LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
After a rousing week of studio time, dance rehearsals, costume fittings, filming of our reality show, and an amazing interview on Larry King, I am completely exhausted. I can look back to the first week of “Dancing with the Stars” and say it was definitely easier with one dance to learn.
The competition is fierce as we round the bases into the home stretch. Learning two completely different dances for Monday night’s show is really testing both my limits and my resolve. Mind you, I’m not complaining. I truly believe that every test that is placed in my path is meant to make me learn and grow as a person. You see, I believe in the old saying of “Manifest Destiny.” I feel that to reach one’s goals you must really shoot for the highest goal attainable. Fact is all of us in the semi-finals want to win. We have shown this through our dedication to rehearsals, dancing week to week, facing down our individual fears, weathering the aches and pains and listening to family and close friends.
Juggling the filming of “Family Business” in addition to “Dancing with the Stars” rehearsals has been crazy this week.
I am ecstatic to be fortunate enough to have multiple projects going on. I feel blessed to be able to fit everything together with the help of my manager/mom, the spiritual counsel of my father and my loudest cheerleaders - my daughter Sy’rai and my brother Ray J.
Everyone on my team, including the wonderful DWTS production team, the hair/make-up/costumers and ABC PR ladies all work together for a productive daily schedule that sometimes goes from 5 AM in the morning until midnight. It’s hard work but I’m grateful. I am especially grateful to Maks and his team for being so accommodating and patient. AND, the many supporters and fans who vote for us week to week, Maks and I appreciate all the love.
This week’s dances are the paso doble and the Argentine tango. Both dances are incredibly different in style and adapting to each has been difficult.
I won’t give away what we have planned for our sensual Argentine tango except to say that I’m hoping to channel the sultriness of the famed Rita Hayworth in “Gilda.” I will, however, give my AH family - a special insight into our paso doble. This week’s dance is dedicated to anyone who has ever been bullied in his or her life.
Since Maks and I have experienced being bullied, he choreographed a wonderful routine that will shine more light on this subject matter. Bullying continues to escalate in today’s world of new prejudices.
Being different has always been a problem within society, and I take personal responsibility for teaching my daughter that our differences are what make people so interesting as my parents taught me. Wouldn’t life be boring if everyone was exactly like the next?
I am an advocate of celebrating these differences and am hopeful that I will continue to meet different people who will help me to grow and learn even more about this ever-changing world that I’m a part of it.
I think if everyone takes it upon themselves to meet someone “different” and learn just one new thing, society as a whole would be a much richer community and life can be much better. By embracing these differences and becoming more self-aware, I believe that I am on my way to being the best person I am meant to be.
And in that, I certainly feel like a winner already….
Much love to all my fellow stars and our fans,
brandy
Showing posts with label Blog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blog. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Brandy Access Hollywood Blog#12
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. --
Here we are in the semi-finals and I can’t believe how far I’ve come in such a short amount of time. To say that this experience has made a large impact on my life and on my persona would be an understatement. This Monday’s dances were both rewarding and humbling for me. I felt so great in our rehearsals and my confidence continued right up to our second dance. I felt secure with the dance moves that Maks had taught me, but not knowing the musical element of the piece definitely put my nerves on edge.
We were the last couple dancing our waltz, which meant that we were the last ones to get to our ‘Instant Dance’ music and rush off for a quick 20-minute rehearsal backstage. I’ve never really paid attention to the stage and set up until now, but that night I noticed absolutely everything.
“Dancing with the Stars” has been on for 11 seasons and is a well-oiled machine. From the producers and the camera people, down to the technicians and stage crew, everyone knows what they’re doing, and they get it done fast. So, it was with a small amount (OK maybe, a large amount) of anxiety in my heart, that we changed into our second costumes and left for the backstage training areas which were located right behind the stage. We went through the brilliant (in my opinion) choreography many times before we were called back to stage to perform. Sitting on the steps and looking at the audience, I felt the calmness, and the music began. I remember smiling through our routine and hitting the right moves… and then came the judges’ critique.
Each week, I make certain to listen to the judges as they point out what I’m doing right and wrong. After all, this is a competition and a part of this experience is to become the best dancer that I can be. So, I’m always paying close attention to them no matter how happy or disappointed I may be with the final scoring.
This week was different. This week’s scores seem to reflect more on our choice of choreography than the actual footwork and technique. While I was stunned at how the evening turned out, I really am more stunned at how big of a deal it turned out to be in the press.
I mean, I know that a little drama goes a long way and this was definitely ‘dramatic,’ but I wasn’t expecting the reaction from outside the studio and later that night — or even on Tuesday from the press. What was a minor disagreement between my partner and Carrie Ann turned out to be the ‘drama for the week’ for “DWTS.”
Anyways, Maks went over to Carrie Anne on Tuesday and they both walked away with everything being OK. I know that Maks is a very passionate person and since dance is his life, I understand how he felt.
By the same token, Carrie Ann is there to help us ‘Celebrities’ become better dancers and continue to learn the intricate moves. Her criticisms are meant to motivate us each week to give just a little more for the audience to see and enjoy. Seeing both perspectives and being behind the scenes, it really wasn’t everything that it was made out to be.
What you saw on both nights made for some great TV and that’s one of the reasons why the ratings for “DWTS” remain so high.
C’est la vie.
