What does everyone think of the latin competition last night.
Was disappointed that max and yulia didnt compete, hopefully yulia will be back with her new partner (that girl is fantastic). Elaina and her partner won again as expected, they are good and all (I like that spiralling between the legs move she does) but I just think max and yulia should have won over the past 2 years.
The robot number was good, I like dances that follow a theme but still dance well with it. The silver robot demo dance and the bathrobe number from the past years are some of my favorites. Some theme dances arent danced well and that takes away from it: the shrek number comes to mind.
Natalie is always fun to watch. I love the hot latin costumes, I keep telling my wife I'm going to get her one of those outfits, she just wont wear it out of the house (fine with me).
I dont like the comentators this year as much, I know Ron's been around for a while (I have a dance DVD of his), but they are just too technical and monotone. The past comentators made it alittle more exciting.

I never miss a session of this program and look forward to it every year. I tend to like the International Standard segment a little more than the others, but find it all greatly entertaining. I especially liked the use of the sport coat as a prop, if you will, during Elaina's dance. So smooth, it was almost like a magic trick. I have wondered what the judges make of the more bizarre routines with costumes and music that would have had ballroom judges years ago aghast. But it appears it has become more common and just part of the show, and judges are not holding it against anyone who thinks outside the box.
Marilu Henner and Tony Meredith were probably a little stronger as commentators, but I don't mind the current pair. But I agree about them being so technical. If they are going to be that technical, then they should show some clips of the specific moves they are talking about so that those watching the show for the entertainment and the cool costumes can learn something as well.

I love the America's Ballroon Challenge and I host a party every year where my friends and I watch all five hours (on a big screen HDTV of course) with plenty of food and wine. I find that I really miss Tony and Marilu now. Ron does a nice job, but Tony Meredith just has more of a spark to him and a better connection with the viewers in my opinion. Jasmine Guy is just not a good host for ballroom dancing in my opinion and seems to know nothing about it. Listening to her comments add nothing for me (she even referred to a samba as a cha cha during the latin show). I'm afraid that she also needs a less revealing dress, as the current ones do not compliment her upper body at all. Marilu was more knowledgable, and was much better at reading the teleprompt than Jasmine is.

I too miss Max and Yulia. Yulia is the best dancer in the world in my opinion. She and her new partner Riccardo will be wonderful to watch in the future.

Overall, the competition in the Smoooth, Rythm, and Latin have been weakened considerably due to the retirements of top-level dancers in each category. The retirement of Tony and Elena left a big dent in the Rythm division. Retirement of Max and Yulia in the Latin, Ben and Shalene and the break up of David and Valentina in the Smooth have also all had their effects. But the show is well produced and beautifully done in high-definition and is wonderfully entertaining.