance, so the couples struggled more with synchronicity. Unfortunately, Marilu took a tumble at the end of her part. Overall, they did well, but it was a rougher dance, less polished, more adventurous. They took more risks, but in the end they came up short because of the gamble.
Scores: 8, 9, 9, 9

The results were rushed because of time. Maureen and Artem and Jana and Gleb were the bottom two couples. Why were Jana and Gleb in the bottom?!?! They received a perfect score last week! Their dance was sexy as hell! Maureen and Artem were eliminated. It was the right decision based on performance, but I felt so sad to see Maureen's ballroom journey end.

librarianintx

Survivor Season 33 Episode 5

It's hard to keep rooting for David after Wednesday night's episode. I was so happy and proud of him for finding another idol, but then he was so bad in the immunity challenge....like really really bad. I mean, I understand, I would suck at challenges way worse than him. I don't think you have to do well at challenges to be successful in Survivor. But when you have as much trouble as he did...although he wasn't the only one that had a poor performance on his team. It was a group failure. Unfortunately, getting CeCe out was the right decision if the tribe has any hope of survival, but now that definitely makes David the poorest-performing player in his group. We'll see what happens. Splitting up and mixing the tribes was a good thing for him because his big move last week likely made him an outcast in his tribe. But I doubt there will be three tribes for very long.

librarianintx

Dancing with the Stars Season 23 Latin Nite Part 2

Jana / Gleb
Argentine Tango
HELLO!! Killer dancing, great song, little clothing, a bed, a lot of water, and CHEMISTRY! As Erin would say, "YES, PLEASE!" Holy, moly! Paige and Mark danced a super sexy argentine tango last season, and this dance was right up there on the caliente meter. To say that dance was H-O-T is an understatement! We all needed a shower after that routine. A standing "O" from the judges and a "Holy Mackerel" from Tom. Yes, it was all that, and a bag of chips. If people don't pick up the phones and vote for that, there is something wrong in the ballroom.
Scores 10, 10, 10, 10
A perfect score, and I bet a lot of people scored after watching that!

Maureen / Artem
Samba
Extra dancers - ugh!
It was just okay. Not enough hip action, it wasn't down and dirty, it was a safe, careful, sanitized samba. In other words, it didn't feel like much of a samba. I'm sorry, Maureen. I know how bad you want it, and I want you to do well. I agree with Pitbull. She needed to let go. But the other judges were more positive.
Scores: 8, 7, 8, 8

Calvin / Lindsay
Argentine Tango
WOW! I LOVED the song and the outfits! They looked stunning together! The dance was hot, sexy, with some out-of-this-world lifts! Jana and Gleb aren't the only ones with chemistry, dance fans! Calvin made it look so easy. And the judges all agreed that he looked completely in control of that dance, and in control of Lindsay. It all worked for me. Great technique, steamy, excellent dance!! I thought the scores should have been higher.
Scores: 9, 10, 9, 9

Laurie / Val
Salsa
Sixteen years old - what? The spicy Latina worked that salsa! She is FIERCE! Great lifts, tricks, hip action, there was a lot of both partnering and solo dancing in that routine. This dance had it all - the sexiness, speed, and excitement that I want in a latin routine. Fantastic! Carrie Ann said she had a mis-step or two. Um, okay. Whatever. I loved it!
Scores: 9, 9, 9, 10

Overall, it was a very strong Latin Nite. There were enough great routines to make it a fun, successful show. I can't say I'm surprised that Amber went home. I wish she had been able to be more comfortable and wow us on the dance floor.

librarianintx

Dancing with the Stars Season 23 Latin Nite Part 1

Hello dance fans!

Not even a presentation at work today, a minor car accident yesterday, or a possibly dead laptop can keep me from one of the biggest nights on DWTS: Latin Night! And Mr. Worldwide is in the house tonight! Let's go!

I have to say, though, that Latin night with this group of contestants scares me. Do most of them know they have hips, and do they know how to shake them?

