Dance Your Ass Off - on Oxygen

[Bearcata]

Finally got a chance to watch the semifinals again and just watch the dancing. What I don't understand is why the judges were so critical of Alicia's Vienese Waltz. Last week they loved her foxtrot and this week she got the lowest overage dance score for her waltz. I do think she uses her upper body well. Her feet are moving. The one thing I see is that her midsection does not move well. I do think it is partly due to her weight and because she has been large most of her life she does not have a good body mind connection with her midsection. Yet she did well on the cha cha. I guess what I really need is an expert opinion from a dance expert because I seriously don't see why Pinky got such a high score on her waltz vs Alicia's low one. That is what truly made the difference in Alicia going this week. In fact the ranking was Reuben, Pinky, Shayla and Alicia. Again because Pinky had a dance of 9.7 or was that 9.2 and 8.7 regardless of only losing 1.9 lbs she placed second to Reuben. Alicia's overage dance score of 7 for her waltz garanteed that she was going home regardless of her losing 3.5 lbs and having an a very high score for her cha cha. In fact if Alicia had done well in the waltz it would have been Shayla going home not Pinky and I don't think I would have been that happy not having Shayla in the finale. Since the scoring is getting so tight it is imperative that the winner do well in the dance scoring a minimum of nines and losing 2% of their body weight. What this means is that Pinky needs to lose a minimum of 3.22 lbs, Shayla needs to lose 3.498lbs and Reuben needs to lose 4.948lbs. Reuben has been really good about balancing losing weight and doing the dancing and at this point it is his competition to lose if he falters at this point. Shayla is also a very good contender if she can lose the wieght. Pinky also has a chance if she dances her butt off. She can win if she get all 10's on both dances. What hurts her is her nutrition. I still don't think she is eating the right amount and I can't see her losing over 3 lbs in one week as her record shows she is usually in the bottom 2 for losing the least amount of weight. Anyway I look forward to next week and seeing everyone.

PS: during the family reunion week Reuben's partner mentioned that his health insurance was cancelled. I have never heard of a person's health insurance being cancelled in the middle of them being treated for cancer. That must be devastating both mentally and financially not to mention being worried if you will survive your illness. Makes the health insurance sound like heartless monsters. We will take your money while you are healthy and hang you out to dry when you cost us money.

[ClosetRTWatcher]

Still, at 5'4" and 211 lbs I have a hard time believing Alicia is now a size 16 down from being a size 20 at 257 lbs and Pinky at 5'3" and 161 lbs is a size 8. Must be some very generous sizing.

That sizing sounds ridiculously generous to me. Maybe I should be shopping wherever these people shop! I am over 5'8" and when I weigh in at around 160 it is a serious squeeze for me to fit into a size 8. I might be able to get into an 8, but it wouldn't be attractive...

[Bearcata]

That sizing sounds ridiculously generous to me. Maybe I should be shopping wherever these people shop! I am over 5'8" and when I weigh in at around 160 it is a serious squeeze for me to fit into a size 8. I might be able to get into an 8, but it wouldn't be attractive...

I have an older female relative who is 5'3" and weights in at 105lbs and I know the clothes she wears can size in anywhere from 2, 4, 6 or 8 depending on the manufacturer. I just can't believe that Pinky dropped 3 sizes, going from a 14 - 12 - 10 - 8, by losing 25 pounds. Yes a lot of it was in the belly. The same with Alicia claiming she was only a size 20 at 257 lbs. Please more like a size 24 or 26 especially the pant size as she is more pear shaped. I could see her being a size 20 top but not overall. If she said she is now a size 20 or 18 at the 200+lb range I would believe that.

[aname2]

I am 5'4", weigh 140 lbs. and am in good shape - I wear a 10! I got bored early on with the show. These people should have lost more weight than what they did over the time period, but they didn't have the concentrated workouts like on Biggest Loser. Hopefully, they will continue with the lifestyle changes they have been taught and lose more weight. Unfortunately, in most cases, people who tend toward being overweight go back to their previous lifestyle when the pressure is off of them.

[Bearcata]

I am 5'4", weigh 140 lbs. and am in good shape - I wear a 10! I got bored early on with the show. These people should have lost more weight than what they did over the time period, but they didn't have the concentrated workouts like on Biggest Loser. Hopefully, they will continue with the lifestyle changes they have been taught and lose more weight. Unfortunately, in most cases, people who tend toward being overweight go back to their previous lifestyle when the pressure is off of them.

Yes, these folks didn't lose as much weight as the folks on Biggest Loser in the same time frame, but this is a different show and a different concept, it's like comparing apples and oranges. As stated in the beginning the contestants practice 2 hours a day with their dance partners and meet with a personal trainer. Now I assume they have 6 day a week cardio program and some kind of weight training but again they are not meeting their trainers 3 times a day for 2 hour workouts like they do on Biggest Loser. Alicia losing 45 lbs in 9 weeks is a huge accomplishment so is Reuben losing 66 lbs in the same time frame. These contestants are more likely to maintain their weight loses unlike the Biggest Loser contestants. Even Pinky loosing 25.9 lbs is great as that averages out to 2.87 lbs per week. As far as the weight loss this show is much more realist then the Biggest Loser.

