May 5, 2008
Apolo returns to Dancing With the Stars
Apolo will be back dancing with Julianne once again on the big celebration show marking the 100th episode of DWTS. Tune in Tuesday night to find out how well Apolo has retained his dance training since he won the mirror ball trophy a year ago!
[update]
Former contestant Apolo Anton Ohno and professional dancing partner Julianne Hough pose at the "Dancing with the Stars" 100th show party in Hollywood, California May 6, 2008. REUTERS/Fred Prouser
Posted by noelle at 9:52 PM | Comments (30)
August 29, 2007
Apolo on GMA
Apolo joined Carrie Ann Inaba, Tom Bergeron and Diane Sawyer this morning on Good Morning America to reveal the cast for the upcoming season of Dancing With the Stars. If you missed the broadcast, ABC has the video. Watch it here.
Posted by noelle at 2:31 PM | Comments (61)
August 17, 2007
Behind the scenes at Dancing With the Stars in Vancouver
Here's the final batch of photos Tina Koenig took while the U.S. short track team was up in Vancouver last month. These were taken during the performance and backstage at DWTS. As always, many thanks to Tina for sharing these terrific shots!
Apolo and Tina
Julieanne, coach Jae and Apolo
Julieanne, Apolo and Allison Baver
Allison, Jae and Tina take in the performance
Allison and Tina
Tina with season 2 DWTS winner Drew Lachey
Allison with Julieanne's boyfriend, Zach
Travis Jayner and Kimberly Derrick
Posted by noelle at 8:43 AM | Comments (41)
August 11, 2007
Dancing With the Stars Hits Vancouver
Here are some more of Tina Koenig's awesome pics from Vancouver. She took these when the short track team went to watch Apolo perform with DWTS there last month. Enjoy!
Posted by noelle at 7:35 AM | Comments (40)
June 28, 2007
Apolo joining DWTS tour
I am pretty sure everyone knows this already, but better late than never:
Apolo Ohno to Join Dancing with the Stars Tour
His appearances on the tour will only be in five select cities, starting in Raleigh, N.C., on Saturday. He'll also show up in Hershey, Pa., on July 2; Bridgeport, Conn., on July 3; Wilkes Barre, Pa., on July 5 and Atlantic City, NJ, on July 6.
Posted by noelle at 1:37 PM | Comments (39)
May 24, 2007
Thank you message from Apolo!
Apolo writes:
I would like to thank everyone who has been in support and watching the season 4 Dancing with the Stars. I am positive that without your love and votes, the result would not have been the same. It has been an incredible experience and almost a transformation from the start of the show until the finale. Every week I was becoming more comfortable opening up my real personality to the world as never before - and almost thrown into a situation which required me to show my work ethic, dedication, and will to do my best! All of my fans, friends, and supporters share these moments in time with me and I am so excited to have everyone on board!!!
This is yet another chapter in my life that will hopefully lead to many others and I wish you all to be with me! Thank you for keeping me grounded, positive, and staying true to myself. Here's to the next challenge!
Apolo Anton Ohno
Posted by noelle at 9:33 PM | Comments (44)
May 23, 2007
Victory roundup
Better late than never with these!
USA Today Sports Scope | Athletes own reality TV
AP | 'It's a whirlwind' - Ohno enjoying 'Dancing' win, but eyeing Vancouver
USA Today | Ohno skates away with 'Dancing' title
Television Without Pity | Dancing With the Stars Season Finale
FINALLY! It's time to reveal the champions. And the winners are...Apolo and Julianne. They seem really, really surprised! Apolo actually screams like a girl. Apolo tells Tom that he feels amazing, and even gives credit to Joey, who looks disappointed. I really think part of Apolo's win should be credited to his humble nature; that's what he had over Joey. Tom awards Apolo and Julianne with their trophy. I think those two should get married and have tiny, dancing babies that fit right in your pocket. Hee!
Seattle Times |
Good as gold again: Apolo wins "Dancing with the Stars"
AOL TV | Who Won Dancing With the Stars (fan reactions)
E! Online | Apolo Ices a Dancing Victory
Reality TV World | Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough win 'Dancing with the Stars'
EW.com | Apolo Theater
Cincinnati Enquirer | Apolo Ohno wins 'Dancing' title
WKRN TV | 'Dancing With The Stars' Has Another Local Connection (video clip featuring another gorgeous Hough sibling)
Entertainment Tonight | The Final Dance-Off!
EW.com | Free Range
Posted by noelle at 3:34 PM | Comments (101)
May 22, 2007
Cheer Apolo and Julianne on to victory!
THEY DID IT! CONGRATULATIONS, APOLO & JULIANNE, Dancing With the Stars champions! Apolo couldn't have a more memorable 25th birthday. Hold that mirror ball trophy high!
Oh man, that was awesome.
Congratulations, OZers! Your diligent, unwavering, tireless dedication to voting and voting (and then voting some more) played a big role in securing this victory for Apolo and Julianne!
AP | Olympic Medalist Ohno Takes 'Dancing' Crown
"I feel amazing," the ebullient Ohno said. "You put your mind to something, you give 100 percent, sacrifice and dedication, anything is possible."
(check it out, the AOL article links to Bri's original DWTS video 'for all you OZ'ers out there')
Posted by noelle at 8:20 PM | Comments (228)
May 21, 2007
Dancing With the Stars - week 10 FINALS!
GOOD LUCK, APOLO AND JULIANNE!
VOTE FOR APOLIANNE! 1-800-868-3411 and/or VOTE ONLINE You can vote up to 4 times per phone line or screen name so get busy!!
This is it - it's now or never. Time to get out the vote! Vote early, vote often, use every phone number you have and register as many email addies on ABC.com as you can because it's looking more and more like it's the fan vote that will determine who will bring home the disco ball trophy this week on Dancing With the Stars.
Remember to vote as early as you possibly can in your time zone to have the best chance your calls will get through on the phone lines. Together we can marshal our forces to help deliver that prize to Apolo and Julianne, who have danced their way into the hearts of millions!
Post your comments here as always!!
In the meantime, a couple of links:
ET Online | The 'Dancing' Preview with Apolo (with video)
ABC | 'Dancing' Couples Ready for Ultimate Dance Off
Seattle Times | Let's hear it for the boys, Apolo and Blake
Salt Lake Tribune | Utahn twirls way into finals
Fort Worth Star-Telegram | The last 'Dancing': Stars to step it up season finale
NorthJersey.com | It's decision week for 'Dancing' stars
San Jose Mercury News | The final steps in 'Dancing with the Stars'
Orlando Sentinel | 'Dancing with the Stars' triple threat
[update]
AOL TV Tattler | Carrie Ann Inaba Says 'Dancing' Is Too Close To Call
Posted by noelle at 1:22 PM | Comments (322)
May 20, 2007
Dancing With the Stars final - send Apolo's your well wishes
Message from AAO.com:
Hello Apolo Fans!May 18, 2007
--------------------
Go to AAO.com to find out how you can send your well wishes to Apolo as he prepares for his final performance on Dancing with the Stars!Sign the online book and we'll send Apolo your messages before he hits the stage Monday night!
Scoring for DWTS finale
Thanks to Yuki passed along this info on how the final will be scored!
On Monday's show, there will be 2 dances (freestyle and judges' choices). This will be the LAST time viewers can vote.
The judges will score the pairs one last time on Tuesday for one more dance. There is no viewer voting on Tuesday.
After 3 performances that will give each couple a total score (out of a possible 90 points maximum) which will make up HALF of their overall score. The viewers' votes will make up the other half.
On Tuesday the couple who gets the lowest score will be eliminated. Then the trophy will be awarded to the winner.
Posted by noelle at 10:56 AM | Comments (232)
May 16, 2007
Dancing With the Stars
Hi again everyone! Wow, what an amazing two nights here in LA. This is my first time EVER in California - it took Apolo to get me here after all these years!
greenroom Monday night after DWTS
Justin Mentell, Mike Fretta, Shani Davis, Apolo Ohno, Giddeon Massie, Rusty Smith
As you know, Yuki, Shani and Rusty were in attendance Monday night, along with David Creswell, former short tracker Justin Mentell, and two athlete-friends of Apolo's - track cyclist and Beijing hopeful Giddeon Massie and triathlete and Beijing hopeful Mike Fretta. For the results show on Tuesday, only Justin and David were back as all the other athletes had to return to training and/or competing. Yuki will of course be back next week for the grand finale!
greenroom Monday night after DWTS
Len Goodman gets an earful from Justin Mentell, Shani Davis, Mike Fretta
Monday's show was definitely a lot more fun to see live in person - not just because of the dance performances, but the way the show works on Tuesday - with the guest performers' segments taped early - means audience members during the live show spend a lot of time waiting for things to happen or watching performances taped earlier. Also, they decided at the last minute to start taping half an hour earlier than they usually do on Tuesdays, so we missed the flamenco performances and one or two other things, though we dud catch both of Enrique Iglesias' songs. He did the 2nd one twice in fact.
When the dance pairs are introduced at the beginning and throughout the results show, Apolo and Julianne are lined up on stage right which happens to be close to Apolo's cheering section so he often catches someone's eye and smiles or waves. You could tell he was really excited to have his buddies there to cheer him on Monday night. Apolo is so incredibly popular with the entire live audience, and tonight spectators were calling out to him multiple times, including a group of girls yelling 'We love you, Apolo!'
After the show ends, they immediately do press interviews right there on the dance floor. Guests of the celebs or dancers can go up to the green room, which is like a nightly cast party. They have drinks and hors d'oeuvres up there and various cast members come up through the evening. Monday night we had Apolo and Julianne, Tom Bergeron, Bruno and Len, Joey Fatone, Ian Ziering and Maks. Tuesday only Tom, Len, Joey, Kym and Cheryl Burke made it up, and John Ratzenberger was back this week. We talked to Apolo right afterwards and he said he was exhausted - in fact he wound up going to wardrobe after the show ended and was still there when we left around 9pm. He's nervous about preparing 4 dances for the finals next week!
