Tony Dovolani
| Tony Dovolani | |
|---|---|
 Dovolani at the premiere for Earth in April 2009 |
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| Born | Driton Dovolani July 17, 1973 Debar, Yugoslavia |
| Occupation | Dancer |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
Driton "Tony" Dovolani (born July 17, 1973) is an Albanian-American professional ballroom dancer, instructor and judge based in New York City. He is known for his involvement in the American version of Dancing with the Stars on ABC. Dovolani also portrayed a Latin bad boy in the hit film Shall We Dance? and spent time coaching actress Jennifer Lopez.
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[edit] Early life
Dovolani was born in the city of Prishtin,Kosovo in the former Yugoslavia. He began folk dancing at the age of three. At the age of 15, his entire family moved to the United States. He got the opportunity to attend classes at a Fred Astaire Dance Academy.[1]
[edit] Dancing with the Stars
Dovolani was partnered with professional wrestler Stacy Keibler in Season 2, where they made it to the finals and finished in 3rd place. In Season 3, he was partnered with country music star Sara Evans. Midway through the season, Evans withdrew from the competition due to personal reasons. He returned to the ballroom on March 19 for Season 4, this time partnered with talk show host Leeza Gibbons.[2] They were the third couple eliminated from the competition and came in 9th place.
He competed in Season 5, partnered with actress Jane Seymour.[3] They were the seventh couple eliminated from the competition and finished in 6th place. In Season 6, his partner was Broadway actress Marissa Jaret Winokur. They were eliminated in the semi-finals and finished in 4th place. Dovolani competed in Season 7 of Dancing with the Stars with actress Susan Lucci of All My Children as his partner. They were eliminated in Week 7 and came in 6th place.
In the eighth season, he was originally paired with Nancy O'Dell of Access Hollywood. However, on March 5 she withdrew from the competition due to a torn meniscus sustained during pre-season practice. With only two days to practice, Melissa Rycroft, fresh off her The Bachelor appearance, stepped in and became his new celebrity partner. They made it to the finals and took 3rd place in the competition.
In the ninth season, he was partnered with former model and entrepreneur Kathy Ireland. They were the third couple to be eliminated, finishing in 14th place. For Season Ten, Tony was partnered with former reality star Kate Gosselin from Jon and Kate Plus 8/Kate Plus 8. They were the fourth couple eliminated, finishing in 8th place. For the eleventh season, he was partnered with The Hills star Audrina Patridge. They were the sixth couple eliminated, finishing in 7th place. For Season 12, his partner was talk show host Wendy Williams. They were the second couple eliminated, finishing in tenth place. For Season 13, his partner is singer Chynna Phillips. Phillips was shockingly eliminated in week 4.
[edit] Performances
Season 2 - With celebrity partner: Stacy Kiebler
| Week # | Dance/Song/ | Judges' score | Result | ||
