Mark and Katherine ready to waltz down memory lane
Dancing With the Stars pro Mark Ballas is paired this season with Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins. His backstage report leading up to tonight’s performance, with the theme “The Most Memorable Year of My Life” (ABC, 8 ET/PT):
The “most memorable year” week always promises to be an emotional roller coaster, followed by heartfelt, “real,” moving dance performances.
Katherine’s story is definitely one I think everyone can relate to, and the piece of music she has chosen is stunning.
I think this will be an emotional week for many of the celebs.
Rehearsal went really well this week. One thing that was difficult was that we didn’t get Studio No. 1 at our training facility very much. That is the one requires a lot of control and impeccable timing. Most would think that because it’s slow it would be one of the easier dances, but that is the reason it’s more difficult. Unlike the jive or other uptempo dances, you can’t hide any wobble or stutters in the waltz. Because it is so slow, you can see every little detail, and if you are off balance or out of time, you will be exposed by the slow tempo of the music. So foot control is extremely important.
I haven’t really been able to see any of the other couples in rehearsal this week. I think everyone has been stepping up their training and putting in the hours, so we have all been locked in our rehearsal rooms “doin’ work,” but I’m sure again the standard of dancing will be incredible, just like the first two weeks.
I’m feeling good about Katherine’s progress. It would be nice to maintain our scores, but I am not making that my priority.
For me, the sole focus is for Katherine to come off the floor feeling like she couldn’t have done it better, and as long as all of you enjoy it, that’s all that counts.
Keep in touch with me on Twitter (@markballas) during the show. Love love ... studio that is a 100% replica of the set you see on TV, and it’s always the room all couples hope for and fight over. We had it only twice this week, and being that a waltz is a dance that requires you to really cover the floor and move, the space is imperative.
But all in all, we made it work. I’m really looking
forward to this dance. It’s a different tempo for us, and I’m hoping the judges and you all will enjoy our interpretation.
The hardest thing about the waltz is how slow it actually is. It