44 replies to this topic

[LucyEwing]

Admit it. You had that haircut.

Seems fitting that America's Sweetheart got the "nice guy" of pros, Tristan, as a partner.

I can't believe she's the oldest contestant this season. I grew up watching her in Ice Capades throughout the 80s. I met her briefly in the mid 90s and she was absolutely lovely. I hope her and Tristan (who deserves a good run) go far.

[Sugakates78]

I'm getting more excited about this pairing the more I think about it. While Dorothy's Olympic days were a few years before my time, she's still a name that I immediately recognize and I think that's the case for people across several generations. Not to mention she will probably do very well with the demo that does remembering watching her, & that could very well be a very strong voting block.

[PBGamer89]

She'll be a good dancer too. Figure skaters always have good balance, grace, athleticism, and she can turn well.

Hopefully this will finally be a true test of Tristan's ability to choreograph.

[katykc]

She'll be a good dancer too. Figure skaters always have good balance, grace, athleticism, and she can turn well.

The show has already had at least two figure skaters that have proven that--Kristi Yamaguchi won, Evan Lysacek finished second (to dance major and ringer Scherzinger). They're graceful and know how to train for the technical aspects. I hope she goes far! Like Sugakates78, Dorothy was before my time but I'm still familiar with her name in a positive way.

[KarenM]

Access Hollywood Interview.

[Serendi]

Decided to try to find some recent skating videos and came up with this on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=nB2WblETBRc

Still lovely.

[PBGamer89]

That was a nice routine and from the looks of it she still has got it. She still has that great balance and grace.

I suspect she could be like Kristi and struggle to find the fun and carefree spirits of the Latin styles, but she could surprise me. All I know is that I can't wait for the ballroom dances. Her Waltz is going to be amazing.

[raingirlnw]

Yes, I did indeed have the haircut! As a fellow 56-year-old, I am thrilled she is on. Wonderful personality. And who does not have a crush on her partner????? Very excited for this pair. Finally, a team to really get excited about again.

[designing1]

Serendi thanks for that link. She's still so classic and graceful.

Her Waltz is going to be amazing.

Especially since Tristan always names waltz as one of his favorite dances (the other being rumba.) He must be thrilled at the prospect of choreographing for and dancing with her.

[CattyTiger]

I am excited about this pairing for Tristan and Dorothy. I definitely don't think we have to worry about an early exit for them. Yea!

[ByTheWay]

Video > (MyFoxla) Dorothy Hamill: The Differences Between Skating And Dancing (03/01/2013)

[moni]

I like this two as a pair..gonna pick them as my fav. this season :)

[LucyEwing]

Dorothy posted a pic of her and Kristi to her twitter account.

[sintin]

Aw, that picture is cute. And Kristi seems to be aging in reverse, damn.

Echoing those who are looking forward to her waltz. Tristan should have a blast with that.

[ByTheWay]

Video > (Access Hollywood) Dorothy Hamill and Tristan MacManus
Dorothy Talks About Her Figure Skating Career
Dorothy Talks About Managing Depression
Dorothy and Tristan

[ByTheWay]

Video > (Access Hollywood) Dorothy Hamill and Tristan MacManus

[Serendi]

oakgal from Tristan's thread:

Truly. I think, having seen that little video, that Dorothy's biggest feat will be overcoming insecurity and self doubt. Hope she can tackle it.

I'm more getting the impression that her biggest goal is to be liked, so she minimizes everything so as to keep from being criticized. Sort of, if you say it first, it might keep others from saying it.

Could be all wet. I started thinking this after watching a video where she was talking nice about the other contestants and the interviewer said no, you're supposed to trash talk (something like that, anyway). Dorothy got a distressed look on her face and said "But then no one will like me!"

