Team Hennergy -- Marilu and Derek

by **Psychee22** Thu Sep 01, 2016 6:34 pm

I am looking forward to seeing these guys dance together. I hope to enjoy every minute of that. Expressing that enjoyment in a message board like this one enhances the experience. But reading anti-Derek snarkiness and bile depresses the crap out of me, and (according to PMs I have received) keeps quite a number of other people like me off this board for the same reason. Might I request that we designate this thread a Derek fan safe zone? Thank you.

Vegas odds for this couple are currently at +1000, meaning, I think, that the odds are 10:1 against them, and if you bet $100 for them to win and they won, you would get $1000 back. (Folks feel free to correct me on that). Six couples have been given better odds, but if I recall, Bindi was ranked sixth (or in the middle, anyway) before her season as well.

Not that I care if they win. Neither Marilu nor Derek need the trophy. Like most seasons, I only need my favorites to make it to the Freestyle, so I can enjoy them as long as possible. But I mention those odds above because I am already reading anti-Derek folks claiming on other message boards that this 64 year old woman is a "ringer", something that they would not have said if she was paired with any other male pro, I think, in spite of her previous dancing experience. Would folks honestly think her a ringer if she had been paired with Artem or Keo or Mark or Gleb or Val or Maks or Tony? No. They would be complaining that the pro had been handed the old lady and why oh why can't they give the old lady to Derek?

So now Derek has (yet another) "old lady". One thing that they as a couple will not have to worry about, though, is chemistry. Although she is more than twice his age, she comedically tells folks that she has been such an avid fan of his for so many years that the only thing that was missing was a restraining order. She is thrilled beyond belief at being partnered with him. And that kind of positive energy is just the kind of thing that inspires him to do his best work, so he is thrilled as well.

On the downside, I don't anticipate hearing about the struggle her husband had in the past with cancer - twice. It actually has a happy ending, but I can live without the drama. And the other downside is that Derek will be burning the candle at both ends throughout the season since he will also have another job preparing for Hairspray Live. Her day job as a radio host 5 days a week will also continue. But I suspect Team "Hennergy" will manage.

by **DeadManDancing** Fri Sep 02, 2016 1:15 pm

At least, other than last season, Lesallee doesn't have to launch all the team-threads alone. Anyway- as things look now, it should be easy to find nice things to say about them. Heck, if my wive will look like that at 64, I'll be a happy camper. So Derek haters called her a ringer? I've read comments from die-hard fans complaining they gave him a grandma with no chance to win. Who cares. I wouldn't count her off just because of age. Kirstie was 60 when she came in second place. Marla's sophistication wowed me last season. She was voted off for other reasons apparently. Maturity does add layers to a performance that younger women are unable to achieve.
Good luck, team Hennergy.

by **kincaid53** Fri Sep 02, 2016 4:04 pm

In an interview with Derek, Marylou said she wrote a book called 'I refuse to raise a brat' and that she might give Ryan Lochte a copy Shocked

by **Lesallee** Sat Sep 03, 2016 10:53 am

Just saw that Marilu and Derek have jive for their first dance.

by **DeadManDancing** Sat Sep 03, 2016 3:01 pm

Jive in week one is tough when you're not an athlete. Hope she pulls it off.

by Sudoplatov Sat Sep 03, 2016 9:30 pm

Well, there could be a side bet on whether negativism towards Derek on this board exceeds negativism towards Ryan Lochte.

by **Psychee22** Sat Sep 03, 2016 10:27 pm

DeadManDancing wrote:Jive in week one is tough when you're not an athlete. Hope she pulls it off.

Bindi and Alfonso both had a jive in the first week. For someone who already has some degree of stamina, it might be a good idea, as it is very tough and they have two weeks or so to prepare for it and the first week's dance only lasts about a minute so there is less to learn. It is also a dance that doesn't require a whole lot of intimacy so it's more natural to do with a new partner.

I tend to feel bad for the couples who choose to do Quickstep in the first week. I think they are nuts. But maybe they choose that because they know the score is not going to be good but no one's score is very good in week one anyway?
Anyway, Marilu currently dances with Derek four hours a day and then goes home and practices alone for two more hours a day. She mentioned that the show isn't allowing people to practice in the studio for more than the four hours in these first weeks so that they don't overdo. That might be something new.

by **Psychee22** Sat Sep 03, 2016 10:38 pm

Sudoplatov wrote:Well, there could be a side bet on whether negativism towards Derek on this board exceeds negativism towards Ryan Lochte.