Now, it’s on to Wednesday and my next two dances are the Argentine tango and the paso doble. I admit that I am looking forward to both. I’m sure that Maks has some dazzling choreography and costumes in mind for us!
Next week will take us one-step closer to that coveted Mirror Ball trophy and the competition is stiff. I have a new appreciation for everyone who has come before me and for those who will come after.
I’m going to miss Kurt, my trailer-mate. Kurt introduced me to one of my favorite “True Blood” actors, Joe M, at Tuesday’s show. He and his whole family will be missed, but I know that we’ll see each other again.
Much love to all my fellow stars and our fans,
brandy
Here we are in the semi-finals and I can’t believe how far I’ve come in such a short amount of time. To say that this experience has made a large impact on my life and on my persona would be an understatement. This Monday’s dances were both rewarding and humbling for me. I felt so great in our rehearsals and my confidence continued right up to our second dance. I felt secure with the dance moves that Maks had taught me, but not knowing the musical element of the piece definitely put my nerves on edge.
We were the last couple dancing our waltz, which meant that we were the last ones to get to our ‘Instant Dance’ music and rush off for a quick 20-minute rehearsal backstage. I’ve never really paid attention to the stage and set up until now, but that night I noticed absolutely everything.
“Dancing with the Stars” has been on for 11 seasons and is a well-oiled machine. From the producers and the camera people, down to the technicians and stage crew, everyone knows what they’re doing, and they get it done fast. So, it was with a small amount (OK maybe, a large amount) of anxiety in my heart, that we changed into our second costumes and left for the backstage training areas which were located right behind the stage. We went through the brilliant (in my opinion) choreography many times before we were called back to stage to perform. Sitting on the steps and looking at the audience, I felt the calmness, and the music began. I remember smiling through our routine and hitting the right moves… and then came the judges’ critique.
Each week, I make certain to listen to the judges as they point out what I’m doing right and wrong. After all, this is a competition and a part of this experience is to become the best dancer that I can be. So, I’m always paying close attention to them no matter how happy or disappointed I may be with the final scoring.
This week was different. This week’s scores seem to reflect more on our choice of choreography than the actual footwork and technique. While I was stunned at how the evening turned out, I really am more stunned at how big of a deal it turned out to be in the press.
I mean, I know that a little drama goes a long way and this was definitely ‘dramatic,’ but I wasn’t expecting the reaction from outside the studio and later that night — or even on Tuesday from the press. What was a minor disagreement between my partner and Carrie Ann turned out to be the ‘drama for the week’ for “DWTS.”
Anyways, Maks went over to Carrie Anne on Tuesday and they both walked away with everything being OK. I know that Maks is a very passionate person and since dance is his life, I understand how he felt.
By the same token, Carrie Ann is there to help us ‘Celebrities’ become better dancers and continue to learn the intricate moves. Her criticisms are meant to motivate us each week to give just a little more for the audience to see and enjoy. Seeing both perspectives and being behind the scenes, it really wasn’t everything that it was made out to be.
What you saw on both nights made for some great TV and that’s one of the reasons why the ratings for “DWTS” remain so high.
C’est la vie.
Now, it’s on to Wednesday and my next two dances are the Argentine tango and the paso doble. I admit that I am looking forward to both. I’m sure that Maks has some dazzling choreography and costumes in mind for us!
Next week will take us one-step closer to that coveted Mirror Ball trophy and the competition is stiff. I have a new appreciation for everyone who has come before me and for those who will come after.
I’m going to miss Kurt, my trailer-mate. Kurt introduced me to one of my favorite “True Blood” actors, Joe M, at Tuesday’s show. He and his whole family will be missed, but I know that we’ll see each other again.
Much love to all my fellow stars and our fans,
brandy
Friday, November 5, 2010
Maks TV Guide Blog
Hi everyone,
Hope you had a great week. Thanks for voting for us!
Well, we had another very good week. Our team dance went great and I'm so proud of Brandy for the foxtrot. Gilles was funny because he came up to us afterward and apologized for giving us a 9. I told him, "Friendship aside, you were being the judge."
I mean, I've got to admit, I felt like the whole time the celebrity judges weren't particularly looking for anything. I think having the celebrity judges was an exciting gimmick. They were more or less there to say something nice, give a 10 and move on. I felt like Gilles wanted to give a 10. I don't think there's anything wrong with them handing out "free" scores to inflate our scores.
Len's 10 was the highlight for Brandy this season. She was like, "Oh my God!" I'm not trying to show off or whatever, but I seriously think she did one of the best performances. People are talking about the face she made after her little slip-up, but it was minor and I still think, overall, she did a fantastic job. Whether or not judges deduct points for that is up to them. It's totally up to the viewers. I'm just focused on having Brandy do her best.
Rick leaving is another example of the judges not being a factor. I don't know why he got fewer votes, but it's totally undeserving. I feel like his fans were like, "Oh, he's safe." He's a stand-up guy. This guy is amazing. I can compare him to Jerry Rice and how super-nice, genuine and smart he is. He has this very contagious smile. I know some people were surprised that Bristol was safe, especially since she said she wanted to go home. I feel like, why would you want to go home? You put yourself out there for people to vote — and they do — and instead of embracing it, you're undermining the participation. If she embraced it better, I think she'd be having a lot more fun.
