Dancing with the Stars: Carrie Ann’s Throwback to High School

CARRIE ANN CONVERSATIONS | Dancing with the Stars: Breakthroughs All Around

This week on Dancing with the Stars was 80s night, a blast from the past and the perfect trip down memory lane. I graduated from Punahou High School in 1986, and all the songs our contestants danced to brought back some of my favorite memories of growing up in Hawaii and pursuing dance as a career.

CARRIE ANN INABA Dancing with the Stars
A throwback from 1985!

The 80s were such an important decade for me, containing some of my favorite memories both of my home in Hawaii and my brand new career in entertainment. It was the decade that I toured Japan as a performing artist and started investing in what has become a lifelong love of dance. My team and I wanted to do justice to his fabulous era in fashion, and we went to town bringing the 80s to life in my look this week. To read more about it you can check out my getting ready diary at People.com.

CARRIE ANN INABA Dancing with the Stars
Performing in Japan for Pony Canyon Records, 1987.

First, I’d like to give a big congratulations to Johnny Weir and his partner Britt for their artistic and passionate contemporary dance. Britt’s choice to take Johnny back on the ice was incredible strategy as his mentor and partner, and I really think it helped him tap into something major in this season of Dancing with the Stars. This season has been potentially the most competitive one I’ve ever seen; we’re seeing a lot of great dancing, and there are so many couples that could be contenders. This has been a strong moment for breakthroughs; I can see so many of our performers making new connections and reaching new levels in different ways. Last week I felt Nelly had a real breakthrough performance with his paso doble only to have another breakthrough this week. He finally seemed so relaxed and comfortable, like he had found his range of movement in this samba. I think we tend to forget that dancing is not only sport, but it’s art and communication and entertainment as well. This week Nelly really tapped into that entertainment side, and we all enjoyed watching him.

As judges, we love to see our contestants have breakthroughs, which is why it can be so heartbreaking to have to say goodbye to someone when their breakthrough might be right around the corner. It was so hard to have to send Jesse Metcalfe and his partner Sharna Burgess home because after 29 seasons, I can tell when things are starting to click into place for contestants. My judge’s comments are always geared towards helping people reach that next level; I always want to invest in the growth and the evolution of the celebrities who have decided to take the chance and appear on Dancing with the Stars. It can be so challenging to lean into an experience like this one, and I always want to give advice that encourages them on their journey.

CARRIE ANN INABA Dancing with the Stars
Glamming up

It was so difficult to have to make the choice between Jesse Metcalfe and Vernon Davis, but it was clear to me that Vernon was closer to his breakthrough than Jesse at this point. That being said, I truly hope Jesse has found a love for dance in this process and I hope he can incorporate some of what he learned into his future endeavors. He seemed to really be learning to love dance and I hope this isn’t the last we see of that side of him.

I know that Dancing with the Stars is a show crafted to entertain and delight, but I also think it’s such an incredible vehicle for everyone who makes it into our ballroom. Even if people go home earlier than we’d hoped or we don’t get to see them do things we thought they could, DWTS can be such an amazing platform for celebrities to let the audience see a different side to themselves. For instance, just last week Anne Heche told a story she’d never told before about her relationship with Ellen and got to be real and vulnerable with all of us. I’m always proud to be on a show that gives people a place to grow and evolve and courageously face their fears. Dancing with the Stars is total entertainment, but it also creates change for people. It allows evolution. And it gives people hope, I think, when they watch other people face their own fears or tell their own stories. We get to know our contestants better and that helps us get to know ourselves better.

A backlot photo opp.

I’m already looking forward to next week and all the fresh growth it will bring. I’m truly so proud of each of our performers and all they’re accomplishing, even though I didn’t get a chance to mention every one of them by name here. Next week I’ll feature a few more of our couples and share my deeper impressions of them so you can get an inside look at my perspective of the competition.

