DWTS 6

[linmiste]

mtnme said:

linmiste said:

Didn't find his name on youtube. My guess is Marlee and Fabian will be an enjoyable pair to watch. I wonder if her loss of hearing comes with any balance issues?

The bigger question is how does Marlee 'hear' the music, let alone 'feel' it. Or maybe that is the trick. Somehow having the beat so that she can feel the vibration. How she overcomes this will be very interesting. I have no doubt she can learn the steps, it's getting it in time to the music that seems the bigger challenge.

Now more than ever, this is the time to let your partner 'lead'.

Silly me! I don't know why I didn't think about that! Maybe Fabian will count for her, but she won't always be looking at his face, so I guess she'll have to count, too. And, like you said, let him really lead. They'll have to have the routine down perfectly! I've always liked the bits I've seen of Marlee, so I'm looking forward to seeing how she does.

[sk8on]

linmiste said:

mtnme said:

The bigger question is how does Marlee 'hear' the music, let alone 'feel' it. Or maybe that is the trick. Somehow having the beat so that she can feel the vibration. How she overcomes this will be very interesting. I have no doubt she can learn the steps, it's getting it in time to the music that seems the bigger challenge.

Now more than ever, this is the time to let your partner 'lead'.

Silly me! I don't know why I didn't think about that! Maybe Fabian will count for her, but she won't always be looking at his face, so I guess she'll have to count, too. And, like you said, let him really lead. They'll have to have the routine down perfectly! I've always liked the bits I've seen of Marlee, so I'm looking forward to seeing how she does.

Here is an interesting People Online article addressing that issue:

Marlee Matlin’s ‘Internal Metronome’ Will Set Her Apart on DWTS

Don’t underestimate Marlee Matlin when she hits the ballroom floor on season six of Dancing with the Stars. Not only does she have the focus, she has “a sense of rhythm” that a lot of people may not think she has.

“So much will depend on me being in synch with my partner with my eyes, with my arms, with my legs,” the 42-year-old Oscar winner tells PEOPLE. “Plus … sign language has given me a an internal metronome.”

That innate rhythm and two powerful digital hearing aids are what she plans to use to guide her dancing — not to mention her dance pro partner.

“My partner, Fabian Sanchez, is Latin. And as any one can tell you, Latins speak with their hands, their bodies. He’s great,” she says. “We use a combination of lip reading (he’s easy to follow even if he has a slight accent), signing (the first sign he learned was “again” — he uses it a lot) and an interpreter.”

So far, she explains, training has been a lot like being on a movie set. And since dancing runs in the family — her 12-year-old daughter, who “screamed when she found out,” is a hip-hop student and dance lover — Matlin may have a better shot than most.

“I’ve had no formal dance training. Though I did a little dance in Children Of A Lesser God, that was improvised,” Matlin says. “But I figure that I’m ready in that I communicate with my body when I sign and dance is a lot like that. … Right now I’m not terrified of Latin dances; I’ve got a Latin partner and he’s a Mambo champion! I’ve already begun the Cha Cha and I love it! I don’t know about jive.”

Matlin also says that, in addition to making her “friends and family proud,” she wants to “prove to people that the only thing I, and 26 million Americans who are deaf or hard of hearing like me, really can’t do — is hear.”

And while she’s a longtime fan of DWTS — “I love the spectacle! I love the clothes!” — what really pushed her to compete in season six are her children.

“I’m really doing it for my kids because they want me to be the coolest mom ever,” she admits. “I don’t know if I’m crazy or what, but I’m going to give it my best shot!”

– Diane Clehane and Monica Rizzo

peoplefalltv.wordpress.com/2008/02/20/marlee-matlins-internal-metronome-will-set-her-apart-on-dwts/

[linmiste]

Aww, that was cute, sk8on. Thanks for the article! You're always so on top of the news! I have seen professional sign language, like at a big church, and the hand movements really are like a dance... smooth and rhythmical. Very interesting.

[Lori]

Interesting article, Sk8on!

I took 2 years of Deaf Communication in college, and at large campus events, lunch hours etc. we were often asked to entertain with 'artistic signing' (signing to music - John Denver's songs were always popular, 'cause his lyrics corresponded with some of the more beautiful, graceful signs).

Several of my classmates were 100% deaf, and even if they were alone on the stage - without anyone else to cue from - they kept in perfect rhythm with the songs by feeling the bass vibrations. I suspect Marlee will do quite well in that respect, too.

A piece of useless trivia: A few years back the Florida Gators had a deaf football player who was so good at reading lips that he could read the opposing quarterback's lips in their huddle, then tell he'd tell his teammates what play they were going to run...

EDIT: Linmiste, thanks for looking up Fabian Sanchez!

[linmiste]

I was browsing the DWTS boards (I'm procrastinating house chores) and found a link to this site with photos of Derek and Shannon practicing. The person who posted the link said they think this is cha cha. I have a hard time telling the difference, so I'll take their word for it! They think the other first week dance is foxtrot, and these photos don't look like foxtrot.
bauergriffinonline.com/2008/02/shannon-and-derek-get-to-stepp.php?bfm_index=11&bfm_page=1

[sk8on]

linmiste said:

Aww, that was cute, sk8on. Thanks for the article! You're always so on top of the news!