So next week, we have the waltz and the Cha-Cha for Instant Dance. First, I think everyone needs to know that getting music the last minute is part of competitive ballroom competitions. You work on five routines, go to the competition and you don't know what music they're going to play. But Dancing with the Stars is not a competitive ballroom competition. The beauty of Dancing with the Stars is that we can come up with the costume, the look and the stage performance beforehand so we can put on a show for people. It's not a straight-up dance competition. And we have to teach the celebrities. They only just got familiar with learning a dance in a week and now they don't get the music. So for our purposes, it's going to be messy. If anything, I find it unfair to the celebrities because we've had past winners going like, "I would never be able to do this. This format is crazy." Seven seasons ago — which sounds like a long time ago, but isn't because we have two seasons a year — we had a show that everybody loved and everybody watched. And it was a simple show. The dances are still iconic and phenomenal. If you noticed, on the list of iconic dances, most of them were from the middle seasons, except for Nicole, who was out of this world last season. It got so crazy in the later seasons.
The format and changes are wearing on the professionals too. We are mentally drained and physically exhausted. I've been sick this entire season. I know they want to try new things and keep people on their toes, but I also think it will make for better TV if you can prepare properly. I'm a proud professional and I would never let myself come out with a mediocre product, but I'm going to give a hard thought about what I want to do. I've said this before, but the only thing I can compare it to is to have a professional swimmer swim in Jell-O.
I'm the best at what I do under the proper circumstances. It doesn't make me less professional. I don't want to do instant dances or dance marathons because there's no way to properly prepare for it. I don't understand why we got Argentine tango and paso doble in our semifinal if we get there. They're just way too similar.
All I know is, it' been go-go-go constantly. I haven't seen my family. I haven't sat down. In order for me to provide for my family, I need to work for the entire year. I don't take vacation. After this season is over, I continue working on my studios, shows and other projects. The season is very, very hard. I haven't sat down in four and a half years. But then I go, "I love it." I saw my past partners and we had a great time hanging out and talking. I haven't won yet — and I want to point out that there were only five professionals in the top 10 dances. I think I've done something right, but other times, I go, "I want to go home." I haven't seen my mom. I have to rely on the phone. Then I feel I'm not a good enough son or grandson. All the tabloids and gossip blogs keep saying that Brandy is a diva and I hate her and stuff like that — which couldn't be further from the truth. We have so much fun together and what they don't know is that Brandy was trying to convince me to go to Russia together so I could see my grandma before she died. She had her publicist try to convince my publicist. I sat her down and said, "I love you for even having this thought, but we logistically cannot." It's probably one of the most amazing things anyone has considered. It's an 18-hour flight and then a 9-hour drive. I feel so protective over Brandy because I know how amazing she is as a person, as a mother and how she's turning out to be a true friend. What has she done to deserve the crap that's been written? But the fact that she was willing to do that so I could see my grandma and be with my family speaks volumes about her.
That was a lot of venting! But I guess the bottom line is that the show is no joke. I am having a blast with Brandy, but it has been a difficult season overall. But I am not going to let any negative feelings derail our focus. I know we can get better and I feel like we've really hit our stride.
That's all for now. Thanks for reading!
Maks
Hope you had a great week. Thanks for voting for us!
Well, we had another very good week. Our team dance went great and I'm so proud of Brandy for the foxtrot. Gilles was funny because he came up to us afterward and apologized for giving us a 9. I told him, "Friendship aside, you were being the judge."
I mean, I've got to admit, I felt like the whole time the celebrity judges weren't particularly looking for anything. I think having the celebrity judges was an exciting gimmick. They were more or less there to say something nice, give a 10 and move on. I felt like Gilles wanted to give a 10. I don't think there's anything wrong with them handing out "free" scores to inflate our scores.
Len's 10 was the highlight for Brandy this season. She was like, "Oh my God!" I'm not trying to show off or whatever, but I seriously think she did one of the best performances. People are talking about the face she made after her little slip-up, but it was minor and I still think, overall, she did a fantastic job. Whether or not judges deduct points for that is up to them. It's totally up to the viewers. I'm just focused on having Brandy do her best.
Rick leaving is another example of the judges not being a factor. I don't know why he got fewer votes, but it's totally undeserving. I feel like his fans were like, "Oh, he's safe." He's a stand-up guy. This guy is amazing. I can compare him to Jerry Rice and how super-nice, genuine and smart he is. He has this very contagious smile. I know some people were surprised that Bristol was safe, especially since she said she wanted to go home. I feel like, why would you want to go home? You put yourself out there for people to vote — and they do — and instead of embracing it, you're undermining the participation. If she embraced it better, I think she'd be having a lot more fun.
So next week, we have the waltz and the Cha-Cha for Instant Dance. First, I think everyone needs to know that getting music the last minute is part of competitive ballroom competitions. You work on five routines, go to the competition and you don't know what music they're going to play. But Dancing with the Stars is not a competitive ballroom competition. The beauty of Dancing with the Stars is that we can come up with the costume, the look and the stage performance beforehand so we can put on a show for people. It's not a straight-up dance competition. And we have to teach the celebrities. They only just got familiar with learning a dance in a week and now they don't get the music. So for our purposes, it's going to be messy. If anything, I find it unfair to the celebrities because we've had past winners going like, "I would never be able to do this. This format is crazy." Seven seasons ago — which sounds like a long time ago, but isn't because we have two seasons a year — we had a show that everybody loved and everybody watched. And it was a simple show. The dances are still iconic and phenomenal. If you noticed, on the list of iconic dances, most of them were from the middle seasons, except for Nicole, who was out of this world last season. It got so crazy in the later seasons.
