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mel b and maks - appreciation thread


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Old 27-11-2007, 17:18
La Rhumba
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Your not in the minority - loads of people on the forums have said how she seems a lovely person - but shes not an exciting dancer to watch. I don't think her choreography is ever great either.
This series has show that, but till now you weren't allowed to say anything, as the Cutler lovers always tell you she needed a "good partner". Plus she's an ex-WC, so is automatically the "best dancer".

I think A&E have proven that you can be down in the rankings as far ar the WC is concerned, but still be excellent, skillful and entertaining dancers in your specialist field.
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Old 27-11-2007, 17:25
Elvia
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ooh Alesha is a great dancer her legs are to die for, but Mels dancing esp the Paso and V Waltz gave me goose pimples and I was won over.
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Old 27-11-2007, 17:45
mscaviy
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I think technically Mel is a much better dancer than Alesha. I would say a good example to compare is their respective Jives - except I'm not sure if Mel's Jive is still available on youtube if you haven't seen it.
I don't think Alesha's Cha Cha on Saturday was a 3x10 dance.
BTW doing the splits is not "acrobatics", it's a move used in Ballet and all forms of Dance.
Also I'm not Nicole Cutler's biggest fan, she's a lovely person, but her dancing, apart from her fast spins, doesn't always excite me, but I accept I'm in the minority there.
I'm not really arguing Mel v Alesha, I enjoy them both for different reasons, although I should point out that Mel is in the final whereas Alesha is only at the halfway point so of course Mel is better technically. I will take your point on their respective Jives though (clever of you to use Aleshas' weakest dance to help make your point).

I remember elsewhere you made the point that Barnes' salsa was better than Ramps' because he used proper salsa music. Is that your sole criteria for judging the quality of a dance?

The point I was really trying to make was that a good dance/dancer is about more than its component elements, there is a macro element to it as well. This for me is where Alesha scores well, I really enjoy her dances for their overall feel, she acts and performs them as well as anyone on SCD/DWTS whether dancing ballroom or latin.

I'm worried that this comes across as argumentative, it's not meant too, I suspect we judge dances using different criteria - vive la difference!!

On the 'splits is acrobatics' point. Well you just caught me out being facetious- damn you!!!

And I agree with you about Nicole, she's not my favourite either. She is however a pro and therefore almost by definition a better dancer than Mel, 'half-hearted splits' or not.
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Old 27-11-2007, 20:02
La Rhumba
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I remember elsewhere you made the point that Barnes' salsa was better than Ramps' because he used proper salsa music. Is that your sole criteria for judging the quality of a dance?
No, but in the Salsa the quality of his footwork and timing and overall feel, which was excellent.

You seem to have taken offence when this view has been expressed in the DWTS forum all week about Mel being better than Alesha technically. Mel has done more technically demanding footwork and choreography in many more of the routines, and SCD will be over in 4 weeks so it's not really halfway through, it's coming to the end.

But as you say we'll agree to disagree.

I'm afraid I've learnt that on forums it's very dicey to dare to criticise the forum darling and that is exactly what Alesha is this series. I just don't happen to find her dancing soooo amazing as everyone else that's all, and I am allowed to say that without making people apoplectic! It was evident this past weekend when she actually got a bit of criticism for once and all of a sudden Alesha fans were smarting. Others have been criticised far worse than that all series long, in a very personal manner, but they're in the majority, so that's acceptable. I hope any criticisms I make are related to the dancing.
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Old 27-11-2007, 23:46
mscaviy
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You seem to have taken offence when this view has been expressed in the DWTS forum all week about Mel being better than Alesha technically.

I'm afraid I've learnt that on forums it's very dicey to dare to criticise the forum darling and that is exactly what Alesha is this series. I just don't happen to find her dancing soooo amazing as everyone else that's all, and I am allowed to say that without making people apoplectic! It was evident this past weekend when she actually got a bit of criticism for once and all of a sudden Alesha fans were smarting. Others have been criticised far worse than that all series long, in a very personal manner, but they're in the majority, so that's acceptable. I hope any criticisms I make are related to the dancing.
I certainly haven't taken offence at anything you've said, I value constructive criticisms which yours certainly were, my intention was only to debate a couple of points I disagreed with. I certainly hope you don't feel I was being apoplectic, my apoplexy thresholds are way way higher than celebrity television shows. As for personal insults of the celebrities, that's something I don't like which is why I prefer the DWTS forum to the SCD one.

You make a fantastic contribution to this forum and whilst on occasion I may disagree with you, I always respect your opinion, for as you say, your critcisms are dance-related (something you obviously know a lot more about than I).

So, best to put this debate to bed, and I'll look forward to your future contributions. BTW, I really hope Mel wins tonight.
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Old 28-11-2007, 00:23
Vincy82
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I admire both girls equally. Alesha and Mel are both doing a great job with their dances. I'm going to miss them a lot when their respective show ends.
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Old 28-11-2007, 00:59
Lola192000
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^^

Me too

I didn't even realise that Maks had a bad back (even though it probably should've clicked when couldn't get up after the freestyle ), so even though it wasn't the best freestyle, to do all the stuff (lifts etc) he did while hurt & not make a big deal out of it is fab

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/tvguid...2_tvgif27.html

Lovely how Maks said it has been the best time of his life
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Old 28-11-2007, 09:41
Vincy82
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Congratulations Mel for reaching the final. I'm so sorry you and Maks didnt win. Thank you for great entertainment.

Thank you fellow forummers for your comraderie on DWTS forum.