Thank you for watching and for reading, and I hope you’re enjoying the process as much as we are! Halloween night is coming soon, and we’re all hard at work deciding what we’re going to be. We try to top ourselves every year, and I know that with Tyra’s fashionable influence our costumes are going to be on a whole new level!

For previous entries of my DWTS Diary, click here!

Reflections on Disney Night at Dancing with the Stars: Who’s Stood Out and Why

CARRIE ANN CONVERSATIONS | Carrie Ann's DWTS Diary

Disney Night is a Dancing with the Stars fan favorite, and it’s one of my favorites as well. I want to give a huge shout out to the production crew and creative team at DWTS, the hair and makeup team and every single person who worked to create the magic of Disney right in our DWTS ballroom. All the Disney princesses were taken by the dancers, so I chose to make up my own princess. I decided to wear pink because it’s the color of the heart chakra, and everything I do right now comes from my heart. The makeup for this episode was beyond anything we’ve ever seen in the past— Carole Baskin and her partner Pasha brought The Lion King to life with a very special flair. Sadly, Carole is not moving on to the next round, but I want to say that I have a lot of respect for her coming on the show and doing something so outside of her realm while spreading the word about her mission of saving big cats. I’m thankful for the production numbers she brought to the show, which will live on in DWTS history for many years to come. My favorite will always be the Viennese Waltz she and Pasha performed last week to Tom Jones’ “What’s New Pussycat?”

Carrie Ann Inaba Dancing with the Stars
Let the magic begin!

In week three, all the couples seem to have found their stride. In past seasons, there have been a lot of elements that could help distract from any flaws in couples’ performances. We’d have fantastic production numbers with backing dancers that would frame the couple and sometimes this would help to mask the couple’s weaknesses. This year, with no backing dancers, we get to focus on the growth of the actual contestants themselves. For me that’s what DWTS is all about.

When I think about the growth I saw this episode, Johnny Weir is the first name that comes to my mind. Johnny is a two-time Olympic skater who’s trained his whole life to do something that is very similar to dance but is not quite dance. His challenge this season has been to learn to use his feet for dancing instead of skating. Johnny has brought so many strengths to this competition; we already know that he knows how to perform, we know he has lyricism. But now we’re watching him make the challenging transition from skating to dancing and I believe we saw his work pay off in this episode He’s traded in his skating feet and finally found his hardwood floor feet, and I couldn’t be more thrilled.

Carrie Ann Inaba Dancing With The Stars
A friendly clash between co-hosts

Another breakthrough I saw was in Jeannie and Brandon’s performance to ″Married Life″ from Up. When a celebrity truly learns to trust their pro partner, and the couple finds its energetic balance, that’s when the magic starts to happen. During their ballroom dance I saw this balance and connection manifest for the two of them. I spoke of balance a lot this episode because week three is when the couples start to really become partners. The first two weeks of Dancing with the Stars are always a process for the newcomers to find their bearings, but this year even the pros had to reorient themselves. Our dancers are used to performing to a live audience. Now that the only audience in the house is the three judges, there’s been a dynamic shift. In previous seasons, the audience might go crazy for a couple’s number, even if the technique was wrong. The dancers might have had a hard time listening to our notes while they were receiving such a positive reaction from the crowd. This year, our feedback is the only input the dancers receive, and it’s made for an interesting dynamic between the judges and the dancers.

While I’m talking about balance, I have to acknowledge the growth I saw in another one of our couples: Vernon and Peta. There’s a huge height difference between them which can be a major obstacle for some couples, but their quickstep to “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast showed that they’ve not only found a balance between their heights but found balance in their energies as well. That is the goal for every couple, to first find their balance with each other and create a connection so they can dance as one, and then to start building off of that structure. We should start to see even more “wow” moments as the couples deepen their trust for each other and keep building their partnerships.

I want to congratulate all of our couples; I respect them for all the hard work they’ve been putting in.

