25 Days of Christmas Songs: Go Tell It On The Mountain

Merry Christmas!  

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord." Luke 2:11

Go tell the good news on the mountain...over the hills and every where!

I hope you are able to spend this day with the ones you love.  

If you don't know the band Seabird, you should get to know them.  I love their music.  I was originally going to post "Joy To The World" but on second thought Seabird's version didn't feel exciting enough for me.  I love their version of "Joy To The World," but it's more reflective and less triumphant than the original hymn.  Still a great song so check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAbf_r8DMkg

Seabird's version of "Go Tell It On The Mountain" is not your traditional hymn either, but you have to change things up once in awhile.  And these guys do it right!  So gather your family and friends, get your groove on, and "Go Tell It On The Mountain...that Jesus Christ is born!"

25 Days of Christmas Songs: Silent Night

Christmas Eve.  A holy night. All is calm.  A baby like no other is about to enter our world.

The poem “Silent Night” was put to music after the church organ broke right before Christmas.  It’s believed that it was originally performed with a few voices and a lone guitar. 

Last year a friend introduced me to Chris Botti, a trumpet player.  I happened to see his Christmas CD on clearance after Christmas last year.  I bought it and put it on the shelf.  This year I finally opened it and took a listen.  I immediately fell in love.  In this version of “Silent Night” Chris captures the wonder and tenderness of this holy night.

Silent Night – Chris Botti

25 Days of Christmas Songs: O Holy Night

This is another one of my most favorite Christmas songs!  I love singing this song on Christmas Eve.  No other song captures the miracle of the night.

"O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;

It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!

Long lay the world in sin and error pining,

Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.

A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!

O night divine, O night when Christ was born!

O night, O holy night, O night divine!

O Holy Night - 98 Degrees

25 Days of Christmas Songs: Noel

Growing up I would often listen to my parents CDs and dance around the family room.  One of the artists they listened to was Jim Brickman.  He’s an artist who knows how to tug at your heart strings.  From intimate arrangements to love songs, I grew to love his piano arrangements and enjoy listening to him at Christmas.

Noel – Jim Brickman

25 Days of Christmas Songs: Carol Of The Bells

I was searching YouTube for my favorite arrangement of this song.  It's amazing how many versions of a song called "Carol of the Bells" don't feature any bells!  And of course I chose a version without bells!  But this version from Home Alone brings back memories.  This movie came out when I was 10 years old.  It was the ultimate childhood adventure.  And you have to admit that the cover which appears to be the Hungarian version is pretty spectacular!  Could it get any busier?  Is this a cartoon??  What's even more fun is that my dad loves this movie.  It's hard to say if he really, really loves the movie or likes that Macaulay Culkin's relative lived a few steps away from us in Fargo.  Probably a bit of both. :)


Carol Of The Bells - John Williams

25 Days of Christmas Songs: Don't Save It All For Christmas Day

If you're looking for a Christmas song that you can belt out with abandon, this is it!  If you happen to be driving around Nashville, you may catch me making a fool of myself in my car singing at the top of my lungs..."Don't save it all for Christmas Day!"

Don't Save It All For Christmas Day - Celine Dion

25 Days of Christmas Songs: Winter Snow

Another song about snow?  Well kind of.  This song from Audrey Assad is truly beautiful.  Check it out!  I’m positive it will be one of your favorites too.

Winter Snow – Audrey Assad

25 Days of Christmas: Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

Anyone who knows me knows I love winter!  Everyone thinks I’m crazy…especially those I meet in Nashville.  I love a fresh snow fall!  In fact we even got a couple inches here in Nashville last weekend!  Both Lola & I were giddy.  We spend lots of time frolicking through the freshly fallen snow. 

This version comes from one of my favorite groups growing up, Tonic Sol Fa, an a cappella group from Minnesota. 

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow – Tonic Sol Fa

25 Days of Christmas Songs: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

This is the other song I sing to myself year round (I blogged about the first one yesterday).  I love the smooth melody and the heartwarming lyrics.  Judy Garland sing “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” gives me chills.  No matter what your life circumstances, I hope you have yourself a merry little Christmas. 

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – Judy Garland

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g4lY8Y3eoo

25 Days of Christmas Songs: Silver Bells

Lady A has been my favorite artist this year.  I love just about everything they do, so when I saw their Christmas EP at Target it was in my hands and in my car stereo within minutes (after I paid for it of course).

This song gets stuck in my head all year long.  I often find myself singing it as I get ready in the mornings…even in May!  Aside from the melody that won’t get out of my head, I love the lyrics.

“City sidewalks / Busy sidewalks / Dressed in Holiday Style / In the air there’s a feeling of Christmas”

I love this feeling and all the decorations around town and in the neighborhoods.  Soon it will be Christmas day…in 9 days to be exact.

Silver Bells – Lady Antebellum

25 Days of Christmas Songs: Sleep Well

I love this lullaby of Elizabeth’s to her son John.  It’s such a sweet song about the coming of the Messiah and John (the Baptist) preparing the way for him.

