Laurie Sullivan shakes a leg with her pooch. Posted on 12/03/2008 12:04:22 PM PST by BGHater
No, you're mind isn't playing tricks on you. Forget "Dancing With the Stars" - the latest reality-show dance craze is "Dancing With Dogs," which airs Saturday at 9 p.m. on Animal Planet.
The two-hour special takes a fly-on-the-wall look at 28 very different dog-and-handler teams as they compete in the World Canine Freestyle Organization's (WCFO) dance championship in Rhode Island.
"People are dancing all over the world with their dogs," exclaims Patie Ventre, the Brooklyn-based founder of the WCFO and grande dame of the show.
"We had competitors from the U.S., Australia, South Africa, England, Germany and Finland."
Ventre creates intricate routines around her skating and ballroom-dancing background with her Border collie, Dancer, rehearsing daily in a park near her home in Sheepshead Bay.
"I have a certain stride, and my dog is perfectly paced to me. We're also very fast," says Ventre of her signature style, adding that New Yorkers regularly contact her for lessons and tips on getting started.
"Each team is unique," she adds. "Some are dramatic and might do songs like Broadway's 'Phantom of the Opera.' I've seen a Charlie Chaplin- and even a gladiator-themed routine."
Founded in 1999, the WCFO has almost 3,000 members worldwide, including Cassandra Hartman, a dog trainer from Ontario.
"There are several divisions, from absolute beginners just having fun right up to intermediate and advanced," explains Hartman, who has been freestyling for six years with her four golden retrievers and now also judges WCFO events.
"Routines are scored on technical merit and artistic impression. The highest level is the 'perfect dance partners.' There, you're seeing performances that take years to develop."
Although handlers are only allowed to perform with their own dogs, any breed is welcome.
"You can see little pugs dancing around, Chihuahuas, glorious Afghans moving gracefully across the dance floor - that's what makes it so special. It's such a combination of creativity and different people and breeds, it's always fun to watch," Hartman enthuses.
Of course, having dozens of dogs and handlers competing together also makes for even more unpredictable television than your average celeb reality fest.
"The teams have so much fun that they often forget that anyone's watching, but sometimes there's a peeing accident or something scares your dog and it runs out of the ring," says Ventre of the most common mishaps.
Laurie Sullivan, a competitor from Stamford, Conn., recalls her disastrous first foray in the ring four years ago with her golden retriever, Timber.
"It was a train wreck," she remembers. "I was so nervous, but Timber did great and his tail never stopped wagging. That really helped me go into the ring the next time."
In contrast to the notoriously ultracompetitive world of dog shows, the pressure's off when it comes to chasing those impressive WCFO trophies, Sullivan says.
"It's not about winning at all," she protests. "I'm so impressed with everyone who goes out there and really works hard.
"It's really about watching the bond and the relationship and all the incredible things dogs can do if you just ask."
Wanna dance with your dog?
Top freestyle dancer and trainer Cassandra Hartman offers her six steps for getting started:
1 Make sure your dog is obedient and well socialized and can execute basics like heel, sit, stand and stay.
2 Select toys or treats that your dog really enjoys to reward him for good work.
3 Practice walking and moving to music, including changing direction, with your dog. Pace your dog, and reward it a lot for moving with you and stepping in time to the music.
4 Try some simple tricks that your dog is comfortable with. Some dogs might naturally want to roll over. Running through your legs and waving a paw are also among the easier moves to teach.
5 Pick a piece of music that's fun for you both and suits your dog. A Chihuahua might work best with a light, fast-paced piece, while a larger breed's movement might suit something heavier or more dramatic. You have to enjoy the music, because you'll be hearing it a lot.
6 Combine changing direction with a little trick done to music, and you can begin choreographing a simple routine.
Laurie Sullivan shakes a leg with her pooch.
Patie Ventre gets down with her dog.
Carrie Neri and her pup bust a move.
Other people’s HARMLESS hobby, that is.
It’s still a “free” country. Nobody is forcing you to watch the doggies, and those who enjoy it are free to do as they wish as well.
Or oulwd you rather these people just sit around in the old folk’s home waiting to die, or the young girls who do this go out and hook, or hang out with gangs on the street?
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