Ryan / Cheryl
Salsa
Well, once his shirt came off, his hips started moving fairly well. The blacklight part was cool - Cheryl's cute little outfit lit up, as did Ryan's chest. I thought he was sexier before the pants came off though, because the knee pads made the shorts comical. But anyway, I felt that Cheryl did most of the work in the routine. All the judges except Carrie Ann were more enthused than me.
Scores: 7, 8, 8, 7

Terra / Sasha
Paso Doble
I loved their costumes! They both rocked the purple! And I thought their paso was strong - passionate, fierce. She made her movements as big as she possibly could. Her performance tonight reminded me of when Carrie Ann told her, "You dance beyond your body." However, the judges were not enthusiastic. They said it was not her best dance, which is nice speak for "That really wasn't good." I was afraid she would get all 7's after the critique, but she didn't. She got the same score as Ryan, but his critique was better.
Scores: 7, 8, 8, 7

Amber / Maks
Cha Cha
Well, she definitely had the sex kitten vibe going, and I thought her cha cha was decent, but not great. Len would have complained how long it took for the dance to get going. I still want Amber to be better than this. I have just not seen enough improvement to say that she should still be in the competition. The judges want her to really go for it, and I do too! Let loose, Amber!
Scores: 7, 7, 7, 7

James / Sharna
Rumba
He doesn't think he had the sexy in him, but he definitely does, and he brought it! That was a much faster rumba that what I'm used to, and I thought one or two of the moves were a little wonky, but overall very good technique, and very sexy and steamy. Julianne thinks he's the best male contestant they've ever had on the show. Mmmmm. Better than Apollo Anton Ono? Better than Gilles Marini? I can't say I agree with her, but he is doing very well in the competition, and giving Laurie a run for her money.
Scores: 10, 9, 9, 10

Marilu / Derek
Cha Cha
She did so well last week, but I feel like she took a step back this week. The dance was just too slow and tentative. The moves were there, but not the speed, and not the freedom that she felt she achieved last week. I was disappointed. But I adored their outfits. And Derek is right - her body is slammin'! The judges were much more enthusiastic.
Scores: 8, 9, 9, 8

End of Part 1

23 Minute Morning Ritual to Improve Happiness

I don't have time for anything extra in the morning. I don't eat breakfast until I get to work. But I like this idea, and maybe I could do it throughout the day instead of first thing in the morning. I know the idea is to do it when you first get up to improve your mood all day. If I didn't hit the snooze button on all three of my alarms for fifteen minutes every work day, I might have time for this. :)

1. Write down three acts of gratitude.

What three new things are you grateful for? Write it down. For long-term effect, Achor says do it for 21 straight days. He says the reason this is so powerful is you're training your mind to scan for positives instead of negatives. This activity is the fastest way to teach optimism. It will significantly improve your optimism even six months later, and raises your success rates significantly.
Time length: 2 minutes.

2. Journal one positive experience.

Write in detail about one positive experience you've had during the past 24 hours. Bullet point each detail you can remember. According to Achor, this allows your brain to relive the experience, which teaches your brain that the positive behavior matters. It works, he says, since the brain can't tell the difference between visualization and actual experience. In essence, you've just doubled the most meaningful experience in your brain. If you do this ritual every morning for 21 days, your brain reprograms with this trajectory of meaning running throughout your life. In fact, research found that patients suffering from chronic pain or disease who did this for six weeks in a row had dropped their pain medication by 50 percent six months later.
Time length: 2 minutes.

3. Exercise.

Even if you hate exercise, Achor says that a short burst of fun cardio activity (think hula hoops, working in the garden, dancing, or a brisk walk with the dog) works wonders. The reason why exercise is so key to your morning routine is that it literally trains your brain to believe "my behavior matters," which then carries (positively) into other activities throughout the day.
Time length: 15 minutes.

4. Meditation.

Breathe and watch your breath go in and out for two minutes. This allows your brain to focus on one thing at a time and be present in the moment. Achor says it will "raise accuracy rates, improve levels of happiness, and drop stress levels." He did this with Google employees with great success.
Time length: 2 minutes.

