SquawkRadio

So who else is watching “Dancing with the Stars” this go-round? I confess I’ve been a ballroom dance geek since I was a kid (my mom and dad used to go dancing at the American Legion Post twice a month), and for those of us who have always considered it hip and happenin’, it’s nice to see the art form becoming more appreciated by the mainstream.  This season is looking to be nicely competitive, with a handful of couples already showing enormous talent. (Laila Ali, anyone? Apolo Ohno?)

But as I was watching it last night, I realized there are a number of things we writers can learn from watching ballroom dancers:

1) Technique isn’t enough. Even if you master the steps perfectly (and even if you master writing mechanics perfectly), you still have to put passion and personality into your performance.  Watching technically perfect but passionless dancing is like watching traffic go by.

2) Passion and personality aren’t enough. On the other hand, even if you have a lot of enthusiasm for what you’re doing, and even if you’re adorable, if you can’t learn the basic steps, your performance is going to make people wince.

3) Dancing is HARD WORK. So is writing. And both take a lot of out of you, often to the point where you’re exhausted. The trick is to make it look easy and effortless, even when you’re in pain from trying to perfect your performance.

4) You have to have fun, or else what’s the point? The best dancers last night were the ones who smiled and laughed as they were dancing, the ones who were obviously enjoying themselves. If you love what you’re doing, the aforementioned passion and enthusiasm come naturally. Not to mention, it balances the hard work nicely.

5) A lot can be overcome by looking good. And by that, I don’t mean you have to be thin and tan, with calves like a goddess and breasts that defy gravity. What I mean is, looking and acting polished and professional might make the difference between your score and the score of a competitor.

Like dancing, writing is an art form, and it ain’t easy. Some have a natural gift, while others have to work harder to achieve the same results. And some, unfortunately, will just never get it. But those who love it, and work for it, can often achieve MAGIC. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a mambo...I mean, manuscript..that I need to work on.

Who else is loving “Dancing with the Stars?” Who are your favorite couples? What do you think it’s worth working hard for to achieve?