It’s ok little one. ..he’s come tonight little one…Sleep well, come what may, for God has come, and you must prepare the way.

Sleep Well – Shelley Jennings (from Todd Agnew’s Christmas CD)

25 Days of Christmas Songs: Precious Promise

Today’s song brings tears to my eyes.  I think it truly captures the feelings of that first Christmas night.  Scared.  Unsure.  Anticipation.  Excitement.  The precious promise…a miracle…lying in a manger in Bethlehem.

Precious Promise – Steven Curtis Chapman

25 Days of Christmas Songs: Where Are You Christmas

“Where are you Christmas?  Do you remember the girl you used to know?…Did Christmas change or just me?”  Such a profound thought.  I’m sure we’ve all felt this way a time or two.  The magic of being a child at Christmas slowly fades away with each passing year.  But that magic still shows itself in many ways.

From the goodness in people’s hearts, to the surprise on children’s faces, I treasure the magic of Christmas.  Of course, in the end, the season celebrates the birth of a Holy child.  And this child causes us to be better people, especially at Christmas.

Where Are You Christmas – From The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

The Cindy Lou version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc7XixGmQt8

25 Days of Christmas Songs: It's Christmas Time

If today’s song doesn’t get you dancing…you’re too old.  Or dead.  Enough said.

Jingle Jingle All The Way

DJ let that record play!

It’s Christmas Time – KJ-52

25 Days of Christmas Songs: What Child Is This

This next artist is very special to me.  I met Peder Eide (yes that’s Peder with a ‘d’) at a youth gathering back in 1997 and our cool youth director actually knew him!  Which is way cool to a high school student!!  Peder wrote and performed songs that spoke to me and had and amazing energy on stage…and he still does.  A few years later we started inviting him to our church for concerts and eventually it turned into an annual Christmas event. 

In addition to loving Peder’s music, when he came to our church, I helped run his merch table.  I was able to tell people about my favorite songs and occasionally heard some great stories from other fans.  This was the start of my career in the music biz.

Peder has many great Christmas songs…in fact 3 CDs worth!  I chose “What Child Is This” for a couple reasons:

1. It’s a great Christmas hymn and deserves to be on the list.
2. It’s the only Christmas song I could find of Peder’s on YouTube…and I didn’t have time to create my own song slide. :)

If you’re in the Fargo, ND area, be sure to check him out December 15 @ 7pm at Olivet Lutheran Church.

What Child Is This – Peder Eide

25 Days of Christmas: I'll Be Home For Christmas

I am so thankful to have the past 29 Christmases with my family and I hope that I will spend the next 29 with them as well.  There are so many circumstances that separate families at Christmas, including our warriors who are fighting for our freedom overseas.  This song from the classic voice of Frank Sinatra goes out to all our military & their families who are separated this holiday season.  And to everyone else who finds themselves miles away from their family.  We’ll have snow & mistletoe…if only in our dreams.

I’ll Be Home For Christmas – Frank Sinatra

25 Days of Christmas Songs: Never Knew The Meaning Of Christmas

What is Christmas without a cheesy love song?  There are so many options from the boy bands I loved.  My favorite Christmas love song this year comes from NSYNC.  I was in love with these boys!  Their dreamy harmonies are the perfect soundtrack to the season.  Don’t worry, I’m over my infatuation. :)

Never Knew The Meaning of Christmas – NSYNC

25 Days of Christmas Songs: White Christmas

Growing up in ND, I took white Christmases for granted.  It was rare not to have snow in December.  In fact I remember many years where I went trick or treating on Halloween in the snow.  Christmas and winter belong together.  Plus, there are so many great Christmas songs that include snow.  Here in TN snow is not very common and if we do get snow, it’s usually gone in a couple hours.  On Sunday & Monday we saw a few flurries, but no accumulation.  It was enough for Nashvillians to empty the grocery store shelves of bread and milk.  Here's wishing for a white Christmas.

White Christmas – Bing Crosby

Alternate version with lots of beautiful winter pictures.

25 Days of Christmas Songs: Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song)

Day 7
When I was a young girl, one of the few cassette tapes I owned was A Christmas Album from Amy Grant. Who could have predicted that 20 some years later our career paths would cross and I would be celebrating the Christmas season in Tennessee ("Tennessee Christmas" was one of her big songs from A Christmas Album).

With so many great Christmas songs from Amy, it was hard to choose one. At the center of the Christmas story is a young Mary. I cannot fathom being in Mary’s place. Amy’s song “Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song)” gives us a glimpse into what she must have felt. Here is “Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song)” set to footage from the film The Nativity. Very powerful.

Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song) – Amy Grant

25 Days of Christmas Songs: One Small Child / We Three Kings

Day 6

In junior high I fell in love with a cappella and harmonizing.  The first a cappella group I fell in love with was The Blenders.  I have many fond memories of their concerts with my 2 best friends.  There are so many crazy stories from those days; however none of them will be disclosed on the world wide web.  ;) These guys were like rock stars to us (well almost like rock stars).  After they decided to add instruments, but keep the harmonizing, they had a #1 hit in Norway with “I’m In Love with The McDonald’s Girl”!  Only Norway could love that song. :)  Their Christmas show has become a Fargo tradition.