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Waltz/ "I Wonder Why" | 8 | 6 | 8 | Safe |
| 2 | Rumba/ "I'm like a Bird" | 9 | 10 | 10 | Safe |
| 3 | Tango/ "Cell Block Tango" | 9 | 9 | 9 | Safe |
| 4 | Foxtrot/"Cold, Cold Heart" | 8 | 9 | 9 | Safe |
| 5 | Samba/"Bootylicious" | 10 | 10 | 10 | Safe |
| 6 | Jive/"Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" | 10 | 10 | 10 | Safe |
| 7 | Quickstep/"You Can't Hurry Love" Cha-Cha-Cha/"Since U Been Gone" |
9 9 |
9 9 |
9 10 |
Safe |
| 8 | Jive/"Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" Freestyle/"Stayin' Alive" Samba/"Livin' La Vida Loca" |
10 8 10 |
10 9 10 |
10 9 10 |
Third Place |
Season 3 - With celebrity partner: Sara Evans
| Week # | Dance/Song/ | Judges' score | Result | ||
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Foxtrot/ "Mandy" | 5 | 5 | 5 | Safe |
| 2 | Mambo/ "Papa Loves Mambo" | 7 | 7 | 7 | Safe |
| 3 | Jive/ "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" | 8 | 9 | 8 | Safe |
| 4 | Paso Doble/ "The Phantom of the Opera" | 6 | 7 | 7 | Safe |
| 5 | Samba/ "I Wish" | 8 | 8 | 8 | Withdrawn |
Season 4 - With celebrity partner: Leeza Gibbons
| Week # | Dance/Song/ | Judges' score | Result | ||
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Foxtrot/ "Strangers in the Night" | 5 | 5 | 5 | No Elimination |
| 2 | Mambo/ "Independent Woman Part I" | 7 | 7 | 7 | Safe |
| 3 | Tango/ "Jealousy" | 8 | 8 | 8 | Bottom 2 |
| 4 | Paso Doble/ "You Give Love a Bad Name" | 6 | 5 | 5 | Eliminated |
Season 5 - With celebrity partner: Jane Seymour
| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Foxtrot/ "Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love" | 8 | 8 | 8 | Safe |
| 2 | Mambo/ "Cuban Pete" | 7 | 7 | 7 | Safe |
| 3 | Tango/ "Perfida" | 9 | 9 | 9 | Safe |
| 4 | Vienesse Waltz/ "Piano Man" | 8 | 9 | 9 | Safe |
| 5 | Rumba/ "Breathe Again" | 8 | 9 | 9 | Bottom Two |
| 6 | Jive/ "Modern Love" Group Rock 'n Roll/ "Rockin Robin" |
8 No |
7 Scores |
7 Given |
Safe |
| 7 | Quickstep/ "I Walk the Line" Cha-Cha-Cha/ "Venus" |
8 8 |
8 9 |
8 9 |
Eliminated |
Season 6 - With celebrity partner: Marissa Jaret Winokur
| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Cha-Cha-Cha/ "Low" | 6 | 6 | 6 | No Elimination |
| 2 | Quickstep/ "Flip, Flop and Fly" | 7 | 7 | 7 | Safe |
| 3 | Jive/ "Girlfriend" | 6 | 7 | 6 | Safe |
| 4 | Paso Doble/ "My Family is My Life" | 8 | 8 | 8 | Safe |
| 5 | Samba/ "Tambourine" | 8 | 8 | 8 | Safe |
| 6 | Vienesse Waltz/ "Delilah" Country Western/ "Cotton-Eyed Joe" |
9 No |
8 Scores |
9 Given |
Safe |
| 7 | Tango/ "Champagne Tango" Rumba/ "Quando, Quando, Quando" |
9 9 |
9 8 |
9 8 |
Safe |
| 8 | Foxtrot/ "New York, New York" Mambo/ "Ritmo de Chunga" |
9 8 |
8 8 |
8 9 |
Safe |
| 9 | Quickstep/ "Around the World" Rumba/ "Just the Two of Us" |
9 8 |
9 9 |
8 9 |
Eliminated |
Season 7 - With celebrity partner: Susan Lucci
| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Cha-Cha-Cha/ "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" Quickstep/ "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen" |
5 7 |
5 7 |
5 8 |
Safe |
| 2 | Rumba/ "Waiting on the World to Change" | 7 | 7 | 7 | Safe |
| 3 | Jive/ "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" | 7 | 7 | 7 | Safe |
