I'm going to miss finding pictures of Michael and his crazy faces every week now that season 2 of Dance Your Ass Off is over. Sigh.
The second part of the finale consisted of the final contestants tracking their journey from the beginning of the competition and how much they have changed. There was some fierce dancing, but in the end, Latoya was crowned the champion, beating Adamme by only a couple points. IT SUCKED. I mean, I love Adamme.
Congrats to Latoya. She does look INCREDIBLE and her dancing is unreal. Here is the recap (the dancing starts around 3:00 in):
And here are some still shots that I love that captured the "drama" and "pageantry".
I can't wait until next season! Now onto Thintervention, Money Hungry, and The Biggest Loser!
Yes, part 1. We couldn't have the finale in one episode. NO! And I was just complimenting Oxygen on fitting all the action into one neat hour sized package. . .
At the beginning of the episode, Mel B informs remaining contestants Adamme and Latoya that they will be going home for five weeks as their final challenge. No doctors, trainers, or professionals: They will have to fend for themselves and then come back for the final dance off. Adamme packs up his suitcase full of dream catchers and heads back to Vegas- Latoya goes wherever it is that she lives. I think the Bronx? Jersey? It looks really suburban!
Five weeks later all the previous contestants return to have a reunion at Runyon Canyon, the place they all had to run up the first day they arrived. Some people look like they have kept up the weight loss, other people look like they have eased up a bit. Michael, Katie, Erica, Corey, and Kiki seem like they have the most extreme transformations. Before the contestants run up the canyon, Briana announces she ended up having ACL surgery on her knee and Erica is pregnant with her third child. Get it, Erica! Michael also claims to be pregnant, if only to ride in the truck to the top of the canyon.
Once at the top, Mel B introduces the new Latoya and Adamme who have turned into lean mean dancing machines! Mel B also announces a TWIST--three former contestants will be put back into the competition for a dance off based on the amount of weight they have lost. One dancer will be chosen to join Latoya and Adamme for a last chance at the $100,000 prize. Michael, Corey, and Katie are the lucky three. . .which means we must endure watching Corey and Michael dance again. A strangely unique gift. Super surprise is Katie, who looks incredible and who's dancing has only gotten better with her weight loss.
So, how does everyone stack up? Here is their weight loss in order of their eliminations: Caleb: 30.1 lbs Meredith: 45.6 lbs Sarah: 22.5 lbs Erica: 50 .1 lbs Kiki: 49.0 lbs Briana: 61.4 lbs Katie: 56.9 lbs Stephanie: 34.7 lbs Corey: 80.4 lbs Michael: 85.8 lbs and the final two. . . Adamme: 105.7 lbs Latoya: 58.6 lbs
The "wild cards" compete in their dance off, and although I really wanted Katie to be chosen, Michael takes the third place position. Corey may have done the most uncomfortable moonwalk I have ever seen. . .but Michael's face during the first finale dance earns this week's prize of making me scrunch down on my couch in horror. Or first prize in the tiger impression contest.
The dancing starts at 2:20 in the clip!
Next episode-- finale part two! Two more dances, the final weigh in, and the crowing of season two's champion ass off-er. WHO WILL IT BE? (Adamme, please be Adamme!)
I don't know why the episode was called this. I think it was because the dancers were supposed to show their true selves on stage through their dance. . .but I would have called the episode "So You Think You Can Dance Your Ass Off!" because of the cross reality show tie ins! The dancers are paired with their professional partners, and two of them (Jesus and Joshua) are previous contestants from SYTYCD, my fave reality dance show not dealing with weight loss.
After a quickie montage of last week's show, Mel B greets the contestants and tells them their styling tips for this week's show are located in some garment bags. I was hoping that there were cute and flattering costumes in there, but instead there were Cd's with music they were supposed to style their routines on.
Corey- Rapper's Delight Stephanie- Imma Be (what? Imma be what?) Meredith- Smile Kiki- Beautiful Sarah- My Life LaToya- So Emotional Michael- Ridin' Dirty (my fave!) Katie- Evacuate the Dance Floor Erica- No More Drama Adamme- The Time of My Life Briana- You Can't Touch This
The contestants meet their new pro partners and feel either excited, nervous, flustered, or sweaty. Then it's off to learn from nutritionist Rachel Bellen about portion control. Did you know that eating two sushi rolls is like eating three fish sandwiches? Me either. Then it's time to train with Lee. This week they are out of the gym and up Runyon Canyon, that hilly path I see on every weight loss show from Celebrity Fit Club to The Biggest Loser.
Quick inside peek: Michael lets us in on a secret: Kiki and Corey are having a love connection! Corey actual says that Kiki is "a little ball of adorableness". He's got it BAD. What guy says that?
Then it is the day of the show, y'all! Mel B introduces us to the judges and today's guest judge, Mayte Garcia. Who was a judge last year on the show. But now she is a guest. Where did she go?
Everyone had their opportunity to leave it on the dance floor, but then it was time to weigh in. (No time wasted on this show, ya hear NBC?)