The format and changes are wearing on the professionals too. We are mentally drained and physically exhausted. I've been sick this entire season. I know they want to try new things and keep people on their toes, but I also think it will make for better TV if you can prepare properly. I'm a proud professional and I would never let myself come out with a mediocre product, but I'm going to give a hard thought about what I want to do. I've said this before, but the only thing I can compare it to is to have a professional swimmer swim in Jell-O.
I'm the best at what I do under the proper circumstances. It doesn't make me less professional. I don't want to do instant dances or dance marathons because there's no way to properly prepare for it. I don't understand why we got Argentine tango and paso doble in our semifinal if we get there. They're just way too similar.
All I know is, it' been go-go-go constantly. I haven't seen my family. I haven't sat down. In order for me to provide for my family, I need to work for the entire year. I don't take vacation. After this season is over, I continue working on my studios, shows and other projects. The season is very, very hard. I haven't sat down in four and a half years. But then I go, "I love it." I saw my past partners and we had a great time hanging out and talking. I haven't won yet — and I want to point out that there were only five professionals in the top 10 dances. I think I've done something right, but other times, I go, "I want to go home." I haven't seen my mom. I have to rely on the phone. Then I feel I'm not a good enough son or grandson. All the tabloids and gossip blogs keep saying that Brandy is a diva and I hate her and stuff like that — which couldn't be further from the truth. We have so much fun together and what they don't know is that Brandy was trying to convince me to go to Russia together so I could see my grandma before she died. She had her publicist try to convince my publicist. I sat her down and said, "I love you for even having this thought, but we logistically cannot." It's probably one of the most amazing things anyone has considered. It's an 18-hour flight and then a 9-hour drive. I feel so protective over Brandy because I know how amazing she is as a person, as a mother and how she's turning out to be a true friend. What has she done to deserve the crap that's been written? But the fact that she was willing to do that so I could see my grandma and be with my family speaks volumes about her.
That was a lot of venting! But I guess the bottom line is that the show is no joke. I am having a blast with Brandy, but it has been a difficult season overall. But I am not going to let any negative feelings derail our focus. I know we can get better and I feel like we've really hit our stride.
That's all for now. Thanks for reading!
Maks
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Brandy Access Hollywood Blog#11
Shocked!
Even a little heart-broken.
That’s all I can say about this week’s elimination of Rick and Cheryl. From our first meeting at the televised cast announcement to our very first satellite TV press tour together, Rick and I have had a very special bond. He has such great energy and is always quick to make me smile. No matter how tough things got, it was a ritual: he and the boys (Maks, Kurt and Kyle) outside the trailer throwing around the football before show time. Funny as it may seem, there are so many changing aspects of this show from week to week, I found comfort and joy in seeing the guys goofing off and having fun. It definitely cut the tension and reminded me of everyday things outside the rehearsal studio. On Tuesday, when they announced Rick’s name, it really threw me for a loop because he had done such an amazing job on Monday night in both his solo and the group (go team Kristi!!) dances. I was still coming down from my own personal high off a great performance by Maks and me when they called his name and we all rushed backstage. I remember walking backstage and seeing Rick and Cheryl first on the press line and all Maks and I could do was rush to give them a hug.
It was very difficult for me to say goodbye, and now it’s finally starting to sink in that this is it! We’re nearing the end of this competition and there are only five couples left standing. The fans continue to speak out each week and believe me – WE ARE LISTENING. As important as the judges’ critique and scoring are, you must by now realize (as all of us ‘stars’ on the show have) that YOU play a very important part in us moving on towards the next week. I try to focus and concentrate on doing my best and improving each week, but more and more I understand that who I am really dancing for is the fans.
I truly believe that’s what makes this show so successful and why DWTS is now in its 11th season, celebrating its’ 200th episode! It’s about connecting with our audience, sharing with you our ups, our downs, and welcoming you into our life… if only for a little time. Well, welcome to my world….
Between my daughter, rehearsals and the day to day of running my music, TV and film business, I find little time to rest and sleep these days. Maks and I will be dancing the waltz next week as well as a ‘secret’ dance and rehearsals are tough!!! Sometimes things will ‘hit’ me, all of a sudden, and I find that I just need to take a quick 15-minute break.
Maybe it’s just a walk outside, breakfast with my daughter or even some quiet time at the house catching up with a few close friends, but whatever and whenever I can, I am trying to maintain as normal of an existence as possible within my hectic schedule.
Like most of you, I am working hard and aiming to keep on track with everything that I really want to accomplish. While I can definitely see that Mirror Ball trophy winking at me on Mondays and Tuesdays on-set, I work hard every day of the week just to balance everything else in my life. Appointments, school meetings, holidays, etc… they all have to fit on the calendar and no matter who you are, you have to make it work. Nevermore has being a single working mom (albeit with a really great support group of family and friends) been louder to me.
