12:28 AM EDT 04/14/2013
Gavin DeGraw
Karina Smirnoff Says Gavin DeGraw Is Working on Being Romantic and Sexy
Originally posted 04/02/2012 01:30PM
It sucked to be in the bottom last week on Dancing with the Stars. That wasn't cool. We thought we could be in the bottom two because we were in the lower half of the leader board but our mantra is "hope dies less," and we were definitely hoping we weren't going to be.
After our jive on Monday, Gavin was a little upset. The judges' comments didn't bother him but he was hard on himself because he felt we did the routine better in rehearsal. I think performing second to last was bad for us. While we were waiting those almost two hours, we kept going over the dance and I think we over analyzed it. Gavin made a good point, when you do something like bungee jumping, it is not the event itself that freaks you out, but rather it's the anticipation of it. If we are going to go last again, we won't be practicing during the show.
This week is very important, it's our turn to share a personal story. We are doing the rumba – the dance of love – so we are working on being very romantic and sexy, but we also want to show the sentimental value of the personal story that Gavin is going to bring to this week's show.
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Dancing with the Stars: Gavin DeGraw Says He 'Deserved Lower Scores'
Originally posted 03/27/2012 09:00AM
Contestants have been known to strongly disagree with judges' scores on Dancing with the Stars – and Karina Smirnoff's partner Gavin DeGraw is now one of them.
But unlike other ballroom disputes, DeGraw, 35, believes his marks on Monday night were too high.
"We deserved lower scores," the singer-songwriter told PEOPLE backstage after he and Smirnoff scored 21 points out of 30 for their jive.
Karina Smirnoff: Gavin & I 'Need to Step It Up' On DWTS
Originally posted 03/26/2012 06:45PM
This season on Dancing with the Stars, we have so many people who are able to dance, and it showed on week one. If they're already giving out nines in week one, I can't wait to see what the rest of the season has to bring.
We can only compare ourselves to ourselves pretty much, because we didn't see what the other couples were doing until the live show. So, based on what we've been doing and how Gavin and I have been dancing up until Monday night, I'm very proud of him. I think he did better in the live show than he did during rehearsals, which is a great sign. It means he works great under pressure.
Even though I think we did really well and I'm super proud of him, I think we need to step it up more. Our biggest hurdle in this whole situation is the schedule. I don't want to be happy based on someone else's problem, but Gavin needs to have vocal rest. I guess the travel and the show and multiple performances have taken a toll. So that will give us a little more rehearsal time in the next few days.
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Dancing with the Stars Couples Take on the Jive & Quickstep
Originally posted 03/26/2012 09:40PM
Following what Len Goodman called "the best first show of any season," the celebrities and their partners returned to the ballroom to perform the quickstep or the jive on Dancing with the Stars on Monday night.
And the stakes are high: No one wants to be the first to go on Tuesday's elimination show, which will send home the star with the lowest combined scores and votes from two weeks of competition.
Keep reading to find out who was fabulous and who flopped in the ballroom ...
Karina Smirnoff Says Gavin DeGraw Is Nervous About Dancing with the Stars
Originally posted 03/19/2012 10:15AM
I'm definitely nervous and excited about our first live performance on Dancing with the Stars Monday. This is the first time I will get to see Gavin in this particular element. It will be interesting to see how he handles the pressure. Everybody is different. If he does as well live as he does in the studio, it will be great. He's just nervous. But it'll be cool. I'm excited.
This is going to be a competitive cast. A lot of people will have good dancing skills, because I know a few have dance experience – whether it's outside of ballroom or whether it's in. I know Sherri mentioned on The View that she was taking ballroom classes from Maks, prior to the show.
So the playing field will be a little different this time. But again, this show is about celebrities and people who know how to dance. You see their journey and how they advance from week one to week 10. And that was really visible last year with Rob Kardashian, who started out as maybe not the best dancer but became really good throughout the season.
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Dancing with the Stars: Karina Smirnoff Says Gavin DeGraw Has 'Swagger and Charisma'
Originally posted 03/12/2012 10:50AM
Dancing with the Stars reigning pro champion Karina Smirnoff will blog about season 14 each week for PEOPLE.com.
In her first post, she writes about what she's been up to since taking home the mirror-ball trophy with season 13 winner J.R. Martinez and how she's getting along in rehearsals with her new partner, singer Gavin DeGraw:
Last season of DWTS finished right before Thanksgiving and I had practically zero days off. But I'm not complaining. I'm super excited about the ability to work. And there's always a lot going on.
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Gavin DeGraw: Dogs Know What Good Music Sounds Like
Originally posted 10/06/2011 09:00AM
Gavin DeGraw believes that dogs know good music when they hear it.
"It's kinda cool when you're writing a song and you have your dog in the house and you're playing and they're sitting next to the piano," he told PEOPLE Tuesday at the kick-off party to Petco's National Adoption Reunion held at New York's Central Park, where he performed for a crowd of dog lovers. "As long as they don't get up and leave the room, whatever you're writing must be okay."
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Gavin DeGraw Speaks Out Post-Attack: 'I'm Not Living in Fear'
Originally posted 08/23/2011 09:00AM
Despite being severely beaten a few weeks ago, a good-humored Gavin DeGraw says he's healing fine and looking forward to Aug. 24, when he rejoins Maroon 5 and Train on tour.
"It's definitely a combination of excitement and nerves, because my breathing isn't exactly the same," the singer, 34, tells PEOPLE. "I'm feeling out my breathing through my nose trying to see if the swelling's going down. The sensation is mildly different, so that makes me fearful about singing."
DeGraw says the Aug. 8 attack by unknown assailants left him completely unrecognizable.
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Gavin DeGraw Is 'Feeling Much Better' After Beating
Originally posted 08/19/2011 03:30PM
Gavin DeGraw is on the mend.
The singer, who was beaten following a late-night argument in New York's East Village Aug. 8, tells VH1 he's at home recovering from his injuries, including a broken nose, concussion and facial lacerations, and "feeling much better."
Still, "it will take a little bit more time to be back to 100 percent," DeGraw, 34, says.
The singer was attacked near a bar he co-owns with his brother, the National Underground, by a mysterious group of unknown assailants, according to police. Later, he was clipped by a taxi nearly a mile away before a passerby called 911 and DeGraw was taken by ambulance to Bellevue Hospital.
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Gavin DeGraw: 'I Don't Remember Much' from My Assault
Originally posted 08/09/2011 05:45PM
Exactly what happened to Gavin DeGraw remains a mystery – even to the victim
himself.
In a new message to fans, DeGraw Tweeted Tuesday afternoon afternoon: "Honestly, I don't remember much. I only know I can recover from here."
The singer, who has been discharged from the hospital, went on to thank his fans, but provided no further explanation.
"Thank u all for your genuine concern," he wrote. "I love u guys."
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