Why Entertaining is Like "Dancing With The Stars"...

Thanks to our never-ending fascination with the amazing confidence of Pamela Anderson (the Mr. however is likely fascinated by her other assets ;-) we took the plunge and watched this season's Dancing With The Stars (DWTS) opening episode.

So what does this have to do with throwing a great dinner party or hosting an enjoyable event??

Because in The Savvy Host's humble (albeit 1-time viewer) opinion, the best DWTS performers (non-professionals of course) were exceptional for the very same reasons that make a savvy host's efforts enjoyable:

• Confidence
• Style
• Practice

Confidence is what Pamela Anderson has everyday (and twice on Sundays).  It's THE tool to rely on when you run into unexpected or otherwise challenging situations while hosting a gathering.  Regardless of what you're wearing or how you're feeling ~ regardless of whether your "technical capability" in dancing or cooking rates a 10 or a 5 ~ confidence will bring out your best performance and the best response from your guests (or audience as the case may be).  Cool, calm, collected CONFIDENCE.

Style is a particular, distinctive, or characteristic mode or form of construction or execution in any art or work.  The novice dancers who exhibited style ~ we're thinking of Niecy Nash's comedic flair and Nicole Scherzinger's swooshing ~ made a great impression.  Their style not only made up for the imperfections in their routine, but also gave them charisma.

Great entertaining reflects the style of the host or hostess ~ it's unique to who they are and what is important to them.  whether it's Italian cuisine ~ french wine ~ flamenco guitar music ~ grilling ~ sustainable foods ~ you name it.  A savvy host doesn't try to grab or precisely mimic the style of Martha Stewart, Rachel Ray or Ina Garten.  But you certainly do include those bits and pieces that complement your own personal entertaining style.


Practice may not always make perfect, but it sure helps.  Even if you're a Gold Medalist in figure skating, you still need to practice a new routine in order to get as comfortable as possible executing the unfamiliar steps. For example, through trial and error, we've found that it's never been the best idea to try out that amazing recipe for the 1st time in front of guests.  Even if we're able to make it perfectly, we stress out a little too much about the preparation or whether it will bake/cook/turnout as planned.

Increase the odds of having fun at your own party by limiting what there is to worry about.  This means working with a menu or a party theme or an event location that's familiar.  A "routine" that we've practiced enough to feel comfortable lessens anxiety and leaves time to share a glass of wine with guests.

So, even though we may not be tuning into DWTS again next week, we are left wondering how Pamela Anderson would work her confidence, style and practice as a Savvy Hostess...what do you think?