DWTS GALLERY - Balcony, Band, & Cast - S21 Wk02

DWTS - SEASON 21, Week 02

GALLERY:  Balcony, Band, 
& Cast

L-R:  Val, Tamar, Alek, Andy, and Allison 
look on as their fellow competitors are judged, 
following a dance - Week 02, Night 01

DWTS Pros and Mirror Ball Champions,
Witney Carson and Tony Dovolani, show their
 support of Season 21 competitors - Wk02, Night 01
Witney and Tony both danced a Foxtrot
this night with their respective Celebrity partners;
and, both were able to enjoy higher Marks
than the previous Week! 

Season 21 Couple , Carlos PenaVega and Witney Carson,
listen in somberly as some of their dancing
counterparts are critiqued by the show's judges - 
Week 02, Night 01

Season 15 Mirror Ball Champion, Tony Dovolani,
gives an always much-needed big hand from
the balcony following a Hometown Glory Week performance,
while his Season 21 partner Kim Zolciak chats it up
with an excited Bindi Irwin - Week 02, Night 01 

Mirror Ball Champions, Derek Hough (Left) and
Witney Carson (Right), excitedly discuss
Paula and Louis' surprisingly great Rumba
while a smiling Carlos PenaVega (Center) listens in! 

From L to R:  Bindi Irwin, Derek Hough, and Mark Ballas
pose merrily for the DWTS camera not long before
Bindi & Derek take to the Ballroom floor to dance
their Tenacious Tango!
Little does this excited Couple know that they
will receive the Night's Highest Score for their performance
and the Season's first "9", awarded by
Judge Carrie Ann Inaba! - Week 02, Night 01

Emma Slater and her Season 21 Celebrity partner,
15-year-old Hayes Grier, cheer on their fellow competitors
from the Balcony. Hayes surprised everyone this night,
when he took to the dance floor and preformed 
one Fantastic Foxtrot! - Week 02, Night 01

Another much-needed big hand from the balcony is given 
by (From L to R) Andy, Kim, Hayes, Tony, Karina, and Emma. 
Andy and Hayes did so great this night (!)
when dancing the Jive and the Foxtrot,
respectively. - Week 02, Night 01

From L to R:  Andy, Witney, and Hayes cheer on their
fellow Season 21 competitors. No surprise, Andy did extremely
well when dancing the Contemporary this night; but, 
I thought that Hayes particularly <Ahem> stepped up his
dancing game with his performance of a great Quickstep!
Week 02, Night 02

Season 19 Mirror Ball Champion, Witney Carson, -
dressed here for her amazing Western-themed Cha-Cha
and whom I have affectionately dubbed this night
as "Barbie goes West!" -
enthusiastically cheers on her fellow competitors.

From L to R:  Emma Slater, Hayes Grier, and
(a very excited!) Witney Carson show
their support for other Season 21 contestants! 

An enthusiastic Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough
cheer on Andy & Allison, following the Couple's
emoting Contemporary - Week 02, Night 02
Derek is displaying some good sportsmanship
and competing comradery here, as he and Andy 
have actually performed together in Season 20, 
for Derek and Nastia Liukin's Week 07, high-scoring 
Modern Charleston to "Honey, I'm Good"! 

Season 21 competitors, Andy Grammer and Witney Carson,
give another big hand from the balcony
for their dancing counterparts. - Week 02, Night 02

Mirror Ball Champion, Tony Dovolani, and Celebrity, Paula Deen, 
show some support following a Week 02 performance.
Paula really surprised me Tuesday Night with the
great dancing of a Classy Foxtrot! - Week 02, Night 02

DWTS GALLERY - Chaka & Keo - S21 Wk02

DWTS - SEASON 21, Week 02
GALLERY:  Chaka & Keo

Pictures go with written review:
Chaka & Keo - Review of DWTS Season 21, Week 02 
(click here to see)

Chaka & Keo

DWTS Season 21, Week 02, Night 01 -

Hometown Glory Week

Chaka & Keo

DWTS Season 21, Week 02, Night 01 -

Hometown Glory Week

Chaka & Keo

DWTS Season 21, Week 02, Night 01 -

Hometown Glory Week

See video (below) to watch Chaka & Keo's Foxtrot on Week 02 of DWTS, courtesy of Dancing With The Stars great YouTube channel!      

Chaka & Keo – Review of DWTS Season 21, Week 02

DWTS Season 21, Week 02

REVIEW:  Chaka & Keo

Dancing a Frank Sinatra-inspired Foxtrot, it’s Chaka Khan and her Professional dancing Partner, Keo Motsepe!

Chaka & Keo
DWTS Season 21, Week 02, Night 01 -

Hometown Glory Week

Wanna be told something good?

This was a lovely performance; and, although Chaka’s dancing was not much improved, there was a notable progression when it came to Chaka’s Lines and ease of movement!

