Evan to Host 'Ballroom With a Twist' this Friday in Richmond, BC
Evan was originally only scheduled to host the show in Halifax, NS on August 12th, but now he'll also be filling in for Gilles Marini this Friday in Richmond, BC. There are tickets still available for both shows: Richmond, BC and Halifax, NS
The tickets aren't cheap, but I figured I'd post this in case anyone wants to go and can afford to.
Here's a little article/interview with Evan for the Richmond show:
Evan's back in dancing heaven
Twist! host admits he's a bit nervous -- but he'll be cool as ice on the night
By Stuart Derdeyn, The Province
Excerpt: "I'm really not a whole lot more comfortable now doing this without skates on than I was before," says Lysacek. "Honestly, I'm getting pretty nervous about the whole thing."
Evan Lysacek likes Vancouver. For it was at the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralymic Games that the 25-year-old became the first American to win the Olympic gold in men's singles since Brian Boitano in 1988 and the first reigning world champion since Scott Hamilton in 1984. As of this past April, he was ranked in first place by the International Skating Union.
But he's on a return trip here hosting Ballroom With A Twist!, a spinoff big cast dance show directed and choreographed by Dancing With the Stars's Emmy-nominated Louis van Amstel.
A celebrity contestant on Season 10 of the popular program, he and his partner, professional dancer Anna Trebunskaya, came in second place to Pussycat Dolls' Nicole Scherzinger and Derek Hough. The program premiered on March 10. Since it finished, he's been busy touring with Stars on Ice. As he readies himself to strap on dancing shoes instead of skates, the real question is whether his chops are up to snuff or not. Hard to believe someone so celebrated for his grace and poise under pressure sounds a bit nervous.
"I'm really not a whole lot more comfortable now doing this without skates on than I was before," says Lysacek. "Honestly, I'm getting pretty nervous about the whole thing.
"But it's always great to take on a new challenge and exciting as well to get a chance to relive Dancing With the Stars. I look forward to getting back together with Anna to reminisce and dance."
Having signed on to host the show after Dancing With the Stars' Gilles Marini was forced to vacate the post due to conflicts with his filming schedule, Lysacek is "not really sure" what his role is going to be. Front and centre and tripping the light fantastic is certain to be where he'll be during the large cast production.
"I know that I'm dancing two of my favourite moments from the show, and I'm really happy about that. Beyond that, we'll have to see. It's exciting and a little nerve-racking because I want to do a good job and remember all of the steps. It's a rare and fun opportunity to come back to Canada. I train a lot in Toronto and it's kind of a second home."
He notes that the roster will be no less a star-studded affair than the broadcasts it spun off. Dancing With the Stars aces Jonathan Roberts and Trebunskaya are on deck. Ditto for American Idol finalists Trenyce Cobbins and David Hernandez. No word if one of the "twist" elements will be either or both of these performers picking up the mic to sing a song or two. The promotional material stresses that among the other twists will be some boundary-pushing showcases for the latest hip-hop styles, too. Lysacek is happy to hear this as he would rather do that than the Latin dances, which he found to be the hardest of all during the competition.
"I just found the pace of the steps for a lot of them, like the rumba and samba, really difficult to do well. But I love the paso doble and the Argentine tango, so I suppose it's a mix."
As to why the world appears to be engaged in a love affair with dance shows these days in a way it hasn't been seen since the 1940s and early '50s, he has an interesting take. It's about feeling good in tough times.
"For the past several years, the economy in America and the whole world has been bad. There is a lot of negativity going on with wars abroad, people losing their jobs, their homes and so much of the news and TV shows are about negative things like murder, or crime, and so few things that are entertaining are positive. Dance is so incredibly positive, everyone can do it and it's a great escape."
Even for people "like me" who aren't particularly good at the sport, he thinks that the dance shows give you a reason to smile and get your moves on. Having worked closely with the professional competitive dancers on Dancing With the Stars, he says there is no question about them being real athletes, either.
The partners were teachers as much as trainers letting the contestants take it to the next level in their dances.
Their demands of training, production and development of routines and getting into the characters of the dance, as well as rigorous touring schedules, are exactly the same as his life on ice.
You're always skating close to the edge of having things go wrong. But when it goes beautifully, you can own the entire ballroom.
BALLROOM WITH A TWIST!