In trying to decide my favorite Christmas song from The Blenders, I stumbled across the video for “One Small Child / We Three Kings.”  All the memories came rushing back!  This video captures the essence of the night…harmony and cheesy dance moves!  I hope you enjoy it!

One Small Child / We Three Kings – The Blenders

25 Days of Christmas Songs: Melodies of Christmas

Day 5

My friend Katie got me hooked on David Archuleta’s Christmas album.  If I were to write my own song about the Christmas season, this would be it.

Melodies of Christmas – David Archuleta

25 Days of Christmas Songs: O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Day 4

As a recovering violinist, I’m a sucker for strings.  My violin which is full of character (also known as scratches and nicks) now graces my wall as art.  This instrumental version of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” from Casting Crowns is beautiful.  But be prepared to pick your jaw off the floor around 2:39.  I may be excellent at the art of “air-bow” (aka faking it), but not even I could fake that…let alone play it!

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel – Casting Crowns

25 Days of Christmas Songs: Lux Aurumque

Day 3
Growing up my parents made me dress up the first weekend of every December to attend The Concordia Christmas concert. While I didn’t like the dress up part, I’m glad they made me go every year. The tradition holds many fond memories. From the whoosh of the choir robes down the aisles, to being surrounded by fabulous voices, to the amazing music to usher in the Christmas season.

This Christmas memory was part of why I attended Concordia College. And while I wasn’t able to participate in the choirs, they hold a special place in my heart. Here is the most elite choir, The Concordia Choir, conducted by the fabulous Rene Clausen from the 2005 Christmas concert. Caution: You may need to hit replay several times…it’s just that beautiful!

Lux Aurumque – The Concordia Choir

25 Days of Christmas Songs: Christmastime

Day 2

I have always loved the orchestrations of Michael W. Smith’s Christmas music.  It brightens my day and makes me want to sing along.  Today’s song is accompanied by a Christmas light spectacle.

Christmastime – Michael W. Smith

25 Days of Christmas Songs: Christmas Time Is Here

Day 1
I love Christmas music!  Nothing brings me more joy during the holiday season then a great Christmas song.  A great Christmas song can bring joy to the season, bring peace to your heart, and remind us of the true reason for the season.

For the next 25 days I’m going to share some of my favorite Christmas songs from some of my favorite artists.  From traditional, to contemporary, to even a bit of rock/rap. 

So let’s kick this Christmas off right with a classic.

Christmas Time Is Here from A Charlie Brown Christmas – Vince Guaraldi

How can you not love A Charlie Brown Christmas?  The Peanuts gang, a meaningful story, and great music.  It’s a must watch every Christmas!  

Hide & Seek

Ahh...the classic children's game of hide and seek.  I'm going to close my eyes and count to 100 while you go hide.


1...


2...


3...


4...


99...


100!


I see you!  You didn't hide fast enough.  Me cheat?  Of course not!  I didn't skip any numbers!


I haven't played hide and seek for years, but Lola has created her own version.  Now most dogs like to bury, hide and guard their bones from dogs and humans alike, but Lola goes a step further.  She "hides" her bone and then comes back to you and wants you to come find it.  If you're not looking for it, she'll growl at you until you get off the couch and come find it with her.  Now if you were watching where she was, it's pretty easy to find, but if you weren't paying attention, she may lead you around the apartment for awhile!

The Hiding

The Hiding Spots

The Guarding

After a few rounds of hide & seek, it's finally time to enjoy the bone!

Crazy Busy

Well I now know I suck at blogging...even if I try to blog about something like SYTYCD!  I was glad Lauren & Kent made it into the top 2.  I loved watching them!

Part of my blogging delinquency is due to the business of the past few months.  I feel like I missed summer!  I was tackling the jobs of 2-3 people at work, my sister A moved into the dorms at MTSU, and there hasn't been much time to relax.  I'm excited that the weather is finally turning cooler and the leaves are changing.  I'm looking forward to enjoying the season with football, sweaters, and apple pies.

So You Think You Can Dance - Top 9!

I'm finally back after a two week hiatus for my sister's high school graduation immediately followed by the family coming to town.  It was a crazy couple of weeks and I'm glad to be getting back to my routine.  I'm all caught up on SYTYCD and ready for the top 9!

I'm enjoying watching the contestants with the all stars this season.  1. It gives me a chance to compare the contestant to someone who knows the style and 2. there are less contestants to get to know.

Here are my thoughts, feelings, interpretations of Wednesday's performances...as they happen.

Adechicke & Lauren - I like hip hop.  It's fun and energetic.

Ashley & Ade - A new contemporary choreographer, Dee Caspary...I wonder what he's going to bring?  It's almost like Ashley's flying.  I love the movement, but overall I'm not crazy about the work as a whole.

Robert & Courtney - What's the difference between Jazz & Contemporary?  This layman can't tell, other than knowing a Sonya Tayeh jazz routine will be quirky.  Quirky delivered.