AND, never has it been sweeter. I know that I will always look back on these days with awe and amazement. I can only hope that the example I am setting for my daughter — as well as for millions of other single moms and children — is both positive and influential. Win or lose, I feel certain that this whole journey has been worth it for me and my family of relatives, friends, and very supportive fans.
Even a little heart-broken.
That’s all I can say about this week’s elimination of Rick and Cheryl. From our first meeting at the televised cast announcement to our very first satellite TV press tour together, Rick and I have had a very special bond. He has such great energy and is always quick to make me smile. No matter how tough things got, it was a ritual: he and the boys (Maks, Kurt and Kyle) outside the trailer throwing around the football before show time. Funny as it may seem, there are so many changing aspects of this show from week to week, I found comfort and joy in seeing the guys goofing off and having fun. It definitely cut the tension and reminded me of everyday things outside the rehearsal studio. On Tuesday, when they announced Rick’s name, it really threw me for a loop because he had done such an amazing job on Monday night in both his solo and the group (go team Kristi!!) dances. I was still coming down from my own personal high off a great performance by Maks and me when they called his name and we all rushed backstage. I remember walking backstage and seeing Rick and Cheryl first on the press line and all Maks and I could do was rush to give them a hug.
It was very difficult for me to say goodbye, and now it’s finally starting to sink in that this is it! We’re nearing the end of this competition and there are only five couples left standing. The fans continue to speak out each week and believe me – WE ARE LISTENING. As important as the judges’ critique and scoring are, you must by now realize (as all of us ‘stars’ on the show have) that YOU play a very important part in us moving on towards the next week. I try to focus and concentrate on doing my best and improving each week, but more and more I understand that who I am really dancing for is the fans.
I truly believe that’s what makes this show so successful and why DWTS is now in its 11th season, celebrating its’ 200th episode! It’s about connecting with our audience, sharing with you our ups, our downs, and welcoming you into our life… if only for a little time. Well, welcome to my world….
Between my daughter, rehearsals and the day to day of running my music, TV and film business, I find little time to rest and sleep these days. Maks and I will be dancing the waltz next week as well as a ‘secret’ dance and rehearsals are tough!!! Sometimes things will ‘hit’ me, all of a sudden, and I find that I just need to take a quick 15-minute break.
Maybe it’s just a walk outside, breakfast with my daughter or even some quiet time at the house catching up with a few close friends, but whatever and whenever I can, I am trying to maintain as normal of an existence as possible within my hectic schedule.
Like most of you, I am working hard and aiming to keep on track with everything that I really want to accomplish. While I can definitely see that Mirror Ball trophy winking at me on Mondays and Tuesdays on-set, I work hard every day of the week just to balance everything else in my life. Appointments, school meetings, holidays, etc… they all have to fit on the calendar and no matter who you are, you have to make it work. Nevermore has being a single working mom (albeit with a really great support group of family and friends) been louder to me.
AND, never has it been sweeter. I know that I will always look back on these days with awe and amazement. I can only hope that the example I am setting for my daughter — as well as for millions of other single moms and children — is both positive and influential. Win or lose, I feel certain that this whole journey has been worth it for me and my family of relatives, friends, and very supportive fans.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Brandy Access Hollywood Blog#10
Last week was all a blur filled with “DWTS” rehearsals, appearances (hope you caught me on the Halloween show for Access Hollywood Live and Ellen) and some special Halloween time with my family!
Maks and I continue to grow even stronger as a duo and this week’s learning of the fox trot is no exception. It’s a very iconic dance and I am truly inspired by our song choice for this dance.
Our second dance has been a little more strenuous.
As you may or may not know, this week I will be a part of “Dancing’s” historic 200th episode (Congrats “DWTS” and ABC) and they’re mixing things up a bit.
We have a team dance and I’ve been chosen along with my fellow stars Jennifer and Kurt to be a part of TEAM APOLO.
The dance is very eclectic and even includes a bit of hip-hop in it, so this part of the learning curve has been a little easier for me than weeks past. It’s very cool to be on the team with Jennifer and Kurt as our trailers are next to each other and we are very supportive of each other as the weeks go by.
I must mention how excited I am to have been chosen by former “DWTS” winner Apolo to be a part of this TV-history making dance!
He’s been a great leader and cheerleader and it’s good to get the chance to work with my fellow stars this week. With that said, Maks is still working to get the best of out of me from week to week and the aches and pains have now sort of dulled into something more manageable for me.
Not that I still don’t find new muscles developing and aching, but I am getting more confident with the quick-learning of the choreography and the feeling that I absolutely have a chance of taking home the mirror-ball trophy! My focus on learning the techniques and then honing the moves so that I am graceful and flow well with Maks is finally beginning to pay off.
I can feel the audience (both in the studio and at home) cheering me on and I always try to dance for the fans.
After last week’s elimination of Audrina and Tony, things really hit home about how much your votes count. In this competition, our dancing will only get us so far, it’s really YOU who makes the decision, whether we go or stay for another week.
Each week, it gets harder and harder to say goodbye to some of the new friends in my life. Audrina and I were getting to know each other and had a chance to hang outside “DWTS.”
She is very bright, smart, quick to laugh and I really love her energy.
I’m going to stop saying that I’m shocked, because more and more I realize that this is a part of the competition. Every Monday, we dance and then on Tuesday, someone leaves.
While it’s a sad thought, I know that my fellow teammates will stay in my life past these days on “Dancing with the Stars.”
