[dancing with the stars] week one - viennese waltz
NOTE: Fic for DWTS tiems! Bee and Effie are deep_red_bells and effiecat respectively, and both snatched with great love to the most righteous mun of WIN. :P Tommy's routine last night was this one.
There was an irrational moment, after the music faded and he knelt there, hovering just over Effie, that he was sure the crowd was booing him off the fucking dance floor. It took a minute to realize it was his own blood roaring in his ears, and beyond that was the thin, tinny sound of an audience going completely insane.
“Oh my God, I think we broke them.”
Tommy laughed at Effie’s giggling, finally rising and helping her to her feet. Relief, more fear, and pure gratitude flooded him in a rush so intense he couldn’t contain it…so he didn’t.
With a roar of triumph, he pumped his fist into the air and abruptly swept Stephanie into his arms in a huge hug, then released her and moved across the dance floor to the sound of more cheering as he found Bee up front and wrapped her in a hug.
“Did you see that? I didn’t fall down, did you fucking see that?!”
“Yes, go! Len’s gonna bust something, you big dork!”
Grinning, he let Baileigh go and turned back to the crowd, arms spread as he slowly made his way back to Tom and Stephanie. He couldn’t help it, not when the crowd cheered louder and even stood…a standing ovation. They were pouring into him and moving through him, and he couldn’t stop himself from giving it back to them. It was a vicious cycle of giving and glorying in each other, a symbiosis they weren’t even aware of. Even Baileigh…Jesus, he could see why Julian married her. She was like a walking Energizer battery.
It was long minutes before the crowd settled enough to be heard, leaving Tommy just behind Stephanie with judges and host all gaping at him.
“Holy mackerel…ladies and gentlemen, I don’t know if the cameras do it justice, but the noise level in here…let’s just say it’s a good thing this ballroom’s reinforced with rhinestone rivets, okay? Anyway, let’s get started…Len?”
“Thanks, Tom…” Len Goodman trailed off, huffing and spreading his hands. “First off, welcome to the show, Stephanie. That was a lovely routine, beautifully crafted. As for you, Tommy…well I’ve got to say, I’m both elated and disappointed in what I just saw. You are a natural born dancer, and as fine as I’ve yet to see in week one of this competition!! Your technique’s solid, musicality’s spot on, and you make a bloody good show of the qualities I care to find in the Viennese waltz: elegance, fluidity…it was just superb! But…disappointments: tension, stooped shoulders, and a little too much force. You’ve got to be more gentle in this dance, save all that rubbish for the paso doble. All in all, though? Beginner’s nerves, beginner’s rough edges…I expect big things from you, Sunshine.”
Tommy was laughing by the end of Len’s review, and hiding his head in Stephanie’s hair while getting pushed off by the smaller, slighter blonde woman.
“Tommy? You okay, buddy?”
Straightening, he nodded, feeling the heat in his face. A chorus of awwws and hoots from the audience didn’t help.
“Yeah, just…wow.” He chuckled, rubbing a hand over his face. “I just warned Eff here that red and white’d make me look like a freakin’ moldy tomato, ya know?”
“Well, costumes are a form of revenge among the dancers here…”
“Awww, c’mon, Tom!”
“Sorry, Stephanie. Bruno, to you.”
Just as he feared, Bruno stood up and started the same shouting and gesturing Baileigh had warned him about.
“The magician of the Las Vegas Strip has come and made my *heart* disappear!! Where did it go?! Tommy, as a performer I must say that you were *absolutely* superb out on that floor. You were the masculine, gentle leading man telling a beautiful love story…the only thing I must say? Is that your *nerves*…your *nerves* were getting in the way…what? Is true!”
A rousing chorus of boos met Bruno’s critique. Tommy could hardly believe what he was hearing…believe that Bee was leading the pack up front, but that the rest of them would do this, a show of affection…
“Hey! Hey, c’mon, guys!” he protested, gesturing to Bruno. “Let the dude have his say, huh? Or else I’m gonna have to kiss him, and nobody wants that, least of all Donny Osmond!”
The cheers began again, and finally the audience let Bruno get on with it.
“Overall? Wonderful job, but *relax*, my dear boy, relax. And bit of a tip? Push a bit with your arms to get better extension, but keep it light for the waltz. Feather light. And Stephanie? You, my dear…you are a joy. Welcome.”
“Thanks, Bruno…Carrie Ann.”
“I…wow. Tommy, Stephanie, you…wow. I just…I don’t know what else to say, just *wow!!* Yes, Tommy, you need work, this is new for you. Yes, you’re not used to ballroom, so you need to dial it back a bit. You were just a little *too* forceful out there for a waltz, it’s about elegance and grace. Intensity is good? But Len’s right, you need to save that ferocity for the paso doble. BUT! What I love about what I saw tonight is that you have this…otherworldly quality about you! You’re larger than life when you dance, you’re so enveloped in your character, and I think that’s where your gifts in magic and stage performing are going to serve you. Overall, great job. GREAT job.”