5. Express kindness through a text or email.

The most important of the five: Write a positive email or text every morning praising or thanking someone you know. And do it for a different person each day. Achor says people who do this become known as positive leaders with strong social connections--the greatest predictor of long-term happiness.
Time length: 2 minutes.

Parting thoughts.

If you're skeptical, rest assured. These techniques were discovered through rigorous research while being linked to the bottom lines of some large companies around the world.
All it takes to get you going every morning is 23 minutes. Some of it you can even do while sitting down over your eggs, toast, and coffee.
By doing these activities every morning, you're training your brain to be positive for the rest of the day. Your brain will release dopamine and create a positive mindset for the long term.

Source:  http://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/a-23-minute-morning-ritual-that-will-transform-your-whole-day.html

Survivor Season 33 Episodes 3 and 4

Wow, David is making some big moves! Last week he found an immunity idol, and he was instrumental in voting out Paul, the un-elected leader of the group. Last week's episode had more strategy and only one challenge, because members of each tribe were selected to have a meet and greet in place of a challenge. This week, however, there were separate reward and immunity challenges. Both were quite exciting, especially the first one. In the first, four contestants at a time (two from each tribe) were battling in the water for control of a swim ring. The first survivor to touch a pole while holding the swim ring won a point for their team. The team with three points won the challenge. David earned the first point for Gen X, and his team would eventually win the challenge, but it was very close. He almost scored the winning point too, but not quite. The reward was wonderful - steaks, sausages, veges, and spices, but we didn't get to see much footage from the feast, which was disappointing.

The immunity challenge involved contestants pulling one of their own up in the air on a swing to retrieve puzzle pieces hanging on lines. Each survivor could only collect ten pieces at a time, so there were three trips up and down. The strategy was to select thin people to get on the swing, so they could be hoisted up faster. So that meant David was a swinger for Gen X. :) He was also the main puzzle solver, but unfortunately he couldn't figure it out, and the Millennials won that challenge.

Before tribal council, Lucy had appointed herself the new "dictator" of Gen X, and David wanted her out. But Lucy found out that her tribe was trying to snuff out her torch. So then Jessica's name came up. David flirted with the idea of using his immunity necklace to save Jessica. In the end, he did it, and he was successful. Jessica would have been voted out. But instead Lucy took the long walk out of the game, even though she only had two votes against her: David and CeCe. Jessica had voted for CeCe.

David is making the most of his time on Survivor. He is trying his hardest in the challenges, with some success, and he is making bold moves to eliminate strong players. Unfortunately, using his necklace to save Jessica will likely hurt him, as most of the tribe was voting to oust her. Maybe he can build some new bridges. I hope so. But even if he's eliminated soon, at least he had the chutzpah to play the game fiercely.  

On the Millennials tribe, Adam found the hidden immunity necklace. He cried when he found it, saying he was dedicating it to his mother, who is battling stage 4 lung cancer. How excruciating that must be, to be so far away from her and cut off from any news on how she is doing. I hope he doesn't get bad news during the season.

There is no way I could ever be on Survivor. I am too pale, too skinny, too sensitive physically and emotionally, and I hate coconut anything. :) And there's also no way I could handle weeks away from my family with no contact. I would lose my mind with worry and "what if's."

librarianintx

Dancing with the Stars Season 23 Most Memorable Year Part 2

Marilu / Derek
Viennese Waltz
Her most memorable year was losing her mother in the same month that she started on the hit show "Taxi."
Like Maureen, Marilu looked beautiful and radiant in this dance. I loved how the dance exploded when the music swelled, and they started sweeping across the floor. Like Maureen, I think this was Marilu's best dance. It was so so lovely. She had a very good frame. But I know that Carrie Ann will mark them down because her feet came off the floor in that last big turn. Like, she was off the floor the entire time. The group hug was precious. And wow, Carrie Ann didn't mention the lift! Shocking! The judges just loved it. I'm very happy for her.
Scores: 9, 9, 9