I know that through this competition, I am getting the chance to get to know people that I would not have necessarily met and I am a better person for it. I feel certain that when everything is said and done, this experience will help me to become a better mother, daughter, sister and woman.
And hopefully, you, my fans will be able to see the difference in me!
Much love to all my fellow stars and our fans,
brandy
Maks and I continue to grow even stronger as a duo and this week’s learning of the fox trot is no exception. It’s a very iconic dance and I am truly inspired by our song choice for this dance.
Our second dance has been a little more strenuous.
As you may or may not know, this week I will be a part of “Dancing’s” historic 200th episode (Congrats “DWTS” and ABC) and they’re mixing things up a bit.
We have a team dance and I’ve been chosen along with my fellow stars Jennifer and Kurt to be a part of TEAM APOLO.
The dance is very eclectic and even includes a bit of hip-hop in it, so this part of the learning curve has been a little easier for me than weeks past. It’s very cool to be on the team with Jennifer and Kurt as our trailers are next to each other and we are very supportive of each other as the weeks go by.
I must mention how excited I am to have been chosen by former “DWTS” winner Apolo to be a part of this TV-history making dance!
He’s been a great leader and cheerleader and it’s good to get the chance to work with my fellow stars this week. With that said, Maks is still working to get the best of out of me from week to week and the aches and pains have now sort of dulled into something more manageable for me.
Not that I still don’t find new muscles developing and aching, but I am getting more confident with the quick-learning of the choreography and the feeling that I absolutely have a chance of taking home the mirror-ball trophy! My focus on learning the techniques and then honing the moves so that I am graceful and flow well with Maks is finally beginning to pay off.
I can feel the audience (both in the studio and at home) cheering me on and I always try to dance for the fans.
After last week’s elimination of Audrina and Tony, things really hit home about how much your votes count. In this competition, our dancing will only get us so far, it’s really YOU who makes the decision, whether we go or stay for another week.
Each week, it gets harder and harder to say goodbye to some of the new friends in my life. Audrina and I were getting to know each other and had a chance to hang outside “DWTS.”
She is very bright, smart, quick to laugh and I really love her energy.
I’m going to stop saying that I’m shocked, because more and more I realize that this is a part of the competition. Every Monday, we dance and then on Tuesday, someone leaves.
While it’s a sad thought, I know that my fellow teammates will stay in my life past these days on “Dancing with the Stars.”
I know that through this competition, I am getting the chance to get to know people that I would not have necessarily met and I am a better person for it. I feel certain that when everything is said and done, this experience will help me to become a better mother, daughter, sister and woman.
And hopefully, you, my fans will be able to see the difference in me!
Much love to all my fellow stars and our fans,
brandy
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Maks TV Guide Blog: Brandy Rose to the Pressure
Hi everyone,
Hope you had a great week! Thanks for voting for us!
What can I say? It was a great week for us. It felt good being on top again. We had a great time. It was interesting to see how Brandy would do going last and being on top already. She came out and did great. Then, immediately after that, we had this crazy marathon and had to change in three minutes. Everybody was yelling, "C'mon, C'mon." We literally lined up with all the couples in, like, 20 seconds. We just had this adrenaline from the tango and went after it. It's unfortunate that all the cameras didn't catch everyone doing their thing and fans only caught bits and pieces at home. There was a lot of jive and swing in ours. I'm not upset people didn't get to see the whole thing, that's how it is and everybody's in the same position.
As you saw in the package, she felt the pressure to stay on top. She cried, like, four times. I think everybody expresses themselves differently. I realized that when she cries, it's not necessarily my fault. It was good for her and something she needed to do to let her emotions out. I don't want her to bottle everything up. I want her to feel good and to feel confident. Unfortunately, the show is such that you have to do it even when you don't feel confident. When we, the pros, start to push, it's because we know what the end result will be and should be, but the celebrities don't, so they get really frustrated. Everybody expresses it differently. I just felt really bad because she didn't need to beat herself up. She's doing great and she can relax a little, but she's very responsible and focused. We didn't have time to sit down and talk it out after she came back in. I felt like it would be better for her if we didn't say anything. So we just went right back to dancing and she was hitting every mark. We're working hard and are doing our best. We want to do great every week so that there's as much consistency to it as possible and everybody can see that we're not a one-time deal.
Last week was also tough since Audrina and Tony left. It was terribly unfortunate since they have been doing great and I think had a real shot at the final. I'm not just saying that because Tony is my best friend — they were doing well and had one of the best scores of the night. But, you know, as we've seen before, these things happen. You just never know how people are going to vote and how the math all works out. That's why it's important for everyone to vote for their favorites. Don't rely on the judges' scores.
Next week is the 200th episode and it's Icon Week. Everyone has to redo a famous routine of a past couple. We have Gilles and Cheryl's foxtrot. I'm not using the same choreography, but just the style and the idea. It's not about the doing the same steps. What was successful in their routine was Gilles' interpretation, so we have to take that and put a feminine twist to it.
Then we have the group cha-cha. We're on Apolo's team. We're still finishing up the choreography. I'll tell you — we're absolutely exhausted from our first rehearsal. We did it immediately after the show Tuesday. I am wiped this week! I think we're going to have a good time. Jennifer and Kurt are on our team. I think the one advantage that the other team has is that Bristol and Kyle have already done the cha-cha, but I don't think it'll make that much of a difference. It helps, but it's not like they're doing the same routines. We all bring something different and exciting to the table, so now we have to highlight everyone's strengths.
