About Me

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Recent retiree--35 year's experience teaching reading, English, adult basic education and volunteer leadership skills. Started this blog to exchange ideas and commentary with friends and others having an interest in joining the discussions. Greatest life accomplishments include: 1.organized my 3rd grade class to check out library books for me to get around librarian's weekly limit--Amazon.com, the Mullins Elementary 3rd Grade Class of 1956 is still waiting for "thank you" notes; 2. volunteered in the Peace Corps, island of St. Kitts, West Indies; 3.taught adults to read, earn their GEDs., and speak English as a second language; 4. bought a border collie puppy for $6, got evicted rather than give him up, and began a life-long love affair with all things "Dog"; 5. joined a physical fitness boot camp in my mid-50s--don't mess with someone who's been doing regulation pushups in wet grass at 5:30 a.m.; 6. walked across Northern England with best friend Sally--over 80 miles from the Irish to North Seas; and 7. travelled to many foreign countries for pleasure and work.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Last Dance

And then there were three--Kristi and Mark, Jason and Edyta, Christian and Cheryl. After Tuesday night's results show for Dancing with the Stars, these three couples will compete for the mirror ball trophy next Monday night. I,for one, will be sad to see the show come to an end for this season.

In past seasons I've been pretty passionate about the winning pick, but this year it really doesn't matter because all three Dancing stars finalists have acted like winners throughout the competition. Kristi has brought the drive and discipline of Olympic skating to the dance floor. She's taken chances with her partner Mark's lead and revealed a more sensuous and artistic side on the dance floor--who among us romantics could forget the Viennese lavender waltz? Jason is the big strong athlete who moves across the floor like grace on foot. Ever the gentleman with his partner Edyta and good sportsman with the other competitors. Ah, and then there's Christian--what's not to love about his wistful smile and sizzling Latin performance--and grit-- when he and Cheryl had to figure out how to dance with one arm after his tendon injury a couple of weeks ago. I just love how they've tackled this challenge as a couple and the obvious joy when they pull off something like a one-armed lift.

What is the on-going viewer attraction for Dancing with the Stars? First, it just makes me smile and a bit wistful to watch these couples--how gorgeous they are and how passionately they move across the dance floor. Week after week you watch a professional and an amateur bond and before too long the contenders start to emerge. Often this happens when the stars are able to get over themselves and take direction from their professional dance partners and the judges' critiques.

What can we learn from this weekly TV fix? First, it's a joy for every living thing to move--just ask any dog after a long walk or good shake. Secondly, there's always room in our life to be the student. And last, you're never too old to not look good in a frothy dress and a bit of spray tan!

5 comments:

Lane Mathias said...

I'm addicted to this show. It's called Strictly Come Dancing here and it's on every year from September until Christmas. I get totally engrossed and every year have an urge to learn to dance although I've never actually done it:-)
Aren't Len Goodman and Bruno judges on your show too? I love Len:-)

Love your last paragraph!

Enjoy the grande finale!:-)

Karen said...

I'm addicted to Strictly Come Dancing too, and feel quite down when it's finished! I'd love to be able to dance like that. It's lovely to look at and I'm always amazed that they manage to learn all the steps - sometimes to two or three dances a week!! I'm in awe :o) Hope the final's a good one!

Faye said...

Lane & Karen--just saw a Larry King Live special on CNN with Len and Bruno and the three finalist couples. Just as you'd imagine, Len was all about technique and Bruno goes for entertainment and audience connection.

Wish there was a way to see your Strictly Come Dancing. After Monday night it's going to be a long dry spell until next season. . .

laurie said...

all right, you have brought tears to my eyes for reasons you completely could not anticipate... that painting of the servants holding umbrellas over the dancing couple was a favorite of my sister's.

she bought it somewhere in california and framed it and it hung on her living room wall until she died.

sniff. sniff. you have brought back intense memories for me.

Faye said...

Ah Laurie, I remember some of your writings about your sister--the sister project, travels to be with her when she was so ill, visits with you at your home. Hopefully, this painting brought back good memories of her.

I wish i could find out who painted this--have searched and searched. I love it too.