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Jean Lenihan: dance and other movements

A for Effort

March 23, 2012 by Jean Lenihan

 So I am watching “Dancing with the Stars” now. It’s the single reality show in my roster at this point. And though I felt no frisson when the list of Season 11 competitors was announced, I was pleasantly surprised by the pleasure I took in the first show.

While my allegiance goes to Gladys Knight, who was rightly praised for the way she “oozes” dance, it was actually the performance by Jack Wagner ( the least polished of all the men on the show) with Anna Trebunskaya who moved me the most. His hopeful, attentive comportment felt so pure and human, and there was palpable joy between the partners.  He couldn’t grind or snake about or hit his marks like the others, yet he seemed most transformed by the act and art of dancing.

Catch him soon — he’ll be trampled quickly by the more overtly charismatic figures.

Filed Under: ballroom, contemporary dance, television Tagged With: Dancing with the Stars, Gladys Knight, Jack Wagner

About Jean Lenihan

Formerly the staff dance critic for the Seattle Times, Jean Lenihan now lives in Los Angeles where she's written for the … [Read More...]

About Fresh Pencil

This blog began as an aggregation of published freelance pieces on a wide range of dance-makers and touring troupes, from Miss Prissy to ABT premieres to  Benjamin Millepied to Ryan Heffington. Nowadays I often review and write straight into this blog.

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