The Lovely Ladies of DWTS & SCD, Present and Past

I have followed Nastia for some time & believe that she is a sweet, caring, hard-working person. The show established a narrative around her as a cold, robotic b. That season Derek was spread thin with his other projects so he could not dedicate enough time to flipping the narrative. He had more time for Amber who also was a more seasoned performer that knew how to endear herself to an audience and had an underdog story.

Riker was also a very talented dancer & performer (Hough's cousin who competed in ballroom in his early teens) & left some very memorable routines with Allison. Noah had the inspirational story (and Sharna). Rumer was a passionate performer (who also had dance training) and ABC-Disney wanted to keep a good relationship with the Willis family. So it was not going to be easy for Nastia to win that season & I'm ok with her fourth place (even though I would have liked to see her freestyle).

Sharna's latest blog. Who better than the loveliest Lady to set the mood for the new year.


"How to 2017



Hi Loverz!!
Reflecting over the past year, It's hard to believe how much has happened and how fast it went by. It almost feels like I've lived the past 12 months in fast forward, but when I take a moment to be still in each memory, I'm reminded of how fully I immersed myself into those moments and loved them so deeply.  
I didn't make a New Years resolution for 2016, I didn't vow to eat better or give something up, nor did I commit to anything or anyone but myself. I made a choice to be present in every way I could. Present in all the moments that life has to offer... good AND bad.  To be there for my friends, my family and myself, completely. I opened my eyes and allowed myself to soak in and appreciate everything around me and discover new things. I made major breakthroughs in self-love, respect and forgiveness. 
A few of my favorite things from 2016... 
Do what you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life.
So true. Dancing With The Stars was the center of so many amazing moments for me in 2016. From my first DWTS live tour to 3 exciting seasons with 3 incredible partners who each inspired me in their own ways. I created some of my favorite dances and felt more inspired than ever! I think all of you had the most to do with that. Thank you for your love and support, it truly made my year. More personally, I am so grateful for my inner-growth, emotionally and spiritually. It's been the most rewarding thing.
 And 2016 was the best year for music since the 90's... Everything Beyonce, Drake, J.cole and Kanye. 
I broke down my "Last Week of December Feels" into a kind of how-to make 2017 an amazing year based on what I've learned along the way.
Give Thanks:
When I count my blessings it's almost as if they multiply. What we focus on grows!!  It can be easy to take the big things for granted and hard to let the little things go. But it's worth practicing, every morning...every moment. It's as simple as starting the morning or ending the day with a gratitude list. 
Here's a little reality slap for you, let it help you change your perspective if you need to.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of the world.
Forgive Yourselves & Forgive Others:
Begin the new year by letting go of the negative thoughts and emotions that often accompany a grudge. Remember this, If you don't forgive, you'll relive. 
Reinvent Yourself: 
You're not stuck in your ways, and if you can't change something you can certainly change how you think and feel about it. Loving yourself as you are can be difficult when you aren't living up to your own potential or being true to who you really are. Getting to know yourself is an ongoing journey that becomes richer and deeper as we grow. We are creating ourselves daily, shaping our lives by who and what we allow to be apart of us and our environment. Take inventory of your things, the good, the bad, the stressful and start clearing out the toxic and the clutter. This includes your house, your diet, it’s all relative and all of it makes us or breaks us if we let it get out of control.  If you feel like flipping the script, do it! Re-write your story. Change the characters who you’re allowing to be apart of your story or at least HOW you let them be apart of it. Whether it's your career, relationships or hair color, change is a beautiful thing! 
Dream Bigger & Hustle Harder:      
Dream big but also put work into it! Dreams will only stay dreams if you don't put the hustle in them!  What do you envision for your life? Have you taken steps to get there? I love the practice of creating a visual mood board. I am such a visual person and waking up every morning and seeing the things I am trying to accomplish starts my day off right every time. I also like journaling about the accomplishments I made this year, things I've tried, kind things I've done and dreaming up what to look forward to next year. 
AND FINALLY, LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. There is never to much of it. 
My resolution for 2017 is ... to try all the things!!! I want to say yes to life, to health and to love!! Tweet me your resolutions and how you want to begin the New Year! Grateful to end the year with all of you and excited to begin the next with you too! 
I almost forgot the most important thing!! Don't take yourself or life too seriously!! 
Wishing you beauties the best year yet!! Happy 2017!
All my love, 
Sharna"

Like almost all reality shows, DWTS likes to add drama by manipulating the personas that we see on the screen. That's why we have the showmances, the coldhearted biatches, the ingenues, etc. During rehearsal interviews the contestants are told to say certain things that are then used to further the narratives (e.g., when Tamar was told to say that she was the best dancer or Nyle expressed that his only competition was Val). The Lifetime show Unreal is pretty good at showing these behind the scenes manipulations of "reality" tv. At least the actual dances on DWTS are broadcast live &, therefore, the show has a stronger foundation on actual reality than other shows like The Bachelor, Survivor, Amazing Race, Big Brother, etc. We just have to learn to take everything outside the actual performances with a grain of sand.

       Lovely Laila!!    You gave the handsome Maksim a run for his money!!

See you all at the Inn.  I'm bringing the jelly donuts for good luck.  Enjoy!

Happy New Year to my Chongie Family and Everyone!