Meryl & Maks, Dance Show-Lover's Mind, and the Upcoming Hot Tamale Train on May 28th!!

I always have to have an obsession.  This past semester was my last semester towards my B.S. in Civil Engineering with emphasis in Water/Environmental Studies (with a minor in Technology Commercialization).  Since graduation was this past Saturday, I have been avidly watching for the posting of grades this week.  It's too disappointing to keep checking and have nothing be there, so I moved on to something else (to keep my sanity (assuming I had any)). 

As such, last night I watched Dancing with the Stars.  I only caught an episode here and there throughout the season (because senior engineering projects tend to keep me busy).  From what I had watched, I had become mesmerized by Meryl & Maks.  They are a phenomenal dancing pair with loads of chemistry. 

I am hoping for several things to occur on tomorrow's finale of Dancing with the Stars.  I hope the following things will occur:

• Meryl and Maks will kiss at the end of a dance.
• Meryl and Maks will win this season of Dancing with the Stars.
• Meryl and Maks will discuss what their relationship will be in the future.

Now, I was expecting Candice Cameron to have the lowest scores and get booted off last night because James  Maslow is obviously the better dancer performance-wise on the show.  However, the results of her making it to the finals really brings up the all-encompassing question for all of us "dance show-lovers": "Who should win in a dance show? (the best performer/dancer (Meryl), the dancer that has had to overcome the most adversity and is an inspiration (Amy), or the dancer that has shown the most improvement throughout the duration of the show and tries to have fun (Candice))"

As much as James was a far better dancer and was glorious eye candy, he had more stage performance in his background and 12-pack abs.  As much as he was and still is a beautiful performer, Candice had been improving.  The audience for Dancing with the Stars is also most likely older than James' current Big Time Rush fans.  Hence, Cameron probably had more of the "Full House" fans on her side voting than James did. 

As I was saying, Candice has been improving.  Her "Nasty" Janet Jackson Jazz routine was very precise and creative later in the season.  Her characters have been quirky and modest throughout the season.  She knows who she is and wasn't afraid to incorporate her past experience with "Full House" into her performances.  By paying an homage to Full House in her tribute dance and going with Elvis, she was able to incorporate fun into her dance.  I also still think it was hilarious that her last dance last night wearing the gold bodysuit had "DJ Tanner" flashing in the screens behind her.  It was clever allusion humor, which I appreciate very much.

As such, I understand why America picked her to be in the finale and I like that a dancer representing the struggle of improvement in an unknown art is represented.  Although I will still love James and imagine him as the next Christian Bale when he's older (Thank you, Universe, for making such fine eye candy).  The other finalists were also contenders to win.

Throughout the season, Amy has been an inspiration to watch.  There were a couple episodes that made me cry.  I especially loved her tribute dance to her father.  Someone who deals with something as devastating as having limbs amputated and manages to live life to the fullest is amazing.  In some ways, she has won as a representative for adversity.  As much as I love her and what she represents, I still hope Meryl and Maks win though. 

Meryl has overcome an adversity of shyness and has opened up in ways America has never seen her do before.  And Maks has never won on Dancing with the Stars over the course of 13 seasons. Meryl has brought beautiful choreography out of Maks and has a beautiful friendship with him.  I realize that she is an Olympian (as is Amy), but her growth as a person has been wonderful to watch as well through dance. 

Thus, I hope tomorrow's finale dances are as amazing as I hope they will be.  I also hope that Meryl and Maks will take home the trophy.  But regardless of who actually wins, I understand why they won because of what they represent in a "dance show-lover's" mind. 

When Dancing with the Stars ends, my next show obsession will be another awesome dance show: So You Think You Can Dance, which starts on Fox on a new season on May 28th.  I love my name-twin judge Mary Murphy and her Hot Tamale Train!! Woohoo!!