Grateful to be finally sent back for his scores, Tommy didn’t remember much more than the people, the faces in the crowd that ran before him as he stopped to touch every hand that stretched out to him, making it harder to reach his goal of getting back to the lounge in the audience.
“You guys! WOW! Stephanie, welcome to the show, Tommy…how did it feel to get out there and dance, Tommy?” Brooke asked.
“That was…just unreal.” He replied with a grin. “Scared the hell outta me, that’s for sure, but I got so lucky, having Eff as my partner. Seriously? I ain’t kiddin’ ya, if she wasn’t there, if it was someone I didn’t know? I don’t think I could’ve done it.”
As Stephanie hugged him, Tommy barely heard Brooke as she segued into their scores.
“…Bruno Tonioli!”
“Eight!”
“Carrie Ann Inaba!”
“Eight!”
“Len Goodman!”
“Se-ven!”
Tommy gaped, blinking in shock. That was…he got a…did he just…?
“That ties Tommy with Evan at twenty three out of thirty!!”
“Tommy! Oh my GOD!!”
Catching Stephanie as she leapt into his arms gleefully, he staggered back a step with a laugh, then spun her in a circle before he set her down again.
“Tommy…how do you feel?”
“I…that’s…did they really give me those scores?” he gawked, impulsively stopping to hug Brooke as well. “That was…okay, so maybe I’m gonna learn to do more than just foxtrot.”
“Let’s hope so, the crowd loves you! Those are great scores…but they can’t make it past next week without your votes, so call, text, vote online…”
“Please, please vote.” Tommy pled to the camera, folding his hands around Stephanie in supplication and earning a giggle as he did. “Seriously, the only way a big dork like me is gonna make it is with your help. Just vote for me once?”
“Tommy, stop! Vote a lot, people!”
“Thanks, Effie. Yeah, what she said. Vote a lot, lemme learn to foxtrot. And quick shout out to my boss, Channing, my girl Bee who’s in the crowd tonight…Zee, I love you, and big kisses to my May Bunny! Daddy loves you…now go to bed.”
“And me?”
Tommy laughed, pulling Stephanie back against his front and kissing her temple good-naturedly. “Always, babe. Always.”
“And there you have it…magic in the ballroom. We’ll be right back.”
There was an irrational moment, after the music faded and he knelt there, hovering just over Effie, that he was sure the crowd was booing him off the fucking dance floor. It took a minute to realize it was his own blood roaring in his ears, and beyond that was the thin, tinny sound of an audience going completely insane.
“Oh my God, I think we broke them.”
Tommy laughed at Effie’s giggling, finally rising and helping her to her feet. Relief, more fear, and pure gratitude flooded him in a rush so intense he couldn’t contain it…so he didn’t.
With a roar of triumph, he pumped his fist into the air and abruptly swept Stephanie into his arms in a huge hug, then released her and moved across the dance floor to the sound of more cheering as he found Bee up front and wrapped her in a hug.
“Did you see that? I didn’t fall down, did you fucking see that?!”
“Yes, go! Len’s gonna bust something, you big dork!”
Grinning, he let Baileigh go and turned back to the crowd, arms spread as he slowly made his way back to Tom and Stephanie. He couldn’t help it, not when the crowd cheered louder and even stood…a standing ovation. They were pouring into him and moving through him, and he couldn’t stop himself from giving it back to them. It was a vicious cycle of giving and glorying in each other, a symbiosis they weren’t even aware of. Even Baileigh…Jesus, he could see why Julian married her. She was like a walking Energizer battery.
It was long minutes before the crowd settled enough to be heard, leaving Tommy just behind Stephanie with judges and host all gaping at him.
“Holy mackerel…ladies and gentlemen, I don’t know if the cameras do it justice, but the noise level in here…let’s just say it’s a good thing this ballroom’s reinforced with rhinestone rivets, okay? Anyway, let’s get started…Len?”
“Thanks, Tom…” Len Goodman trailed off, huffing and spreading his hands. “First off, welcome to the show, Stephanie. That was a lovely routine, beautifully crafted. As for you, Tommy…well I’ve got to say, I’m both elated and disappointed in what I just saw. You are a natural born dancer, and as fine as I’ve yet to see in week one of this competition!! Your technique’s solid, musicality’s spot on, and you make a bloody good show of the qualities I care to find in the Viennese waltz: elegance, fluidity…it was just superb! But…disappointments: tension, stooped shoulders, and a little too much force. You’ve got to be more gentle in this dance, save all that rubbish for the paso doble. All in all, though? Beginner’s nerves, beginner’s rough edges…I expect big things from you, Sunshine.”
