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Kelly Monaco
Hit TVshow's stars coming to The PalaceDon't ask me why anyone would pay $50 or more to watch a dance show that, starting in March, will be on every ABC channel again, at least twice a week for three months. To get my money, "Dancing With the Stars: The Tour" would have to feature a rematch between Season 1 winner Kelly Monaco and runner-up John O'Hurley, with Monaco's skimpy costume not only falling off but also tripping her up, while O'Hurley glides around her. It would have to pair Season 2's disasters, ESPN's Kenny Mayne and rapper Master P (preferably in a tango) while each gives a running commentary on the other's moves (and shoes). And it would have to offer the possibility of Season 3 champion Emmitt Smith's charm filling The Palace of Auburn Hills. Well, Smith won't be there. But Drew Lachey, Joey McIntyre, Joey Lawrence, Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin will be, along with their professional partners, a host of other dancers and a full orchestra. You can probably tell that I've watched nearly every episode of this "reality" show that hooked me fast and solid. For those who haven't watched any of the three seasons, "Dancing With the Stars" is a TV competition featuring six to 11 celebrities, paired with professional ballroom dancers. The couples learn one or two dances each week, wear outlandish costumes and perform on TV in front of three judges, who rank and comment on their performances. One celebrity (and his or her professional partner) gets booted off the show each week. The TV audience gets to vote, of course, in a nod to democracy -- which is how Smith and Monaco each managed to snag the title away from better dancers. Not that it really matters who wins. The fun is in watching people who may or may not possess any physical grace learn how to perform in one of the most exacting competitions in the world. Ballroom dancing is not for wimps, no matter how those costumes make the dancers look. I know I'm not the only one who has fantasies of being able to waltz, foxtrot or jive like professional dancer Cheryl Burke, who has shared the last two "Dancing With the Stars" titles with Lachey and Smith. Chance to be 'Dancing With the Stars' here in RichmondLocal couples are invited to compete in the Official Dancing With the Stars Richmond Local Dance Challenge. Put more concisely, it's a contest for people who'd like to perform when the "Dancing With the Stars" tour stops in Richmond. The prequalifying event will take place at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Rigby's Jig, 5470 W. Broad St. Judges will select 10 couples to compete immediately before the show begins at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30 at the Richmond Coliseum. Judge Alec Mazo will choose the semifinalists, who will perform during the show's second number. (Mazo and Kelly Monaco won the first season of "Dancing With the Stars.") The final two couples will perform later in the show, with audience applause determining the champions. The contest is open to dancers of all ages. If anyone younger than 18 is selected to compete, a parent must sign a waiver. Cedarburg DanceSport enjoys growth from students from all walks of ...CEDARBURG - If you pick up the phone and call DanceSport Studios of Cedarburg, you’re more than likely to be leaving a message on the voice mail instead of talking to a live person. And believe it or not, that’s a very good thing. "We’re just so busy," said DanceSport Studio Manager Mark Webster. "Our instructors are usually in classes teaching and if you call the studio, you’ll almost always get the voice mail." Of course it goes without saying: Webster and his staff are also exceptionally prompt at returning any messages left at the studio. The studio is located off Pioneer Road and is in its second year as Cedarburg’s full-service ballroom and Latin dance connection for local residents. "We have students from all walks of life," said Webster. "We have people of all ages, married and singles; and dancers from beginner through intermediate and advanced, competitive levels." That wide mix of people also reflects the many reasons why people have contacted the studio to learn how to dance. "I could give you 25 different reasons right off the top of my head as to why people come and dance," he said. "Pick one: They’ve had a childhood dream to dance; they want to add another hobby to their life; they want to find an activity they can do with their spouse; they’re looking for an activity that provides exercise." Any reason is a good reason to try dancing, says Webster, a well-respected teacher and competitive dancer. "Dancing is something that you can