By CAROL ROBIDOUX
New Hampshire Union Leader Staff
Thursday, Feb. 8, 2007

Manchester – Last night the lines between reality and reality TV were twirled, twisted, quick-stepped and blurred when “Dancing With the Stars: The Tour” landed at the Verizon Wireless Arena with a flourish.

Fans of the popular television show, which for three seasons has hit ratings pay dirt by partnering professional ballroom dancers with celebrities, jammed the arena for a closer look at five couples culled from the TV version’s three seasons of competitive dance.

Season two celebrity champ Drew Lachey was first to address the crowd.

“Who’s ready to rumba tonight,” said the former 98 Degrees boy band member to an enthusiastic crowd.

Intimate seating on the floor gave about 250 people a perfect view of the oblong stage, rimmed in red lights. The rest of the arena was packed to the rafters.

Among the front row fans was Jean Brown of Northfield, celebrating her 77th birthday with her son, daughter and granddaughter.

“My favorites? I love Cheryl and Lisa and Drew,” she said. “You know, I love’em all.”

Brown clapped in double-time through most of the dance routines, sometimes clasping her hand to her mouth with excitement; other times, wiping away tears of joy.

“She loves this,” said her son, Steve Brown of Dover. “She’s having the time of her life.”

The show started with a Slim Fast Dance Challenge, featuring 10 local couples from Arthur Murray Dance Studio.

But the real showstoppers were the stars — taking turns in the spotlight and making ballroom dancing look easy.

“I wish I could do that,” said Laurie Finnell of Manchester, who was there with friends Dina DeTone of Weare and Missy Fulmer of Gilford. “You have to be coordinated. I don’t think I have what it takes. But who knows? My daughter’s getting married soon. Maybe I’ll take some lessons.”

Dedicated fan Mackenzie Phelps, 13, a student at McKelvey Middle School, was enjoying her “best Christmas present” last night with mom, Diane.

“She’s a competitive tap dancer,” said her mom. “I took six weeks of lessons before my oldest’s wedding. Believe me, it takes more than six weeks to get it right.”

As with the televised version, last night’s show was equal parts instructive and entertaining. Each couple demonstrated one of the traditional competitive dance styles. For those with two left feet, the mambo is like playing twister without a mat; the paso doble requires dancers to imitate spinning tops; the rumba is ballet with tabasco sauce; the samba is like an well-heeled hip-hop video; the Viennese waltz is lovely; and the jive is like they way you look in your head when you dance at wedding receptions:

Flashy, funky and flamboyant.

Other dance pairs on tour included Edyta Sliwinska and actor Harry Hamlin (season three); actress Lisa Rinna (season two) and Louis Van Amstel; former New Kids on the Block member Joey McIntyre (season one) and Julianne Hough; and crowd favorite Joey Lawrence (season three) and Karina Smirnoff.

After dancing the cha-cha with Smirnoff, Lawrence took the microphone.

“A year and a half ago I woke up in a cold sweat — in a dance contest with [boxer] Evander Holyfield — and it was true,” said Lawrence of his reality show experience.

Between dances, the stars talked about how dancing has changed their lives. “I’ve never been happier,” said the svelte Rinna. “And I haven’t looked like this since I was 18.

Rinna is married to Hamlin and, since their success on “Dancing with the Stars,” the couple was signed to star on Broadway this year in “Chicago.”

“Am I a lucky guy or what?” Hamlin said. “I’m an AARP member and I get to have this much fun.”