A word about the crew on this show - they are some hard-working and fun-loving people! Jan and Kimo have gotten to know them all over the weeks and the crew has been taking great care of them and I benefited from that as well the past few days. These are a few of the people who work behind the scenes to make the show run smoothly and they're doing a fantastic job!
Debbie - audience coordinator, Chuck - audience coordinator, Jaz - production assistant
I don't have a lot of time to write but I wanted to post some more info and a few pics. More later since I'm going to be up in Portland for a few days visiting with friends.
Posted by noelle at 1:54 AM | Comments (218)
May 15, 2007
Greetings from Los Angeles!
Hi everyone - I'm here in LA and lucky enough to be attending both Dancing With the Stars shows this week! Last night's performance show was fantastic - so much fun to experience it all live and in person. Apolo and Julianne's quickstep to start the evening took our collective breath away - not just Apolo's personal cheering section, but that of the judges and entire studio audience.
I'm not too worried about Len's lowballing A&J on their cha cha cha score because being in the house last night I can tell you that EVERYONE there roars for Apolo and Julianne. They get the loudest and most sustained cheering and applause of any of the pairs out there, and bring more people to their feet when they dance than any other couple. There is a rumor making the rounds that Apolo and Julianne are the most popular pair among voters in DWTS history. So great job turning out the vote, OZers - and keep those votes coming!
Yuki said that he cut Apolo's hair because he needed a sleeker look and to make his neck look longer for the dancing in the final rounds. He looks very handsome and Julianne is even cuter in person, if that's possible. Apolo seems to be having the time of his life with this experience. It was great to see his fellow skaters Shani Davis and Rusty Smith cheering him on (and roundly booing Len) last night!
More later...
Posted by noelle at 5:59 PM | Comments (160)
May 14, 2007
Dancing With the Stars - week 9
VOTE FOR APOLIANNE! 1-800-868-3411 and/or VOTE ONLINE You can vote up to 4 times per phone line or screen name so get busy!!
Post your comments here as always!!
In the meantime:
USA Today | 'Dancing' with Laila, Joey, Apolo and Ian
USA TODAY looks at who is still in the running for the show's fourth-season crown and how Stars judge Bruno Tonioli rates their chances:Bruno's take: "[Apolo]'s exciting. Last week's performance was inventive and fresh and broke him away from the pack. It's been very good casting with (Hough). The secret is when two people move as one. And they do, which is great to watch."
Houston Chronicle | Fatone's low ranking unjust, pros say
Buddy TV | Dancing With the Stars Hough Calls Off Wedding!
Posted by noelle at 1:17 PM | Comments (213)
May 9, 2007
Dancing With the Stars post-mortem - week 8
Results show
USA Today Sports Scope | Happy America's Cup sort-of finale
And in case you didn't hear, Billy Ray Cyrus is out on Dancing with the Stars, moving us one step closer to the Ali-Ohno final we've been touting for a while. Us magazine tells us why Apolo will win. (Via Ohnozone, of course)
And don't miss Joey Cheek dishing on Apolo to New York magazine.
MSNBC | Billy Ray heads for the hills on ‘Dancing’
In the next backstage interview session, Samantha calmly asked Apolo whether he was feeling confident after getting such high scores, and Apolo started to calmly answer, only to have Ian Ziering very much not-calmly lean over and choke him. While the gesture was made in fun, Ian clearly did surprise Apolo, to the point where it took the guy a little time to recover. It’s not every day Steve Sanders tries to kill you, even if he’s kidding.
Wow - somehow I totally missed that last night.
BlogCritics | Dancing With The Stars: Another Night At The Apolo - Ohno, That Is
TV Squad | Dancing With The Stars: Week 8 Results
E! Online | Billy Ray's Achy Breaky Dancing Exit
Monday's show
Tubular | Apolo in orbit on 'Dancing With the Stars'
MSNBC | Skater Apolo Anton Ohno and partner earn rave reviews
TV Squad | Dancing With The Stars: Week 8
EW.com | Southern Discomfort
ABC News | Pairs Try to Make the Final Four on 'Dancing'
Access Hollywood | "Dancing" Served Up Some Drama On The Performance Show
Posted by noelle at 12:53 PM | Comments (52)
May 7, 2007
Dancing With the Stars - week 8
VOTE FOR APOLIANNE! 1-800-868-3411 and/or VOTE ONLINE You can vote up to 5 times per phone line or screen name so get busy!!
Post your comments here as always!!
Apolo was interviewed today by Ryan Seacrest on KIIS-FM. Listen here.
Posted by noelle at 8:01 PM | Comments (185)
May 5, 2007
Dancing With the Stars news
[update]
Us Magazine | Apolo Anton Ohno: Why He’ll Win Dancing
Sure, Joey Fatone and Ian Ziering stole our hearts back in the day, but now it’s all about Apolo. Here are the top five reasons why we know he’ll win
Seattle Times | Can we ask about sequin bike shorts?
SHE WEARS SEQUINS on "Dancing with the Stars," but the only thing sparkling on Julianne Hough during a recent visit to Seattle — with dancing partner and local hero Apolo Anton Ohno — was the 1.3-carat princess-cut diamond on her left hand. "I proposed on Christmas Eve," said her cutie-pie fiancé, Zack Wilson, who had nothing better to do than talk to me (and baby-sit Julianne's metallic clutch) while the press flocked around Julianne and Apolo.The nice thing about interviewing not-quite celebrities is that you can shamelessly ask them about their personal lives and they don't know any better than to answer. Julianne and Zack, who is also a dancer, met in Salt Lake City when she was 9 and he was 14. They started dating a year ago and haven't set a wedding date. In person, Julianne looks exactly like Christina Aguilera. But they weren't even the cutest couple in the room. The cutest couple in the room were Christine Chen's parents. ...
Who's Christine Chen? Oh well. (photo by JOHN LOK / THE SEATTLE TIMES)
Hattiesburg American | Cyrus has charm, but not the right steps
And what's with judge Len Goodman? Is he even watching the same dances the rest of us are? To say Apolo Anton Ohno's fox trot and mambo Monday were not great was ridiculous. It's like the man has a list of put-downs and criticisms and he is determined to use them whether they are justified or not, because his scores did not back up his critiques. Simon Cowell he is not.
(Carol Kaelson/ABC)
Northwest Asian Weekly | Ohno’s excellent on & off the ice
TV Guide | Meet the Pros Who Go Dancing with the Stars!
(Carol Kaelson/ABC)
Posted by noelle at 10:10 AM | Comments (34)
May 1, 2007
Dancing With the Stars post-mortem - week 7
MSNBC | ‘Dancing’ steps it up with double-dance night
Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough have set such a standard for not only dancing but fun and energy that a restrained dance like the foxtrot was bound to challenge them, and it did appear that maybe something was missing. Neither of them seemed to enjoy that dance as much as they did some of the others, and the drop-off in the sparkle factor was evident. When judge Len Goodman complained that Apolo was good but not great, it wasn’t entirely surprising.
Apolo and Julianne hit their fun, youthful sweet spot a bit more with their samba, which brought them back to the energetic and borderline hyper energy of some of their best dances. They both seemed to enjoy the samba quite a bit more than the foxtrot, and the judges liked it better, too. Len still complained that it was good but not great, but Bruno loved it and Carrie Ann called it a nice recovery from the so-so treatment of their foxtrot.
EW.com | Gaining Attitude
For the first time, Apolo's youth, posture, spark plug of a partner, and strategically placed bandanna did not wow the judges, who suddenly wanted ''great'' instead of just ''good'' out of him. I thought he did great, but Apolo tied for third, leaving Laila Ali and Joey Fatone to share the top spot.... What do you think? Was it just Apolo's turn to have a harshly judged night, or did he really seem off his game? Do you even listen to these crazy judges anymore? And have any of you ever voted for Ian?
TV Squad | Dancing With The Stars: Week 7
Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough (Foxtrot) - Apolo was determined not to share first place with anyone this week. He dodged that bullet with performances that placed him in the middle of the pack. I guess that's one approach! The couple's Foxtrot was elegant and romantic. No matter what style of dance they perform, Apolo and Julianne's energy and sweetness always comes through. They have gotten off easy with the judges so far, but they received some serious criticism this week. Len said that the dance was good, but not great, and that Apolo did not perform as well as expected. Carrie Ann and Bruno disagreed, but their scores were a little lower than previous weeks. Score: 26 (9, 8, 9).
Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough (Mambo) - Apolo started off his Mambo with a fun slide towards Julianne, and set the tone for a fun, technically difficult performance. The couple seemed to be playing more to the crowd by adding some exciting, tough moves. Were Shandi and Brian in the audience? Carrie Ann referred to a wardrobe malfunction during her remarks, but I'm not sure I saw it. Either way, it must not have been too distracting. Len was back with his "good, but not great" criticism, which I don't entirely agree with. I think it was just Apolo's turn to take some hits from the judges. Score: 28 (9, 9, 10).
The National Ledger | CAREER ON ICE
Apolo's dedication is so strong that he tells us he plans on moving to Salt Lake City, Utah, after his stint on "Dancing With the Stars" in order to train. In the meantime, Apolo says he just hopes to take his recent exposure to help introduce new fans to the world of speed skating. "Obviously I'd like to be one of the ambassadors for my sport in the Olympic movement. I've been able to put a spotlight on that, and that's been wonderful."
TV Guide | Backstage at Dancing with the Stars: a 90210 Invasion!
Carrie Ann on Apolo Anton Ohno: "Apolo had a rough night tonight," says Inaba. "I think Len was a little hard on him for the first round [the fox trot]. But Len is the ballroom expert, so maybe he saw things that Bruno and I didn't. But I think that critique rattled Apolo a little bit. Tonight, he had a bit of the Ian syndrome, in that he was in his head. And then he was off rhythm, he was dancing ahead of the beat, and he and Julianne weren't connecting. They were out of sorts with each other."
