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Welcome back to The Ballroom Dance Diaries! In this episode, Carole and Kim break down all the action, costumes, and controversies from Week 5: Super Bowl Night on Dancing with the Stars Season 35.

We are diving head-first into the sports crossover theme, why guest judge Joe Buck threw a wrench in the leaderboard, and the fierce tie at the top between Jenna & Val and Ezra & Daniela. Plus, we are taking a passionate stand on the great footwear debate—explaining why we think sneakers completely strip away ballroom elegance. From middle-pack struggles with Jackson & Emma and Sharna & Tyler to Whitney's emotional departure, we cover it all. Tune in for the laughs, critiques, and predictions as the race to the finals heats up!

CHAPTERS / TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Welcome & Intro

01:15 - The Sneaker Controversy

03:45 - The Guest Judge Factor

05:10 - Top of the Leaderboard

10:20 - Middle-Pack Madness

14:30 - The Struggles Continue

18:50 - Bottom Two & Elimination

21:40 - Predictions & Closing Thoughts

💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION:
Are you with us on the footwear debate, or do you love the theme-night sneakers? Do you think Joe Buck's guest scores threw off the leaderboard, and who are you rooting for as the race to the finals heats up? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! 👇

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Welcome back to The Ballroom Dance Diaries! In this episode, Carole and Kim break down all the drama, standout artistry, and backstage politics of Dancing with the Stars, Season 35, Week 4.

From breathtaking Waltzes to heavily scrutinized Rumbas, we look at the leaderboard through the trained eye of competitive Pro-Am dancers:

The Dance Whisperer Returns: Mark Ballas and Maura take the top spot—was it the float choreography, pure teaching mastery, or a well-deserved 9 from Carrie Ann?

The Rumba Breakdown: Val & Jenna’s deep connection vs. the ballet foundation advantage—why are they stuck in Latin dances, and are they being set up for an upset?

Shocking Elimination: Sierra and Brandon get voted out after an ill-fated Jazz routine. Was production setting them up to fail at the top of the hour?

Costume & Frame Disasters: Tyler & Sharna’s confusing "Rumba-dress" Foxtrot and Jackson & Emma’s missed catch and frame struggles.

The "Ick" Factor: Why Connor and Rylee’s overly suggestive Rumba completely missed the mark.

Standout Moments: Daniela & Ezra blowing minds by interchanging Leader and Follower roles, and Harry & Jenna quietly dominating the night's only Tango.

Judge Influence & Mariah Carey Night: Are the judges planting loaded words to sway America's votes?

Timestamps:
0:00 Welcome to Week 4 & Mariah Carey Night
1:15 Mark Ballas & Maura: The Artistry Breakdown
4:40 Val & Jenna's Rumba: Ballet Advantage vs. Latin Fatigue
8:20 Body Types in Ballroom: Arm Length & Pro Inspiration
11:55 Sierra & Brandon's Shock Elimination: Was Jazz a Setup?
16:10 Tyler & Sharna: Costuming Confusion & Pro Survival Tactics
20:45 Jackson & Emma: The Missed Catch & Frame Issues
23:30 Connor & Rylee's Rumba: Breaking Down the "Ick" Factor
26:40 Daniela & Ezra: Flipping Leader and Follower Roles
28:45 Julia Stiles & Ezra: The Breakthrough Viennese Waltz
30:10 Amber's Figure Skating Habits & Footwork Problems
33:15 Guillermo & Whitney: Why Samba While 7 Months Pregnant?
37:30 Harry & Jenna: The Underrated Tango
40:50 Are the Judges Planting Doubt in America's Mind?
43:10 What to Expect for Week 5


👉 Join the Conversation: What did you think of the leaderboard shake-up? Was Sierra’s elimination fair or a production casualty? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!

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#DWTS #DancingWithTheStars #DWTSSeason35 #BallroomDanceDiaries #MarkBallas #BallroomDance #DWTSRecap

Photo credit: ABC / Disney General Entertainment Content. Used under fair use for commentary and review purposes.

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Welcome back to The Ballroom Dance Diaries! In this episode, Carole and Kim break down Dancing with the Stars Season 35, Week 3, where the middle-of-the-pack couples made serious moves and completely shook up the leaderboard.

