I’m off in a little room I had security open for me and I happen to be right next door to them. They’re pretty funny.  Didn’t know so many of them were British. Tells you what I know. Their rehearsals have been the only closed rehearsals.  It’s sure to be a fantastic performance.  I can hear it through the walls and it sounds thumpin’!

“Surprise” Performer

It’s hilarious!  It’s a surprise to one of the stars and they are not going to know.  The performer has been here both yesterday and today and they’ve put bogus names on their dressing room.  A few of us found out the “secret” as we were riding in the elevator with someone in production who thought we were part of that surprise number.  After they figured out our group was not, they realized they had let the cat out of the bag and begged us to keep quiet.  We have.  It’s sure to be a very, very sweet surprise!

Chelsea & Romeo

Their number went awry today during dress rehearsal. Her dress came undone and a needle kept pricking Romeo as they danced so they had to stop dancing. A bad dress = a great performance… at least we hope so!

Max & Kirstie

They both seem so mello!

Mark & Chelsea

Mark is bopping around all over today. It’s his birthday and he has an extra skip in his step.  Chelsea is as beautiful as ever.

Good luck to all the competitors.  Show just started. Our call time is 6:40, so I better wrap it up.  I’ll post all the behind the scenes photos and footage once the show airs tonight on the West Coast.  Bye for now!

Stacey
www.TheDanceFamily.com

Kym & Hines

We saw them walk out of their rehearsal this morning. They looked exhausted. Now I see why! They did fantastic tonight. NOW I understand why those drummers were around today! We could hear the drummers rehearsing through the sound proof rooms! Oh that’s what those hats were for – our costume designer carried them to the set & we didn’t know who they were for. Kym & Hines were not as tight as they could be… “Oh that’s what the pattern on the floor was for!” The kids are just putting all these things together that we’ve seen over the past couple of days at the rehearsals.

Chelsea & Mark

He drove in on that cool little bike to rehearsal on Sunday. He loved that little thing. It’s much cooler in person than it showed on tv. The lights were so bright behind it when they came in, you couldn’t see how cool it was. Anyway, they are great. I told her we were rooting for them (true). She still seems to hold back in her movements, but the judges gave her 10′s. When the kids saw the names of the Jonas Brothers on the seats today, they were so excited. We left the set by 3pm (guests arrive at 4pm). Oh well! They were excited that they met Chelsea & Mark.

Kirstie & Max

That just gave me chills. I don’t know how he did that. She was walking out of her trailor this morning in a green robe NOT looking the way she looked on the show tonight! She looked fantastic – even in the rehearsal package. I don’t know how they did those lifts. I don’t know how they did those lifts. I don’t know how they did those lifts. Wow.

Mark & Chelsea

Nice Ronde.  Our daughter said, “I thought they would be totally perfect for each other.”  Her foot placement is beautiful and so calculated.  Very smart to wear the short and very stub heals.   Lyrical and theatrical lines but missing a bit of ballroom for my taste, …but beautiful.  Start & end with a kiss…. Yea, that relationship of hers won’t be lasting too much longer!

Hynes & Kym

Such a nice extention, he Almost fell over.  Can’t get over the costumes!  Wow!  So glad Kym has madit it this far this season.  Those we know who know her have great stories of what that she’s a FUN girl! 

Romeo & Chelsea

Again, the staging was remarkable againthis week.  If they don’t get an Enmy, it will be a shock.  That dress is slamin’.  Romeo really brought it. 

Ralph & Karina

Love the drama.  The actors are always the best at pulling out the drama when needed.  He did great tonight.  How did he do those turns?  And her see-through dress kept the judges eyes off of his footwork enough to allow him to make it through. 

Max & Kirstie

DONE with the drama. Who can’t survive on 1,400 calories? Ask someone starving in China or Africa for sympathy.  Ain’t getting’ it from L.A.  I’m SO impressed with Max’s core and his back strength.  He’s able to lift her from DEAD WEIGHT, knows his center well enough to know how to pull her up from her falls during rehearsal.  Zero sympathy for her.  Argentine Tango – Easy music for drama.  They need a fast paced music to even the playing field. DONE with the drama. 

Kym & Hines Ward

I liked his dancing better last week.  Again, it’s the same for a lot of the men – they tend to step with a full, flat foot verses toe-heel so What a great story about his mom!  Wow – those were high scores. 

Dmitry & Petra Nemcova
Her leg extension was very nice.  She’s loosening her hips more, which aisa huge feat considering her injuries.  Her back leg needs to continue to extend.   Again, the staging this season is so impressive!  They are spending a lot more than in seasons past. It was elegant but simpler than the other routines, so I’m not sure it can’t really be equally compared.   

Chelsea & Lil’ Romeo
He’s moving more. He’s bringing emotion into his face which translates into the dance. He needs to focus on his footwork and was still stepping flat footed verses toe heel.

Louis & Kendra Wilkinson
On her crossovers her were beautiful straight steps.  She still needs to straighten the knees and stand up taller during her spins.  Big improvement over last week. Anyone else who thought it was a bit uncomfortable to watch?

Karina & Ralph Macchio
He has such great posture.  He’s more flat footed today than he was previously.  Hopefully they will stay in the competition to see a lot more of his dancing.  It seems he has a tap dancing background that will be fun to watch in upcoming dances.   

Max & Kirstie Alley
Ouch!  Francisco didn’t buy it.  I did.  Either way, once that was over, the remainder of the routine was beautiful!