Oooh, I forgot, and thank you to those of you who have been so kind in putting up the youtube links so that we in uk could see the beautiful dances.
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Old 28-11-2007, 11:29
irishmikee
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Such a shame M&M didn't win, they've given me more pleasure than any other couple has on either side of the Atlantic, they've surpassed Jill & Darren as my fav ever couple. I thought Mel would be good at the latin alright, but her ballroom was just stunning, that VW will live long in the memory, i could watch it a thousand times and still think wow, it has the goose pimple affect every time. Can't believe its over. Some nice words from the judges about mel:

Len Goodman, a professional ballroom judge, described her as the "most versatile dancer we've ever had on Dancing with the Stars".

He said: "You are an absolute revelation, your ballroom throughout the whole season... This mambo was incredible, fabulous."

Bruno Tonioli, a film, music, video and theatre choreographer, said: "What can I say, truly magnificent. You really have proven you're the complete dancer.

"But not only that. Your determination, your professionalism, and your good humour is a credit to you. You're a star."

And even the third judge, Carrie Ann, a choreographer and dance producer - who had said she was looking for more excitement from Mel B's Monday night performance - told her: "You danced like you were born to do this."
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Old 01-12-2007, 15:52
Sallyforth
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I thought Mel was great, technically the best and the most consistent performer over the whole competition.

In the final though I did feel the freestyle dance didn't show her off and Maks tended to be more noticeable during it. I was also surprised they didn't do their (original) paso again as their last dance.

However, maybe she would not have won anyway as Helio
and Julianne were also great and very popular.

But I think we Brits can be proud of her and I hope she is proud of the great job she did.
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Old 01-12-2007, 20:03
lhme65
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I think by the time they do the last dance on the final show, it's far too late to impact on the voting. There's only literally 10 minutes left until the result is announced and for part of that the voting must be closed so they can count them up.

I'm sure they didn't do a paso because they'd already danced that particular style three times. The first one on the main show and the encore and the second one in the semi-final. I think yet another viewing of one of their pasos may have been slight overkill with that particular dance.

Much as I loved their mambo, I'd have liked to see maybe their jive again, or the VW. But given the time constraints they were working with... I think doing a fun dance that they'd done a couple of weeks previously and so would easily remember the choreography made sense. And they did a fabulous job with it.

They really did deserve the win, but I've really come to love watching Mel and her fantastic personality over the run of the show regardless. Can't wait to see more of her with the Spice tour kicking off tomorrow...
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Old 01-12-2007, 20:18
irishmikee
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Yah mel and emma are going to be doing a small dance section on the spice girls tour in which they are doing a tango, i can't wait for that.
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Old 01-12-2007, 22:19
lhme65
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Ooh... fantastic. Where did you hear that?
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Old 02-12-2007, 07:45
Force Ten
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I think by the time they do the last dance on the final show, it's far too late to impact on the voting. There's only literally 10 minutes left until the result is announced and for part of that the voting must be closed so they can count them up.
The voting closed at 1.00pm our time on the Tuesday (I know because I was still trying to vote and couldn't!. I managed to get several votes in before 1.00pm though as I registered in several different names)

I think it was Helio & Julianne's Freestyle dance that clinched it for them. I so wish Mel & Maks hadn't gone for that hip hop style. It just didn't have that WOW factor even with those fantastic lifts. And it was annoying that M&M went first and H&J second as it was the second performance that would have stuck in people's minds when they were voting (IMHO).

I wonder if there will be a dvd of the Spice Girls tour. I'd love to see Mel and Emma (and partners - maybe Maks?) doing a tango. Take That did a tango on their tour last year and it was brilliant.
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Old 02-12-2007, 15:21
Lola192000
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Maks is going to the Spices concerts in Vegas & New York, so maybe they can do a rountine there?
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Old 02-12-2007, 19:50
Eternal Life
 
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Mel B was amazing
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Old 04-12-2007, 16:22
irishmikee
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Well Mel was stunning on the Spice Girls opening tour night.
The group did a tango section to Viva Forever and it looked wow, and mel brought a liitle of her DWTS experience to her solo section in the tour, she brought an audience member up on stage and had him tied up on some 'torture' type device as she danced and sang around him with a massive whip ( it was the same moves she did with the whip on DWTS) - im thinking that wasn't her first time either the cheeky minx
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Old 04-12-2007, 17:28
mscaviy
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Well Mel was stunning on the Spice Girls opening tour night.
The group did a tango section to Viva Forever and it looked wow, and mel brought a liitle of her DWTS experience to her solo section in the tour, she brought an audience member up on stage and had him tied up on some 'torture' type device as she danced and sang around him with a massive whip ( it was the same moves she did with the whip on DWTS) - im thinking that wasn't her first time either the cheeky minx
I had absolutely no inclination to go to a Spice Girls concert until I read this
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Old 04-12-2007, 17:51
Force Ten
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That's only because you want to be the one tied up on stage
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Old 04-12-2007, 20:29
mscaviy
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That's only because you want to be the one tied up on stage

What, have a big strong athletic girl in leathers with a whip, tying me down and................. I think I'm revealing far too much about myself here!
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Old 12-12-2007, 00:09
Lola192000
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Really lovely montage of M&M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VprtTLbntTM
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Old 12-12-2007, 14:43
Force Ten
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That's lovely, thank you Lola.
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Old 31-12-2007, 01:24
Lola192000
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New interview of Maks discussing how to keep fit. From about 1:10 he talks about how Mel became his best friend & that they talk/text everyday, and they will meet up in January when Maks comes to England with his students for a competition

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MAxsfKhmtWg
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Old 31-12-2007, 22:19
lhme65
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Such an adorable partnership. Mel is definitely my favourite contestant from all series of the different versions of the show I've seen. So much fun and some actual dance ability thrown in. Great stuff.
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Old 10-02-2008, 16:26
airneri
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Maks tries acting...link to his appearance on All My Children:

http://peoplefalltv.wordpress.com/20...ncing-on-soap/
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