Toni & Alec - 8th place

[Jeff]

PROFESSION:
R&B star and Broadway actress

PARTNER:
Alec Mazo

BACKGROUND:
The winner of six Grammy Awards, Toni Braxton is a Billboard chart-topping singer and actress, selling over forty million records worldwide. Her U.S. number-one hit "Un-Break My Heart" is the second biggest single by a female artist in history. She has also appeared in two Disney Broadway shows: Beauty and the Beast and Aida. Dancing with the Stars marks her return to the spotlight after a six-month health hiatus.

[Jeff]

ACHIEVEMENTS:

* Emerald Ball Latin Amateur Champion
* 1st Place - 2001 International Grand Ball (San Francisco)
* 1st Place - 2001 Holiday Ball (Las Vegas, Nevada)
* Six-time U.S. National Finalist


CELEBRITY PARTNER:
Toni Braxton

STATS:
Style: Latin
Nationality: American (originally from Russia came to the US aged 12)
Based in: Los Angeles
Status: Not Currently Competing

BACKGROUND:
Alec is the first professional champion of Dancing with the Stars, having partnered Kelly Monaco to first place in Season 1.

Alec has been dancing since he was five years old. Alec moved to America from Russia with his family when he was 12. His mother ran a dance studio, and today Alec runs two ballroom dance schools, one in San Francisco Bay Area and another in Los Angeles.

Alec and his partner Edyta only turned Professional in 2005, having been successful amateur Latin competitors for the previous five years. They were married September 1.

Alec has also studied acting at Playhouse West. He has appeared in the Vanessa Williams movie Dance With Me as well as numerous commercials. He has a BA in Cognitive Science from UC Berkeley.

[Jeff]

It's surprising to me that this couple has been eliminated. I thought they would have at least beaten out Susan & Toni, Cloris & Corky, and Maurice & Cheryl.

While they weren't necessarily a couple I was rooting for, it was always nice to see them take the stage cause they always gave good performances.