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Jordan & Tatiana win "Star Search" Superstar couple earns Semi-final berth!
On Wednesday, March 5th, on "live" primetime Network Television, Jordan Frisbee and Tatiana Mollmann made America wish that Fred and Ginger were still around. They glided across the colorful stage at the the CBS Los Angeles studios with the same skill, the same grace and the same level of class as their 1940s-era Swing predecessors. They were simply sensational. Jordan and Tatiana's odyssey began on Sunday evening when the "Star Search" production staff met with them to select a song for their performance. Unfortunately, they had to choose from a very limited music library that is pre-cleared for broadcast airing and artist royalty payment. After finding a suitable soundtrack, though, the California Kids began choreographing feverishly for some 5 hours that night to create a routine that they thought would impress a tough panel of judges and an unpredictable national television audience. They then previewed the routine for the producers on Monday morning. Afterwards, it was six hours of rehearsals on Monday and Tuesday, and a final dress rehearsal on Wednesday. The couple shared their thoughts... " 'Star Search' was much more pressure than '30 Seconds to Fame'. There was much more rehearsal involved and much more preparation for this production. But the 'Star Search' staff really spoiled us. They put us up for four days at a hotel and treated us like stars! It was the most exciting, thrilling experience of our lives." On Wednesday evening, the "real deal" began. At about 8:20 PM, host Arsenio Hall, introduced the couple by way of pre-taped video. In it, Jordan and Tatiana - two teenagers with with the clean-cut good looks of a couple right out of Hollywood Central Casting - spoke of their romantic relationship, which is fired by the dancing they share. Then they were brought out onto the dimly lit stage and began to dance. Oh, how they lit up that floor! The song they performed to was "Always & Forever", a smooth Disco-Pop number with faint Madonna-like vocals that served their dance style well. Unlike the short 30-second period allotted to them in their last national TV competition on FOX, this time they were given 70 seconds to strut their stuff. It was more than enough time to showcase their superlative dance skills. The song began with a Latin flair and the couple interpreted it with clever rhythmic footwork. Their first major choreographic sequence featured a two-handed cross-hand backroll that opened up into a flashy jazz lunge. That was followed by a few basic whips. Then Jordan led Tatiana into a one-handed spin-wrap. This ended in a leg-lift, duckout and layback by Tatiana. It was an impressive start. Next, they wowed the crowed with their patented cartwheel sequence which was promptly followed by an inside turn to a double drop - each dancer joined by one hand and each extending one leg toward the other while squatting down to within an inch of the floor. It was strategically timed with the lyrics, "Never let me down". Nicely done. Then Jordan led Tatiana into a flurry of consecutive behind-the-back cross-handed inside turns, a complicated and difficult pattern that they used in the past three US OPEN competitions. That got the audience off their feet. Next came a triple attitude with the third rotation done in dreamy slow-motion, creating a very artistic, very airy look - not unlike Tara Lipinski spinning on ice. Tatiana executed it with stunning elegance. It was wonderful. The closing sequence featured a complex series of moves that could be favorably compared to an illusion by magician, David Copperfield. First, Jordan led Tatiana into an outside turn, then a neck catch as she fell inward, then a fan kick while rotating on one foot and gently falling backward into Jordan's hand - then a quick spin, arm catch and sharp drop on the last beat of the song. All this in the span of only 5 seconds! It was absolutely fantastic - an exclamation point to an already remarkable routine. The audience - led by fellow Swing dancers Kate Beradino, Jessica Parker, Kyle Redd, Sarah Vann Drake, Parker Dearborn, Liz LaGue, Torri Smith, Deanna Mollmann, and the parents of the two superstars - erupted into a frenzy of cheering, clapping and screaming. Even Arsenio was visibly excited. But it was little Torri Smith's hand-drawn sign seen on national TV that summed the performance up perfectly: "Jordan & Tatiana are Da Bomb". Now for the judges scores and comments... Ben Stein: "I loved it cuz it was a lot like the Jitterbug of my youth. Very beautifully executed!" FOUR STARS Ahmet Zappa: "Mr. Frisbee, you know how to spin your lady!" FOUR STARS Kathie Lee Gifford: "Spring is in the air, love is in the air!" FOUR STARS Naomi Judd: "Arthur Murray would be so proud. I really dug it. You're really good, sir!" FIVE STARS That totaled 17 STARS from the judges in the studio audience, edging out the competing act of jazz dancers by a single point. But this represented only HALF of their final score. The other 50% would come from a nationwide internet vote filed by viewers in the Eastern and Central time zones who witnessed the show "live". And they had only three minutes to cast their vote. Well, thanks to a concerted effort on the part of event directors, club directors, deejays, and Swing dancers all across the country who mounted a nationwide e-mail campaign to alert their members and friends, the internet vote came in strong. Jordan and Tatiana received an index of 17 STARS through the CBS website; the competing act received only 14. The composite total gave them a 34 to 30 victory and a spot in the national Semi-finals! When Arsenio Hall announced the result, the audience went wild, and so did Jordan and Tat. They began jumping up and down with glee. Not a moment later, Arsenio could be heard to say, "Let's jump!", and he joined in the motion. Then he called Tatiana over, put his arm around her neck and said, "Let me do that thing (neckroll) with your head! Yes! Yes! Yes!" Well, Arsenio made the neckroll happen (with more than a "little" help on the part of Tatiana!) and the audience roared their approval. With a few lessons from our Champions, he might just do OK in an upcoming competition! |
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ŠUSA Swing Net |
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