Where: River Rock Casino Resort, 8811 River Rd., Richmond
When: Friday night at 8 Tickets: $59.50-$99.50 at Ticketmaster
(Source)
The tickets aren't cheap, but I figured I'd post this in case anyone wants to go and can afford to.
Here's a little article/interview with Evan for the Richmond show:
Evan's back in dancing heaven
Twist! host admits he's a bit nervous -- but he'll be cool as ice on the night
By Stuart Derdeyn, The Province
Excerpt: "I'm really not a whole lot more comfortable now doing this without skates on than I was before," says Lysacek. "Honestly, I'm getting pretty nervous about the whole thing."
Evan Lysacek likes Vancouver. For it was at the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralymic Games that the 25-year-old became the first American to win the Olympic gold in men's singles since Brian Boitano in 1988 and the first reigning world champion since Scott Hamilton in 1984. As of this past April, he was ranked in first place by the International Skating Union.
But he's on a return trip here hosting Ballroom With A Twist!, a spinoff big cast dance show directed and choreographed by Dancing With the Stars's Emmy-nominated Louis van Amstel.
A celebrity contestant on Season 10 of the popular program, he and his partner, professional dancer Anna Trebunskaya, came in second place to Pussycat Dolls' Nicole Scherzinger and Derek Hough. The program premiered on March 10. Since it finished, he's been busy touring with Stars on Ice. As he readies himself to strap on dancing shoes instead of skates, the real question is whether his chops are up to snuff or not. Hard to believe someone so celebrated for his grace and poise under pressure sounds a bit nervous.
"I'm really not a whole lot more comfortable now doing this without skates on than I was before," says Lysacek. "Honestly, I'm getting pretty nervous about the whole thing.
"But it's always great to take on a new challenge and exciting as well to get a chance to relive Dancing With the Stars. I look forward to getting back together with Anna to reminisce and dance."
Having signed on to host the show after Dancing With the Stars' Gilles Marini was forced to vacate the post due to conflicts with his filming schedule, Lysacek is "not really sure" what his role is going to be. Front and centre and tripping the light fantastic is certain to be where he'll be during the large cast production.
"I know that I'm dancing two of my favourite moments from the show, and I'm really happy about that. Beyond that, we'll have to see. It's exciting and a little nerve-racking because I want to do a good job and remember all of the steps. It's a rare and fun opportunity to come back to Canada. I train a lot in Toronto and it's kind of a second home."
He notes that the roster will be no less a star-studded affair than the broadcasts it spun off. Dancing With the Stars aces Jonathan Roberts and Trebunskaya are on deck. Ditto for American Idol finalists Trenyce Cobbins and David Hernandez. No word if one of the "twist" elements will be either or both of these performers picking up the mic to sing a song or two. The promotional material stresses that among the other twists will be some boundary-pushing showcases for the latest hip-hop styles, too. Lysacek is happy to hear this as he would rather do that than the Latin dances, which he found to be the hardest of all during the competition.
"I just found the pace of the steps for a lot of them, like the rumba and samba, really difficult to do well. But I love the paso doble and the Argentine tango, so I suppose it's a mix."
As to why the world appears to be engaged in a love affair with dance shows these days in a way it hasn't been seen since the 1940s and early '50s, he has an interesting take. It's about feeling good in tough times.
"For the past several years, the economy in America and the whole world has been bad. There is a lot of negativity going on with wars abroad, people losing their jobs, their homes and so much of the news and TV shows are about negative things like murder, or crime, and so few things that are entertaining are positive. Dance is so incredibly positive, everyone can do it and it's a great escape."
Even for people "like me" who aren't particularly good at the sport, he thinks that the dance shows give you a reason to smile and get your moves on. Having worked closely with the professional competitive dancers on Dancing With the Stars, he says there is no question about them being real athletes, either.
The partners were teachers as much as trainers letting the contestants take it to the next level in their dances.
Their demands of training, production and development of routines and getting into the characters of the dance, as well as rigorous touring schedules, are exactly the same as his life on ice.
You're always skating close to the edge of having things go wrong. But when it goes beautifully, you can own the entire ballroom.
BALLROOM WITH A TWIST!
Where: River Rock Casino Resort, 8811 River Rd., Richmond
When: Friday night at 8 Tickets: $59.50-$99.50 at Ticketmaster
(Source)