Folks came out in numbers on Facebook to bitch about the show carrying Lochte this season. And they've been sending complaining letters to PureDWTS, thinking that that site was something official as well.

It's my understanding that they have also come out in numbers on Facebook bitching that Marilu is a ringer because she danced in the past. But I don't think the anger against Marilu is as bad as that against Lochte right now. I've read that Lochte has agitated people more than Bristol did in her first season, and that's saying a lot.

by Oakma Sun Sep 04, 2016 6:45 am

Wow .... I suppose they have to have one cast member to rev up some controversy.

.... funny how some celeb's make that one mistake and it never goes away and others can do something worse and it never "sticks" it seems.

by **DeadManDancing** Sun Sep 04, 2016 2:53 pm

Psychee22 wrote:
DeadManDancing wrote:Jive in week one is tough when you're not an athlete. Hope she pulls it off.

Bindi and Alfonso both had a jive in the first week. For someone who already has some degree of stamina, it might be a good idea, as it is very tough and they have two weeks or so to prepare for it and the first week's dance only lasts about a minute so there is less to learn. It is also a dance that doesn't require a whole lot of intimacy so it's more natural to do with a new partner.

I tend to feel bad for the couples who choose to do Quickstep in the first week. I think they are nuts. But maybe they choose that because they know the score is not going to be good but no one's score is very good in week one anyway?
Anyway, Marilu currently dances with Derek four hours a day and then goes home and practices alone for two more hours a day. She mentioned that the show isn't allowing people to practice in the studio for more than the four hours in these first weeks so that they don't overdo. That might be something new.

Any dance has pros and cons when it's week one- they have to start somewhere. Quickstep is ambitious, but it can work- remember Tamar and Val. Let's be glad they start with different dances. That leaves a chance we'll see some advanced Cha Chas later.

by **DeadManDancing** Thu Sep 08, 2016 3:06 pm

Love me some redheads...

Team Hennergy -- Marilu and Derek 14135110

by **Psychee22** Thu Sep 08, 2016 6:29 pm

Derek took Marilu to a matinee of "Hamilton" yesterday.

by **Lesallee** Tue Sep 13, 2016 1:14 am

Got an inconvenient phone call and essentially missed most of M's and D's dance. Just saw it out of the corner of my eye. Another pair, along with Laurie and Val I will have to go the YouTube route with.

by **Psychee22** Tue Sep 13, 2016 1:38 am

I would say that this was a standard first-out-on-the-dancefloor-for-the-season performance. Marilu established herself, I think, as a competent dancer in a routine that met with Louis Van Amstel's later twitter approval as a good jive. But she was not so good that she blew anyone out of the water, and when the scores of "7" came back, she was so thrilled that she was hopping up and down, and when Julianne gave her a 6 (Julianne's scores were lower for everybody), Marilu was mumbling something like "Yeah, my shoulders". The scores seemed fair to me for week one and being first.

So... good job, I think, on both the likeability and the dancing factor, and I think their scores put them someplace in the middle of the pack.

But even with the middling scores, there is STILL backlash on social media claiming that she is a ringer!

by **Babs2147** Wed Sep 14, 2016 12:42 am

Psychee22 wrote:Derek took Marilu to a matinee of "Hamilton" yesterday.

How did he get tickets? Giggle

All sold out for 2016. Cheapest price is $139 for SRO.

by **Psychee22** Wed Sep 14, 2016 12:46 am

Babs2147 wrote:
Psychee22 wrote:Derek took Marilu to a matinee of "Hamilton" yesterday.
How did he get tickets? All sold out for 2016. Cheapest price is $139 for SRO.

Since he also went back stage with her, I think he was just treated like a VIP and given tickets they reserve for that purpose.

by **Babs2147** Wed Sep 14, 2016 1:25 am

Those VIP's get everything! Laughing

Guess I'll have to wait until 2017. Darn

Thanks, Psychee.

by **Psychee22** Wed Sep 14, 2016 1:44 am

Babs2147 wrote:Those VIP's get everything! Guess I'll have to wait until 2017.