Melinda & Pasha - The fiery Salsa!  Next to Pasha, Melinda looks loose and not as tight, plus Pasha is much more sexy!

Lauren & Neil - Broadway...don't have anything to say about this one.

Billy & Kathrine - Contemporary - This should be amazing!  I was wrong...it was BRILLIANT!  A great dance piece starts with an emotive song.

Jose & Anya - A breaker doing the Samba...this should be interesting.  It's not really feeling like ballroom to me.  Just two kids dancing around their bedroom.  Jose's charisma takes over and wins us all over anyway.

Kent & Allison - Can Kent become a man for a Jazz piece?  He's quirky, funny...and a boy.  Kent, I don't think you'll ever bee a sexy dancer...I'm seeing a high school boy's fantasy. :)  Great feedback from the judges for Kent...ditch the "hungry jazz face."

Alex & Twitch - The ballet dancer steps away from the barre... and get's down.  He nailed it!  Get out of your mind!  Alex is a hot one this season...he had an outstanding contemporary routine a couple weeks ago and now this amazing NappyTabs Hip Hop routine.

On to results night.  I loved the grandiose group routine.  It reminded me a bit of a ballet number...minus the toes.  Powerful.

The disadvantage of starting with 11 instead of 20 dancers is that they're all good, but yet 3 still have to be in the bottom 3.  I have my bottom 2, but I'm not sure who I want to join them.

This weeks bottom 3: Billy, Robert & Melinda.  Billy you're brilliant, but your performance has been lacking.  I hope you dance for your life and get to stay!  Robert & Melinda...your good, but it's time for one of you to go home.

All star flash backs each Thursday...love it.  Courtney & Mark...performing again!  Extra love it!  The Garden...this was not one of my favorite pieces when I first saw it, but I enjoy it now that I've gotten to experience more of Sonya Tayeh's work over the past few years.

Now for the elimination.
The girls are dropping like flies this season!  Melinda leaves us tonight...6 guys and 2 girls left.

I'll be back next week for more disjointed comments about the show. :)

Graduation

The Day Has Finally Come!


I have been pondering how old I would feel on this day for almost 18 years!  Today is the day my baby sister graduates from high school.  And me…well I’m edging closer to 30 every day! 

This was us almost 18 years ago.

Check out those glasses!  They’re almost as big as my face.  Why were those ever in style!  We were excited to be big sisters.

Look at me…a walking, breathing fashion crime!  Huge glasses – oversized, too long shirt (you can barely tell I have shorts on) – socks with sandals – Lord why didn’t anyone try to stop me!  They probably did and I would have none of it.

Gradually, we all grew up into young women.

And today we celebrate another milestone together, our final high school graduation. 

Angelina – I am so proud of you!  Your future is bright and I look forward to celebrating many more milestones with you!

A tribute to Angelina’s journey...so far:

So You Think You Can Dance - Let the Season Begin

Here we go!!

Thursday night was our first peak at the top 11.  They opened with a great quirky number from Rob & Amanda Robson featuring the All Stars and the top 11.  Up next were dances in their style (or close to their style).

Lauren & Kent - Love them both! - w/ Mark & Kathryn
Jazz - Travis Wall
Kent is rocking the guyliner.  Loved the dance!  I loved the use of the umbrellas and it was hard to tell who were the all stars and who were the newbies.

Alexie & Melinda - w/ Allison & Lauren
Broadway - Tyce DiOrio
Persistence pays off for Alexie after auditioning for 4 years.  She's a cutie.
This dance was just OK for me.  I felt like I could see the difference between the newbies and the all stars.

Jose - w/ Twitch, Comfort, & Dominic
Hip Hop - Tabitha & Napoleon
This should be good!  Fantastic work from Nappytabs!  Fantastic work from Jose, Twitch, Comfort & Dominic!  Watch out for Jose!  Looking forward to seeing him do other styles.

Christina w/ Anya & Pasha
Latin - Jason Gilkison
My eye kept going to Anya...and of course Pasha.  Christina didn't hit the moves as hard as Anya in my eye.

Alex & Billy w/ Ade
Contemporary - Mia Michaels
Yay!  Mia's choreographing!  I was hoping she would!  Who knew playing with a fire truck could be beautiful?  Another BRILLIANT piece from Mia Michaels!

Adechike, Ashley & Robert w/ Neil & Courtney
Jazz - Sonya Tayeh
I don't always like Sonya's choreography...sometimes it's just to weird for me.  But I loved this piece!

Next week the competition begins!  I am ready!

So You Think You Can Dance: Las Vegas Call Backs Continued

I know, I know.  I'm behind.  But let's catch up.

Before the Broadway round started, we learned that one of the early favorites has decided to drop out.  After struggling in the first few Las Vegas rounds and getting tough critiques, Ida has decided to accept a college scholarship offer instead.

After a quick Broadway round, we head into the group dances.  The contestants are given a piece of music and are required to choreograph it as a group.

First up, team "white shirts."  I was not a fan, but the judges loved it and they all moved on.