| 4 | Tango/ "La Bohemia" | 8 | 8 | 8 | Safe |
| 5 | Hustle/ "Upside Down" | 7 | 7 | 8 | Bottom Two |
| 6 | Mambo/ "Si Señor!..." | 8 | 8 | 7 | Bottom Two |
| 7 | Paso Doble/ "The Ride" Team Cha-Cha-Cha/ "Mercy" |
8 6 |
8 7 |
8 7 |
Eliminated |
Season 8 - With celebrity partner: Melissa Rycroft
| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Waltz/ "Moon River" | 8 | 7 | 8 | No Elimination |
| 2 | Salsa/ "The Cup of Life" | 9 | 8 | 9 | Safe |
| 3 | Foxtrot/ "Recipe for Love" | 9 | 9 | 9 | Safe |
| 4 | Lindy Hop/ "Brown Derby Jump" | 10 | 9 | 10 | Safe |
| 5 | Paso Doble/ "Poker Face" | 8 | 8 | 9 | Safe |
| 6 | Rumba/ "If I Were a Boy" | 9 | 9 | 9 | Safe |
| 7 | Argentine Tango/ "Mi Confesión" | 10 | 9 | 10 | Safe |
| 8 | Jive/ "We Got the Beat" Team Mambo/ "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" |
7 8 |
7 8 |
7 9 |
Bottom Two |
| 9 | Viennese Waltz/ "Angel" Samba/ "Jaleo" |
9 10 |
9 10 |
9 10 |
Safe |
| 10 | Quickstep/ "I Got Rhythm" Cha-Cha-Cha/ "Save the Last Dance for Me" |
9 9 |
10 9 |
9 9 |
Bottom Two |
| 11 | Paso Doble/ "So What" Freestyle/ "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" Samba/ "Jaleo" |
10 9 10 |
9 9 10 |
10 9 10 |
Third Place |
Season 9 - With celebrity partner: Kathy Ireland
| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Salsa/ "Mambo Gonzon" Foxtrot relay/ "The Best is Yet to Come" |
6 Awarded |
5 4 |
5 Points |
Last to be Called Safe |
| 2 | Quickstep/ "Shall We Dance?" | 6 | 6 | 6 | Eliminated |
Season 10 - With celebrity partner: Kate Gosselin
| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Viennese Waltz/ "She's Always a Woman" | 6 | 5 | 5 | No Elimination |
| 2 | Jive/ "I'm Still Standing" | 5 | 5 | 5 | Safe |
| 3 | Paso Doble/ "Paparazzi" | 5 | 5 | 5 | Safe |
| 4 | Tango/ "For Your Entertainment" | 4 6 |
5 6 |
5 6 |
Safe |
| 5 | Foxtrot/ "Don't You (Forget About Me)" | 5 | 5 | 5 | Eliminated |
Season 11 - With celebrity partner: Audrina Patridge
| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Cha-Cha-Cha/ "California Gurls" | 6 | 7 | 6 | Safe |
| 2 | Quickstep/ "Love Machine" | 8 | 8 | 7 | Safe |
| 3 | Waltz/ "Let It Be Me" | 8 | 9 | 9 | Safe |
| 4 | Argentine Tango/ "Somebody to Love" | 8 7 |
8 7 |
8 8 |
Safe |
| 5 | Rumba/"Unwritten" | 7 | 8 | 8 | Safe |
| 6 | Paso Doble/"Another One Bites the Dust" Rock 'n Roll/"La Grange" |
8 Awarded |
8 8 |
8 Points |
Eliminated |
Season 12 - With celebrity partner: Wendy Williams
| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Cha-Cha-Cha/ "I'm Every Woman" | 5 | 4 | 5 | No Elimination |
| 2 | Quickstep/ "Do Your Thing" | 6 | 5 | 6 | Safe |
| 3 | Foxtrot/ "Last Night a D.J. Saved My Life" | 5 | 5 | 5 | Eliminated |
Season 13 - With Celebrity partner: Chynna Phillips
| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Viennese Waltz / "If I Ain't Got You" | 8 | 7 | 7 | Safe |
| 2 | Jive / "The Boy Does Nothing" | 7 | 7 | 7 | Safe |
| 3 | Rumba / "Hold On" | 8 | 9 | 9 | Safe |
| 4 | Tango / "Theme from Mission: Impossible" | 7 | 7 | 7 | Eliminated |
[edit] Dancing
Ballroom dancing is all about the woman, according to Dovolani. He believes the man is meant to be the frame for the picture of beauty as presented by the woman.