[Bearcata]

Oxygen is running a marathon of Dance Your Ass Off starting noon today running all the way to 10pm and the finale. The finale repeats at 11:15pm to 12:30am. The finale repeats on partically everyday through next week. Check the TV Guide Online for times. The really great news is that there will be a reunion show on Monday, September 7, 2009 at 10 pm.

[Bearcata]

Wow, that was one close elimination. While I was very happy Reuben won the show skipped some details such as how much weight Reuben and Pinky lost overall.

While it was great to see the previous contestants and to see them get weighted in, I do wish that they would have included the contestants names on the screen so I could figure out who was who. Thankfully, I will just watch it again more leisurely using my pause button frequently so I can study in minute detail the contestants progress.

As far as the dances my overall impression was that there was a lack of energy with both Reuben's and Shayla's first dance routine and Shayla seemed to have lost the musicality of the second routine. I also think Shayla's first routine and second routine were way too similar in mood and feel and kinda seemed blah to me and perhaps was the reason the judges didn't score her so well. The rumba was definitely off pace as far as the music and dancing were concerned.

Don't forget there will be a 60 minute reunion show next week on September 7, 2009 at 10pm ET. From the preivew Miles looked buff, can't wait to see the others.

[Bearcata]

There was a bit of a reward of $5,000 to the eliminated contestant that had lost the greatest body percentage. Alicia won with a total loss of 48.2lbs which translates to 18.71%. In fact overall Alicia came in second as far as weight loss right behind Reuben's 74.4lbs and 23.67% loss.

The show was filmed the last week or so of February, March and April and maybe the first week or so of May. So the contestants have had 4 months (most of May, June, July and August) to continue losing weight and have some superb results for the reunion show. From the previews Miles looked hot.

[Bearcata]

wk 10 finale - notes

The 3 finalists are doing 2 dances, the first will be their choice and the secong the judges choice.

Reuben is doing country and paso doble.

Shayla is doing lyrical jazz and rumba.

Pinky is doing hip hop and samba.

Pinky injured her foot and has to stay off it for the week she is doing a lot of swimming and watching tapes of the choreography to learn it.

The previous contestants show up at the loft and there is a reunion. Marissa shows up and tells them that the eliminated contestants will have a weight in to see who has lost the most weight. The winner will be annouced during the finale.

The results:

1. Warren - 6'0" - 357.6 lbs lost a total of 29.1 lbs - 8.14% - 328.5lbs
2. Angela - 5'7" - 185.9 lbs lost a total of 22.3 lbs - 12.0% - 163.6lbs
3. Mara -5'2" - 261.9 lbs lost a total of 31.5 lbs - 12.03% - 230.4lbs
4. Tara - 5'8" - 237.4 lbs lost a total of 31.1 lbs - 13.1% - 206.3lbs
5. Brandon - 5'6" - 230.4 lbs lost a total of 21.5 lbs - 9.33% - 208.9lbs
6. Trice - 5'3" - 274.9 lbs lost a total of 39.4 lbs - 14.33% - 235.5lbs
7. Karla - 5'2" - 174.9 lbs lost a total of 23.8 lbs - 13.61% - 151.1lbs

Alicia and Miles have lost the most and have to wait to find out who wins the $5,000.

8. Alicia - 5'4" - 257.6 lbs lost a total of 48.2 lbs - 18.71% - 209.4lbs
9. Miles - 5'10" - 260.8 lbs lost a total of 45.3 lbs - 17.3% - 215.5lbs

Alicia wins $5,000.

10. Shayla - 5'7" - 206.5 lbs lost a total of 35.6 lbs - 17.24% - 170.9lbs
11. Pinky - 5'3" - 186.9 lbs lost a total of 30.3 lbs - 16.21% - 156.6lbs
12. Reuben - 6'0" - 314.3 lbs lost a total of 74.4 lbs - 23.67% - 239.9lbs

Reuben wins $100,000.

[Bearcata]

Finale scores:

Reuben:

1st dance routine, country:
9 + 9 + 9 for an average of 9

2nd dance routine, paso doble:
10 + 10 + 10 for an average of 10

overall average of 9.5

lost 7.5 lbs which is 3.035% of 247.4 so 9.5 + 3.03 = total dance score of 12.53


Pinky:

1st dance routine, hip hop:
9 + 9 + 9 for an average of 9

2nd dance routine, samba:
10 + 10 + 10 for an average of 10

overall average of 9.5

lost 4.4 lbs which is 2.7% of 161 so 9.5 + 2.7 = total dance score of 12.23


Shayla:

1st dance routine, lyrical jazz:
10 + 9 + 9 for an average of 9.3

2nd dance routine, rumba:
9 + 8 + 9 for an average of 8.7

overall average of 9.0

lost 4.0 lbs which is 2.29% of 174.9 so 9.0 + 2.29 = total dance score of 11.29