Next, the "two many ideas" team - throw in 6 different personalities and dance styles and your bound for some arguments.  I was mildly entertained by the dance, but the judges disliked it.  However, the judges kept all 6.  Now I'm confused.

Team "judges favorites" - they delivered a mediocre performance and thanks to their previous strengths, the judges saved them...just barely.

Contemporary:
Is that Travis choreographing?  Love him!

Mary's first tears for the season came for Giselle, the Latin ballroom dancer who was just not strong enough in the other styles.

Kent from Wapakoneta is up.  With two contemporary judges' favorites, Kent really has to stand out...and for the right reasons.  It's a big YES!  Love him!  Not many people can turn Lil' C into a puddle of tears.

After the contemporary round, only 24 are left...it's time for their final solos.

Lauren Froderman - an early favorite delights again and receives a standing O from 4 of the 6 judges.

In a new twist, the judges visit the top 24 at home to let them know if they've made it into the top 10.  A few who didn't make it received a phone call instead.

First in: Christina, a salsa dancer.  And now she won't be able to practice with her partner Pepe.
First out: Adrian, a contemporary dancer...he was a great dancer, but at the end of the day, there were too many contemporary dancers.

Second in: Lauren Froderman, a contemporary dancer - after a call from Nigel saying he's outside, he gave her the good news.

Also Out: Anthony, a contemporary dancer who battled injury throughout Vegas week.

Third in: Ashley, a contemporary dancer...I'm sensing a theme.  Note to future contestants: If you're a contemporary dancer, the odds are stacked against you.

Forth in: Jose, the only untrained dancer left in the competition.

Fifth in: Melinda, a tap dancer.  While she has some growing to do in the other styles, there is something different about her (according to the judges).

Sixth in: Alex, a ballet dancer, who sacrificed his position in the Miami Ballet to tryout on SYTYCD.

Seventh in: Adechike, a contemporary dancer

Eighth in: Alexie - after trying out 2 years in a row, a great Vegas week, and just missing out on the top 20 last year, Alexie final gets her chance.

Nigel found himself lost in Ohio while trying to find Kent in Wapakoneta...a town he can't even pronounce.  Poor Kent...what's taking Nigel so long!  Oh yeah...a run in with the cops, for speeding.  After a final run in with a train horn and a bathroom break, Kent finally gets his news.  He's IN!  Complete with confetti poppers from the family!

We're down to two for the final spot: new comer Robert, and fan favorite Billy Blanks who made the top 20 last year, but had to withdraw before the competition started due to an illness.

Drum roll please..................The final contestant: Robert

The second final contestant??: BILLY!  I'm looking forward to watching him this season!

I think they've assembled a great top 10 and I'm excited to see them dance withe the All Stars from previous seasons!

So You Think You Can Dance - Dallas, Nashville & Vegas Call Backs

Tonight we're off to Dallas. Tyce DiOrio is judging tonight...love him!  Ida Saki opened the night with a show of strength and agility as she danced to the theme from Schindler's List.  I'm a sucker for moving orchestra pieces...add some great dancing and I'm a wreck.


Haylee Durbin lost her father to cancer.  Haylee takes her strength from her father.  Before he passed, they set 3 goals together for her: graduate, get into UT, and try out for SYTYCD!  She danced to a Shawn McDonald song.  It felt a little all over the place to me.  The judges weren't quite feeling it either, but gave her a chance at choreography.  Unfortunately she didn't make it through to Vegas.


Now for a new style...scooter style!  Conor aka "Scooter Rocket" came out "dancing" on rollerblades.  Maybe he's on to something, but I was hoping for some jumps at least.  Now for the cheesy line of the night - Tyce: "To get on wheels, you better do a wheely."  Nigel: "You wheely got to be good."  Man, I love them...wheely I do!


Meet Deroccius Harris who showed up in tight spandex pants (and I mean tight).  He danced a Britney Spears like routine to "Toxic."  His moves were more feminine then masculine.  Nigel suggested he could make the Dallas cheerleaders.


Dark secret?  The mob?  Father convicted of money laundering & tax evasion?  Now there's a story.  However, Nigel told Marcella Raneri that there was no heart & soul in her performance.  A little harsh, I thought.  She was sent on to choreography and made it to Vegas!


Jordan Johnson was just looking for some acceptance from his biological father.  When he didn't get it, he turned that fire into dance power.  And now he's on to Vegas!


Now here's what we've all been waiting for...NASHVILLE!!


Bring it!


Up first...two southern gems, dancing the flamenco.  Or their version of it anyway.


Oh no, it's and "I Can't Dance" medley.  Yikes Nashville!  I'm a bit embarrassed.


Oooh...hip hop aerobics while the kids take a nap in the house!  Ha!  I agree.


Obviously Nigel has never spent a Monday night in Nashville...boring???


Finally some relief...Brian Gaynor is back!  With a deteriorating form of scoliosis Brian brings his unique form of "robot" to the stage. Love it!  While Brian can't compete on the show, I look forward to seeing his dance crew on the show later this season.


15 minutes of air time and only 7 people from Nashville were on to Vegas!  SYTYCD will never be coming back here!


Here come's Vegas!