TV Guy | Go Joey Fatone: Give us the razzle-dazzle
ET | The 'Dancing with the Stars' Recap
Transworld News | Double Duty on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ as Laila Ali and Joey Fatone Lead Charge
Posted by noelle at 5:02 PM | Comments (86)
April 30, 2007
Dancing With the Stars - week 7
VOTE FOR APOLIANNE! 1-800-868-3411 and/or VOTE ONLINE You can vote up to 6 times per phone line or screen name so get busy!!
Post your comments here as always!!
Posted by noelle at 7:41 PM | Comments (147)
Great Seattle Times article and AAO in US Weekly
Seattle Times | Three local dance experts judge Ohno a "10"
... there's the rascally Ohno with frisky partner Julianne Hough twirling on the dance floor like there's no tomorrow. "You two were possessed tonight! Like two bewitching devils!" roared judge Bruno Tonioli two weeks ago, almost jumping out of his chair after the pair danced a winning rumba to that catchy "Madagascar" song. Hough wore sleek, sparkly leopard stripes; Ohno had matching cuffs. (What? You don't remember the cuffs? That's because you were too busy gawking at Ohno's buttery hips).
Fave quote, by pro dancer Wade Madsen: "I'm assuming young girls are going ga-ga over him because when I look at him I feel like a young girl."
Thanks to Katie for this scan from US Weekly!
click image to enlarge
Posted by noelle at 3:43 PM | Comments (32)
April 29, 2007
Debbie's Dancing With the Stars adventure
Many thanks to DebbieF for sending in her detailed account of attending a live performance of DWTS last Tuesday, April 24:
First things first, Apolo & Julianne are on page 84 of Star Magazine (May 7th edition). Star did a poll regarding who's the best male dancer with the following results: Apolo - 49%, Joey 33%, and Ian 14%. Apolo is looking real good in US Magazine (May 7th edition), also on page 84!
Now to DWTS. My sister and I arrived in Hollywood late Monday afternoon. I had tickets for the Tuesday results show. I called the number on my DWTS ticket and asked them when I should arrive at the studio (the ticket indicated to be there no later than 4:00pm) and I was told to be guaranteed a seat I should be there by noon! Pre-show taping does not start until 5:00! They actually send out more tickets than they have seats, because quite often people accept the tickets and then do not show up and DWTS does not want any empty seats. My sister and I arrived at the studio around 12:30, there were 11 people already in line. We all had to wait outside of the gate on Beverly Blvd. Most people were all dressed up (again, ticket indicated you should be in evening attire), but all of them were smart enough to bring folding chairs with them. After getting to know these people, I found out that they are DWTS "regulars" and have been to many tapings! They live in the area and obviously do not mind waiting in line for hours! The people were very nice and since I was wearing a pair of my very high and not real comfortable dressy heels, one of the gentleman let me use his chair for most of the afternoon.
Around 2:30, the limos starting arriving at the lot. Of course they all have tinted windows so we couldn't see the occupants. Also, around that same time Simon Cowell was leaving the lot in his Ferrari convertible (American Idol is filmed at the same studio as DWTS). He was friendly and said hi and waved to all of us waiting in queue. Around 3:30, an employee from the studio came out and starting numbering our tickets and comparing the name on the ticket with our photo IDs. Around 4:00, we were finally allowed through the gates. We again had to show our photo ID and go through a metal detector, just like at the airport! They made all the ladies open their purses for inspection. All cell phones, pagers, cameras, etc. were not allowed in the studio. So they took them from us and gave us a claim check to retrieve them on our way out.
As soon as we went through security, we were led to another "holding area", this time we had benches to sit on! We had to be seated in order of the numbers on our tickets. An employee came out and gave us a little pep talk and told us to dispose of our chewing gum. She said chewing gum looks horrible on camera, so if we didn't get rid of it then, someone would come by in the studio with a little cup for us to dispose of our gum! We were also informed that when the show ends we will be led out one door, while the press comes storming in through another. Studio sets are so much smaller than they appear on TV. It is much more glamorous on TV than in person! The camera can really capture an illusion. The reality of Hollywood is rather boring.
As soon as we were herded into the studio and were placed in our seats, the audience "warm-up" guy came out and gave us another pep talk. The main headliner of the show this past Tuesday was Joss Stone, have their songs pre-taped for the live show. They do this so if there are any problems, they can do it over again. So, around 5:00, Joss Stone came out and did her two numbers back to back without any problems. On one of the numbers Julianne danced with her brother, Derek, and I got so nervous when Julianne got her heel caught in the hem of her dress. She handled the problem with ease. Her brother is also an excellent dancer.
The live show does not start taping until 6:00; it is live on the east coast at 9:00. After the headliner's songs have been taped, they did an audience participation dance "contest". Julianne's parents and many of her family members were in attendance on Tuesday night. Julianne's parents dance really good and took part in the contest. There were about 15 couples who had their time in the spotlight and overall it was a lot of fun for everybody.
Finally, we were ready for the live show. The contestants came out and took their places on stage. I was so glad we were told we can cheer as loud as we want for our favorite contestants. I didn't hold back, I wonder if Apolo recognized my "GO APOLO" from Nationals in Cleveland! :-) I was so happy that I got to see the group "Swing number" in person, of course, Apolo did a great job! The studio had big screens so we could also see the pre-taped interviews with the stars just like the at-home TV audience. During commercial breaks, Apolo and Ian were joking around on the set. It appeared that Apolo got along well with all his cast mates. The Dreamgirls performance was live and the performers did a wonderful job.
Of course we were not surprised when we found out that Apolianne would be returning next week. I kind of thought it would be Heather's time to leave the show. When the show ended, we were herded out to retrieve our cell phones and return to the real world.
I am so glad Apolo is doing well and hopefully his involvement in DWTS will bring more public attention to short track. I am hoping as the weeks go by, they will focus a little bit more on Apolo's short track background. Overall, it was a fun experience and I wouldn't mind getting tickets to one of the performance shows, but it does not compare to seeing Apolo skate. Seeing him skate at Nationals in Cleveland was just awesome. I am so hoping to see him on the ice again real soon!
Posted by noelle at 10:44 PM | Comments (18)
April 25, 2007
New DWTS links
Watch Apolo and Julianne's appearance on Tuesday's Jimmy Kimmel Live ('noise upstairs' clip)
People | Monday's Dancing with the Stars: What You Didn't See
The Kindest Cut: Apolo Ohno has been training for his day job – speed skating – while working on DWTS, which leaves very little time for much else – including getting a haircut. Good thing Ohno's father, Yuki, was in town on Monday to give his son a trim. "He gave me a haircut today before the show," Ohno said of his shorter – but still shaggy – locks. And the elder Ohno is plenty proud of his son. "He was smiling so much. He was cheesing from the time he saw the pre-judge rehearsal this morning. When my dad is here I try extra hard." So, what did Dad think of his son's ballroom maneuvers? "I was so entertained tonight. I hope he teaches me so I can go on a cruise ship," Yuki said.
MSNBC | The Latest From 'Dancing With the Stars'
In a word? Adorable: Apolo Anton Ohno is adorable; that’s all there is to it. His dancing is adorable, his smile is adorable, his wee little teenaged partner is adorable, and even his soul patch is adorable. He’s cruising on charisma right now, which is not necessarily what you’d expect from a speed-skater, but fortunately, he’s also a mighty fine dancer, as he proves every week. This week’s rumba only added to his arsenal, because it was a graceful slower dance following a wildly successful samba last week.
MSNBC | Heather Mills sent packing on ‘Dancing’
Posted by noelle at 8:07 PM | Comments (97)
April 24, 2007
Dancing With the Stars post-mortem - week 6
MSNBC | Fun not enough to win ‘Dancing With the Stars’
Amusingly, after Julianne came down with something during the week, her actual brother came in to help with rehearsal and explained that he, too, had performed a rumba with her. He admitted that it was pretty awkward, but insisted that Apolo could get through it. The irony is that, for the second week in a row, the chemistry of Apolo and Julianne was not at all sibling-like — whether he feels good about it or not, they have the steamiest chemistry on the show by a mile.
TV Guide | Billy Ray Cyrus "Lets Loose" on the Dance Floor
Then there are the other two contenders, Ohno and Ali, both world-class athletes who weren't supposed to be gifted dancers. Sure, they have the muscle tone and stamina to pull off demanding dance routines. But no one could have predicted their moxie, elegance and astounding charisma. Ohno's proud father, Yuki Ohno, sat on the edge of the dance floor, dumbfounded by his son's rendition of the rumba. "He never danced like this when he was little," says Yuki. "He was a break-dancer." What goes through his mind as he's watching his son? "This," says Yuki, "is pure entertainment."
EW.com | Watch Your Step
Last night, Laila Ali, the strongest man in the room, and Apolo Anton Ohno, who played one of Laila's free weights during the group swing, tied for first place. Julianne's tasty brother Derek helped Apolo and Julianne combat the apparently crippling brother-sister relationship that's been shoved down our throats. Can't we just watch them dance without a breakdown of their lack of sexual tension? These two were, as usual, technically on point during their rumba, which included a chair that Len hated, Apolo lifting Julianne up from a split while she was still split, and some cute head jerks at the ''Ah, ah'' part of the Harold Wheeler Ensemble's rousing rendition of Gwen Stefani's ''Cool.''
Access Hollywood | Joey, Anton & Laila Turn Up The Heat on 'Dancing'
TV Squad | Dancing With The Stars: Week 6
Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough (Rumba) - Coming off of their perfect 30 performance last week, the pressure was on these two to follow it up. While it was not another perfect score, it certainly lived up to the hype. The chair gave me a flashback to Tucker Carlson's lone appearance on the show. Fortunately, once Apolo got up things took a much different turn than they did then. This was a beautiful dance, and I think they gained a little being the only couple doing the rumba. It helped them stand out from the rest of the up tempo numbers that came before. The way they used the chair in the dance was very creative. Another outstanding performance. Carrie Ann thought it was beautiful and praised the choreography. Len enjoyed the performance, but really didn't like the chair. Bruno called it a choreographed poem that he loved. The scores, (9, 9, 10). Good score.