You're welcome linmiste. As for the "news"...I get most of it from either my Google alerts or by visiting the various Apolo boards as well as TwoP—I refuse to go to the ABC board for my DwtS info though—that place scares me as there seems to be a “fight” brewing in every thread. I can handle some of the what I perceive to be far-fetched comments from the various boards, but the mean-spirited bickering…UGH!!!

Some pics of Kristi and Mark (Bret, Kristi’s husband, is in some of them as well). Go Kristi! Their first dance is the foxtrot.

Kristi and Mark from Mark's MySpace: www.myspace.com/markballas




Bret Hedican, Kristi's husband, is pictured next to Kristi (he is a hockey player for the Carolina Hurricanes)




Casino charity night--


I got a kick out of this one...Mark and Bret practicing the foxtrot



And, did anyone catch Kimmel last night? Julianne was a guest—she was very funny—but Adam Carolla is rehearsing 2 hours a day while the others are averaging 6…oh my! And, as suspected, she does not “get” his “humor” half the time. That should be interesting!

[mtnme]

Great find sk8on!

Kristi and Mark actually do look pretty cute together. I hope they do well.

Poor Julianne though, they really 'set her up' this time, and not in a good way.

Only 2 hours of training? And with bad humor? She must be ready to smack him senseless. Or has just decided "it is what it is", lest she find herself beyond aggravated.

I know they don't want her to win a third time, but honestly, what a waste of perfectly good time and talent on her part.

[maricorgi]

I've already said, and who cares, that she got someone totally opposite of all she stands for. If they wanted to make sure Julianne can't win 3 times, why not give her an unathletic, abrasive, smoker who says he won't practice. This is a real test for her. I was hoping for Mario for her.

[sk8on]

Cute rehearsal clip of Cheryl and Cristián

www.theinsideronline.com/news/2008/02/16201/index.html


ETA:
Cheryl and Julianne dish on their partners' strengths/weaknesses

peoplefalltv.wordpress.com/2008/02/26/dancing-pros-reveal-how-stars-are-doing-in-rehearsals/

Julianne: "We’ve only had three lessons together so I’m really starting to mold him and break him in."

[linmiste]

Here's a video of Julianne on Jimmy Kimmel from Monday.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4BrP4nw57U

She's really cute. Regarding Adam's jokes, I love how she put her fingers in her ears and says, "Okay, I'm 19. I really don't need to hear that." She does have a tough road ahead. I don't know how far they'll make it! I believe she could teach anyone to dance, if he were willing to learn. Maybe Adam will back out and Jimmy can take his place? At least he seems interested in learning.

[number1fan]

thank you sk8on and linmiste for those links! ...season 6 will be interesting to say the least with all the characters the show has brought in.

[sk8on]

Interview and rehearsal clip with Kristi and Mark--and a nice mention from Kristi that she is good friends with Apolo.

Click on the middle picture to play the video.


abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/entertainment&id=5986042

[wags]

Just an FYI - BBCA is rerunning all the previous seasons of DWTS. So far they seem to be showing it in chronological order. Last night's episode was the season finale of season 2 with Drew and Cheryl winning. In my area they are running the same episode twice on Sunday night (8 and 10) and again twice on Wednesday night (8 and 10). If they continue to follow the same pattern, next week will be the beginning of season 3. That means 8 or 10 (can't remember) weeks and they will be back to our favorite, season 4. I'll continue to peek in every week or two so I can send a shout out when our boy will be back on the boards tripping the light fantastic!

[angelina]

I love this video of Marlee, especially when Fabian yells right in her ear, and how he says when he tells her to "take it from the top," she'll go, "Do you have an Oscar? Well then, don't tell me what to do!" Hilarious. Seems like they have great chemistry already.

video.accesshollywood.com/player/?id=224001

I also liked Julianne on Jimmy Kimmel. How hot were her legs? Whoo.

[linmiste]

angelina0722 said:

I love this video of Marlee, especially when Fabian yells right in her ear, and how he says when he tells her to "take it from the top," she'll go, "Do you have an Oscar? Well then, don't tell me what to do!" Hilarious. Seems like they have great chemistry already.

video.accesshollywood.com/player/?id=224001

I also liked Julianne on Jimmy Kimmel. How hot were her legs? Whoo.

Thanks for this link, angelina! I really loved that. Fabian and Marlee do seem like great partners. I think maybe it helps that she has had to, in many areas of her life, learn to depend on others, to accept help and direction. She is also a strong, independent, intelligent woman, but she knows when to let others lead, and that will serve her well in dancing. I love how she said Fabian is her music. I wonder if the man who was translating will be with them on the show? At least for back stage interviews. What an interesting job!

As for Julianne, she is a beautiful young woman. I wish her all the best!