That's all for now. Thanks for reading!
Maks
Hope you had a great week! Thanks for voting for us!
What can I say? It was a great week for us. It felt good being on top again. We had a great time. It was interesting to see how Brandy would do going last and being on top already. She came out and did great. Then, immediately after that, we had this crazy marathon and had to change in three minutes. Everybody was yelling, "C'mon, C'mon." We literally lined up with all the couples in, like, 20 seconds. We just had this adrenaline from the tango and went after it. It's unfortunate that all the cameras didn't catch everyone doing their thing and fans only caught bits and pieces at home. There was a lot of jive and swing in ours. I'm not upset people didn't get to see the whole thing, that's how it is and everybody's in the same position.
As you saw in the package, she felt the pressure to stay on top. She cried, like, four times. I think everybody expresses themselves differently. I realized that when she cries, it's not necessarily my fault. It was good for her and something she needed to do to let her emotions out. I don't want her to bottle everything up. I want her to feel good and to feel confident. Unfortunately, the show is such that you have to do it even when you don't feel confident. When we, the pros, start to push, it's because we know what the end result will be and should be, but the celebrities don't, so they get really frustrated. Everybody expresses it differently. I just felt really bad because she didn't need to beat herself up. She's doing great and she can relax a little, but she's very responsible and focused. We didn't have time to sit down and talk it out after she came back in. I felt like it would be better for her if we didn't say anything. So we just went right back to dancing and she was hitting every mark. We're working hard and are doing our best. We want to do great every week so that there's as much consistency to it as possible and everybody can see that we're not a one-time deal.
Last week was also tough since Audrina and Tony left. It was terribly unfortunate since they have been doing great and I think had a real shot at the final. I'm not just saying that because Tony is my best friend — they were doing well and had one of the best scores of the night. But, you know, as we've seen before, these things happen. You just never know how people are going to vote and how the math all works out. That's why it's important for everyone to vote for their favorites. Don't rely on the judges' scores.
Next week is the 200th episode and it's Icon Week. Everyone has to redo a famous routine of a past couple. We have Gilles and Cheryl's foxtrot. I'm not using the same choreography, but just the style and the idea. It's not about the doing the same steps. What was successful in their routine was Gilles' interpretation, so we have to take that and put a feminine twist to it.
Then we have the group cha-cha. We're on Apolo's team. We're still finishing up the choreography. I'll tell you — we're absolutely exhausted from our first rehearsal. We did it immediately after the show Tuesday. I am wiped this week! I think we're going to have a good time. Jennifer and Kurt are on our team. I think the one advantage that the other team has is that Bristol and Kyle have already done the cha-cha, but I don't think it'll make that much of a difference. It helps, but it's not like they're doing the same routines. We all bring something different and exciting to the table, so now we have to highlight everyone's strengths.
That's all for now. Thanks for reading!
Maks
Monday, October 25, 2010
Brandy Access Hollywood Blog#9
Here’s a story… of a boy and a girl working hard this past week in a competition that is only getting harder by the day.
This week has been the most mentally and physically draining week of rehearsals to date! Yes, that’s right. I’m talking about the total package. I’ve cried and laughed and then cried some more. While my body is definitely getting stronger, tackling these two dances has been an exhausting and yet wonderful period of growth for me. Being on “DWTS” continues to amaze me, as I find that I must draw deep within to overcome a new hurdle every day. It has affected all aspects of my life and I’m pleased to say that I know I will come out of this experience a better person.
They say in the face of adversity, a true champion finds her calling. Well, they certainly must have had me in mind when they said that! Every day there are new aches and pains to deal with, but I continue to push through and look for the emotional core of each dance. You want sexy love? Here is the Rumba. You want fun? I give you the Quick-step. You want simmering heat and passion? Here goes the Tango.
The dances are getting more difficult each week as Maks continues to step up his training and demands a higher degree of difficulty with each routine. Although I never let the physicality overwhelm me, I must say, emotionally, it’s hard when you invest so much into one performance. Never mind the fact that this week there are TWO performances!
Our rehearsals seem to be getting longer as we work together to become a stronger team. As you know, I have been a solo artist for most of my career and working with a partner (outside of my family) takes some time to get ‘in sync.’ Even when the two of you have found that rhythm, dancing together is definitely an art form. You must trust one another completely… and without that trust, even the most basic moves can seem stiff and awkward.
With trust comes a lot of responsibility. If you have to jump, you have to know, deep down, that he will catch you. If you have to spin, you have to be certain that his hand will be there to catch you. As a woman, it can sometimes be difficult to have a blind trust in someone you’ve known for such a short amount of time. I can only imagine what the celebrity men in this competition have to go through to obtain that comfort level with their female pros.
Thank goodness, Maks is not only a pro, but also a commanding leader. I don’t have to worry much except for hitting my mark on time, remembering the moves and most importantly – feeling and expressing the mood of dance within the music.
