Making it Up As I Go

I don’t know if anyone who reads this watches Dancing with the Stars, but if you have, you know that Ian Ziering and Sheryl Burke have been struggling with their performances. Sheryl, an incredible professional dancer on who (whom?) I have a total girl-crush, has won the previous 2 seasons of Dancing with the Stars, and the judges have criticized Ian each week for failing to “let go” in his dancing. What I’ve noticed, however, is that Sheryl hasn’t been 100% there each week either. As I said, I have a total girl-crush on Sheryl, I’ve been known to watch her performances multiple times, and this season it just hasn’t been as enjoyable to watch her. I don’t know if she and Ian just didn’t have chemistry, or if she was feeding off of his stress, or what, but it just hasn’t been the same.

This week confirmed it for me, when, after they finally got their first 10 of the season, everything changed. When they came out for their jive, they did 2 steps and I said, out loud, “She’s back!”. The joy, the freedom of movement, the gorgeous grace was all there, and it was fantastic. And what do you know, they got a perfect 30. Ian did look more comfortable this week, but he started out a pretty good dancer, and I don’t know that he’s improved all that much. I really think the difference was Sheryl. Her exuberance brought the whole thing together and made it magic, which means that the lack of that is at least partly to blame for what’s gone before. And as much as I absolutely love her, I have to say it, because no one else is.

But that said, I really really really hope they make it to the finals!

ETA: They didn’t make it. It’s probably as it should be, but I’m sad.