Dovolani and his partner Elena Grinenko have recently retired from competing in the American rhythm division. Prior to his partnership with Elena, he danced with Inna Ivanenko[4] and Lisa Regal.
[edit] Achievements
- 2006 nominated for an Emmy for outstanding choreography for Dancing with the Stars for episode #208 (Dance: Jive).
- 2006 PBS America's Ballroom Challenge Rhythm Champion
- 2006 Emerald Ball Open Professional American Rhythm Champion[5]
- 2006 United States Open Rhythm Champion with Elena Grinenko
- 2006 World Rhythm Champion with Elena Grinenko
- 2005 Ohio Star Ball American Rhythm Champion[6]
- 2005 United States Open Rhythm Champion with Inna Ivanenko
- 2005 World Rhythm Champion with Inna Ivanenko
[edit] Outside of dancing
Tony and Len Goodman appear along with Mary Murphy in an infomercial for the Core Rhythms workout system.
Dovolani and fellow dancers Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Elena Grinenko have created a website called the Ballroom Dance Channel. It is to help bring awareness to dancing. Dovolani and best friend Chmerkovskiy can often be found interviewing each other. The website is called ballroomdancechannel.com
Dovolani is the driving force behind the Superstars of Ballroom Dance Camp, an opportunity for people to learn from celebrity Pros from hit television shows. www.superstarsofballroom.com
[edit] Personal life
Tony is married to wife Lina, and the couple have a four-year-old daughter named Luana. Twins, son Adrian and daughter Ariana were born on September 8, 2008. Tony was in the middle of rehearsals for the season of Dancing with the Stars with partner Susan Lucci when he got the call that Lina had gone into labor.[7]
[edit] See also
- Dancesport World Champions (rhythm)
- U.S. National Dancesport Champions (Professional Rhythm)
- Dancing with the Stars (US TV series)
[edit] Notes
| a. | ^ Kosovo is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Serbia and the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo. The latter declared independence on 17 February 2008, while Serbia claims it as part of its own sovereign territory. Its independence is recognised by 86 UN member states. |
[edit] References
- ^ "Tony Dovolani, BDC Online Instructor". Ballroom Dance Channel. 2008. http://www.ballroomdancechannel.com/tony-dovolani. Retrieved 2008-09-25.[dead link]
- ^ "The Stars Align for a fourth season of ABC's hit alternative series, Dancing With the Stars". abc.go.com. 2007. http://abc.go.com/primetime/dancing/newseason.html. Retrieved 2007-02-21.
- ^ Rizzo, Monica (2007-08-29). "Dancing with the Stars Announces New Contestants - Dancing With the Stars". People.com. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20053574,00.html. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
- ^ "Reality TV Stars | Tony Dovolani". Reality-tv-online.com. 2007-09-18. http://www.reality-tv-online.com/blog/tony-dovolani/. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
- ^ "DanceSport Portal » Blog Archive » 2006 Emerald Ball". Dancesportal.com. http://www.dancesportal.com/?p=23. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
- ^ "DanceSport Portal » Blog Archive » 2005 Ohio Star Ball". Dancesportal.com. http://www.dancesportal.com/?p=14. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
- ^ [1][dead link]
[edit] External links
- Tony Dovolani Official Website
- Tony Dovolani at the Internet Movie Database
- Dancing with the Stars Biography
- Tony Dovolani information at Fred Astaire.com
- Tony Dovolani Official MySpace Page
- Ballroom Dance Channel
- Ballroom Dance Channel Social
- Superstars of Ballroom
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Joey McIntyre & Ashly DelGrosso |
Dancing with the Stars (US) third place contestant Season 2 (Spring 2006 with Stacy Keibler) Season 8 (Spring 2009 with Melissa Rycroft) |
Succeeded by Joey Lawrence & Edyta Sliwinska |
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