From Amber and Pasha's breathtaking, syllabus-perfect Foxtrot tying them for first place with Harry and Jenna's explosive Jive, to Val and his partner sliding into triple sevens, we cover every angle of how the board flipped. We also share our honest, dancer-to-dancer reactions on Britt Stewart and Taylor Hanson's elimination, why posture and frame issues held back routines like Jackson and Emma's Paso Doble, how Ezra and Daniella navigate smooth choreography, and a simple metatarsal pad trick Kim uses to save your feet! ✨

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WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IN THIS EPISODE:

• The Leaderboard Flip: How middle-of-the-pack couples surged to the top of the board in Week 3.
• Amber & Pasha's Standout Foxtrot: True syllabus footwork, continuous gliding movement, and what real judges look for.
• Harry & Jenna Holding #1: Their high-energy Jive and whether anyone can break their momentum.
• Britt Stewart & Taylor Hanson Out: Why this early Week 3 exit did not surprise us and where the connection and choreography fell short.
• Frame & Posture Reality Check: The posture and shoulder flaws that pull away the X-factor in routines like Jackson and Emma's Paso Doble.
• Ezra & Daniella in Smooth: How judging criteria, weight balance, and musicality shift when stepping away from Latin.
• Whitney & Mark's Quickstep: The clever choreography and judging math (7, 7, 8) that keep them hovering right behind the top.
• Dancer Feet Survival: The simple metatarsal pad trick to take pressure off the balls of your feet during long rehearsals and comps.

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The Shirley Standard: What It Actually Takes to Be a DWTS Pro 🪩✨

What does it REALLY take to be a pro on Dancing with the Stars? Is world-class technique enough, or does television demand an entirely different skill set?

In this episode of The Ballroom Dance Diaries, Carole and Kim break down the high-stakes world of DWTS Season 35, the intense competition on The Next Pro, and why head judge Shirley Ballas sets the gold standard for ballroom excellence.

From mastering camera blocking to managing a celebrity’s inner critic, we pull back the curtain on what separates a great competitor from an unforgettable pro.

⏱️TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Remote Catch-Up & Welcome to Season 35
2:00 - Why We Love DWTS & Celebrating the Pros
3:45 - The Shirley Ballas Standard: Strictly vs. The Next Pro
6:20 - More Than Steps: The Psychology of Partnering Amateurs
8:15 - The Rotating Pro Judges & Ballroom Chemistry
9:55 - The Adele & Connor Debate: Showcasing vs. Self-Spotlight
11:30 - Final Thoughts: What It Truly Takes to Win

💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION:
Did Adele focus too much on her own dancing, or did Connor get a fair shot? What do you think of Shirley Ballas’s tough-love judging? Let us know your thoughts

✨ CONNECT WITH THE BALLROOM DANCE DIARIES:
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✨ FREE RESOURCES & DIGITAL DANCE JOURNAL
📥 FREE 2-Week Pre-Competition Checklist:
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If you loved this ballroom breakdown, make sure to hit LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔, and SHARE this episode with your dance family!

#DWTS #DancingWithTheStars #ShirleyBallas #TheNextPro #DWTSSeason35 #BallroomDance #TheBallroomDanceDiaries #DancePodcast

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What is the very first thing you say to yourself right before your heat is called?

Whether you are dancing in an intimate ballroom at a local one-day comp or stepping onto the floor at a major multi-day championship, that holding area on deck is pure sensory overload.

In this episode of The Ballroom Dance Diaries, Carole and Kim pull back the curtain on what it really feels like to stand on deck. We break down the stark contrast between small, medium, and large competitions—and address the exact moments fear hijacks your physical body:

• The "On-Deck Spiral": Why looking at other competitors instantly tightens your neck and collapses your frame • The Comparison Trap: How watching the couples in the heat before yours tricks your brain into feeling unready • Small vs. Large Comps: How floor size, heat density, and room energy change the pressure on your nervous system • Real-Time Floor Resets: The grounding formula to stop the spiral, reset your poise, and protect your private coaching investment under pressure

🎟️ LIVE INTERACTIVE MASTERCLASS (Saturday, Sept 19, 2026 @9am EDT): "Thoughts Become Things Masterclass" Master your pre-round self-talk and command the floor.

👉 Register here: https://stan.store/TheBallroomDanceDiaries

(Includes 90-minute interactive live session, full replay access, and the free Thought Replacement Guide)

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Stepping onto a competitive ballroom floor for the first time can feel overwhelming.

In this episode of The Dance Diaries, we sit down with Stephanie Byrne, a new competitive ballroom dancer who shares her honest journey through fear, anxiety, and self-doubt and why she chose to compete anyway.

Stephanie opens up about:

💜 The mental spiral before her first competition

💜 The pressure of performing as an adult beginner

💜How fear almost kept her off the floor

Why community and mindset changed everything. This conversation isn’t about perfect routines.

It’s about courage.

If you’ve ever felt “not ready,” questioned whether you belong, or battled anxiety before stepping into something new then
this episode will speak directly to you.

Because bravery doesn’t mean you’re fearlesst it means you show up anyway.

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Empire Open Dance Festival Results

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