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Americas ballroom challenge
Posted by breador
2/27/2009  10:22:00 PM
What did people think of this years televised coverage. I was glad to see Yulia Zag.. finally win it. Nobody moves like that girl, she is incredible. I'm also a fan of Joanna Zacharewicz, she did well as usual. So were the Telonas. There were also a few of the Dancing with the Stars pros who made it to the finals.
Re: Americas ballroom challenge
Posted by Visitor
2/28/2009  11:15:00 AM
I honestly didn't like this year's choice for the Best American Rhythm champions. I didn't like the dance they performed and thought they could've done better. Not making enemies but that's just my opinion.
Re: Americas ballroom challenge
Posted by dheun
2/28/2009  12:08:00 PM
It was just excellent, as usual. Every year, the routines seem to hit another level of imagination. This likely doesn't please some traditionalists, but I am thinking it is bringing a whole new audience and interest to ballroom. You mention the DWTS pros being involved, and I believe that some who watch that program are making the transition over to the real deal with America's Ballroom Challenge on PBS.
Re: Americas ballroom challenge
Posted by Ladydance
2/28/2009  1:13:00 PM
Felt sorry for the Canadians. Being Canadian myself, I was rooting for them. Their rumba didn't look much like a rumba and then there was that terrible lift, over the head thing, that was embarrassing to watch. She seemed to get stuck on his head and then teetered on his shoulder before he fell over and she was able to recover. It was badly done. But I'm not sure had it been done correctly, it would have looked much better.
Re: Americas ballroom challenge
Posted by belleofyourball
2/28/2009  5:35:00 PM
I dont know. I was a little bit disappointed in this year's offerings. I liked last year when you were actually able to see the dancers in competition and than you saw the showcases.

I'm not really a fan of the showcases because so often they are just a way for the dancers to identify exactly how bad their taste really is. The moves and the dances some of them select have no place in a competition of that caliber. I mean is this ballroom or a karate exposition? This of course is my opinion.

I add that some take their craft to the next level in these showcases, for example Yulia and Riccardo. Poor Riccardo, he's stunning but Yulia has such an a amazing presence he almost gets overlooked. I appreciate their HARD work and choreography and if that was what all of the dancers did,wonderful. I appreciated the piece done by the Telonas and by Kraeve and Watson but what was the cat woman thing? It was obnoxious.

I dont know I don't like Joanna Zacharewicz. I think her partner is better than she is. It's probably a personal preference. I like dancers to have style and grace. She just seems so brash and loud. Her dancing isn't refined. I thought that the Telonas were a better overall choice. I like the contrast between the two and the way they play off of each other. Kraeve and Wilson are very good but Watson needs more control. If you watch her for any amount of time you see she has balance issues, she adjusts quickly but it takes away from the overall effect.
Re: Americas ballroom challenge: Better version of
Posted by cbmp
2/28/2009  8:51:00 PM
I have to agree with belle: disappointing mix. In the pbs website we read that viewers expressed their preference for showcases over group competitions. Hence the emphasis this year on showcases.

Still, it's better than DWTS. I felt that this year at least, more of the showcase competitors displayed recognizable choreography, with respect to the dance categories. But to the impressionable non-dancing public, this would not have made the slightest difference.
Re: Americas ballroom challenge
Posted by 5lisamarie
3/1/2009  12:35:00 AM
I was more disappointed with the format of the show than anything. Besides reducing the length of the show....the content was not there. The showdances are great.....but, by focusing on that aspect and not the actual comp dances..........I feel it loses something. I want to see the actual dances with all the couples on the floor. I want to see the dances in their true form as well as the showdances.
Re: Americas ballroom challenge
Posted by Polly
3/1/2009  2:18:00 AM
I like Joanna Zacharewicz for all the reasons you do not. It's just my opionin, but I prefer dancing that is more on the raw side, rather than every move controlled and perfected. Sometimes if the dancing is not so perfect, there is more emotion and the dance has more feeling to it. Joanna is a Tiger.
Re: Americas ballroom challenge
Posted by dheun
3/1/2009  12:26:00 PM
I would agree on not caring for the shortened TV format. I liked it better when it was on for four weeks at a time. I thought maybe I was missing something, until I realized it was a "condensed" version this year. I still like the fact that it is on public television at all and enjoyed the routines. But I also had to do a double-take when the Canadian couple tried to do that over-head lift, with her legs split, and the dress getting caught or something and who knows what happened afterward. The commentators handled it well, just saying it probably didn't go as planned. Mostly, I wasn't quite sure what dance they were trying to do. I was guessing rumba, but wouldn't bet on it.
Re: Americas ballroom challenge
Posted by breador
3/2/2009  9:17:00 AM
I agree with being disappointed in the shorter performances. I too like watching the group competitions, and frankly they cant have it on long enough for me. I tape it every year and for some reason I appreciate the dances more the second or third time I watch them. A dance I thought was so-so the first time, I actually like the 2nd time. Kinda weird.

I thought the commentary was better this year, last year Ron seemed to be trying to name every step they were dancing, this year he let them dance and just added his overall impressions. Much better.

I actually liked Joanna better with her last partner (forgot his name now), they were just a perfect match for each other in energy. Bre Watson is also almost too cute to be real, love watching her. Would like to see the Tolonas win it sometime.

The standard couples did a good job as well, and with all due respect to Ricardo, Yulia Zag... could dance with a completely naked partner and nobody would notice (except maybe the judges).
Dancing is all about the woman, being a guy, were just happy to be dancing with them.
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