Posted by noelle at 4:55 PM | Comments (54)
April 23, 2007
Dancing With the Stars - week 6
VOTE FOR APOLIANNE! 1-800-868-3411 and/or VOTE ONLINE You can vote up to 7 times per phone line or screen name so get busy!!
I'm not going to be live-blogging the show tonight, but feel free to post comments here as always. In the meantime, a link:
People | Heather Mills: 'Apolo Ohno Should Win Dancing'
"I think that Apolo should win," Mills, referring to Apolo Ohno, told Ryan Seacrest on his radio show Monday. "He has not got any dance experience – I mean, none of us have except Joey [Fatone] – and I think he is just amazing."
Heather strikes me as a very sensible woman!
Posted by noelle at 7:24 PM | Comments (131)
April 19, 2007
Latest Dancing With the Stars links
I'm a bit late with these - my apologies!
USA Today | Reality update: Clyde out
Apolo Anton Ohno and Laila Ali keep tearing it up on Dancing with the Stars, much to the delight of the good folks at Ohnozone.
Air kisses to Beau Dure!
ABC News | Apolo's Dance of the Week
TV Guide | Backstage at Dancing with the Stars: Lisa Rinna Brings Sexy Back!
Comedian Kathy Griffin, sitting ringside, was smitten with the show's new golden boy, Apolo Anton Ohno, who performed an encore of his perfect-scoring samba from the night before. "I loved Apolo with the Tiger Lady," says Griffin, referring to Ohno's pro partner, Julianne Hough, who was outfitted in a tiger-striped leotard. "I don't know what the dance is called, and I don't care."
Um, you're going to have to click the link if you want to see what Macy Gray had to say. *blush*
MSNBC | No surprise on ‘Dancing With the Stars'
Apolo and Julianne are well positioned to win the competition, as proved by the anticipatory screaming of the audience before judge Len Goodman could even get Apolo’s name out. His brand of self-deprecating, not-too-perfect male dancer is one of the most successful “types” in this competition, and Apolo is playing his part perfectly. Of course, their repeat of their samba was also good news in that it further ensured that none of us will ever get “I like to move it, move it” out of our heads any time in the next, say, three weeks.
Chicago Sun Times: "Thanks to his star turn on ''Dancing With the Stars,'' Olympic skating champ Apolo Anton Ohno reportedly is being swamped with all kinds of potential TV and film offers from Tinseltown."
Posted by noelle at 4:46 PM | Comments (44)
April 17, 2007
Dancing with the Stars - week 5 results show
Apolo and Julianne get the well-deserved encore tonight. Yes! Congratulations, you two.
OMG! Carol Brady, in the audience: 'That Apolo is one hot little number.'
First 2 safe couples: Laila & Maks and John & Edyta
Jimmy Kimmel demos one of next week's dances - the swing.
Apolo allows as how getting his makeup done makes him 'feel a little feminine.'
Next 2 safe couples: Apolo & Julianne (a foregone conclusion!) and Joey & Kym
Apolo says he tries to take the judges' feedback constructively and apply it to the next week's dance, which a) sounds exactly like Apolo, and b) is apparent in his progress from week to week.
Last 2 safe couples: Ian & Cheryl and Billy Ray & Karina
Bottom 2: Clyde & Elena and Heather & Jonathan
That's kind of insane.
And it's Clyde & Elena exiting this week. That is sane, at least.
Posted by noelle at 9:09 PM | Comments (48)
April 16, 2007
Dancing With the Stars - week 5
VOTE FOR APOLIANNE! 1-800-868-3411 and/or VOTE ONLINE You can vote up to 8 times per phone line or screen name so get busy!!
I'm not going to be live-blogging the show tonight, but feel free to post comments here as always.
In the meantime, some links:
Extra | Is Apolo Ohno Romancing His 'Dancing' Partner?
- video interview with Apolo and Julianne
Access Hollywood | 'Dancing' Stars Race To Erase MS
Apolo Anton Ohno was there with his dancing partner, Julianne Hough, and the Olympic gold medalist admitted to feeling a little out of place on the catwalk. "This is my first fashion show I'm actually walking down, so it's going to be interesting to see," joked Apolo. "We're going to freestyle and see what happens. I'll have a move. It's going to be called the 'Slip, Fall, Jump, Roll, Get on the Floor and Just Flail, and then Get Back Up.'"
Posted by noelle at 7:51 PM | Comments (102)
April 11, 2007
Dancing With the Stars post-mortem - week 4
People | Monday's Dancing with the Stars: What You Didn't See
Sew What: Apolo Anton Ohno's brown suit looked regal and elegant as he performed a seamless waltz with partner Julianne Hough. That is, until after the show he removed the jacket to reveal – tricks of the trade spoiler alert! – his shirt sleeves were missing. What's up with that? The speed-skating star's shirt cuffs were sewn onto the jacket and going sleeveless allowed him to move more freely. Hey, whatever works!
People | Tuesday's Dancing with the Stars: What You Didn't See
TV Squad | Apolo Ohno, you are a salesman
Where is this chemistry everyone was talking about? [Apolo's] partner Julianne is a charismatic dancer, but together, they reminded me more of the captain of the chess team being paired with the homecoming queen for a high school performance.
TV Squad | Dancing With The Stars: Week 4 results
They opened the show tonight by naming Apolo and Joey as the standouts. I think they have it right on that one. Ian and Laila have the stuff to get themselves back in contention, but as we sit now, Apolo and Joey are a step ahead of everyone else. Two steps in front of a few people.
TV Squad | Dancing With The Stars: Week 4
Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough (Waltz) - Good grief, I think Julianne just gets cuter every week. And the two of them do have a very good rapport. They certainly have danced well, but their chemistry helps as well. That really shined through in their performance this week. It was a very romantic dance, and I thought Apollo really held his own in selling the performance. Bruno called them the crown jewels of the competition. Carrie Ann thought it was very romantic. Len jumped on them for bad footwork and technique. It's becoming something of a DWTS tradition to hammer on the really good dancers while going easy on the weaker couples.
(Carol Kaelson/ABC) more week 4 photos
MSNBC | ‘Dancing’ isn’t kind to middle-aged women
The second couple taken off the hook early was a no-brainer: Apolo Anton Ohno and the adorable Julianne Hough, who are not only dancing very well, but showing a lot of charm that seems likely to result in strong viewer support.
AOL | Outtake from Apolo and Julianne's waltz - video clip
MSNBC | Joey finds the right steps on ‘Dancing’
Apolo Anton Ohno and his young partner Julianne Hough have developed an adorable chemistry that, as Apolo pointed out, is quite sibling-like in nature. Thus, the waltz presented some challenges of the “I can’t look at you all sexy without laughing” variety. Interestingly, the dance was lovely, and actually had more openly lingering looks than any other all night.Apolo’s hesitation about delivering a dance he thought of as “older and slower” turned out to be unnecessary, and their performance looked good. While Len marked them down for some technique mistakes and only gave them an 8, Carrie-Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli gave them 9s, making it one of the better-scored dances.
EW.com | The Scold and the Beautiful
Apolo and Julianne delighted yet again with their super-smooth waltz. I'm pretty sure if you looked up sunshine in the most up-to-date dictionary, so up-to-date it doesn't even exist yet, you'd find a still of Apolo and Julianne performing matching arabesques with Serene Facial Expressions. These kids could easily take the competition just because they're so bouncy and utterly likable. I can't even think of a complaint. I know I heard Len say ''bad footwork,'' but Bruno quickly drowned him out with a quintessential DWTS-esque quip: ''He's an ice skater, and he's dancing!''
zap2it | 'Dancing' judges strike back
San Jose Mercury News | Dancing With the Stars: Joey Fatone and Apolo Anton Ohno rise to top; Billy Ray Cyrus shows heart
Posted by noelle at 9:14 PM | Comments (54)
April 10, 2007
Live blogging Dancing with the Stars - week 4 results show
Who will be chosen to dance the encore tonight? Joey & Kym reprise their top-rated paso doble from Monday, natch. Travesty! I mean, not really, but still. I can't wait till it's Apolo and Julianne's turn! The woman host - don't know her name yet - says J&K are 'teacher's pets.'
The season 2 champion (Drew Lachey, I presume?) returns to take part in a raucous country and western dance with some of the pros.
Good lord, Billy Ray Cyrus pimps his new album again. he never misses an opportunity to get in a commercial for himself.
Quote from a fan in the audience: Apolo and Julianne looked like 'Prince Charming and Cinderella dancing at the ball.' Word up!
First 2 safe couples are Billy Ray & Karina and Apolo & Julianne. I love it when they announce Apolianne are safe early like this. Is there any doubt? No, but it's still nice to have it be official. Could they be the top 2 vote-getting couples? It would not surprise me!
One of next week's dances is the samba, so 2 of the pros show how it's done. What's with their weird, exaggerated mouth movements? So campy looking. Surely this is the dance Apolianne will perform next week.
Apolo says 'more training' and schedule juggling are in order to upgrade their results from silver and bronze to gold. Then I think Apolo flubbed his line in the interview. The expression on his face was priceless!
Huh, the other dance is rumba. I guess that's 2 Latin dances next week so it's anyone's guess which Apolianne will have. But Jimmy Kimmel says the rumba is the 'woman's dance' because it's meant to show her off. Call me crazy, but aren't all partner dances meant to show the woman off?
Julianne and Brian (voted off last week with partner Shandi) dance a rumba. I guess it's slower, and a samba is faster... ? Like Edyta last night, Julianne looks like a wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen. In fact, it sure looks like J. was holding her swatch of fabric closed with one hand as she spun around like a top several times.
Next 2 safe couples: Laila & Maks and Clyde & Elena... I am guessing Leeza Gibbons' heart just sank.
Now we find out who's going home...
