3514  Tango Feedback from "Dancing with the Stars"

Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2005 13:09:24 -0400
From: DanceScape <info@DANCESCAPE.COM>
Subject: Tango Feedback from "Dancing with the Stars"

Hi,
Did any of you tune-in to yesterday's "Dancing with the Stars" on ABC
Television in US and Canada?

If so, what did you think of the Tango performances? There were some
attempts to include Argentinian movements, but for us, wished they had
used more authentic Tango music. One of the pieces was to "Toxic" (by
Britney Spears) which sounded more like Cha Cha, while the other was
"Hernando's Hideaway" but a pop version. They tried to use more modern
versions of the music, but it was really missing the Tango beat.

The Tango demonstration by Charlotte Jorgensen and John O'Hurley was not
as consistent as their other performance last week (if any of you are
interested, we conducted a personal Podcast interview with Charlotte
which you can listen directly at www.dancescape.com/podcast or
https://dancescape.com/mydancefriends).

Personally, we did enjoy Rachel Hunter & Jonathan Roberts'
interpretation of the Tango - considering they had less than 1 week to
prepare and she has no Tango and Ballroom experience.


Best regards!


www.dancescape.com
dance is ... PASSION

Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2005 15:30:56 -0500
From: Michael Ditkoff <tangomaniac@CAVTEL.NET>
Subject: Re: Tango Feedback from "Dancing with the Stars"

Yes, I taped the show because it conflicted with my private
tango lesson. I didn't like the music for tango. I don't
care for international style tango because of the head
flicks. I don't want whip lash, especially self inflicted
whip lash.

John O'Hurley is really enjoying himself whereas some of the
other stars look like they regret getting involved. Evander
Holifield never looked like he was enjoying himself. He's a
fighter, not a dancer. I thought it was somewhat comical
that his teacher taught him Quickstep inside a boxing ring.
When Evander and his partner were eliminated, the host asked
if he would continue lessons. Without any hesistation,
Evander said "no."

All of the dances are competitive style. You wouldn't dance
that way on a social dance floor, the same way you shouldn't
dance fantasy tango on a social dance floor. Why is fantasy
tango called "fantasy" and not something else? It's because
when audience members go to a show and see it, they
"fantasize" they can dance it.

The judges sometime remind of "Idol" in their cutting
remarks. (I don't watch "Idol", just read a review in the
"Washington Post" Style section where the column is called
"We watch so you don't have to.") Sometimes, the judges
forgot they are dealing with amateur dancers with little or
no prior experience. In fact one judge said another judge
should get into the ring with Evander after five weeks of
training. LOL!!! Some of the stars are absolutely petrified.
I don't remember the couple but one of them finishes their
dance with the man catching the woman as she falls backward.
In the rehearsal, he says "I haven't dropped a woman yet"
which is very comforting to his partner. (I think it was
Rachel Hunter.)

Michael Ditkoff
Washington, DC
5 weeks to NY Tango Festival (www.celebratetango.com)
Dancing and celebrating 100 years of Staten Island Ferry
service

> Hi,
> Did any of you tune-in to yesterday's "Dancing with the
> Stars" on ABC Television in US and Canada?
>
> If so, what did you think of the Tango performances?

I'd rather be dancing Argentine Tango