Ballroom Dance Channel

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to the premiere episode of NBC’s Superstars of Dance! Many of you may be familiar with my work covering Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance for TV Grapevine and then Ballroom Dance Channel. I’m still active with Ballroom Dance Channel, but the site has grown in a way that we thought it would be great to have our own blog not attached to the social part of the site. If you enjoy my reviews, please bookmark this blog, and tell your friends. We talk about a lot here, in fact, anything ballroom that I think people will want to know about. If there is something you think we should be covering, don’t be shy, leave it for me in the comments! Now, on to the show….

This show is going to win brownie points from me for letting Michael Flatley host. I could listen to his lovely Irish brogue all day! I’m sure the guys being forced to watch by the women in their lives will enjoy looking at the beautiful Susie Castillo, as well. We have one judge from each of the countries participating, and the scores will be added for a highest total. I don’t quite have my brain wrapped around how we win, yet, though.

First to dance tonight is the group for Team Ireland. This isn’t going to be like tryouts for SYTYCD, they have the touring company from Lord of the Dance as the group performance. How we will ever choose a winner, I don’t know, but I think I’m glad I don’t have to vote!!!! Ireland’s group performance scored a 65.

Next is Robert Muraine for the United States. Many of you will remember Robert if you watched this last season of SYTYCD. Robert is the amazing popper that made it to Vegas, and then chose to go home. They had him on the finale against the robot guy from the year before. I can’t believe he’s not double jointed! Robert scores a 57 for his solo performance. I guess the international judging panel isn’t used to this ‘contortionist popping’.

Argentina has a lovely soloist named Carolina Cerisola, doing a jazz cabaret routine. It was lovely, but I’m used to that type of performance being a paired thing. Carolina scored a 58 tonight.

Pasha Kovalev and Anya Garnis are the ballroom couple from Russia! Well, guess I’m rooting against the United States now…sorry! Yes, it is the Pasha and Anya from SYTYCD. Oh, how I have missed my Pasha! That was one hot freestyle, trust me on this and look on Youtube. Pasha and Anya scored Russia a 64, putting them just one point behind Ireland’s step dancers.

India has chosen two ladies to compete together as a couple in the Bollywood style tonight. After seeing these two talented women, I see why the judge from their country has scored everyone else so low! Everything else looks boring next to this style. Obviously I am not fluent in this style of dance, because they were scored a 51, and the judges nearly universally said the dancing was weak in this form.

Sean Robinson is doing a solo tap routine for Team Australia. I really liked Sean, he was charming, and very, very good! Sean ties with Robert from the United States with a 57.

Bei Zhing is dancing the ribbon dance for China as a soloist. I can tell this show is going to be quite the education for me in several types of dance, because I knew nothing about this style and had never seen it before tonight. I thought it was quite lovely, but again, I definitely don’t know what I’m looking for! Bei was scored a 51, tying her at the bottom with Team India.

Team Africa has selected Umoja for their team. They reminded me of the show Stomp, but that was much better! They scored a 57, tying them with Australia and the United States.

Team Australia has a contemporary/hip hop large group, I don’t think there was a name given. I see elements of several types of dance in this one routine, drawing on ballet with an emphasis on aerial work. They score a 57 for that routine, and have a combined score of 114.

Damien O’Kane is competing as a soloist for Team Ireland. He’s a step dancer, like their large team, and while I enjoyed his performance very much, the step dancing is more compelling to me when it is a large group, not a soloist for a whole routine. I love that Michael Flatley isn’t afraid to show that he’s rooting for Ireland, it is very endearing. Damien scores a 58, giving them a combined score of 123.

Sduduzo Ka-Mbili is doing a warrior dance as a soloist for Team Africa. Although it is certainly a far different story than the Bollywood style tells, it is clear this man has a story to share with us, and he does so in a very entertaining manner. The crowd really loved him, and so did I. The judges were all over the map, it seems like they either loved or hated this one, finding little common ground. He scored a 55 individually, giving them a 105 combined.

Team USA pair Georgia Ambiarian and Eric Luna are doing a cabaret routine tonight. Georgia and Eric teach at a Fred Astaire in Cinco Bayou, Florida, and are champions many times over in their form, which is a paired theatric type dance. To learn more about them, click here. They score a 57 for that riveting performance, giving the United States with a combined total of 114, tying them with Australia.

Ooh! Argentinian tango time! Dang! That was hot. I almost felt like I shouldn’t be watching. The judges loved it as well, giving them a 65. This knocked Pasha and Anya off the top of the individual leader board, and tying them with Ireland overall with a 123.

Julia Banter is dancing as a soloist for Russia. She is very expressive during her contemporary routine, reminding me a bit of Courtney Galliano from this last season of So You Think You Can Dance. I guess the judges aren’t into this type of routine, because she got a 50 for that solo routine, giving them a combined 114. They are now tied with the United States and Australia.

Amarapali Ambegaokar is a soloist for India this evening. That was amazing, but very hard to explain. She had bells on her pants legs and used it to dramatic effect, impressing the judges greatly, along with the audience. A 62 was awarded for that solo performance, and their overall total is 113.

China’s Shaolin Monks are the final dancers tonight, as Team China’s large group. I can’t even figure out WHAT to tell you, that was so amazing. Team China had a 65 for this performance, and a 117 overall.

Come back tomorrow night for 16 more performances from these amazing teams. I had fun tonight, and I hope you did too! To pass the time until tomorrow’s performances, why not stop by the Itunes store and try out our new apps, the rumba, the waltz, and the salsa? We’re easy to find in education, just search ‘ballroom’. With instructors like Yesenia Adame, Paul Barris, Elena Grinenko, and Tony Dovolani, and the ability to take your lessons with you on the go, you can’t go wrong!

Keep Dancing,
Ballroom Dance Channel