Solos, with no feedback, up first.  Looking forward to Billy Bell!  He did great.  I hope he makes it on the show!


Round 2 - Hip Hop with Tabitha (where's Napoleon?)
Oh no...Rachel, the rhythmic gymnast, is struggling with choreography and unfortunately is going home.  She was a little cocky at the city audition about how you didn't need to have a dance background to be a great dancer.  A few other early favorites also went home...including Teddy and Sarah.  


Round 3 - Ballroom with Toni
The ballroom round was tough on the non-experts and those who grew up on ballroom sailed through.  Nicole got a second chance to dance the ballroom routine with her hair down, literally.  Adechike was able to dance his contemporary solo for his life.  He's a great contemporary dancer, but he's going to have to bring it if he expect to make it to the show.


More Vegas next week!

So You Think You Can Dance - LA & Chicago

More auditions tonight.  Truthfully, the auditions are not my favorite part of any reality competition, but you do get to know some of the contestants that will either be soon forgotten or become some of the favorites of the season.


Up first cheerleader Laura Froderman.  Honestly I wasn't sure where this was going to go.  A cheerleader with a "sexy" dance...I was expecting mediocrity.  But, holy cow is she flexible!  And she can dance too.  Take those splits and head straight to Vegas!  For the next stage of the competition, not to be a showgirl. :)


Oh my goodness, up now is a William Hung look a like...Hella Hung (aka Hung Van Lam).  There are many times I feel sorry for Cat Deeley having to interview the weirdos.  This time, she should have pressed charges, or at least called security!  He proceeded to attempt break dancing to Jackson 5.  All the judges could say was "WOW" as he made love to the microphone.


From rhythmic gymnastics to dancing in 2 weeks or less...let's see what happens.  After missing the Olympic team due to stress fractures, Rachel Girma takes on SYTYCD and brings a fresh perspective.


You can't have an audition show without some tough stories.  Taylor Costello is adopted and always hoped to meet her birth mother some day, but unfortunately her mother was killed when she was 11.  Taylor learned that her mother loves dancing and has embraced it to keep the connection to her mom.  Taylor still has some growing to do before she's ready for Vegas.  


Our first tap dancer.  Melinda Sullivan attempts to wow us with her tap.  There's a little too many attempts at artistry & breaks and not enough tap for my liking, but I'm not expert, nor could I do what she just did.  Off to choreography to see if she can make it through.  Truthfully, there were many tappers that were far better last year.


A chance meeting with Mia Michaels, inspired Ryan Ramirez to stick with dancing despite financial hard times for her family and losing their home.  Sometimes I feel like the contestants who have worked with the SYTYCD judges/choreographers before their audition have a bit of preferential treatment, but they're always good.  Maybe I'm just jealous. :)


Both Melinda & Ryan made it to Vegas after the choreography round.


Now we're off to Chicago!


Love that the gas station in the "village" of Wapakoneta wished Kent Boyd good luck on his SYTYCD auditions!  He hasn't even made the show yet.  Where does a small town boy learn to dance like that?  Incredible!  Ticket to Vegas?  Yes Please.  Things we learn...Neil Armstrong is from Wapakoneta.  This kid is charming!  Kent is off to choreography to put some personality into his dance.


Another tough story.  Twins Andrew & Tyler Phillips.  Tyler was born with Spina Bifida.  Andrew dances for the both of them, taking inspiration from his brothers positive outlook. Andrew still has growing to do, both in his body and technique, but the judges want to see more and send him on to choreography.  


Oh Lord...that hair!  Malinda Jacobson is here to show us the art of Kick-Hop, the combination of hip hop, break dancing, line dancing, & square dancing.  She's quite good at it!  Entertaining...yes, but not right for SYTYCD.  Obviously.  


At the choreography round, charming personality Kent made it to Vegas.  Andrew Phillips surprised the judges and send him to Vegas as well!  More to come from these two boys.


If Beethoven can compose without hearing, Jarrell Robinson can dance without hearing.  I think there was another dancer with very limited hearing (technically deaf) that auditioned last year.  It's always amazing to see people overcome their challenges and succeed.  While Jarrell is not ready for the competition, he has inspired the rest of us to push beyond our limitations.


I am always surprised at the number of strong men who audition for SYTYCD.  The ones that are strong, graceful, and not afraid to be a manly man who dances.  


More tomorrow night as auditions continue.

So You Think You Can Dance - Miami Auditions

It's getting hot in here!  It's time for the Miami auditions!!

Here's my recap.
Up first...a Czech ballroom dancer inspired by Dirty Dancing and is on his way to Vegas...start the "Now I've Had The Time Of My Life" montage.


From the other side of the tracks comes Tyrell Rolle who studied contemporary dancing as his way out of the projects.  And he is well on his way...at least to Vegas!


Daria, Daria, Daria...there are appropriate dances to dance with your father.  That was not one of them.  Awkward!  


Bring in the token cute kid...it's always guaranteed to help your chances at getting through.  Ami Aguiar-Riley brought her adorable son with her and made it through to choreography and eventually to Vegas.