Joey & Kym are, naturally, staying. As are Ian & Cheryl and Heather & her partner. No surprises there!
Which leaves Leeza & Tony and John & Edyta in the bottom 2.
This show has an insane amount of commercials.
And at long, long last, confirmation that Leeza & Tony are indeed voted off this week.
Posted by noelle at 8:41 PM | Comments (50)
April 9, 2007
Live-blogging Dancing With the Stars - week 4
VOTE FOR APOLIANNE! 1-800-868-3411 and/or VOTE ONLINE You can vote up to 9 times per phone line or screen name so get busy!!
9:30 - So the top 3 are.... 1. Joey & Kym, 2. Apolo & Julianne, 3. Ian & Cheryl
9:17 - Finally, the favorites Joey Fatone and Kym are up. Let's see if they can bring it, or will AAO and Julianne take home their first win? I'm betting on A & J.
Joey and Kym dance the paso doble, and seem to realize they need a gimmick-free number, for once. Yet, he's carrying her onto the floor piggy-back style, I dunno. It improves a lot after that. With his nostrils flaring, I'd say Joey looks more bull than matador, though. They receive the first standing O of the night. Hey, there's Lance Bass cheering his buddy on. (Aside: I can't believe I know who Lance Bass is.) Man, are they gonna take first? Please, no! Scores: 10,9,9 First 10 of the season. WTF?!?! I am soooo biased.
9:07 - Heather Mills and Jonathan are up. She's another one who has great difficulty in rehearsals with feeling the innate romance of the waltz. In performance, she reminds me of a music-box ballerina, so rigid is she able to hold her body. Bruno: 'You are the mistress of bad.' At least, I think that's what he said!! Sheesh, the judges are all in disagreement and just wind up talking over one another. Scores: 7,8,8
8:57 - Whoa, Billy Ray Cyrus reduces his partner Karina to tears - sobbing, actually - in rehearsals. Who knows, maybe that was contrived too.
They're taking the man-as-matador, woman-as-cape metaphor quite literally. Goodness. I'm not sure BR is doing any actual, you know, dancing here, though. It's like he stands around while Karina dances around him. The crack-smoking Len heaps praise on Billy Ray. WTF? Scores: 7,7,7
8:52 - Carrie Ann chastises Clyde Drexler for choreography that looks the same for all the dances, but hello, he's not doing the choreography, is he? Len says he 'can forgive bad footwork and bad posture' (huh? can you say 'double standard', Len?) but that Clyde doesn't look like he's even trying. Pretty harsh from the judges. Not undeservedly, but still Scores: 6,4,5
8:40 - John Ratzenberger and Edyta. Man, her gown is a wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen. It's as though she's wearing a curtain on one half of her body and pasties on the other. Bruno: 'The magic backfired tonight and you turned yourself into a curse.' Boy, if looks could kill... Edyta is looking daggers at the judges. Scores: 6,5,5 - same as Leeza
8:28 - Here are Ian Ziering and Cheryl. She chastises him mercilessly in rehearsal for being a jokester and not inhabiting the essential classiness of the waltz. He's in white tie and tails; she has a flowing yellow gown. His outfit looks a lot classier than hers, IMO. It's a nice number, but dull and lackluster (to quote Len on Leeza) compared with Apolo and Jullianne's. Len on the other hand thinks their waltz was 'really, really good.' Bruno says Ian went from 'McDreamy to McStiffy.' Clearly something got lost in the translation there. Haha.. Bruno doesn't get why people start to snicker. Carrie Ann tries to explain the vernacular of 'stiffy' but it doesn't sink in. Only so much you can say on broadcast tv! Score: 7,9,8
Len, HOW was that better than Apolianne? Bruno, how was that equal to Apolianne? C'mon guys - put down the crack pipes. Still, they have 24 points to Apolianne's 26. So there is some justice.
8:22 - Leeza and partner are next. I didn't watch. They're getting panned. 'Dull, dull, dull. Lackluster,' says Len. Ouch! Still and all, Leeza is a hot-looking mama tonight. I didn't look that good when I was 21. Scores: 6,5,5 OUCH!
8:10 - Yay, Apolianne are up 2nd!! Thank goodness. They do indeed perform a waltz. Apolo says in pre-dance segment that he feels they have something to prove after last week. [The waltz] is 'slow and older, complete opposites of what Julianne and I are.' They address their chemistry, saying again it's a 'brother-sister relationship,' making it hard to get into the romance of the dance (and show goofy outtakes from rehearsal to prove it). They rehearse in an old-Hollywood location and camp it up while there...
Here's the real performance, and it's indeed quite romantic. Wow. Nice twirls, AAO... nice! You have a future in figure skating... Just beautiful. They look elegant, romantic and totally at ease. How can they not get 10s tonight??? Music is 'If You Don't Know Me by Now.' Julianne makes a flourish towards the judges just before the end. You west coasters are gonna LOVE this.
Tom: They 'don't look like bro and sis at all.'
Bruno: 'the dream team! the crown jewels of the competition! You're in it to win it.'
Carrie Ann high fives Apolo! All is forgiven. 'That was SO romantic, good technique, my God!'
Len sort of pans them for a routine 'riddled with bad footwork' which elicits overwhelming disagreement from Bruno, who won't even let Len continue speaking.
Tom to Len: 'Are your knickers in a twist or something?'
Scores: 9,8,9 YES!
Apolo: 'We worked really hard on this dance this week. I actually loved this dance.'
So cute - AAO reaches around Julianne's head from behind and makes a phone with his fingers next to her ear, urging us to call in our votes for them. Not to worry, Apolo - we're on it!
8:05 - Some fake drama between Laila Ali and Maks of his decision to violate the rules by breaking their hold in last week's tango. 'We can still be friends,' she huffs. They dance a paso doble .. execution seems kind of herky-jerky to me. Great music (what is that? Carmen?). But their steps are so sedate compared to the energetic piece. It appears Len, Bruno and Carrie Ann agree with me. ha! Score: 7,7,7
8:03 - Len just gave all the contestants a tongue-lashing. Based on what, I'm not sure.
8:01 - Wow, Apolo and Julianne look simply stunning and elegant, Apolo in chauffeur-style black tie and Julianne in ivory gown with long gloves and fabulous hair. I'm guessing that means waltz. I'm excited - I love waltz music, Viennese waltzes in particular. Alas, it looks like they'll be going last again! Wah. Kym Johnson seems to be sporting wench-chic on the other hand. Like an Oktoberfest barmaid on stilettos.
8pm - Wow, based on a 1-second outtake, I'd say we're going to see a pretty sensual dance this week from Apolianne. Will it be paso doble or waltz?? And please don't make us wait till the end.
Posted by noelle at 7:10 PM | Comments (91)
Apolo/DWTS updates
[Monday update] - new links courtesy of Susie
People | Bruno Tonioli Reveals Top Picks for Dancing with the Stars
Tonioli says there are four stand-out dancers commanding his attention this season. Apolo Ohno, for one, is "a natural," says the Italian dance maestro. "Apolo is a great performer," says Tonioli. "He just lights up the room."
Hell yeah!
ABC News | Rhinestones And Painted Faces: Dancing Stars Look The Part
On the day of the airing, about 45 minutes is spent on each endividual's body makeup alone. The contestants are given a spray tan before a stain is hand-buffed over the top. [Lead makeup artist Melanie] Mills and her team then choose from a variety of bronze, gold and pearl lotions. Finally, they are given a sprinkling of glitter to make sure they shimmer and glimmer their way across the stage.
NY Post | 'DANCING' WITH THE JOCKS
In general, there's the growing sense that all those years of training, discipline and pressure to perform in front of a crowd make athletes naturals.This season the show upped the athletic quotient with NBA hall-of-famer Clyde Drexler, Olympic gold medal speed skater Apolo Ohno, and women's boxing champ Laila Ali, daughter of the legendary Muhammad Ali.
Deb found a bunch of great info. ApoloAntonOhno.com has listed some upcoming appearances of Apolo:
4/9 - STARR 98.7 listener contest to win tickets to sit at Apolo's table on DWTS Monday night
4/13 - Apolo will be featured in People magazine
4/19 - Apolo will be a guest on Good Day LA (morning show on Fox)
Also:
ABC7.com | Send Us Your "Dancing with the Stars" Questions
This page has a collection of about 8 videos from the local ABC affiliate's coverage of DWTS, with several interview clips of Apolo.
Posted by noelle at 7:03 PM | Comments (30)
April 4, 2007
What Sanjaya can learn from Apolo
Love this; thanks to Melissa for sending these links!
Vizuble | Julianne Hough to fall for Apolo Anon Ohno?
Nice job by Melissa in setting the record straight!
Los Angeles Times | Sanjaya, cues you can use from Apolo
If you want to spiff up your image, not to mention your hair, take notes from the 'Dancing' contestant and former speed skater.
April 4, 2007
An open letter to Sanjaya Malakar:It's impossible to tell, at this point, whether you care what people in America actually think of you, or whether you're just waiting for the stupid contest to be over so you can just win and go do some more hula dancing in your back yard.
If, however, you are interested in cleaning up your image, it might help to take notes from Apolo Anton Ohno.
Rest of the letter is below the jump...
Sure, he's an Olympian and you're a 17-year-old, but the two of you have many parallels: you're both on major reality TV shows (you, "American Idol," he on "Dancing With the Stars"), you're both unthreateningly baby-faced, and you both have a wonderful all-American melting pot quality. However, there is a big difference between the two of you: Apolo rules, and you don't.Here is what you can learn from him:
--
The hair: Nothing says "I'm a rebel" and, simultaneously, "I'm a beautiful pony!" like a luxurious head of hair, which you both have. Sanjaya, take some cues from Apolo. He'll play with it, maybe a bandana, or a ponytail, but he uses his hair the way Joey Fatone uses his coattails: as a fun accessory but not the mane — get it? — event. Don't be like Leeza Gibbons showing off the "Tramp" temporary tattoo on her chest. It's desperate when you use your hair as a conversation piece — tone it down.