Carrie Ann Inaba Dancing with the Stars
Princess for a night

Disney Night is such a special night for us, and I feel so fortunate to be on a show that makes time to celebrate the wonder and magic that Disney represents. So many of us grew up with these fairy tales, these heartwarming stories, and all of us can benefit from taking a moment to believe in the magic and whimsy from our childhood. In bringing these stories to life, from Moana to Up to Disney’s upcoming film Soul, I really believe Dancing with the Stars is uplifting our audience and I’ll always feel that it’s important work. Throughout history, dance has always been a source of escapism and joy during difficult times, and that’s exactly what the world needs now. I want to thank my team for helping me be a part of the magic by putting together such a fun look, from the crown to the dress to all my glittering jewelry. I’d like to thank my designer, Steven Khalil, for the perfect fairytale dress, and Dena Kemp and Lafonn for the gorgeous jewelry. To find out more about this episode’s look you can read my Getting-Ready Diary on People.com. Now it’s time to get back to work on The Talk; you can join me there Monday through Friday at 1pm, or streaming online at CBS.com. Be sure to keep following our journey on Dancing With The Stars on ABC every Monday at 8pm, because it’s only getting better from here.

Carrie Ann Inaba’s Favorite Books About Dancing

Dancing With The Stars Judges

I’ve been in love with dance for most of my life; it’s a language of the body, one that speaks to us on a deeper level. It’s physical, emotional, intuitive and there’s no art form quite like it. Learning about dance isn’t just about practicing the technical movements, it’s about studying the culture of different styles, the pioneers who took the art form and made it their own. Reading about dance always makes me feel closer to one of my favorite things in the world; here are a few books I’d recommend to anyone who wants to learn a bit more about dance.

Let’s Dance by Paul Bottomer

Buy now on Amazon

Let’s Dance is a great reference guide for anyone who wants to learn more about Latin and Ballroom dancing. With an abundance of information about all forms of Latin and Ballroom, this book makes a great foundational resource for anyone with a passion for dance.

A Very Young Dancer by Jill Krementz

Buy now on Amazon

This was the first book I ever had as a young dancer. It’s both beautiful and inspiring, following a ten year old ballerina through her routine as she plays Clara in The Nutcracker.

Fosse by Sam Wasson

Buy now on Amazon

Fosse is my favorite choreographer of all time; he was such a brilliant artist. After I saw All That Jazz I was fascinated and had to learn everything I could about him. This book is a great resource for understanding what made Bob Fosse’s work so remarkable.

Meredith Monk (Art + Performance) by Deborah Jowitt

Buy now on Amazon

Meredith Monk is one of my favorite artists of all time, a true visionary. I was first introduced to her while I was studying World Arts and Culture at UCLA. She’s a fascinating artist, and her relationship with dance is so deep and compelling. I came to understand my own love of dance through understanding Meredith Monk’s work; she’s an amazing creator and if you’re interested in dance it’s worth it to learn more about her.

Time and the Dancing Image by Deborah Jowitt

Buy now on Amazon

When I went back to school at 30 years old after stepping away from education for my dance career, Time and the Dancing Image was one of the first texts I has to study. This book is a great retrospective of dance, walking readers through the movement of dance trends over time and chronicling all the modern choreographers. It’s a great book to have on your shelf whether you’re a dance educator, historian, or simply someone who loves dance and wants to know more about its history and evolution.

This Monday, June 1st marked the 15th anniversary of Dancing With The Stars. We’re so thankful to have been a part of the lives of all those who love Dancing With The Stars, our DWTS family, for so long. We are planning on returning this fall, but we have to see how things go. There is a lot to be considered and we need to be sure we can do it safely. All I know is that I am looking forward to an innovative and exciting Season 29 of Dancing with the Stars to experience with all of you. We all need a little DWTS magic right about now!

What are some of your favorite books about dance? Tell me in the comments below or tag @carrieannconversations on Instagram!