I initially thought she meant because she's being mean, but later thought she might have immediately extrapolated that if they're all trash talking, they'll all be mean to her. Started looking at what she said in interviews and, well, she reminds me of one of my sisters in this way, so it might just be projection. (And reading all my hedge words, probably me too.) But it just feels like she thinks if she says anything puffed up, she won't be America's Sweetheart anymore. So yes to insecurity, but maybe the self-doubt is more habitual strategy.

[QueenL]

I agree, Serendi. All ringers do this. I don't take it seriously. They all downplay and pretend they're not really good. It's not genuine self-doubt, IMO, though of course everyone feels some self-doubt when they're tackling something like this on national tv.

I just don't buy that it's some real issue that she has to overcome. She's playing a role, like they all do.

Edited by QueenL, Mar 8, 2013 @ 2:40 PM.

[oakgal]

She's far from a ringer, she's not Nicole. In her favour is her fitness level and innate grace. But skating, as it was done years ago, is not the same as now. It's a different beast.

[QueenL]

She admitted to taking ballet (though first started by saying that she didn't take dance classes...then she says that she took ballet...it was a typical move of denying at first, which they all do, and it's not necessary). I've watched her skating, and it's clear that she's had a lot of classic training. I don't see how Kristi Y. can be called a big ol' ringer, and Dorthy wouldn't be. Aly will certainly get the ringer tag.

It is arbitrary, because it amazed me how Evan seemed to dodge that tag so much, but for all intents and purposes, she's a ringer compared to most contestants. She is pretty much what has been the classic definition of a ringer on this show. Nicole isn't the only level of ringer. And I'd actually argue that there are others who have been on the show who have had just as much dance training & experience as Nicole has had, if not more, but people didn't really notice it because they weren't as good or as capable as her. That's a topic for another time, though. I think that the same probably applies to the difference between the way Kristi Y. and Evan were received.

Having said all of that, it's good to me that she's a ringer. She's one of the people I'm looking forward to, and I think that she's in the top 3 "gets" for females this year based on potential ability, and is definitely one of the best "gets", male or female, based on popularity, and what I think will go over well with this audience.

I am actually surprised by how high her name recognition is. Her time was before me, but she seems to be known by everyone. I think that she will undoubtedly last awhile, and could really be a contender.

Edited by QueenL, Mar 9, 2013 @ 9:59 AM.

[PBGamer89]

It is arbitrary, because it amazed me how Evan seemed to dodge that tag so much, but for all intents and purposes, she's a ringer compared to most contestants.

Evan dodged ringer talk because being on the season with Nicole and the also the fact that male ringers never get called out as such and the hate that ensues. People like Joey Fatone, Lance, Evan, Apolo never got the ringer hate but the women did.

I'm hoping Dorothy is able to dodge some of the ringer hate that will inevitably come after the first show.

[spanana]

I don't think Dorothy will get too much of the ringer backlash because that accusation could apply to several of the female dancers this season. If Dorothy is going to get that title, then it will also be applied to both Aly and Zendaya, for different reasons. Which is not to say they will all be perfect and amazing, but I tend to think the backlash is less when it's not one dancer singled out as being completely on a different plane than the rest of the competitors. I don't think that will happen this season.

Edited by spanana, Mar 9, 2013 @ 9:18 PM.

[legaleagle44]

People like Joey Fatone, Lance, Evan, Apolo never got the ringer hate but the women did.

Apolo wasn't anything close to a ringer, so the label never applied to him. Speed skating is as far removed from figure skating as basketball is from football. And yes, Joey, Lance, and Evan also got the "ringer" label and were frequently called out on it -- Joey and Lance by virtue of having been in boy bands that used minimal choreography for some of their routines, and Evan for the same reason that Kristi did, although both Evan and Kristi dispelled the idea that figure skating skills and technique translate well to ballroom (and especially Latin) dancing.

That said, Dorothy may get some backlash from being a so-called "ringer," but I think it will be minimal at best. First of all, she's 56, and that itself would be a mitigating factor. Second, as Jane Seymour proved, just because she's had some ballet training doesn't mean that she'll have an easy time of it, especially in Latin. Finally, so what if she's a ringer -- isn't that what Tristan's fans have been begging for him to get for three seasons now?