Stacey
Francisco and Stacey Dance Productions
The Dance Family Studio, Pasadena
www.TheDanceFamily.com

http://twitter.com/#!/TheDanceFamily

Saw her backstage at DWTS with John-John when he sang with Michael Bolton and she was so encouraging to him to keep dancing (he needs that at this pre-teen stage!) So sorry to see her leave so early!

Monday, March 21, 2011

Steppin’ up the sets on night one! Chelsea & Mark My choice for next season. He’s not tweeting about them, so I have a guess he’s smitten with her. Wendy & Tony Wow. We’ve seen how he trains with his students in our studio. That’s a hard one to comment on… we’ll just leave that one to you to make comments. Kym Kym has been MIA and it seems she’s had her face re-done. She was so pretty before! Why? Anyway, as for their dancing, Dmitry Has the Derek Hough syndrome – he’s outdancing his partner. That doesn’t do her (or him) any favors. Once he realizes, as Derek did two seasons ago, it’s about showcasing his partner, he’ll have a better chance of taking the mirror ball. Chelsea & Romeo Umm…Romeo didn’t move much. Chelsea danced for him. Hmmmm… I so badly want to like him because I like her. That’s tough with what he put on the floor this week. Wow, they got better scores than expected. She pulled him through. Anna & Ray They are definitely contenders! Why? When their pre-dancing package was playing the crowd went crazy. Straighten the knees and don’t over extend the arms beyond Ralph & Karina Great leg extension by Ralph. They were the best at lowering expectations. His foot placement and weight placement heel-toe, toe-heel was fantastic for week one! Let’s just say the commercials after 9pm are not for children. Heck – they’re not for me. Some of the content in today’s programming seems to aim for the lowest common denominator. That’s just a unsolicited commentary. Cheryl & Chris Max & Kirstie Musicality and comedy. Perfect age. Didn’t go too old this year. His chest looks like a piece of plastic. Wow, she’s 60 and she’s that good? She can move! Cheryl is the best at finding the strength of her partners and showcasing it. He needs to move his feet. His footwork is flatogoted. He over extends his arms, just like Kendra (his shoulders release beyond his frame.) Lacey & Mark Very stiff. What’s wrong with his legs? People who tweet are the ones who vote for DWTS. She is very popular on Twitter which translates to votes and likely the finals. She’s one of our top 2 favorites. Her brother was right, after tonight, they do need all our votes we can give them!
Stacey

Francisco and Stacey Dance Productions
The Dance Family Studio, Pasadena
www.TheDanceFamily.com

http://twitter.com/#!/TheDanceFamily

Steppin’ up the sets on night one!

Chelsea & Mark
My choice for next season. He’s not tweeting about them, so I have a guess he’s smitten with her.

Wendy & Tony
Wow. We’ve seen how he trains with his students in our studio. That’s a hard one to comment on… we’ll just leave that one to you to make comments.

Kym
Kym has been MIA and it seems she’s had her face re-done. She was so pretty before! Why? Anyway, as for their dancing,

Dmitry
Has the Derek Hough syndrome – he’s outdancing his partner. That doesn’t do her (or him) any favors. Once he realizes, as Derek did two seasons ago, it’s about showcasing his partner, he’ll have a better chance of taking the mirror ball.

Chelsea & Romeo
Umm…Romeo didn’t move much. Chelsea danced for him. Hmmmm… I so badly want to like him because I like her. That’s tough with what he put on the floor this week. Wow, they got better scores than expected. She pulled him through.

Anna & Ray
They are definitely contenders! Why? When their pre-dancing package was playing the crowd went crazy.

Straighten the knees and don’t over extend the arms beyond

Ralph & Karina
Great leg extension by Ralph. They were the best at lowering expectations. His foot placement and weight placement heel-toe, toe-heel was fantastic for week one!

Let’s just say the commercials after 9pm are not for children. Heck – they’re not for me. Some of the content in today’s programming seems to aim for the lowest common denominator. That’s just a unsolicited commentary.

Cheryl & Chris

Max & Kirstie
Musicality and comedy. Perfect age. Didn’t go too old this year. His chest looks like a piece of plastic.
Wow, she’s 60 and she’s that good? She can move!
Cheryl is the best at finding the strength of her partners and showcasing it. He needs to move his feet. His footwork is flatogoted. He over extends his arms, just like Kendra (his shoulders release beyond his frame.)

Lacey & Mark

Very stiff. What’s wrong with his legs? People who tweet are the ones who vote for DWTS. She is very popular on Twitter which translates to votes and likely the finals. She’s one of our top 2 favorites. Her brother was right, after tonight, they do need all our votes we can give them!

Stacey

Francisco and Stacey Dance Productions
The Dance Family Studio, Pasadena
www.TheDanceFamily.com

Sounds like there are a lot of nerves before Monday’s filming, but no any last minute injuries (sounds like Derek was sick, but he’s not dancing this season.)

Let’s watch it together tomorrow night and I’m looking forward to hearing what you think!

So, who has the best chance at winning Dancing with the Stars this season? Without seeing any of them dance yet, if I were to make bets on the top six pros will be Louis Van Amstel, Cheryl Burke, Lacey Schwimmer, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Chelsie Hightower and Tony Dovolani.

So there, it is… A prediction!
Stacey

Let’s watch it together tomorrow night and I’m looking forward to hearing what you think!