But think how much more you will enjoy it when that day finally arrives? Sorry

by **peebeeb** Wed Sep 14, 2016 3:50 am

My daughter and I listen to the soundtrack a lot. Smile

by **Psychee22** Wed Sep 14, 2016 3:58 am

Then you should have it memorized by the time you get your tickets, lol.. Not a bad thing when you're about to see a Broadway production. If you know the words, you won't be bothered if you can't hear every word of the performance well. That's sometimes a problem in theatres.

by **DeadManDancing** Wed Sep 14, 2016 1:39 pm

Psychee22 wrote:I would say that this was a standard first-out-on-the-dancefloor-for-the-season performance. Marilu established herself, I think, as a competent dancer in a routine that met with Louis Van Amstel's later twitter approval as a good jive. But she was not so good that she blew anyone out of the water, and when the scores of "7" came back, she was so thrilled that she was hopping up and down, and when Julianne gave her a 6 (Julianne's scores were lower for everybody), Marilu was mumbling something like "Yeah, my shoulders". The scores seemed fair to me for week one and being first.

So... good job, I think, on both the likeability and the dancing factor, and I think their scores put them someplace in the middle of the pack.

But even with the middling scores, there is STILL backlash on social media claiming that she is a ringer!

My only criticism would be that sometimes it looked more like Swing than Jive to me. But it was a clever way to protect her from overpowering and getting lost. I was impressed with her energy and commitment. Going first is always a problem; ever so often the scores are lower simply because the judges have no comparison yet. No need to worry though. I expect them to be around for a while.
As for the social media nonsense, I've said years ago on the old board you could pair Derek with a lamp post, and someone would come up claiming the lamp was from Vienna and clearly had Waltz experience. So what.
I just hope he (and Maks) can enjoy this season without feeling the pressure of having to prove anything.

by **Psychee22** Wed Sep 14, 2016 4:00 pm

DeadManDancing wrote:

My only criticism would be that sometimes it looked more like Swing than Jive to me. But it was a clever way to protect her from overpowering and getting lost. I was impressed with her energy and commitment. Going first is always a problem; ever so often the scores are lower simply because the judges have no comparison yet. No need to worry though. I expect them to be around for a while.
As for the social media nonsense, I've said years ago on the old board you could pair Derek with a lamp post, and someone would come up claiming the lamp was from Vienna and clearly had Waltz experience. So what.
I just hope he (and Maks) can enjoy this season without feeling the pressure of having to prove anything.

Relatively speaking, they actually did not score badly. They tied for third place in the standings.

I don't think dancing up on the elevated platform is easy.

But next week should be fun. They have a foxtrot and they will be incorporating some tap. Derek is showing pictures of his tap dancing partners / trainers in his social media with Marilu, so he may have brought them in as choreography consultants this week. Marilu tap danced as a child. So, I am expecting a foxtrot that looks more like Astaire and Rogers. We'll see.

I don't remember your comment about the lamp post... that's funny! I do remember saying that even if he was given a corpse, they would say he had a ringer, and then someone responding that he would only be given a corpse of someone like Juliet Prowse, so of course, it would be a ringer!

by **kincaid53** Wed Sep 14, 2016 4:14 pm

I agree with dmd on not looking like the jives I'm used to seeing and what the judges say they want! I did not see any kicks or flicks. Derek kept her pretty much in hold a definite Derek trait and it bode well for her. Like Maks said."Derek knows how to win".
I agree it has to be hard on a raised stage and so many people clapping and cheering so close to you the entire dance, but she handled well I think. Enjoyed it!!

by **kincaid53** Wed Sep 14, 2016 5:05 pm

To further back up the noise level of the crowd, I just read where Derek said she was 4 ft from where she was suppose to be in the beginning. He tried yelling her name, but she could not hear for all the noise so he just went for it and was glad he didn't land on her head!! Biting nails

by **Psychee22** Wed Sep 14, 2016 5:13 pm

Oh Lord. That noise problem can mess things up something fierce. How often have routines been ruined because the dancers could not hear the music cues, for example?

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