I'm running out of dancers worth talking about.


In the words of Cat Deeley (aka SYTYCD writers) "Miami continued to suck! And the crimes against dancing are getting more and more serious!"

The best contestant feed back quote of the night goes to Nigel Lythgoe for, "Dancing should be a social time for you."  He also had a winner with, "We should try to find something positive to say about Miami."  Crickets.

Can Jose Ruiz save the day?  Now this b-boy has some moves.  He's on to choreography to see if he can tackle more than break dancing and despite struggling a bit, the judges take a chance and send him to Vegas.

Thankfully Miami is over.  Next week LA & Chicago.

So You Think You Can Dance - New York Auditions

Are you ready for...So You Think You Can Dance dance dance dance !!!!!

It's summer and So You Think You Can Dance is back with a few changes.  Mia Michaels is back as a permanent judge (although I'd rather see her choreograph, then judge), only 10 make it to the live stage, and many of our favorite past contestants will be back as partners for the live show.  But back to the auditions...yes I know I'm a few days late, but I'm a busy young professional. :)

Thursday night's episode found us in NY for auditions.  After a fun opening montage that made you want to get up and dance, we met Sarah Brinson, the "big" dancer who has learned to look past the opinions of others and focus on being her best.  After Sarah's beautiful dance, Nigel asks Sarah if her parents are dancers.  While not dancers, they are in fact athletes...golfers to be exact.  In a case of "insert foot in mouth," Nigel follows up with, "Has your mom played with Tiger Woods?"  Really Nigel??  To recover, they gave Sarah a well deserved ticket to Vegas!

Up next it was time to shake your bon-bon with Giselle Peacock and Henry Byalikov...I was waiting for a wardrobe malfunction.  Seriously!  I though her top was going to slide off and show us more than we wanted to see!  Thankfully her shirt stayed on and they were both off to Vegas.

No SYTYCD audition is complete without the "what was that?" dancers.  Up first for public embarrassment was Mike Perlman aka "1 2 3 Party!" who describes his style as "dance-tastic furious footwork from the 80's."  You know this is going to be good!  Complete with neon green shirts, layered shorts, knee high tube socks and problems with the Boston PD, Mike showed us how to get down...80's style!  If you're having an 80's party and want some crazy dancing, call 1 2 3 Party!

After a few more passionate clips of dancers who according to Adam "love dancing more than dancing loves them" we get to see the return of Teddy Tedholm who made it to Vegas last year and is back hoping to go all the way.  With the first brilliant performance of the auditions and by far my favorite of the night, Teddy moved Mia and Adam to tears.  Dancers like Teddy is why I love this show.

One of the best things about SYTYCD auditions is that all dance styles are allowed, even country line dancing...Scott Vogel country line dancing.  Scott's fun personality makes it easy to look past his job (which he's passionate about) as a cleaner of crime scenes.  Unfortunately for Scott, he did not make it to the next round.

OMG!  Here comes Jamie Grecco who creates cult horror movies.  He/She shows up on stage dressed in a skirt and performs a bit of a gross (or humorous-depending on your mood) strip tease, but here's the kicker...he's wearing a fruit hat!  The judges loved it, but not enough for Vegas.  I could have done without seeing it...ever!

There is something about contemporary and jazz pieces that captivate my attention and make me wish I could dance!  When those boys (and girls) leap across the stage, like a deer running through a field, I am in awe!!  The strength, the agility, the flexibility, the beauty.  I'm in love!

Megan Carter, a self-proclaimed "thick" dancer, closes out NY and "schools" us all on stereotypes.  You don't have to be skinny and petite to be a great dancer.  Megan made it to choreography, but unfortunately was cut at the end of the day.

Up next...Miami.

(To be continued..)

The water is rising...

I've been through floods before, but they were due to the rising Red River (of the north) that could be predicted and prepared for.  I've also been through some flash flooding from rain, but nothing like we've experienced this weekend in middle TN.

Thankfully, I live on top of hill, so we've been high and dry.  However, the amount of water that has accumulated around town is unbelievable.  People have lost their basements, their homes, and even their lives.  As of Sunday evening the rain has finally stopped, but the water continues to rise in the rivers and low lying areas.  Here are a few pics from my drive to work yesterday and today.

This video (from Saturday) is of one of the major interstates that runs through Nashville.  This is about 4 miles from where I live.


This picture is from my aunt who lives along the Harpeth River west of Nashville.  This is the intersection at the bottom of the hill from her home.

The water has reached the bottom of the stop sign at the end of the road.

The weather is supposed to be nice for the next several days which will hopefully help start to dry out the land, but it will be several days before all the water is back in its banks.

To get the full extent of the damage and flood waters around middle TN, check out this slide show from the Tennessean.  http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=DN&Dato=20100502&Kategori=NEWS01&Lopenr=5020809&Ref=PH

Dancing With The Stars

Since I'm not watching Idol his year I had an opening in my reality TV schedule. Having been a fan of So You Think You Can Dance for many years, I thought I'd give Dancing With The Stars a try. Midway through the season I have to say I am enjoying it! 