Edited by legaleagle44, Mar 9, 2013 @ 5:17 PM.

[LucyEwing]

Dorothy and Tristan on GMA this morning. Not surprising that her and Tristan seem to be getting along really well.

[katdlf]

She admitted to taking ballet (though first started by saying that she didn't take dance classes...then she says that she took ballet...

That doesn't mean she took ballet from a *dance* perspective. From her description--which I can't find now--it was more like why football players take ballet: To develop sports-specific skills. I'm guessing that Dorothy's ballet classes were beginner level, with the focus on barre work and isolated steps, and the benefits similar to ballet or pilates/yoga classes taught at fitness centers. That's different from Stacy Keibler and Melissa Rycroft taking ballet classes to learn how to *dance* ballet. They went beyond the basics to work on combinations and choreography.

I've watched her skating, and it's clear that she's had a lot of classic training.

I would argue that she had a lot of "body awareness" training. She competed in the era of compulsory figures, which required a high degree of body control. The type of ballet training she likely had probably developed transferable skills like posture, grace, balance, coordination, flexibility, and line (again, similar to fitness ballet/pilates/yoga "fusion" type classes). Obviously, those skills will help her in ballroom, too. In that sense, her ballet makes her a dance ringer. But in that sense, pilates-trained Brooke Burke was also a dance ringer.

FWIW, I suspect that Kellie has had some type of "body awareness" training, possibly related to her gymnastics. I wouldn't call her a dance ringer, however, but maybe a "body awareness" ringer. There must be a good term for stars with ballet/pilates/yoga fusion fitness backgrounds who are trained in dance transferable skills, maybe with the goal of achieving "a dancer's body", but who aren't really trained in dance.

I don't see how Kristi Y. can be called a big ol' ringer, and Dorthy wouldn't be.

I think there's a difference that may explain Dorothy's concerns...

Dorothy was considered an "athletic" skater in her time. For all her grace and elegance, she was never a choreography-driven skater. By contrast, Kristi *had* to concentrate on choreography. She competed after the safety net of compulsory figures were dropped. Unlike her most athletic competitors--Midori Ito and Tonya Harding--Kristi didn't have a triple axel, and she struggled with the triple salchow. But Ito and Harding were deficient in artistry, so that's where Kristi worked to gain an edge. She became the "artistic" skater who won the Olympics when Ito and Harding faltered.

It turned out that Kristi was naturally good at learning intricate choreography, transitions, and footwork. She further developed those skills by joining Stars on Ice back when they were pushing the artistic envelope. Choreographers and performers like Christopher Dean, Sandra Bezic, Kurt Browning, Paul Wylie, etc. were exploring and experimenting with the musical expression, character development, and dance-inspired movement possiblities of figure skating. And Kristi followed suit.

It is arbitrary, because it amazed me how Evan seemed to dodge that tag so much, but for all intents and purposes, she's a ringer compared to most contestants.

True, but anyone familiar with Evan's skating recognized that he wasn't a natural dancer, but instead was a dedicated student and competitor. He competed under an entirely different scoring system than Kristi. In response to the increasing over-emphasis on jumps, the system was changed to require intricate footwork, transitions, and choreography. Evan lacked musicality, but he worked the new scoring system, and it made the difference between gold and silver at the Olympics. (I find it interesting that Tristan mentioned rhythm as a challenge for skaters. Maybe he got that from Anna, based on her experience with Evan? And I just heard Mark say something similar about Aly, that perhaps was applicable to Season 8 Shawn as well?)

I do think Dorothy will benefit from her skating background, but I'm not expecting Kristi Yamaguchi type dance skills, nor assuming a natural ability to easily pick up complex choreography. Besides the age factor, she never explored choreography as "art" the way that Kristi did. (And Nicole and Mya and others maybe did.) She never even rehearsed choreographic intricacy the way that Evan was forced to. Hers was an era of elegant controlled skating. Part of Dorothy downplaying the benefit of her skating skills to Ballroom and Latin may be fear of disappointing fans that she's not Kristi.