Adamme (immune): From 289.5 lbs to 281.3 lbs- 8.2 lbs lost + dance score: 10.8 Stephanie: From 196.1 lbs to 188.2 lbs- 7.9 lbs lost + dance score: 11.7 WINNER!!! Erica: From 224.8 lbs to 218.3 lbs- 5.8 lbs lost + dance score: 10.9 Michael: From 272.1 lbs to 263.2- 8.9 lbs lost + dance score: 10.0 Briana: From 275.3 lbs to 269.5 lbs- 5.8 lbs lost + dance score: 9.1 Corey: From 310.7 lbs to 303.4 lbs- 7.3 lbs lost + dance score: 8.6 LaToya: From 207.2 lbs to 206.3 lbs- 0.9 lbs + dance score: 8.4 Katie: From 207.3 lbs to 202.7 lbs- 4.6 lbs + dance score: 8.2 Kiki: From 212.0 lbs to 207.5 lbs- 4.5 lbs + dance score: 7.8 Sarah: From 208.9 lbs to 205.8 lbs- 3.1 lbs + dance score: 7.2 Meredith: From 205.6 lbs to 201.7 lbs- 3.9 lbs + dance score: 6.9
Meredith was PANNED on her dance (she got a 4 from one judge) and is sent home. But she is a classy lady. Pass the tissues.
I am happy to report that all the costumes were MUCH BETTER this week! No silver bike pants! And next week the dancers will be attempting salsa- muy caliente!
I love Dance Your Ass Off. Call it what you will, but to me it is an opportunity for larger folks to do what they love and get healthy while doing it. And you know that doing what you love is my fitness motto!
The first episode focused on the auditions, which the first season really didn't cover. New host Mel B. (of Spice Girls fame) introduces the show and the auditions spanning LA, Dallas, Chicago, and New York to find 25 contestants to narrow down for the 12 spots on the show. The show is a little more like So You Think You Can Dance- Plus Size! We now have a British host and we already had the British judge and the ballroom judge. The show is also showing the contestants in a more serious light now: Real people that have dance training that can't be REAL dancers because they are larger. Last season it was a LITTLE more jokey. I don't want to feel bad about watching this, folks.
The auditions showed there is a lot of talent in these larger packages, and it was hard for the judges to make their final picks. BUT THEY DID!
My fave contestant is Adamme, a make up artist with a lot of swagga.
I am planning on live tweeting during the show, so if you have the Oxygen Network, tune in with me, Mondays at 10/9 central!
Can you believe that Memorial Day is this weekend? My GOD. I feel like we just celebrated the new year! With the change in seasons and the major finales of many of our favorite television programs, it is time to say HOLA to the new shows I will be blogging about this summer!
LOSING IT WITH JILLIAN: Biggest Loser trainer Jillian Michaels doesn't take many vacations. The BL just wrapped up on Tuesday, and this Tuesday (June 1st) Jillian goes out on her own to travel America and move in with one "lucky" family so she can transform them. It isn't just about working out, either. It looks like she tackles everything from family relationships to hoarding. It sounds like all my favorite reality programs wrapped up into a neat, six-pack abs package. NBC: Tuesdays at 10/9 c.
DANCE YOUR ASS OFF: Controversial but incredibly entertaining, Dance Your Ass Off kicks it into high gear Monday, June 7th at 9/8c on the Oxygen Network. I LOVED THIS SHOW! Last season I watched as some overweight guys and gals put it all out there and left it on the dance floor. It was really inspirational to see people working out, doing something that they LOVE to do. Dancing is a calorie scorcher, and the results for some of the contestants was jaw dropping. New for the season: Mel B (aka Scary Spice) will now be hosting instead of Marissa Jaret Winokur, the chubby little star of Hairspray on Broadway.
HUGE: ABC Family, which in my mind makes some of the most questionable family programming out there (Tell me why Pretty Little Liars exists), has a new show about fat kids at fat camp called Huge. I don't know how I feel about this, but I won't know until I watch it. I'm assuming it's about kids coming to terms with themselves and others. I'm okay, you're okay. ABC Family: Mondays starting June 28th at 9/8 c.
BRIDAL BOOT CAMP: Leave it to super reality television vehicle VH1 to put on a show that combines all the cattiness of Rock of Love with the intensity of Harvey Walden IV on Celebrity Fit Club. Two teams of ladies compete to lose weight and win their dream wedding. The show may be hosted by a transsexual. Tell me if I am wrong, but shim sounds manly. VH1: Premieres Wednesday, June 9th 10/9 c.
I had always been interested in working out and being fit, but never could stick with it. I rode bikes and did martial arts and dance as a kid, but always opted for the more creative choices when I got older, instead of the active choices. NO organized sports for this kid!
I was the newspaper editor and drama queen in high school, and my love of the arts took me to college as a Musical Theatre Major, and that led me to living in New York City. All the while, I was the chubby one, the funny best friend and side kick. I wanted to lose weight, but never really knew what to do about it.
After September 11, I moved back to my home state of Oklahoma to help take care of my older sister who was suffering from kidney failure. The defeat I felt in moving home only added to my weight problems. My sister had me weigh myself at her doctor appointment one day, and I weighed over 200 pounds. I refused to believe it, and blamed the fact that I was wearing clothes for the extra 50 pounds.
Then everything changed: my sister passed away in September of 2002. I was lost and confused, and was medicating myself with food and drinks. One morning in November of 2002, I woke up and was tired of feeling bad. I needed to change. I started my fitness journey that morning by putting on an old pair of sneakers and I never looked back.
I have lost over 60 pounds on my own through diet and exercise. No fancy tricks, but lots of sweat and hard work. I am amazed when people can change their lives by doing the same thing. I'm an ACE certified personal trainer, personal trainer at Equinox Sports Club West LA, licensed Zumba instructor, and intenSati leader (with more to come!!!), and am happy for the chance to touch people with my enthusiasm for fitness everyday.
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