walk hand in hand

[pensnest]

Full of grace.

Well. If I'd thought of it, I could have saved yesterday's for today! Never mind. I am sticking with the theme of dancing, and I'm going to talk about my Adored One, Lance Bass, who thought that as the worst dancer in NSYNC, he couldn't dance.

It's a bit like being the stupidest person in the room when the room is a MENSA meeting, really.

Anyway, several years back, Lance appeared on Dancing with the Stars. Unlike Joey's majestically inevitable progress to the final, Lance's time on the show was a bit like watching a runaway train and praying that it wasn't going to fly off the tracks. It didn't help that his pro partner, Lacey Schwimmer, was a newcomer to the show—she was a good choreographer, but didn't necessarily understand what was required of her.

Well. Which week was the Rumba? Week Seven, apparently—I didn't remember but it said on the intro. I do remember my intense indignation at Len's judging, because, you see, I think he'd been judging semi-competent dance routines for so long that he'd forgotten to watch the dancing. And it was certainly rumoured that he didn't like Lacey. He was completely preoccupied with the bare feet, and failed to see that this was actual Dancing - dancing with an emotional content that went beyond what they usually attempt on that show. (Frankly, the rumba is usually boring.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_7YFXUwBkc

I thought Lance was graceful and expressive in a way I'd frankly never thought I would see!His arms were lovely. Honestly, this dance was beautiful. It was 'real dance' in a way that these performances very, very seldom are—I dare say it was not technical perfection, but it touched my heart.

The partnership did other dances which were more fun—see the Mambo, the group Cha Cha (omg Lance was born to cha cha cha, who would have guessed?), and in particular the Jitterbug where he lost a shoe and didn't miss a step.

I was not at all surprised to see that Lance was actually rather a good dancer. I was not at all surprised that when he slipped and fell, he got back up and right into the dance. It, or something like it, must have happened many, many times when NSYNC were on stage. And besides, he's a musician and understands the beat of a song, so making a misstep did not throw him. (I think that in the same week as that magnificent Mambo, the woman strongly favoured by the judges - dammit, name? - did her worst dance, because she went wrong early on, and her partner could not get her back on track, because she didn't (in my opinion) really connect the music and the dance steps. It's a bit late to care, but I was most indignant at the time that Lance's musicality was not given enough credit.)

Comments

[bethctg]

I watched his rumba before continuing on to read the rest of your post, and I noticed his arms too! He *was* lovely!

My favorite in BTS is the one who "can't dance", and I think it's such a weird take. These people dance better than 90% of the public. I wish they wouldn't judge themselves so harshly, though I understand how they might. :(

[pensnest]

It's silly, isn't it - in any group of dancers *someone* is going to be 5th, or 7th, or 12th on the list because, well, that's life. And it has to be intimidating, being in a group with Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez, because, yes (I have seen only pics of BTS but I'm sure there are equivalents). Being not such a good dancer as J Timberlake... is, like, normality? And no doubt DWTS emphasized the bits where Lance was apparently insecure about his dancing, because Reality TV.

I wanted a Craig Revel Horwood on the judging panel for DWTS, I really did.

[bethctg]

Being not such a good dancer as J Timberlake... is, like, normality?
EXACTLY.

I do not know who CRH is, but if he is reasonable and likes good dancing, then, yes. Him.

[pensnest]

CRH is/was (it's been a long time since I watched) the 'Mean Judge' on Strictly Come Dancing, which is the UK version of DWTS. He doesn't get ludicrously excited like Bruno, and on the UK show, Len is basically a teddybear. (Hmm, Len may have retired.) Craig tells the truth.

[sperrywink]

LANCE!! He was precious on DwtS.

[pensnest]

He was! But wasn't it nerve-racking! I don't think it ever occurred to me that Joey would be voted off, because he was charming and the judges loved him, but Lance definitely got the sharp end of that particular stick! I used to look for the footage with my fingers crossed!

[sperrywink]

I always watched after I knew the results, so no shocks for me. *g*

[pensnest]

That's a lot easier on the system!

[kat_lair]

Ooooh interesting. I watch the UK version of the show but have only seen clips of the US one on occasion. The mambo was hardly the worst I've seen! Thank you for posting and all the video links!

[pensnest]

I think the US version is far more about showmanship than the UK one, which is actually quite a lot about dancing. Not that I have watched either for ages, to be fair.

[frausorge]

omg the shoe! Not just getting past the moment of it falling off, but to continue keeping his balance on one shoe and one sock, without letting his socked foot slip on the dance floor - that speaks of real skill to me.

[pensnest]

I know! I was horrified the first time I saw it, imagining how it would feel to do a fast dance in socks! He just did it. I read somewhere that Lacey saw it and thought, Good, it'll make him really concentrate... heh.

[watervole]

I'm not surprised. Singers and musicians usually settle in much better (initially) than athletes and others.

That pure musicality is second nature to them and they have an instinctive sense of timing. He clearly has it.

[pensnest]

Absolutely. Mind you, I have known a surprising number of people who sing and cannot, for example, beat time, which astonishes me. But a decent singer or musician makes that link between movement and music.

[turps]

It's a bit like being the stupidest person in the room when the room is a MENSA meeting, really.

That's a fantastic line and so true.

I enjoyed revisiting all of those dances.

[pensnest]

It has been a long time since I watched them, but they're still fun.

[turlough]

I'd completely forgotten how wonderfully graceful Lance was in that dance. Rumba really suits his style! (Yes, he's wonderful in the cha cha cha too but not nearly as lovely to watch :-)

[pensnest]

As I recall, the rumba was the one dance Joey didn't do very well in - and he did a not-a-narrative kind of dance. This one really worked for Lance. Curse you, Len!

[wenchpixie]

And Len usually overmarks male rumbas "because it's hard for a man" (and I 100% agree, usually so dull)

[pensnest]

Hah. Yeah, it's a lovely dance to *do*, but generally not very entertaining to watch.