Chaka & Keo
DWTS Season 21, Week 02, Night 01 -

Hometown Glory Week

Keo’s choreography, it should also be said, was most enjoyable; and, I must say that Season 21’s “Royal Couple” was killing it in those purple outfits … very stylish, I loved it!

Chaka & Keo
DWTS Season 21, Week 02, Night 01 -

Hometown Glory Week

See video (below) to watch Chaka & Keo's Foxtrot on Week 02 of DWTS, courtesy of Dancing With The Stars great YouTube channel!       

DWTS Elimination: Chaka & Keo – Season 21, Week 02, Night 01

Chaka Khan and Keo Motsepe

ELIMINATED

on Dancing With The Stars

Season 21, Week 02, Night 01

So Chaka Khan and her Professional Partner, Keo Motsepe, were Eliminated this week from DWTS … Well, first off, I’m just gonna say it, Can’t poor Keo catch a freakin' break?!

And Secondly, while we all strongly suspected (okay, “knew”!) after viewing her Week 01 Cha-Cha that Chaka would be one of the Season 21 competitors to make an early exit from the show, I was still so very sorry to see her go!

Chaka & Keo Eliminated
DWTS Season 21, Week 02, Night 01 -
Hometown Glory Week

She was just so nice and humble about her dancing that you could not help but enjoy her!  I am also going to really miss Keo’s always-fun and delightful choreography skills!

Chaka & Keo
DWTS Season 21, Week 02, Night 01 -
Hometown Glory Week

And Speaking of, what up, Dancing With The Stars?!!

I was so totally looking forward to hearing about ALL the Pros’ Hometowns on Hometown Glory Week ... not all the Pros’ except Keo’s ... thank you very much!  Plus, it just doesn’t seem fair to make a Couple go through all the trouble of choreographing and learning 2 dances (for Week 02, no less! – “What the crap, guys?”’ to quote a very justifiably incredulous Pro, Witney Carson,) and then not even allow them to perform both routines!

In the end, I guess that the best way to best express the current state of things is to say that the departure of Season 21’s “Royal Couple” caused a surprisingly large Royal Pain!

Chaka & Keo
DWTS Season 21, Week 02, Night 01 -
Hometown Glory Week
Bye, Chaka!  Bye Keo!  You guys were great!

See video (below) to watch Chaka & Keo's Foxtrot on Week 02 of DWTS. Below that, see 2 videos of Chaka & Keo's Elimination on DWTS Week 02. Courtesy of Dancing With The Stars great YouTube channel!

DWTS GALLERY - Balcony, Band, & Cast - S21 Wk01

DWTS - SEASON 21, Week 01

GALLERY: Balcony, Band, & Cast

L-R: Lindsay, Alek, Hayes,
Witney, Sharna, and Nick
This is right before Victor & Karina Danced their
Salsa. You can see - in true Disney fashion -
all the girls are wearing those "uptown girl" hats
and all the guys are looking through their binoculars
down at the "race track". Cute!
               

L-R:  Andy,Lindsay, Alek, Hayes,
Witney, Sharna, and Nick
cheering on Victor & Karina after their "galloping"
Salsa ... Another great day at the races!

Nick & Sharna and Witney look fondly
at Victor following his downright endearing
Salsa ... Great choreography, Karina!

Great things really do come in small packages!
You have to hand it to Victor ... He's a
really good sport!
... Love the glitter block!

Here's Chaka & Keo, Season 21's "Royal couple"
right before their Cha-cha.  Chaka's very
stylish fan bears their team name, #ChaKeo .... cute!

Carlos and Alexa PenaVega look on with
Andy Grammer (they were all so great!) as
fellow Season 21 contestants strut their ballroom stuff!

Hayes teaches DWTS Troupe members
the "T-rex"
"Is that what the kids are dancing nowadays?"
 laughed Partner Emma Slater

Here's Andy & Allison right after their
Foxtrot being interviewed by
Host Erin Andrews.
I gotta tell you, so far, I am absolutely loving this
dwtslover Celebrity Fantasy Pick come true! ...
Andy is just so very nice and I can't wait to see
him and Allison perform next week!

L-R:  Andy, Victor, Alek, Lindsay,
Val, and Tamar cheer as some of their dancing
Celebrity Counterparts take to the floor!

Nick Carter and Bindi Irwin chat it
up with co-Host Erin Andrews
(Bindi and Nick went on to be the Night's high scorers,
tying at the top with 24 points!) 
Bindi is so cute in her Crocodile Hunter Khakis! 

Here's Alexa PenaVega (right) enthusiastically cheering
on hubby, Carlos, following his Fantastic Jive!

Alek & Lindsay on the left (Later on in the show they
dance a positively charming Foxtrot) and Carlos & Witney
(who danced an absolutely explosive Jive) cheer as
Alexa & Mark dance their own terrific Jive!