However, I'm still trying to figure out how the judges scores get combined with the viewers' votes and why last night was the first dance where lifts were allowed. The show is a bit complicated for a new viewer. 

I am one of the few people who have been cheering on Kate Gosselin. Like a fish out of water Kate often flopped across he dance floor, but for her dancing was new, performing was new, the live audience was new...I would probably look just as uncomfortable. She's had a tough year and it was fun to cheer on the underdog, even if she didn't have a snowballs chance in h-e-double hockey sticks of winning.

I think one of the other reasons I enjoyed cheering her on is that she reminds me of myself...Moody, ornery, temperamental, sensitive,demanding...you don't think this is an accurate description of me? Just ask my sister...especially about Sunday's. 

Of the remaining contestants, here is who I'm really digging:

Erin - love her and Maks. Loved the purple dress she wore last night too!

Check out other images from last night here.

Nicole - she's an amazing dancer but she has the advantage of a dancing and performing background going into the competition, so I want someone else to win.

Pamela - I'm a closet Baywatch fan...really! I used to stay up late on Saturday nights to watch. The lifeguards were good looking and they made me want to jump from a speeding boat to save someone. They made life guarding sexy. I wonder if anyone ever became a lifeguard because of the show? I'm sure if they did they quickly realized that while important, real life guarding isn't as sexy as Baywatch! If you can no longer be my friend, I'll understand. 

Who I'm ready to see go home:

CHAD - I have this strong dislike for cocky professional athletes. Go home Ocho Cinco and may you always play football for any team but my beloved MN Vikings.

Jake - I enjoyed you on The Bachelor, but you often look awkward with Chelsie (one of my favorite SYTYCD alumni)...maybe it's because Vienna is always 15 feet away. Glad to see you 2 are still together.

Tonight's another results show and if you're like me you'll spare yourself the painfully long results show and just tune in for the last 10 minutes to see who goes home. 

Are you watching?

Are you watching?: The Biggest Loser

My name is Mandy, and I'm a reality TV show junkie!  

One of my favorite shows over the past few years has been NBC's The Biggest Loser.  In case you're not familiar with it...The Biggest Loser brings obese contests to the ranch to compete to lose weight (become the biggest "loser").  By working with trainers, Bob & Jillian, learning to eat healthy, and competing in challenges, all under the watchful eyes of Dr. Huizenga and his medical team, contests lose weight at a rapid rate.  At the end of the season, the person who has the highest percentage of weightloss is the biggest loser.  It's an inspiring show that taps into the lives of the contestants to get to the bottom of the issues that caused the weight gain.

From contestants being sent home after the very first challenge, to bringing them back 4 & 12 weeks later after they've lost weight at home, this season has been full of surprises.  This season most of the contestants are playing from their heart, all except Melissa.  She's all game play.  I normally don't like the "game players" in each season and Melissa is no exception.  While Melissa is definitely not my favorite contestant, I haven't picked a favorite yet.

The Gray Team - Koli & Sam: I like these guys, but they remind me of the previous Tongan contestants, Sione & Philipe.  I guess I can't hold that against them.

The Yellow Team - Sunshine & O'Neal: These two are towards the top of my list.  They spent their first month losing the weight at home before winning their way back onto the ranch.  Part of my love for them comes from the fact that they're from Minneapolis, MN.

The Orange Team - Daris: I haven't really connected with Daris.  I think it's the curly mop on his head. :)

The Pink Team - Ashley: Ashley is one of the biggest girls at the ranch.  So I'm cheering her on.

The Black Team - Andrea: I really loved watching Andrea with her dad, but now that her dad's gone, I don't connect with her as much.

The White Team - Michael: I wasn't a big fan of Mike in the beginning.  He was a slacker.  But now that he's working hard and dedicated, he's been growing on me.  

The Red Team - Melissa: See my thoughts above.

The Blue Team - Victoria: Victoria recently won her spot back on the ranch after going home on the first day.    She seems to be a hard worker, but I haven't seen enough of her personality yet to know if I like her as a contestant yet. 

With all that said, I think my front runners are Yellow, Gray & White.

As much as I love watching the contestants and hearing their stories, I love watching Bob & Jillian kick there butts even more!  Knowing that if I were to ever work out with Bob & Jillian I would be the one puking in the corner.

Whether you're overweight or not, this show is an inspiration.  It has inspired me to eat better and get myself in shape.  While I could still use a lot of work on both, the important thing is that I'm moving in the right direction towards a healthier life style.  


So if you need some inspiration to get off that couch...check out The Biggest Loser Tuesday nights on NBC. :)

Happy Easter (Monday)!

Unlike my Thanksgiving and Christmas traditions, my Easter “traditions” have changed from year to year. 

When we were kids, we would always have an Easter egg hunt and an Easter basket filled with goodies.  We would run around the house in our Easter dresses, trying to find all the eggs.  When Spring came early, we were able to have Easter egg hunts outside.  Here is me and my sister L in 1986 on the hunt.  As you’ll see, I was already the know-it-all big sister! 

What are your Easter traditions?