Tommy was laughing by the end of Len’s review, and hiding his head in Stephanie’s hair while getting pushed off by the smaller, slighter blonde woman.
“Tommy? You okay, buddy?”
Straightening, he nodded, feeling the heat in his face. A chorus of awwws and hoots from the audience didn’t help.
“Yeah, just…wow.” He chuckled, rubbing a hand over his face. “I just warned Eff here that red and white’d make me look like a freakin’ moldy tomato, ya know?”
“Well, costumes are a form of revenge among the dancers here…”
“Awww, c’mon, Tom!”
“Sorry, Stephanie. Bruno, to you.”
Just as he feared, Bruno stood up and started the same shouting and gesturing Baileigh had warned him about.
“The magician of the Las Vegas Strip has come and made my *heart* disappear!! Where did it go?! Tommy, as a performer I must say that you were *absolutely* superb out on that floor. You were the masculine, gentle leading man telling a beautiful love story…the only thing I must say? Is that your *nerves*…your *nerves* were getting in the way…what? Is true!”
A rousing chorus of boos met Bruno’s critique. Tommy could hardly believe what he was hearing…believe that Bee was leading the pack up front, but that the rest of them would do this, a show of affection…
“Hey! Hey, c’mon, guys!” he protested, gesturing to Bruno. “Let the dude have his say, huh? Or else I’m gonna have to kiss him, and nobody wants that, least of all Donny Osmond!”
The cheers began again, and finally the audience let Bruno get on with it.
“Overall? Wonderful job, but *relax*, my dear boy, relax. And bit of a tip? Push a bit with your arms to get better extension, but keep it light for the waltz. Feather light. And Stephanie? You, my dear…you are a joy. Welcome.”
“Thanks, Bruno…Carrie Ann.”
“I…wow. Tommy, Stephanie, you…wow. I just…I don’t know what else to say, just *wow!!* Yes, Tommy, you need work, this is new for you. Yes, you’re not used to ballroom, so you need to dial it back a bit. You were just a little *too* forceful out there for a waltz, it’s about elegance and grace. Intensity is good? But Len’s right, you need to save that ferocity for the paso doble. BUT! What I love about what I saw tonight is that you have this…otherworldly quality about you! You’re larger than life when you dance, you’re so enveloped in your character, and I think that’s where your gifts in magic and stage performing are going to serve you. Overall, great job. GREAT job.”
Grateful to be finally sent back for his scores, Tommy didn’t remember much more than the people, the faces in the crowd that ran before him as he stopped to touch every hand that stretched out to him, making it harder to reach his goal of getting back to the lounge in the audience.
“You guys! WOW! Stephanie, welcome to the show, Tommy…how did it feel to get out there and dance, Tommy?” Brooke asked.
“That was…just unreal.” He replied with a grin. “Scared the hell outta me, that’s for sure, but I got so lucky, having Eff as my partner. Seriously? I ain’t kiddin’ ya, if she wasn’t there, if it was someone I didn’t know? I don’t think I could’ve done it.”
As Stephanie hugged him, Tommy barely heard Brooke as she segued into their scores.
“…Bruno Tonioli!”
“Eight!”
“Carrie Ann Inaba!”
“Eight!”
“Len Goodman!”
“Se-ven!”
Tommy gaped, blinking in shock. That was…he got a…did he just…?
“That ties Tommy with Evan at twenty three out of thirty!!”
“Tommy! Oh my GOD!!”
Catching Stephanie as she leapt into his arms gleefully, he staggered back a step with a laugh, then spun her in a circle before he set her down again.
“Tommy…how do you feel?”
“I…that’s…did they really give me those scores?” he gawked, impulsively stopping to hug Brooke as well. “That was…okay, so maybe I’m gonna learn to do more than just foxtrot.”
“Let’s hope so, the crowd loves you! Those are great scores…but they can’t make it past next week without your votes, so call, text, vote online…”
“Please, please vote.” Tommy pled to the camera, folding his hands around Stephanie in supplication and earning a giggle as he did. “Seriously, the only way a big dork like me is gonna make it is with your help. Just vote for me once?”
“Tommy, stop! Vote a lot, people!”
“Thanks, Effie. Yeah, what she said. Vote a lot, lemme learn to foxtrot. And quick shout out to my boss, Channing, my girl Bee who’s in the crowd tonight…Zee, I love you, and big kisses to my May Bunny! Daddy loves you…now go to bed.”
“And me?”
Tommy laughed, pulling Stephanie back against his front and kissing her temple good-naturedly. “Always, babe. Always.”
“And there you have it…magic in the ballroom. We’ll be right back.”