Whoooo yeah!  Gooooo Alexa & Mark!
Proud husband, Carlos PenaVega, cheers for
wife, Alexa, after her Fast and Fabulous Jive!

One of the cutest moments of the night
occurred just after Alexa's Jive when Carlos said
"You know what?  I need to ask Costume if she can
borrow that ... You look great, Babe!",
 to which, Alexa endearingly shrieked,
"Carlos PenaVega!!"

The DWTS Band!
Ray Chew Live was on fire Monday night
as they so brilliantly accompanied the
dancing couples!

Ray chew ( standing on the left) with the band,
Ray Chew Live! You guys killed it all night long!
Love the 1920's flappers look BTW (on the singer ... 
 worn for Tamar & Val's Quickstep)!

L-R:  Bindi & Derek, Gary & Anna,
Alek Skarlatos, and Nick & Sharna,
 give an excited shout out to the camera
 as it passes through DWTS' Red Room!

Gary Busey give two thumbs
WAY up to Bindi & Derek's
Exceptionally-Excellent Jive!

Gary Busey hams it up (following his Cha-Cha)
with co-Host, Erin Andrews, and Partner,
Anna Trebunskaya, when he explains the meaning
 of fun, "... Finally Understanding Nothing"!
... F.U.N.! ... You go, Gary!!

DWTS GALLERY - Chaka & Keo - S21 Wk01

DWTS - SEASON 21, Week 1
GALLERY:  Chaka & Keo

Pictures go with written review:
Chaka & Keo - Review of DWTS Season 21, Week 01 
(click here to see)

Chaka Khan ... Chaka Khan, Chaka Khan!
Chaka making a grand entrance
fit for a Queen (of funk, that is)!
You go, Chaka!
Chaka & Keo's Cha-cha
DWTS Season 21, Week 01

Chaka & Keo - The Cha-cha
I thought this was very well
suited for Chaka! ... It was a lot of fun.

So she may have missed one or two (or a few)
steps; but, what Chaka lacks in
dancing know-how, she makes up for with
total coolness, a demanding stage presence, and
an absolute winning personality!  Chaka is, (in my opinion)
so far, one of the nicest members on the cast.
I'm glad that she was partnered with Keo.  I like
him a lot and I was hoping that he would someone nice
 this Season ... and he did!

Chaka & Keo's Cha-cha
DWTS Season 21, Week 01
Lookin' good, guys!  

See video (below) to watch Chaka & Keo's Cha-cha on Week 01 of DWTS, courtesy of Dancing With The Stars great YouTube channel!

Chaka & Keo - Review of DWTS Season 21, Week 01

DWTS Season 21, Week 01

REVIEW: Chaka & Keo

The Queen of Funk, AKA Chaka Khan, and her fresh Prince of the Ballroom and apparently parts of Johannesburg, South Africa, <insert record scratch> Keo Mottsepe, danced a rhythmic Cha-Cha to (What else?!) "I feel for You" by Chaka Khan herself!

Chaka & Keo - The Cha-cha
I thought this was very well 
suited for Chaka ...it was a lot of fun.
  

Well, I do feel for Chaka because even though she may have been a little (Okay, a lot) lost throughout that entire performance, her musicality, sincere earnest to do well in the dance, and subsequent good-hearted humility following her low scoring was endearing; and, I truly hope that she will be able to do better next Week! 

And BTW, the choreography, Keo, was crazy fun; well done!

Chaka & Keo's Cha-cha
Lookin' good, guys!  

See video (below) to watch Chaka & Keo's Cha-cha on Week 01 of DWTS, courtesy of Dancing With The Stars great YouTube channel!

DWTS Season 21 Cast Reveal!

Dancing With The Stars Season 21

Cast is (Finally) Revealed!

It’s here, it’s here, it’s here!!!  <Clapping Hands and Squealing for joy!>

The Dancing With The Stars Pro and Celebrity Cast Announcement!!!

And so, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is with the greatest pleasure, and no small amount of shrieking ( I expect an annoyed call from my neighbors at any minute …), that I present to you our DWTS Cast for Season 21:

Victor Espinoza & Karina Smirnoff

Alek Skarlatos & Lindsay Arnold

Chaka Khan & Keo Motsepe 

             Gary Busey & Anna Trebunskaya

Hayes Grier & Emma Slater

           Paula Deen & Louis Van Amstel

Nick Carter & Sharna Burgess

Alexa PenaVega & Mark Ballas              

       Tamar Braxton & Val Chmerkovskiy

Carlos PenaVega & Witney Carson    

Kim Zolciak & Tony Dovolani

Andy Grammer & Allison Holker 

 Bindi Irwin & Derek Hough

<Rubbing hands excitedly together> Wow-wee, that is quite the line-up! ... Season 21 certainly seems like it will be one to remember!! The fun officially kicks (and flicks!) off September 14th, 2015, so be there or be square (dancing!) !!