She's one of the people I'm looking forward to, and I think that she's in the top 3 "gets" for females this year based on potential ability, and is definitely one of the best "gets", male or female, based on popularity, and what I think will go over well with this audience.

It's interesting that they didn't invite her until the Friday before the cast announcement?? Guess their original plans fell through, and they got lucky at the last minute.

---------------

Joey, Lance, and Evan also got the "ringer" label and were frequently called out on it

And Mario Lopez. But those guys didn't win in the end, and in retrospect, not winning might minimize any hard feelings against their participation.

Evan for the same reason that Kristi did, although both Evan and Kristi dispelled the idea that figure skating skills and technique translate well to ballroom (and especially Latin) dancing.

Good point, and Latin may be an even bigger challenge for Dorothy. This is just my impression, but her skating routines mostly fall into a very safe "elegance" mode. Even Nancy Kerrigan--one of the most dance challenged skaters ever imho--experimented more with different music and movement styles.

so what if she's a ringer -- isn't that what Tristan's fans have been begging for him to get for three seasons now?

Another good point, and perhaps another reason why guys like Joey, Lance, and Evan are less often called out as ringers. In retrospect, Kym, Lacey, and Anna didn't get many great dancers: These were probably their most capable partners. I think Evan dodged the ringer bullet somewhat because DWTS fans were happy that Anna got a break.

It's different from Mark winning with Shawn and Kristi, and now getting Aly. And it's different from Derek having won three times, and getting another partner who seems to be his "type". Dorothy might get a bit of a reprieve from being Tristan's first "ringer", especially because ringer or not, it's the third time that Tristan has the oldest celebrity in the field.

Total aside, but heck, even Jennifer Grey had three older competitors in her season, and both she and Kirstie Alley faced weaker fields than Dorothy's, imho. By that same token, Wynonna might have a harder time trying to repeat Marie and Kirstie type success, because it looks like a stronger field this year.

Edited by katdlf, Mar 15, 2013 @ 4:59 PM.

[IngoFanFirst]

Total aside, but heck, even Jennifer Grey had three older competitors in her season, and both she and Kirstie Alley faced weaker fields than Dorothy's, imho. By that same token, Wynonna might have a harder time trying to repeat Marie and Kirstie type success, because it looks like a stronger field this year.

THe country music crowd is very loyal, but I think Kellie and Wynona might end up splitting the vote.

[ByTheWay]

Video > (OTRC) DwtS S16 Week 1 Post-Performance Interview: Dorothy Hamill & Tristan MacManus

[Elsa]

Dorothy will be blogging every week for the Los Angeles Times about DWTS. Here's the first one:

http://www.latimes.c...0,6899345.story

[IngoFanFirst]

Dorothy talks in her blog about dance routines/skating routines not being the same, but watching her dance last week, if I didn't see her feet, I would have thought she was wearing skates.

That was a skating routine more than a dance.

[DanceinRain]

It was obvious to me from the crowd's spontaneous reaction alone that Dorothy comes in with a HUGE plus of love from the viewers. I was also pleased to see her name in the lineup and had really fond memories associated with her name. She's been a wonderful performer and a lady throughout.

However, I cringed a bit at the hint of either shyness (brought on by age?) or faux self-deprecation I sensed ever-so-slightly in her manner. If she takes that route, the fan love will drop quickly, I would guess.

And I don't think she's the shoo-in that Kristi was, because I don't sense the confidence that Kristi so quietly demonstrated. Dorothy seems more vulnerable and needy, at least at first.

Nevertheless, I have a great hope that Dorothy does well throughout and is in the finals. What a treat for us all if she performs any where near as well as she did on the ice. Have courage, Dorothy, we'd love for you to succeed as you have before.