--
The competitive edge: What separates Apolo (as well as Fatone and Laila Ali) from the pack on "Stars" is that Apolo wants to win — he mentioned pulling away from the pack on the most recent episode. You seem to be in a world of your own, with no consideration of who you are up against. Sure, it might all be baloney — we all know Apolo won't exactly cry into his ice skates if he doesn't win — but at least act like you're playing to win, and not just, you know, whatever.
--
Be good at many things: This one might be hard. Apolo is a wonderful speed skater and a hell of a dancer. You're not a very good singer thus far and your hula dancing is pretty weak at best too. Can you give us something else?
--
The appeal: Both of you have the kind of fresh-faced youth and twinge of mischievousness that can appeal to people of all ages and genders. And while Apolo certainly seems aware of his appeal — he and his partner, 18-year-old Julianne Hough, are just so darn cute!!!! together — he's a man and a pro. He doesn't overly wink or shake his butt or exhibit sass to the judges. If you don't have a good personality, it's not your fault. Just don't try and forge one. Otherwise you're going to look like — sorry to say it again — Gibbons.
If all else fails, though, you can take a page from everyone else on Monday night's episode of "Dancing With the Stars" and just take a piece of clothing off while you perform. We're sure that will make someone, maybe that crying girl, happy.
By Claire Zulkey
Special to The Times
Posted by noelle at 8:50 PM | Comments (110)
April 3, 2007
Semi-live blogging Dancing with the Stars - week 3 results show
[updated Wed. with links at bottom of post]
More week 3 photos here
Apolo and Julianne give their reactions to the judges' scores and criticisms yesterday and pronounce themselves pleased with their performance. Whoever commented that judge Len probably was unfamiliar with Pulp Fiction is onto something... I'm sure after they replayed his reaction that he had no clue. I think Apolo was about to say the same thing but smartly stopped himself - he knows a thing or two about fickle refs!
Joey and Kym's Star Wars tango is picked as the encore dance.
I am still befuddled by the selection of Josh Groban as musical guest. I mean, he has a gorgeous voice, but I don't recall ever hearing him sing anything remotely danceable. I believe Julianne will be part of that. I read somewhere that Survivor will also be on, singing 'Eye of the Tiger.' Nice blast from the past for a child of the 80s like me!
Since I don't know any music recorded after about 1990 I have no clue who this first musical guest is. Did they say Sierra?
First safe couples - Joey and Kym and Apolo and Julianne! Apolo beams, says 'nice!' and embraces Julianne. Thanks, ABC. I think I can turn the tv off now! lol
Previewing the paso doble, which will be one of next week's dances, and this is where Eye of the Tiger comes in. Man, 6th grade flashbacks, not so fun.
Interviewing the 2 safe couples... Apolo admits he doesn't know what it's going to take to break away from the pack because all the couples are stepping it up and improving a lot week by week.
Josh is singing, I didn't hear what it is. Very pretty; lyric is about dancing. Here's Julianne and a guy. Very pretty. She performs what can only be described as a death spiral, a la pairs figure skating. Never seen that on dry land before! In fact this routine is very reminiscent of a pairs program I think.
They have clairvoyants and mediums making predictions for season 4. Oh brother.
They've got physical chemisty which will put them in the top 3, says the woman psychic. I guess that makes me psychic too.
2 more safe couples: Billy Ray and Karina, Laila and Maksim
1 of bottom 2 couples: Shandi and Brian
Apolo, on the eliminations: 'Everyone wants to stay - no one wants to go home - and I am going to dance as hard as I possibly can and go for the gold'
Also safe: Ian and Cheryl, John and Edyta, Heather and Brian, Clyde and Alaina
Leeza and Tony join Shandi and Brian in bottom 2. If there is any justice in this world, S & B will be going home! And it is indeed... Shandi and Brian.
And then there were 9!
Haha... S&B's swan song dance is to 'Careless Whisper' and the tv cuts in just as they sing the lyric 'got no rhythm'
[press roundup]
MSNBC | Shandi goes home on an odd ‘Dancing’ night
zap2it | 'Dancing' results, all 8 minutes of them
ABC | Week 3 photo gallery
Posted by noelle at 9:06 PM | Comments (40)
DWTS post-mortem - week 3
Tubular | Dancers on Dancing: Dispute about Apolo
ABC4.com | "Dancing with the Stars" Apollo and Julianne jive with Good Things Utah
Awesome video of Apolianne showing their moves while in Utah last week!
TV Squad | Dancing With The Stars: Week 3
Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough (Jive) - Apolo and Julianne's Pulp Fiction homage was an absolute show-stopper. Their performance featured some challenging moves, and plenty of fast footwork. Apolo and Julianne always deliver crowd-pleasing performances. Perhaps it's their youthful energy. I would have placed this Jive among the top dances of the night, but the judges placed the pair in the middle of the pack with a 23 (7, 8, 8). With all the 24's that were handed out, I cannot believe that Apolo didn't manage to snag one.
EW.com | Settling the Score
No, I'm mostly hazy as to how Joey, Ian Ziering, Leeza Gibbons, and Heather Mills all shared the night's top spot, while better performances, like Laila Ali's and Apolo Anton Ohno's, were underscored.[Mills is] getting special treatment, and unless the show starts acknowledging that, people are gonna get annoyed really fast.
a fave moment: That part in Apolo and Julianne's jive during the line ''rock, rhythm, and jazz'' when they did a whirly outstretched-arms move. (I'm sorry, but I told you I can't dance.) Rewound it three times. Synchronized! Hot!
TV Guide | Dancing with the Stars: All the Latest Backstage Buzz!
Ohno is making sliding a part of his routines on the dance floor. "Slides are in every single dance," says his partner, Julianne Hough. "He does it well, so we might as well take advantage of that." But given his background as an Olympic gold-medal speed skater, is Ohno trying to turn the floor into an ice rink? "That'd be a good idea," he says. "Get a little water out there, get a little freeze going." If he could put ice on the floor, would he? "Maybe a little patch," he says, smiling.
MSNBC | Ian Ziering is fast on his feet on ‘Dancing’
Things started to pick up with Apolo Anton Ohno, who continues to impress, even though Carrie-Ann Inaba complained that his jive was “sloppy.” His dance with young Julianne Hough was inspired by “Pulp Fiction,” and they made a cute, twisting pair. Apolo wasn’t perhaps as sharp as he has been at other times, but he moves with tremendous charisma, and the segment where he taught Julianne to skate was more appealing and less annoying than such segments typically turn out. He may not have been as conspicuous a favorite as usual, but he did a good job.
e! online | Korbi's Quickie
Len Goodman has gone mad, chastising Apollo Ohno and his partner for the Pulp Fiction-themed extras incorporated into their jive. That was awesome, you fool!
FindItt.com | 'Dancing with the Stars': Mills, Fatone, Ali, Ohno, Ziering Should Be Safe From Elimination
Posted by noelle at 5:02 PM | Comments (19)
April 2, 2007
Live-blogging Dancing With the Stars - week 3
VOTE FOR APOLIANNE! 1-800-868-3411 and/or VOTE ONLINE You can vote up to 11 times per phone line or screen name so get busy!!
9:34 - 4 way tie for first ... leaves Apolianne alone in - 5th, I guess. Then a 2-way tie for 6th. Just wait till next week! Make sure to get in every vote you can, people!
9:40 - Billy Ray Cyrus: 'I definitely have an achy breaky butt right now.'
9:13 - What? Leeza gets 8's across the board too?! Bloody hell!
9:11 - Okay, I've had enough! They need to keep this show to an hour. Waaay too many commercial breaks, and they're way long.
9:03 - Ian seems to behaving a ton of fun with this too. I'm not sure what they're singing too - it sounds familiar and the choreography totally reminds me of Grease... Bruno: 'Ian you are turning into a hot rod.' Len was ready to give them a 9 but says Ian spoiled it at the end with his arms, I think. Carrie Ann agrees. I guess they'll get 8's then. Pfftht. Funny, Ian is totally out of breath! That never is a problem for AAO. Scores: 8,8,8
9:00 - Josh Groban is tomorrow's special guest. hm.
8:55 - Joey Fatone, the other threat, is up with Kim. They have a certain advantage, following Apolianne and Laila/Maks, knowing the score they need to beat! Dancing a tango to 'Star Wars', eh? This should be interesting!
Whoa, it starts in the dark with Joey brandishing a light saber. Too gimmicky? For anyone but Fatone it would be... Pretty fun actually. He looks super serious, poker-faced, but I guess that's the tango. Still, I just don't really see the music working with the dance itself. Maybe the music is just TOO specific. Huh, Carrie Ann LOVED it, she positively gushes. Scores: 8,8,8 Hmph!
8:44 - Aploianne are up! He's looking kinda Antonia Banderas-ish! 'I'm in a great position to strike at any moment.' Julianne expects jive technique to prove a struggle for Apolo. But first he takes her skating. She loses her grace! So awesome to see him on skates though, even if only for 10 seconds...
Their dance! John Travolta and Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction all the way. How fun! Apolo slides under and between her legs... He's got his feet going. I think he's moving faster than her almost! Man, Apolo does not miss a step, as far as I can tell! Go AAO! He picks her up and swings her around, under his legs, lifting his legs over her one at a time - extremely impressive coordination!
Carrie Anne says they have great energy, but footwork was sloppy. Bruno says Apolo is Travolta's mini-me, he should be in Disneyland b/c he's pure entertainment. Len says 'YOU ARE A DANCER' to Apolo. Julianne looks nervous as scores are revealed. Scores: 7,8,8 YES! Best scores of the night, and Laila has already gone. 'VIncent Vega' looks pleased!
8:43 - The Bachelor is in the audience tonight.