just ‘give a try to,’ particularly as a beginner," he said. "If it’s not right for you, that’s OK." Southeastern Wisconsin, and Milwaukee in general, is actually quite blessed when it comes to formalized dance training. "Ballroom dancing has always been quite alive and well in Milwaukee," he said. "We have a very strong community of professional dancers and teachers here, too, which makes the area pretty well respected in the dancing community." Currently, DanceSport Studios has a staff of five professional instructors. "We have an awesome group of qualified teachers," said Webster. "They really have ‘tenure’ - every one of our instructors has been teaching and dancing for years." That’s good news for anyone interested in learning the fine art of the foxtrot, the dramatic paso doble or even the Cotton Eye Joe. You don’t need John O’Hurley, Emmitt Smith or Kelly Monaco on your arm to learn how to do them or any of the other 30-plus dances taught at DanceSport Studios. Instruction is available for individual dancers as well as partnered dancers. "We actually do quite a bit of work with people who want to learn how to dance for a specific occasion, such as a wedding or a business event," said Webster. "We have a number of people who come to us simply because they don’t want to step on anyone’s toes while dancing." For example, the studio has hosted customized classes for weddings, consisting of the bride-to-be, the groom-to-be and their parents. "We have a venue for everyone to dance," said Webster. "We want people to enjoy themselves while learning the dances." Those who enjoy the art and sport of dancing also have the opportunity to pursue it on a competitive level. "If one of our students decides to take part in competitions, the way we will instruct him or her will change," Webster explained. "The teaching and the instruction become less casual in preparation for the competition." Webster adds that students also have the opportunity to attend competitions on a regular basis. Presley makes a 'Brave' moveWhy now: The former soap star co-stars alongside Hollywood's hottest in the war drama Home of the Brave. It expands nationwide Friday. The buzz: His looks and talent could make him one of the fortunate few to move from daytime TV to a successful feature film career. Home of the Brave, a story of U.S. soldiers who struggle to adjust upon their return home from Iraq, is particularly unkind to its cast of teen TV heartthrobs. In the opening scenes, One Tree Hill's Chad Michael Murray takes a bullet to the head, and 7th Heaven's Jessica Biel loses a hand. But newcomer Brian Presley, who once appeared with Biel on an early 7th Heaven episode, is one of the lucky ones. His character, Tommy, suffers a flesh wound but returns home in one piece. He finds, however, that he has lost his girlfriend and his job at a gun store. Presley, 29, says Biel had no recollection of his 7th Heaven guest stint as a neighborhood kid. But she won't forget him now. While filming one of their Brave scenes, Presley whacked Biel on the arm, accidentally loosening her prosthetic hand. After that, the two bonded. The shoot in Morocco, which stood in for Iraq, allowed for ample adventures. Presley says he and Murray "got to run around in the desert shooting machine guns and jumping off buildings." And they were all surprised when local children ran behind their military Humvees chanting in English the songs of 50 Cent, who also plays a soldier in the film. "You weren't sure how Americans were perceived," Presley says. "But they were very welcoming." Filming Brave forged a special bond between Presley and wife Erin Hershey's grandfather, a former World War II POW. After a screening in Phoenix at which other veterans were present, "He stood up with tears in his eyes, and they all thanked us for telling their story," Presley says. "One thing this film taught me was to never pass by a soldier without saying, 'Thanks.' " Next up: Borderland, due later this year, in which he and Sean Astin attempt to avoid being sacrificed by a voodoo-practicing Mexican cult. Scary plots aren't new to Presley, a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. He already has confronted vampires on the relatively short-lived ABC soap opera Port Charles. During his 2000-03 run on the General Hospital spinoff, his on-screen leading lady was Kelly Monaco. Off-screen, he wed co-star Hershey, who is due to give birth to their first child this month. Once Port Charles transformed into a Dark Shadows wannabe, Presley didn't become a vampire. Although after his character was bitten, he did raid the hospital blood supply. "Yup," he boasts. "I drank General Hospital blood." |
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