Amber / Maks
Samba
Amber's most memorable year was when her son was born. The package included a fight between her and Maks and a lot of insecurity and frustration. And then came the dance. Sigh. Extra dancers. And Amber was so tight and straight and tentative. You have to get down and dirty if you're dancing the samba, and she didn't do it. At times it looked like she was testing bath water, or tip toeing through wet grass. I don't understand. Amber has all the assets to be a successful dancer. Something keeps holding her back. She was slightly better last week, but slid back again this week. I'm frustrated. The judges were not as hard as her as I am.
Scores: 8, 8, 8

James / Sharna
Tango
James' most memorable year was when he survived a terrible crash last year. He almost died. His injury is usually not survivable. Oh my goodness. And jeez with the blinding lights AGAIN! I thought this was a very strong tango. Good speed, good frame, good movement across the floor. I didn't enjoy it as much as I did other dances tonight, but it was a solid performance. The judges were very enthusiastic. Carrie Ann actually called him "the one to beat." And Julianne said his frame is the best she has ever seen on the show. Very high praise.
Scores: 10, 9, 10

Terra / Sasha
Contemporary
Her most memorable year was 2013, when her father passed away of a heart attack after a liver transplant. The dance was incredible - very fast spins, a beautiful lift with Terra standing on Sasha's knees and then bending forward, Terra running into his arms - just gorgeous. And the song was perfect - "Stand By Me." Everything worked in this dance. It was exciting, it was uplifting, it was meaningful, it was electric. I absolutely loved it. The judges did too. Tom mentioned the chemistry and the connection between her and Sasha.
Scores: 9, 9, 9

What an awesome show!! And no elimination tonight - yipee!! AND no more Tuesday night filler show! The good news just keeps on comin'!
Good night dance fans!

End of part 2

librarianintx

Dancing with the Stars Season 23 Most Memorable Year Part 1

Gorgeous opening, choreographed by Mandy Moore!
I'm hoping not to be cranky like I was last week. I don't think I will be. I love "Most Memorable Year" night.

Maureen / Artem
Foxtrot
Marcia Marcia Marcia had a cocaine habit?!?! Actually, I knew that; I read her book.
Maureen looks beautiful tonight! And I thought her foxtrot was absolutely lovely. She radiated joy through the entire dance. It took awhile for them to cover the entire floor, but they finally did. I loved it. Maureen is a dancer, and she could not be more excited! The judges loved it too. That was so incredibly sweet. How cute to see Maureen, her husband, and Artem holding each other as they heard the scores.
Scores: 8, 8, 8

No cranky pants yet!

Calvin / Lindsay
Jazz
Calvin's most memorable year was when he broke Jerry Rice's record. Jerry Rice - a DWTS alum.
I spoke too soon about the no cranky pants. Extra dancers - ugh! This was not a Grease re-interpretation. Why were they there! And what's up with the super bright lights. I felt temporarily blinded during Maureen's dance too. Anyway, it took awhile for Calvin and Lindsay to get into dance, but once they did, it was quite strong, with some daring lifts. Calvin is so tall; it looked like Lindsay could touch the ceiling on that first lift. I love the song too. So overall the dance gets a thumbs up from me, extra dancers and all. And hello Jerry Rice! He is so fun! Calvin didn't know that Jerry was going to throw him the ball; it was a surprise for him!
The judges were enthusiastic, but said they think he can do even more.
Scores: 8, 8, 8

Jana / Gleb
Contemporary
Her most memorable year is this year, when she gave birth to her daughter. But she also talks about an abusive relationship that resulted in an attempted murder charge - he tried to kill her. Whoa.
The dance was BEAUTIFUL! Lovely lifts, and what incredible trust Jana had to have in Gleb to take that fall into his arms. That move actually made me gasp. They have such a strong connection. I love watching them dance. Julianne's comments about perseverance made me tear up too.
Scores: 9, 8, 9

Latin Nite next week! Yes!!

