DWTS Season 12 – Maksim Chmerkovskiy Talks On His New Dance Partner Kirstie Alley & More
Maks gave an interview to Wetpaint.com. They ask him about Kirstie. He sounds relieved to not have any drama this time. They also ask him if the show needs to make some scoring changes. I complained on this subject last year, but, in the end, I think Maks is right on it. But, I do think they need to make some voting improvements to the official site. Read more below and at the link.
How do you feel about your new partner, Kirstie Alley?
She’s really motivated. And she is absolutely hilarious. Our couple is the funniest on the show. We were told by a few producers that we need to be a little more serious. We’ve been tweeting each other and it’s hilarious. I’ve never been that free. It’s very relaxing. Her presence is very, just, chill. There’s no drama, there’s not going to be drama. She’s very smart. She knows what she’s doing and she does want to know how to dance. We’re going to go for stuff that makes her look great and that she feels great doing.A lot of people say that you and Brandy should have made it to the Top 2 last season, but obviously people were slacking in the voting department. Do you think any changes need to be made to the scoring or do you like how much voter participation counts?
It’s my [tenth season] and it’s Season12 of the show. It’s one of the biggest if not the biggest show on television. I believe it’s an amazing entertainment and it’s promoting what I love the most. It’s been great for all of us dancers. Before the show nobody even knew what ballroom dancing was all about. Would I have liked to have won in the past? Yes! But I’m not mad. I think Brandy had a phenomenal season. I think it did wonders for her comeback. Whoever wins, wins because people vote. It’s the only show out there that gives viewers as much participation in the result as judges—if not more. If some people have been making the finals without getting the highest marks well, it is what it is. It’s great for the show because it creates drama, it creates controversy. I love the fact that our viewers have that much voice. It means you have to work on being loved.
We interviewed Mark Ballas recently and he was very protective of the pros. Do you think the judges can be unfair?
It’s not a big secret, but I had a meeting with production in which I said that when we’re in season us pros are so focused on our partner that we don’t really see anything outside of our rehearsal, and outside of our own dramas and problems. Last season I felt that I was being pointed out more in some instances than other pros and sometimes more than my partner even. I wish the judges would keep it more about the stars and not about the pros. A seasoned pro won’t let the judges affect the way they think or the way they dance.
You tell ’em, Maks!!
I am SO looking forward to how Maks and Kirstie show up on the show. He’s a smart cookie and I can’t wait to see what he does with/for her.
I love Maks! He says like it is and I think he and Kirstie Alley will be HILARIOUS!
Im following those two on twitter and it is absolutely entertaining. It’s nice to hear Maks say he has never felt so free. I truely cant wait to see them on tv I thinking they will be great.
I have to agree about the judges they need to make it more about the star and not the pro. It always irrtated me when they would star talking about the choreography when the star has no control over that.
Also Carrie Ann and the lift rule. She needs to refine that majorly in my opinion. I know sometimes in the past the lifts have been accidental, she shouldnt count off for that if there foot was off the ground for a split second…maybe after five second sure.
I have to say, Maks/Kirstie are the couple I’m most looking forward to – not for the dancing but the packages. LOL. I would love to see Maks pee himself laughing. I could love a guy who does that. 🙂 I don’t ask for much, do I?
I don’t agree about the judges in that respect – the pros job is to choreograph a dance. If they don’t do it according to the rules, or if it’s not up to par, or if there’s too much crap in the dance, or not enough content – then that affects the PAIR, the couple. If they said nothing about choreo, they would be doing a disservice to the celeb, who is also a part of the team. Or would you rather they all just scored Derek and Nicole’s quickstep that broke a ton or rules without saying anything about the choreo?? You can’t have it both ways.
Of course, re-reading what Maks said, I think he might have a selective memory problem. He seems to forget the times that Derek has been called out for his choreo. All of them have been called out at one time or another. If he thinks he was getting it more, maybe he should take a clue and revise his tactics slightly.
Great interview!
I agree that the pros are responsible for the choreography of the dance & are open to be called out if they break rules, not enough content, etc… I don’t have an issue with that.
What I do find wrong is when the judges use the packages to critique how the pro is teaching which Len did to Maks with Brandy & the whole ‘spanking’ bit. The Samba ended up being a pretty good dance for them with Len giving them the lowest score if I remember correctly (too lazy to look it up). I truly believe Len not liking Maks teaching in that particular package was reflected in his score rather than just scoring the final product. That may be in part what Maks is referring to if Len gave no critique of the actual dance & from what I remember he didn’t – it was all about the package. Other than that, I agree that their choreography, content, etc…is fair game as it’s reflected in the final product.
As frustrating as it gets some times, it has always been half popular vote & half dance scores (which are often questionable) so Maks is right in that the people hold a lot of the power & it is what it is.
I meant to add that Maks & Kirstie have given me so many laughs in the last few days. She is definitely one I will continue to follow after the season!
I’m fine with the way the voting and scoring goes. Does that mean that sometimes people stay that I don’t want them to (aka Kate Gosselin) and good people leave too early? Sure! But it also means that celebs that I like stay longer than they should based on their skills (Steve-O, for example). So it’s a two-way street and there’s always going to be disappointing eliminations but there’s also going to be rewarding stays too. I watch the show for a combination of things – I like good dancing, but I also like good personalities and being entertained too. It’s not a real dance contest so it’s really the most fun way to have the show. Sure it’s annoying when the judges overscore or underscore, but honestly more often than not I agree with their scores – with a few glaring exceptions (like Bristol’s jives – both of them – but especially the last one).
As far as judging the pro, well they ALSO get a MBT now and they are just as important to the chemistry, look, and feel of the dance – and the ability to show off their partner. So yes,they should be up for criticism just as much as the celeb. After all, they’ve become celebs in their own way, too.
Anyway, I am really looking forward to this season. I have a feeling I’m not going to want ANYONE eliminated this year and that each week is going to be disappointing when someone has to go home.
I am looking forward to watching Maks and Kirstie on the dance floor. They should have an interesting chemistry, IMO 🙂
His argument on judges not judging the pro’s was always a bit of b*s in my mind. I can’t judge past seasons (other than hating that he put Erin on a bed for the freestyle after the whole peeping tom thing she went through…) but I think he got lazy a bit this year with Brandy (the ‘non-dancing’ for the start of the insta-dance – which he pretty much admitted to in the package, having Brandy sit in the seats for a fair portion of the tv theme night dance, how he basically didn’t chorograph much for the dance marathon, figuring they could just ‘wing it’ with a bunch of the same moves – also admitted to in the package and the judges called him on it (except when the won the dance contest, go figure…maybe that’s why it’s a charleston this year, you actually HAVE to dance).
He takes the credit for a greatly choreographed and danced dance, he has to live with the criticism. I don’t think the deduct for pro mistakes (ie Derek slipped on a couple of his dances with Jen), just when the pro doesn’t deliver a dance worthy of the talents of his celeb…..