tangodancer208 wrote:

CEK40 wrote:

Well that is about it for right now....
Won't be long before we will be getting SWAY Reports....

Tango if you are out there have a WONDERFUL time and we can't wait for your reports....

See you later on today....
 

Thanks, CEK.  Here at the airport for the night.  Hubby has a 8:30 a.m. flight to DC, but mine isn't until 11 a.m.  I don't think I'll sleep much at all tonight.  I am SOOOO excited to get to Miami.  All the videos and pix that everyone was posting yesterday just made me want to get there sooner.   

Safe travels to you my friend....we are so looking forward to hearing from you while you are there....

Dancing star brings show to South Florida →


Latin ballroom dance champion Maksim Chmerkovskiy, known to millions of television viewers for his performances competing on the “Dancing With The Stars” series for fourteen years (2001-14), will be performing in the dance show “Sway” Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. at Olympia Theater in Miami.

“Sway” teams Maks (as he is known to his fans, friends and family) with his brother Valetin, Olympic Gold Dance Champion Meryl Davis, among other dancers showcasing dance genres such as Argentine tango, ballet, conventional ballroom, hip hop, among other genres in a theatrical show.

“Sway” is primarily broken into three distinct setting: a 1940s nightclub, an urban and hip-hop contemporary dance club and a Miami-based Latin dance club. The Latin dance club showcases Maks’ skills in Latin ballroom dance.

After leaving “Dancing With The Stars,” Maks has opened a chain of “Dance With Me” dance studios and created “Sway” with his dancing partners at the studios.

“Act two features my brother Val and it pays homage to our upbringing in Brooklyn with an urban influence with a hip-hop and modern dance sections,” said the 35-year-old Chmerkovskiy.

“Act three is my section and I have always been a big fan of Latin culture and so in my act, fans will experience salsa, rumba and cha-cha.”

“What is really special about ‘Sway’ is that the cast have so much fun that the audience can really feel that,” said Chmerkovskiy.

Although he does not have a Jewish mother, Maks identifies as Jewish. Prior to immigrating to Brooklyn at age 14 from his native Ukraine, Maks and his family felt that they had to hide that they are Jewish.

“Growing up in The Ukraine in the 1980s, you couldn’t really be open with your Jewish identity, so we kept our faith and traditions to ourselves. My parents decided there would be a better life for us in America. So, with help from my grandma we got an invite to come to this country when I was 14 and it was the best decision my parents could have made for our family.”

Maks began to learn dance at age four and became so honed in his skills that he entered many dance competitions. At 13, he broke his right leg from a skiing accident and had a titanium rod inserted to stabilize the leg.

Maks resumed dancing within six months, despite the fact that his doctors thought he would not be able to have a career in dancing.

By age 16, Maks opened a dance studio with his father and advanced to the elite level of professional dance. By 2005, Maks was ranked seventh in the world as a Latin ballroom dancer.

Maks became popular with his Latin ballroom choreographed dance sequences on “Dancing With The Stars,” teaming with many celebrity partners, such as actresses Kristie Alley and Melissa Gilbert.

Although Maks made the final round of the show numerous times, he became the champion on the show only in 2014, teaming with Olympic dancer Meryl Davis.

“Maks is a wonderful partner and we impressed judges with our choreographed dances. Our chemistry on the dance floor showed and winning the title with Maks is a moment I will never forget,” said Davis.

With a successful career as a dancer, Maks finds the time to give back to others, as he has done since he was a youth.

“My family always taught me the importance of doing mitzvahs. When my father and I had the dance school, we would regularly perform at different Jewish senior homes and it was a nice thing to do.”

“I have also attended the American Friends of Magen David Adom gala and look forward to the opportunity of visiting Israel, experiencing the Israeli culture and to perform there,” said Chmerkovskiy.

For tickets to “Sway” at the Olympia Theater, 174 E. Flagler Street in Miami, call 305-374-2444.

To learn more about Maksim Chmerkovskiy, go to www.maksimchmerkovskiy.com

It’s that time again! Question: What Dance pros would you like to see dance on Dancing With The Stars Season 22? Pick only 12 (6 males and 6 females). You can also pick a few Alternatives in case they make the cast a little bigger or in case your main choices don’t work out. Who you would you like to see in the troupe as well? Let us know your picks in comments and then we’ll send this post to the Producers in a few weeks. Reminder: Remember Allison Holker will be having her baby next season, so, it wouldn’t do any good to include her in your list.

Ok, here is my Pro Wish List:

Females: Sharna Burgess, Karina Smirnoff, Anna Trebunskaya (she cracks me up and I totally enjoyed her being back on the show for Season 21), Emma Slater, Peta Murgatroyd, and Lindsay Arnold. Alternatives: Elena Samodanova, Edyta Sliwinska, Cheryl Burke, Kym Johnson

Males: Derek Hough (but, only if he wants this to happen. I’d really like to see him be a creative director instead and bring back the Macy’s Stars Of Dance numbers, etc), Gleb Savchenko (but, I also support his choice to dance on Strictly Come Dancing or DWTSRussia too for whatever he wants….just so he’s dancing for the masses is all that matters and he’s in a place where he can do his thing and grow. Sometimes I felt like he was too limited on our version), Mark Ballas, Sasha Farber, Misha Gabriel (I love new blood and I’m curious what Misha could do for DWTS), and Aljaz Skorjanec (from SCD! He’s amazing. He would be a good replacement for Tony). Alternatives: Artem Chigvintsev, Alexey Balash (from DWTS Russia),

As for the Troupe: Paul Kirkland (he’s such a creative choreographer. He’s limited in ballroom, but, he can do it if asked and he’s a force in hip hop and freestyle), Witney Carson (I don’t like her as a Pro, but, I would love her on the troupe), Nika Kljun (this girl is theatrical and a constant work of art), Sonny Fredie Pedersen (same as Nika Kljun), Hayley Erbert, Paul Karmiryan (I love his complete joy for the dance floor). I also really enjoyed some of the dancers they brought on for the finale this past season. I’m not sure on some of their names, but, they were good.

Special Note: We plan to do a Celebrity Wish List very soon as well! So stay tuned!