But, I admit this is really hard! There’s no better way to say it than that! I am feeling confident going into tonight’s performance, but only time will tell if you, the audience, will appreciate all of our hard work! It is understood that your support over these past weeks has meant everything to Maks and I. When we are in rehearsals, he comes up with amazing routines that are designed with you in mind. As for the competition part, well, it’s still anybody’s game and I’m just very happy that I’ve made it thus far.
I’ve grown as a woman, as a mother and as an artist. I hope that you can tell how amazing my journey has been thus far and I will hopefully continue with you after Tuesday’s show.
So, AH family and fans – be sure to wish us luck tonight and we’ll see you on the dance floor!
Brandy also answered fan questions here
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Maks TV Guide Blog
Dancing's Maks: We Want to Stay on Top
Hi everyone,
Hope you had a great week. Thanks for voting for us!
So we got the top score! It felt great! I mostly was just happy that Brandy got rewarded for all the hard work she put into our quickstep. She's doing all the right things. It's very hard to explain to people why you get criticized. For obvious things, it's fine. We can go back and work on it. But when you get criticized for vague things I can't explain or barely get criticized at all, we're in a state of confusion. She was applauded for what she did. I didn't have to go back and find an explanation for anything.
I honestly was surprised at how well the dance turned out to begin with because of the state of mind and the way the week began. But we persevered, worked hard and pulled through. I'm not saying we work harder than anybody else. We just know we're in the studio a lot. It takes a lot to stay consistent. I think Brandy's getting the hang of this ballroom dancing thing and Dancing with the Stars as a competition. I totally see the potential is there. This is very different from anything she's done in her life. We're finding a way to deal with all the difficult elements. It all came together in the quickstep. I know my grandma was watching over us. My mom called me from Russia. My family's coping. We're just hoping that grandma's in a better place. My grandpa's doing fine. All his kids are there now. We're just trying to figure out that he'll be OK later on.
We have the tango next week. It's going well. We're taking the same approach. Like the quickstep, we have a dance that has us in a close position the entire time. It's the challenge of making it as exciting as possible since other couples have the paso doble, which is a much more visually exciting dance. We're just trying to do the best tango we can. I'm a little concerned about the costumes because we have to do things that represent Rock 'n' Roll. We have a rock song and the floor is going to be black. I know some people don't like all the themes, but I don't mind them. You will never be able to please everybody. Producers are doing what they can to make it entertaining. I just want to make sure that the focus doesn't shift from ballroom dancing. The simplest comparison I can think of is asking a pro swimmer to swim in something other than water. I'm just worried about the changes to the floor. It's not hardwood, so it poses some difficulty. I know there's going to be some rips and stuff. But we're all in the same situation. We all need to figure out how to be our best. I feel like they can experiment and we'll see how it goes. There's no way of predicting what it's going to be like.
We also have the Rock 'n' Roll marathon. We started working on ours a little bit. We'll put together like a 30-to-40-second routine mix of jive, swing and lindy and go from there. The biggest challenge will be to dance for a long period of time. They didn't choose an easy dance for four minutes. It's really about stamina and creativity. We'll put together a more active routine. The thing with the marathon is that the audience doesn't get to see the whole floor, especially for those watching at home. So you watch whoever you're drawn to. But this is more of a ballroom format where there are so many couples dancing at the same time, so you need to be active.
But honestly, my focus right now is the tango. I'm so in my head as far as the tango goes. Brandy and I had a long conversation Wednesday. We got a taste of what it's like to be on top and we want to stay there. We don't want to rest on laurels and say, "That's good enough." I'm focused on bringing out the best in her every week. She said she's considering putting some stuff on hold because she wants to do her best as well. Every celebrity who does the show does it to promote themselves in some way, but I always believe that the publicity will absolutely come to you. If you do too much publicity during the show, it could cost you. Or you could be on the show until the end and the publicity will come to you after you're done. Also, I want her to get the most out of this experience. You blink and it's all over. We're halfway done now. Five weeks sounds like a long period of time, but it's short in this competition. I'm happy that she actually told me that. I was like, "OK, great."
That's all for now. Thanks for reading.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Brandy Access Hollywood Blog#8
By brandy
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. --
So, we’re at the halfway mark now and while Monday was a great night for both Maks and I, Tuesday was filled with both joy and sadness. After a rough week of intensive rehearsals, I felt nothing but calm going into Monday’s night performance. All day I felt prepared and ready and very confident that I knew the routine and could hold up my frame. Practicing for the quickstep was almost as tiring as the jive, because while my arms and neck are stiffly positioned, there is a lot of footwork that goes into the dance.
We had pulled the theme song from the TV show “Friends” and I knew that it would strike a chord with the audience. While I knew the song, I had never seen the show. I definitely believed that we pulled that song for a reason, as Maks and I have a burgeoning friendship that I’m certain will go beyond this show. He brought in some useful tools to help me keep my upper body in frame during rehearsals. We went over each portion of our routine, bit by bit, and put together what I thought was a great way to incorporate the audience into our dance. So, all of Monday, I felt completely calm and ready for the show.
I admit that my nerves flared up just a bit before we went on, but once the spotlight hit we were off and I felt confident that I had managed to keep everything together and pull off a good performance. When we heard the judges’ scores of three 9’s, I was ecstatic! It’s one thing to be confident about your performance and another thing to have the judges validate it. I definitely wasn’t perfect, but I had incorporated the judges’ previous points and my confidence was at an all-time high when we returned to the booth.
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