My mom and I went to the tour last December, and we absolutely loved it! I will be investigating tickets after the episode.

Ryan / Cheryl
Contemporary
His most memorable year was when he won his first gold medal. No surprise there. He dedicated the dance to his mom. Sweet.
It was a very dramatic dance, and between the moves and the lyrics of the song, it made me think about the extreme highs and lows that Ryan experienced at the summer Olympics. The lifts were spectacular, especially the one that ended with Cheryl doing a slow back bend. That move also drew a gasp from me. They looked super sexy too; Ryan's physique looked very good in a sheer, open shirt. I have to say, these contestants are bringing their "A" games tonight! I'm still conflicted about Ryan the person. But I was impressed with Ryan the dancer. The judges were impressed with both his dancing and his vulnerability.
Scores: 8, 8, 8

Laurie / Val
Paso Doble
Laurie's most memorable year is this year of course, when she won individual and team medals at the Olympics.
The beginning was very un-Paso, but once she escaped from the box, the rest of the dance was all paso. And wow, wow, wow. She looked so professional and mature out there. The speed was incredible. I thought I saw a slight bobble at one point, but otherwise, damn near perfect. I am so impressed. She is with a doubt the front runner. And I absolutely love Val's choreography. But man, the production team needs to do something about that bright light. I got blinded again. Bruno called her "a force of nature," but he did point out that she had some mistakes. Carrie Ann didn't like the opening; she felt it was unnecessary. Julianne disagreed with Carrie Ann. I liked the fire and the passion in the opening, but I agree that it didn't seem to fit with the rest of the dance.
Scores: 8. 9. 8

End of Part 1

librarianintx

Dancing with the Stars Season 23 Cirque du Soleil Night Part 2

This is why I need to blog DURING the episode. If I wait until later, I get busy, and sometimes the recap doesn't get written. I'm doing better so far this season, and I want to keep it up.

Ryan / Cheryl
Viennese Waltz
So it was kinda boring, and then it was very distracting with the umbrellas. He danced well, I think; I just wasn't blown away. But the judges kind of were. They said it was his best dance.
Scores: 7, 7, 8

Babyface / Allison
Tango
Well, I love the song, so that helped. The spotlight effect was cool. But the camera was so far at times; it was hard to see the dancers. I'm just not impressed with anyone so far tonight. Evidently, the dance was really bad; there were a lot of mistakes. I'm off tonight too.
Scores: 6, 6, 6

Tara / Sasha
Samba
I thought the opening was fantastic! Tara was shaking her booty and she looked very sexy! By the end though, Sasha looked like he was moving too fast for her, and almost dragging her along. But overall, I thought it was a good samba. I'm happy that she's doing well.
Carrie Ann said "You dance beyond your body."
Scores: 9, 8, 8

Laurie / Val
Jazz
FINALLY AN AMAZING PERFORMANCE!!
Incredible!!
I loved everything about it!!
I was a teenager during the first decade of MTV. I remember when Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince, and metal bands ruled the station. I remember this song and the video - Michael trying to get the hot girl, the sex appeal, the swagger, the humor. This was an outstanding re-interpretation. The extra dancers were not a distraction; they enhanced the performance, and you know I rarely say that. But it all worked here. And it worked because even though there was a group of professional male dancers on the floor, Laurie was front and center, and all eyes were on her. I loved her look, her hair, her sexy fuscia dress, everything. She was fierce!! I completely agree with Bruno: she was the perfect mix of Debbie Allen, Janet Jackson, and Paula Abdul. SHE KILLED IT! And of course Val was far hotter than Michael Jackson could have ever hoped to be, although I'm sure there are people who would disagree with me on that. Michael Jackson invented the moves, but Val has the looks and the body to go with the moves. Anyway, far and away my favorite dance of the season so far.
The first perfect score of the season! Completely deserved!