8:33 - Frontrunners Laila Ali and Maksim are up. Laila was on the road this past week, like Apolianne, and feels concerned about getting enough tango practice in. His brother, also a dancer, comes to critique their practices. Laila admits she's nervous. I think they look good, but it does seem like Laila has to work to keep up. Not blatantly though. Maybe that's what I want to see! But an engaging number, I think. Bruno doesn't like their long separation in the middle; I think he has a point. Len agrees. They'll be marked down for that. Carrie Anne criticizes 'pancake hands' - what on earth does that mean? Scores: 7,7,7 - Not exactly shabby - but it opens a door for Apolianne!
8:28 - YES! A teaser of Apolianne at the Kearns oval a few days ago. We see Julianne on her new skates in the speed skater's crouch while Apolo 'gets his revenge' as he barks commands and corrections. Sounds like she's swinging her arms wrong (that got me too the first time I tried speedskating!) - or maybe not swinging them at all. Man, I feel so happy seeing speedskating, even if it's a stunt for DWTS!
8:23 - Clyde and Elena are up... can't help wanting to see him do well! His enormous size is really a disadvantage, I'm thinking. Clyde's mom is a guest at rehearsal and comes in to demonstrate zydeco dancing... she looks to be a tall lady! Nice use of Elena's long train as a prop for the dance. Clyde's movements seem kind of out of sync in their side-by-side footwork though. This seemed like a joyful routine. Len says Clyde has regressed. Scores: 6,5,5
8:19 - Another teaser of the athletes before break. Apolo is really taking a leaf out of Jordan Malone's playbook. he's turning into quite a ham! My boss mentioned today that he and his wife are quickly becoming AAO fans...
8:13 - I'm confused. John Ratzenberger is performing a tango? But I thought male stars were doing jive this week. 'Looks like we're madly in love, yet hate each other at same time,' explains his partner Edyta. 'Gotcha,' says John unconvincingly. Such a strange dance. I think Edyta is doing all the actual dancing here. Ok, some footwork by John now, that's more like it. Mainly an excuse for Edyta to flash her sensational gams. I didn't get worked up over this one. Now he's dragging her off the floor to face the judges - literally. Okaaay... Scores: 7,6,7
8:10 - Haha... before break they show the trio of athletes, Clyde, Laila and Apolo (squaring off against the actors of John, Ian and I forget who... Leeza?). They're shown in ascending order of height with Clyde towering over Laila who towers over AAO. AAO playfully rests his head on Laila's shoulder and then flashes a huge grin. These guys are having fun!
8:05 - Shandi Finnessy knows she and Brian are marked after last week's dismal perforamances. She still looks hot though... CRAP! I'm on call for work and in fact, I just got called. Please don't let that happen again... Anyway, missed Shandi. She's getting better reviews from judges this week tho. Sounds like a big improvement!
8:01 - Intros of the pairs... Everyone looks quite elegant tonight, though Ian Ziering is rocking the terrorist look with several days' beard growth. And ... oh my, Apolo. What have they done with your hair? It's slicked back within an inch of its life and in a ponytail in back. Reserving judgment.... He certainly looks dapper in black tie, and I was so astonished by the coif I didn't even have time to take in Julianne's attire.
7:59 Are they really starting the broadcast early? Did I really just see AAO take a spill in rehearsal (or was that a planned move)?And I love how they highlight Apolianne's quickstep from last week right at the start of the intro... we all know who's best!
Posted by noelle at 7:41 PM | Comments (142)
Detroit News | Waltz this way: 5 reasons to watch ABC's hit dancing show
Carol Kaelson / ABC
Posted by noelle at 9:33 AM | Comments (11)
April 1, 2007
Air Apolo
Amazing screengrab Sonia got from last week's DWTS showing Apolo and Julianne rehearsing for their quickstep performance!
Posted by noelle at 10:55 PM | Comments (33)
March 28, 2007
Link roundup for DWTS
Love this! USA Today | Athletes survive 'Dancing' cut
Apolo Anton Ohno, only a couple of weeks removed from World Championship competition, won rave reviews. Laila Ali leads the scoring. Clyde "the Glide" Drexler ... well, he's hanging in there.The full roundup is at Ohnozone, where the short-track skater's considerable fan base isn't the least bit surprised that he's faring well.
ABC News | DWTS results show photo gallery
MSNBC | 'Dancing With the Stars' Makes First Cut
Out of nowhere: Unlike Joey Fatone, who at least has a background in entertainment and therefore counts as a bit of a ringer, Apolo Anton Ohno has never been a showman. In fact, he’s always come across as an intense, usually silent figure in speed skating, which is not one of our more high-profile sports, except for a couple of weeks every four years. Little did anyone know he would be not only a good dancer, but a charismatic entertainer — a quality never hinted at in his previous career. While Joey has the stage experience, Apolo has the chops to put up an excellent fight.
USA Today | Head over heels for 'Dancing'
As far as who will remain standing at the end of the competition, Mills says that boxing pro Laila Ali, former 'N Sync member Joey Fatone, Olympic speed skating star Apolo Ohno and former Beverly Hills, 90210 star Ian Ziering have the best chance. "If they vote on capability alone, it'll be Joey. If they go on personality, it's Laila. Apolo could be a surprise. And Ian is great."
MSNBC | Surprise! Porizkova sent packing on ‘Dancing’
It seemed like the competition for the encore would be a toss-up between Laila Ali and Apolo Anton Ohno, both of whom did very well with their partners on Monday. Laila ultimately emerged victorious and repeated her mambo, making her the official frontrunner for the moment — which is consistent with the fact that she also had the highest combined judges’ scores after the first two performances.
Posted by noelle at 5:42 PM | Comments (39)
March 27, 2007
DWTS post-mortem - week 2
MSNBC | Ali, Ohno are ‘Dancing’ contenders
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the season so far is Apolo Anton Ohno, who charged out with a controlled but buoyant quickstep that left the judges duly impressed. Apolo’s partner, Julianne Hough, is only 18, but she’s doing something right. Despite the fact that his practice time has been cramped by speed skating practice, Apolo looks surprisingly comfortable, and he executed some leaps that would probably not have been attempted by a lot of the other men in the competition.
Again - natural athlete, people. Say it with me: NATURAL ATHLETE.
'San Jose Mercury News | Dancing With the Stars: Billy Ray Cyrus improves big-time; Laila Ali the one to beat\
TV Squad | Dancing with the Stars: Week 2
Baltimore Sun | 'Dancing With the Stars': more performances - live blog article summarizing all the performances
[update]
EW.com | Come On, Get Hoppy
Apolo Anton Ohno definitely stepped it up this week — footwork-wise, his routine was very complicated, and he and Julianne were almost alarmingly in sync. And since they're so young, they look a bit like that power dance couple who are way better than everyone else at their high school's talent show, sort of a Benji and Heidi from So You Think You Can Dance kind of thing, half sexy, half incestuous, only not annoying. I dig. For now.
ET Online | Backstage Report: The 'Dancing' Recap
TV Guide | Second Chances
zap2it.com | 'Dancing': Who's out first?
Posted by noelle at 9:27 AM | Comments (97)
March 26, 2007
Live-blogging Dancing With the Stars - week 2
VOTE FOR APOLIANNE! 1-800-868-3411 and/or VOTE ONLINE You can vote up to 11 times per phone line or screen name so get busy!!
9:49 - Wow, Joey Fatone and partner really ham it up as they start tehir quickstep. Very nice, energetic number. Maybe a little bit excessive showmanship.
9:38 - Look at Laila Ali shake her thang! Girl's got moves. Definitely my 2nd fave pair. Best mambo, says Len. Only possible pair so far who can match the standard set by Apolianne! Score: 9's across the board, they bump Apolo & Julianne out of the top spot. Grrr.
9:23 - Heather Mills & partner get 8's across the board. I think that's the 2nd highest score this evening, behind Apolianne!
9:13 - A moment of respect for the great Johnny Cash. Billy Ray's stock rises in my book on that alone!
9:04 - Best part of Billy Ray's dance for me - dancing to 'Ring of Fire.' Love that song! Definitely looked better than last week. And blessedly, no wardrobe malfunctions.
From the DWTS message boards: "Apolo had the best execution of the Quickstep in the history of DWTS. Julianne had the best choreography of the Quickstep in the history of the show. This pair is unbeatable. They will win this season." (posted by a dance fan, not an AAO fan)
8:44 - Ok, competition alert. Ian Ziering & Cheryl Burke are up. I don't think they'll exceed Apolianne's scores, but if they have a good dance, they could still retain the overall lead... oh but wait... they aren't in the overall lead after week 1, are they? It's Joey Fatone and partner... another pair to watch out for..
Very nice quickstep by Cheryl & Ian but perhaps lacked the panache of Apolianne. Or am I biased? I think Cheryl and Ian got better and better throughout. They'll score well.
Ha! Bruno basically describes Ian's quickstep technique as the 'jackrabbit on crack'. Too much like a hare, too much hopping! Score: 7,8,7 - 22/30. Apolianne still leads!
8:37 - Sorry, peeps. It's lame, but I'm only going to continue live-blogging haphazardly if at all! Apolo and Julianne are waaay too tough an act to follow. Must be a bit demoralizing for the other couples! I'm going to go catch up on the DWTS message boards, where I'm feeling the Apolo love!
8:25 - ok, well Clyde Drexler is totally adorable, if a giant can be called 'adorable.' Their quickstep lacked the fleet-footednes and well, QUICKNESS, of Apolianne's but they did a nice job, IMO. score: 6 across the board. Gee, I thought they were better than Shandi and Brian!
8:24 - Sorry, people. I've lost all interest without the promise of seeing Apolianne on-screen. I have a terrible attention span for these things. Yano, please take over!
8:16 - ok, the show is over for me now. It's a tough act following Apolianne the Great! Not sure how much more I'll live blog this. Shandi Finnessey looks hot. She's probably the only female star who can pull off one of the pro female's showgirl-style skimpy costumes. But no charisma, sorry.
