I was reading Ernie Schenck's Advertising column in the December issue of Communication Arts magazine, and was struck by how similar it was to Ieva Pauksena's column in the December issue of Dance Beat. Both writers talked about the differences in how men and women communicate, and how we lose so much when we ignore those differences.
Whether in advertising or dancing, effective communication requires us to understand and work within these realities.
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Fox television is launching another ballroom dance Pro/Am reality show called "Dance Dream." They're looking for 30 pros and over 100 students, with plans to air the program in 43 countries. What makes this a bit different from shows like Dancing with the Stars or Ballroom Bootcamp is that the students can be at any level -- they don't have to be raw beginners. This could make it more interesting for the audience. From the sounds of the casting call, they want to milk the emotional aspect as much as possible. I guess it makes for interesting television viewing. The name doesn't do anything for me, but you never know how these shows will turn out. Some are great and others are duds. Contact Carlos Gutierrez at 781-706-0159 or by E-mail at carlos.m.gutierrez.jr@gmail.com if you're interested.
Speaking of dance shows, I've been less than impressed with Nigel Lythgoe's new show "Superstars of Dance." I haven't found the quality of dancing to be all that spectacular, and the political tension is thick enough that you can cut it with a knife. Yes, these are all talented dancers, and some are truly spectacular, but many of them don't measure up to what we see on So You Think You Can Dance. It's nice to see the international flavor, but too much of it doesn't feel like real dancing to me.
There's no doubt that the number of ballroom dance shows have created more interest in this athletic activity. A report published yesterday in the UK indicated that dance-related holidays are on the rise due to the popularity of the show Strictly Come Dancing, which is the original inspiration of Dancing with the Stars, and more popular than ever after many years on the air.
I hope that means hotels and cruise ships will actually start thinking about putting in dance floors large enough to do a Weave or Turning Lock to the Right without running out of room.
