“Dancing With the Stars”
Friday, January 9, 2009
Auditorium Theatre/ Chicago, IL

Review and Photo By Andy Argyrakis

It’s next to impossible to make an arena look intimate, but between a ballroom dance floor and cozy cabaret seating around its perimeter, the latest “Dancing With the Stars” tour felt just as close as watching it from the living room. And for those who’ve faithfully followed the hit ABC show, plenty of congruent elements were retained, from the signature staircase to one of the best live session bands in the business and several celebs joined by their professional partners.

One of the most familiar Season 7 faces to music fans was Lance Bass, who admitted the large audience brought back memories to his days with ‘N Sync. He even provided a quick choruses of the boy band’s “Bye Bye Bye” (complete with its familiar steps), though dancing was clearly the singer’s main priority this time through town. Along with Lacey Schwimmer, he strutted confidently to the throbbing beats of “Straight Up To Number One,” and later, “Disturbia.”

Toni Braxton also provided some sultry steps with Alec Mazo to the Latin-tinged beats of “Smooth,” while also showcasing slower elegance come “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” But the Grammy Award winner proved to be a formidable presence on the microphone, soaring with soulfulness throughout her smash singles “Un-Break My Heart” and “Breathe Again.” During the latter, she serenaded several guys sitting in the front row with a verse delivered direct from their laps.

Olympic sprinter Maurice Greene may have been the least talented when it came to dancing, but his pro partner Cheryl Burke sure made him look the part come “Rock Around the Clock.” Actress Marlee Matlin (from Season 6) also earned audience adoration during “Mack the Knife,” not just for her remarkable intuition to dance alongside Fabien Sanchez without hearing capabilities, but the fact she grew up in the Chicago suburbs.

Beyond the stars from other fields, the program’s noted dancers also took turns demonstrating their skills, including Mark Ballas and Derek Hough (also of the Ballas Hough Band), who provided a bang-up break dance session during “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.” The entire company also came out for a “Dancing Queen” finale, adding a tongue-in-cheek disco flourish to the well rounded genre representations. As the cast took final bows, it literally felt like a television episode coming to life (minus the eliminations), simultaneously building anticipation of Season 8’s launch on March 9.