Vanilla Ice / Whitney
Viennese Waltz
The acrobats were distracting, but I thought it was a solid performance. I can tell he is really working at this and doing his best.
Carrie Ann said he is improved at all levels.
Scores: 8, 7, 8

James / Sharna
I was so busy being irritated that the judges overlooked his time out of hold that I didn't pay enough attention to the dance. Why is Carrie Ann so strict on no lifts but doesn't mark him down for too much time out of hold? None of the judges mentioned that, but I bet Len would have if he had been there. Evidently the dance was good because he earned the second highest score of the night.
Scores: 9, 9, 10

I was sad to see Babyface and Vanilla Ice leave. Babyface had the worst dance of the night, but I don't feel that he is the least successful dancer still in the competition. Same with Vanilla Ice.

librarianintx

Dancing with the Stars Season 23 Cirque du Soleil Night Part 1

Real life intervened last night, and I've only watched half the show so far. Be forwarned, dance fans, I DID NOT like the concept of this show, and it has made me cranky. Even before the episode aired, I was concerned about this. I thought the contestants would be doing some of the acrobatic work, and I didn't feel that these stars were ready for that level of skill on week 3. I hate to say this, but I feel this is one of the weakest casts in years, so I was especially worried.

So I am relieved that the contestants are not involved in that aspect of the production. But at the same time, I have to say, "Then what's the point?" For me, the Cirque du Soleil performers were only a distraction. They did not enhance the dances. And I found it unfair that some performances had the acrobats front and center with the dancers, while some were hardly noticeable at all. I enjoyed the routines where the acrobats were barely there, but that was me. I'm sure many people at home watching loved the concept. But it did not work for me.

Moving on to the dances...

Calvin / Lindsay
Charleston
The height difference made it easy for Calvin to sling Lindsay around. The acrobats in the background were distracting (that phrase will be repeated in my recap, so prepare yourselves), but otherwise it was a fun, energetic dance. I didn't understand Carrie Ann's comment, however. Lifts aren't usually allowed in the Charleston? I didn't know that. If not, why did Lindsay put in like fourteen of them? Seriously, the dance was mostly tricks. So I'm baffled by that.
Scores: 8, 7, 8

Maureen / Artem
Argentine Tango
Again, the acrobats are so distracting! I thought their tango was adequate. Just okay, not great. Not enough body contact. Not enough wow factor. It's a tough dance, and Maureen is struggling. But the judges liked it better than I did. And I'm glad for that, because I like Maureen. I love how important this show is to her, and how much she wants to succeed at being a dancer.
Scores: 8, 8, 8

Jana / Gleb
Foxtrot
Umm...were there Cirque dancers in this routine? I swear, I didn't see them. During the practice sessions, there was footage of acrobats flying off a trampoline; did that happen? See - inconsistencies. Unfair, in my opinion. But I actually enjoyed this dance because there were no distractions. Jana and Gleb have such great chemistry, and this dance had lovely rise and fall, and sweeping movement around the stage. I liked the costumes too.

Marilu / Derek
Paso Doble
The Cirque dancers were very prominent in this dance, and with them twirling around the stage and throwing red flags in all directions, I couldn't see what Marilu and Derek were doing half the time. When I could see them, Derek was doing most of the work. Marilu looked nervous and tentative. I believe she can do better than this. She has a great body and natural dance ability. I think she and Maureen both want to succeed so badly that they're trying too hard.
Scores: 7 , 7, 7

Amber / Maks
Argentine Tango
Okay, THERE is the sex appeal that I've been waiting for! There was the chemistry between her and Maks. Definitely this was her best dance so far. But I still think she was too covered up. Long sleeves on that outfit? Why? I just can't help comparing this dance to Mark and Paige's tango from last season. They made that table SWEAT! Paige removed layer after layer of clothes, until at the end she was wearing a little body suit and Mark's button down shirt. That was a smokin' hot routine! This one had some fire, but still needed more. Unfortunately I just don't think Amber has much natural rhythm, or maybe she's just too nervous and Maks hasn't figured out a way to bring it out of her. She has tied with Maureen for highest scores of the night so far, but I have a feeling she will still be in jeopardy.
Scores: 8, 8, 8

End of part 1

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