8:11 - YES! Apolianne get an 8 from Carrie Ann, 9 from Len, 9 from the other guy whose name escapes me because I'm so excited. Total of 26! Carri Anne mentioned earlier that they're not supposed to be this good this soon. I told you people WEEKS ago - Apolo is a natural athlete! And we all know no one works harder. Combine those two and this should surprise no one! But it's a huge thrill all the same...
Top THAT, all the other pairs. I dare you! Duke it out for 2nd place now...
8:08 - Incredible - that quickstep was incredible! No one can say Apolo was hunched over in the slightest, either. Julianne's expert tutelage is paying off!
Len to Apolianne: 'You're going to stay [on the show] for weeks and weeks!'
I think I love you, Len
Carrie Ann tells them to watch the sliding, I noticed that too... but c'mon, the skater's gotta bring some ice technique to the routine!
Apolo: 'It's hard to take Julianne seriosly when she's yelling.' Damn, boy. I hope she kicks your ass for that!
8:05 - Wow, Apolianne go out FIRST! Probably toughest to start with but at least we don't have to wait till the bitter end. Apolo admits he's a wimp above the waist; Julianne suggests he needs to transplant his thigh muscles to his upper bod. They both admit she's the boss on the dance floor - a tough taskmaster! But they seem to keep it light.
Apolianne dance the quickstep tonight - 'ballroom's fastest dance.' How come I never heard of it before?
8:02 - Hm... Apolianne is introduced last. So does this mean they go last all the time? And wowza... Julianne is resplendent in a coral/salmon colored gown; AAO decked out in a suit with salmon tie to match. Unbelievably dapper.
8:01 ACK! I missed part of the intro 'cause I still had the tv on CBS for Entertainment Tonight. BAD NOELLE!
Thanks to Theresa of SimplyApolo.com for the voting icon!
Posted by noelle at 7:25 PM | Comments (119)
Are you ready ...
for week 2 of Dancing With the Stars?!
Here's some great news to tide you over while you get your voting fingers warmed up:
ET Online | Breaking News From a 'Dancing' Star!
Julianne: "I definitely think the Latin dances are [Apolo's] strength. He can move those hips!"
Read the article and watch exclusive video of Apolo and Julianne rehearsing for tonight's quickstep performance!
***
This next piece is really touching!
Marquette Mining Journal | Dancing with Apolo Ohno
Apolo Anton Ohno poses with U.S. Olympic Education Center head short track speedskating coach Jimmy Jang following his gold-medal performance at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy. (USOEC photo)
Jimmy Jang, who has been a guiding force in Ohno’s life since the 2006 Olympic Games, has continued to support Ohno as he adds dance shoes to his footwear collection. “Some athletes argue with their coach, but he never does,” said Jang. “We have trust in each other. I believe in him.”On his way to bronze in Italy, he won a gold medal in the 1500 meters. Jang said, “After Apolo won the race, he gave the medal to me. He said, ‘this medal is yours not mine.’ I almost started crying. All of the coaches from the international teams said I was a lucky coach because their athletes would never give them their medal.”
Posted by noelle at 5:15 PM | Comments (45)
March 21, 2007
Okay, this makes no sense...
Heather Mills falls during dance with stars practice
"Wife of Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney has fallen over during dance practice with her dancing partner Apolo Anton Ohno, injuring her right leg."
So I know the part about Apolo is a lie, but I have no idea if the part about Heather Mills is true.
WTF? Geez, I guess this is how rumors get started.
Posted by noelle at 11:09 PM | Comments (61)
Some more DWTS press
New York Times | In the Arms of Scandal, and Ready to Cha-Cha
Carol Kaelson/ABC
Coeur d'Alene Press |
Dancing is a Hough family affair
And many thanks to Bri for video of Apolo and Julianne's performances on Monday's premiere of Dancing With the Stars!
Posted by noelle at 12:52 PM | Comments (42)
March 20, 2007
DWTS post-mortem
Colorado Springs Gazette | Twinkle toes
A piece on how Apolo's fellow athletes at the OTC are rooting for him on DWTS:
More than 50 residents at the Olympic Training Center wore bandannas and fake soul patches — Ohno’s choice of fashion statements — while watching Ohno shake his hips, flail his arms and smile for the camera.Olympian Allison Baver had returned from an international speedskating competition, weary from days of travel and months of training. She dropped her luggage in her room at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, then rushed to the facility’s dining hall in search of a TV.
TV Squad | Dancing with the Stars: Week 1 (season premiere)
Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough (Cha Cha Cha) - Shandi and Brian may not be the cutest couple after all. Apolo's energy and athleticism were infectious during his cha cha, and his partner Julianne is totally adorable. The pair gave an entertaining, playful performance, but the crowd seemed a little quiet at first. The judges gave them some technical advice, and seemed to love their energy. Score: 21 (7, 7, 7).
North Idaho woman watching sister's turn with the 'Stars' (Julieanne's sister gives her impressions - including a funny story about Apolo's massive legs)
ABC4.com | Utahn competes on "Dancing with the Stars"; paired with Olympic speed skater
(video clip is on the page with footage from Apolianne's number last night as well as childhood clips of Julianne dancing)
Julianne's parents left for L.A. Monday morning to cheer on their daughter in person. They say, "We're proud to be her parents and see her excel in this activity." The Hough's say Julianne is thrilled to be dancing with Apolo. "She likes him, he's fun to work with and she's excited and has a really good chance to do well on the show."The biggest challenge for Julianne has been finding time to rehearse. Her parents say Apolo is real disciplined as an athlete and is in real good physical condition. "It's just a matter of getting him to train as a dancer rather than a skater because the skills are pretty different."
[update]
EW | B-listers on Their Feet
Apolo Anton Ohno performed well (let's hear it for him!) — he got all the steps right, at least, and I thought it was hilarious how the judges kept telling him to correct his stooped-over posture. Of course! He spends most of his time speed skating at a 45-degree angle toward the ground. It just didn't occur to me that something that obvious would be the problem. Color me amused! I wonder how long before Tom and Bruno start making ''Oh yes!'' jokes. Thirty seconds?
MSNBC | No clear favorite on ‘Dancing with the Stars’
Apolo Anton Ohno proudly announced that he was continuing to compete as a speed skater while preparing his routine. While theoretically admirable, this approach seems awfully risky in a field that does, in fact, require considerable practice. Paired with 18-year-old Julianne Hough, Apolo made it through his cha-cha (to “Let’s Hear It For The Boy”), but he moved his feet surprisingly little, and while the performance had speed, it lacked technique, as the judges noted.
Posted by noelle at 9:27 AM | Comments (30)
March 19, 2007
Live-blogging Dancing With the Stars season premiere
VOTE FOR APOLIANNE! 1-800-868-3411 and/or VOTE ONLINE You can vote up to 11 times per phone line or screen name so get busy!!
From Heather: For anyone that missed last night's show... Go to www.abc.com and click on "WATCH ABC SHOWS ONLINE NOW" in the middle of the main page. They have the ENTIRE episode from last night online for us to watch in all it's glory!!
Second hour
9:54 - Apolo looks great! What a fun number. He really did a great job. Love his expressions too. 'Let's hear it for the boy, let's give the boy a hand!!!' - the best song lyric of any couple out there, so very fitting! And a huge hug at the end for one another - did other pairs do that?? They are a TEAM, yo! GO OHNO! 'It's like watching Happy Feet' all over again. Highest potential of all the people I've seen tonight.' Nice Bruno, you are my hero!! I LOVE YOU! Lady judge says Apolo's 'hip action is amazing' - I don't even know where to go with that comment.
And they get 7's across the board for a total score of 21 - solid! I think that means they're tied for 2nd. Is that right?
9:52 - YES, I can't wait for this profile. Some short track on Dancing With the Stars! he and julieanne are so damn cute together. Holy f*ck, look at him on the ice, in a tux. Dayum. Was that in Cleveland, where they first met? HI TRAVIS JAYNER! Hi OZers in the stands in Cleveland! Is that one you who is so jealous of Julieanne? Man, look at him get his groove on... nice! He's concentrating sooo hard. Work it, Ohno!
9:51 - APOLIANNE is up next - finally!! I'm nervous. can't wait!!
9:41 - Heather Mills and partner are going to be, um, interesting. Heather comes with a ton of controversy and baggage, and her partner starts things off by introducing himself with 'I'm one of the best ballroom instructors in America.' So modest. Aw, she looks a bit nervous, I think! 'Dancing cheek to cheek'... I dig these old-school songs. I wonder if the judges will go easier on her or not. 'Of course we wouldn't', Lynn says.
9:34 - Man, that height disparity between Clyde Drexler and his partner is something else. I'm curious how that's going to work. He could tuck her under his arm like a book and walk off. I think they're cute! One thing about athletes - they're used to feedback from coaches, so hopefully this is motivating for Apolianne, even when or if it's critical.
9:23 - Man, Shandi gets to squeeze her partner's bum. That looks fun! The way she and Brian dance reminds me of that Japanese ballroom movie.. Shall We Dance? I think that's what it was called.
9;18 - Teasing the remaining stars yet to dance before a break, Apolo and Shandi Finnessy were goofing around doing I know not what. As a former horsewoman it looked like nothing so much as her trying to give him a leg up... Apolo is having fun!
9:12 - I never watched Cheers so I have no particular attachment to John Ratzenberger, but watching him he just has some kind of sweetness that makes me want to root for him! Plus he's stepping in with less training time, like Apolo, and I'm sure he could use it. Love how he's not stressed out about it... and he plays air guitar on Edyta's belly. Yikes, I thought he almost let her fall there at one point.
9:01 - Gosh, Laila Ali really does look beautiful, more than any of the photos I'd seen of her. I hope her dad is able to come and Apolo gets to meet one of his heroes, if he hasn't already. She's doing a real nice job, seems like. Go athletes!
8:59 - Joey and Kim get the highest scores yet - definitely deserved.
First hour live-blogging is below the jump
First hour
8:55 - a little glimpse of Apolo backstage with Clyde, Laila and others. I do think he's nervous. In a good way -