Week 7 reviewed, here's how it went down

Week 7 of Dancing with the Stars had both single dance and a group dance that was being judged and voted for by the audience.

Opening this evening’s competition was Elizabeth Berkley and she danced a Quickstep that had a nerd theme. The Quickstep is a dance that requires fast footwork and is difficult because as you are hopping and skipping around the floor you are required to keep a very still frame. This quality takes time but Elizabeth did a good job, to improve she would need to work on maintaining body contact through this dance to fully take advantage of the lead Val gives.

Total Judges score 27

Brant Daugherty was next dancing the Jive. It was mentioned that the choreography was a little difficult for him. Like the Quickstep the Jive requires speed of foot and this requires proper use of feet, ankles and knees. When using the body properly it allows the body to move more efficiently which is essential for making the fast paced dances look effortless. Brant is a performer and he has an enthusiasm that he bring to this competition.

Total Judges score 27

Continuing her improvement this week was Leah Rimini. She performed a Salsa and while this dance does not have the technical requirements of some of the more traditional dances she showed good rhythm and performed the number well. When you allow yourself to dance especially in a positive, supportive learning environment you are able to enjoy the journey and the benefits dancing has to offer. Tony has a long affiliation with the Fred Astaire Dance Studios and he is doing a great job with Leah.

Total Judges score 26

Jack Osbourne danced our second Jive of the evening and even though he did a nice job I thought he was a little one dimensional. He has a calm quality about his dancing which I think lends itself to some of the more formal dances. Jive is supposed to be fast and furious with foot articulation and a constant rhythm in the body. Jack, like anybody, can learn to show rhythm but it will take a little me time for him to break out and challenge the other in this style.

Total Judges score 27

Amber Riley was up next and this week she was challenged to perform the Paso Doble. Amber has a fun, bubbly personality which does not lend itself to the character of this dance, with that in mind I was again surprised with how well she did. She portrayed the intensity of this dance along with the flamenco actions and this performance had such musicality. By her own admission she is a bigger girl but proves every week that it is something that doesn’t hold her back and that dancing is something anyone can enjoy no matter their age or size. I have no idea how big a fanbase this girl has but her dancing alone is definitely worthy of making the final.

Total Judges score 29

Bill Engvall was up next dancing the second Quickstep of the evening. As mentioned earlier it is a difficult dance and if you don’t have a good technique it is difficult to make it look any good. Bill did okay but his scores were not great and all the other competitor are stepping up every week. He now needs to work on his quality of movement.

Total Judges score 23

Snooki was next and danced the Samba. I agreed with the Judges observations of the mistakes made and the lack of synchronization so was a little surprised with their high scoring. I saw no Samba ’bounce’ action which is what differentiates this dance from Salsa or Cha Cha. I would like to see more isolation in her body to create more rhythm and more dimension.

Total Judges score 27

Corbin was last to perform his Cha Cha and he was showing lots of rhythm and captured the character of this dance very well. I was surprised with the changes in speed he was able to create and it shows he is in control of his body. When you have this control it makes you a stronger, less physical leader and he is a strong contender for the Mirror Ball trophy.

Total Judges score 29

The Group Number as won by the team “foxing awesome’ which contained Amber, Brant, Corbin and Jack. This was a fun number and narrowly took the extra points over team Spooky bon bon.  Snooki was announced as the person with the lowest accumulate score and is no longer in the competition.

With the holiday season fast approaching there has never been better time to learn to dance. Whether it be for a formal event, wedding or just getting you comfortable with the basics you should contact your local Fred Astaire Dance Studio at www.fredastaire.com Gift certificates can also be purchased for a loved one and ballroom dancing is truly the gift that keeps on giving.

You can lose weight, make new friends, relax, improve your health and gain confidence all through  taking dance lessons so don’t delay, pick up the phone today. Fred Astaire of Menomonee Falls can be contacted at (262) 251-2000 or visit www.fadsmenomoneefalls.com