DWTS 15 All-Stars: The Great “Previous Dance Experience” Debate – Shawn Johnson Edition
First off, a bit of an apology for my week-long hiatus from this series – between my 9-5 and the heinous betch that Who Wore it Better? turned out to be, I was pretty well spent by the time I got home each night last week…and let’s just say my creativity wasn’t exactly at its peak. But I’m back now, and going to try and finish the last 4 editions (and a few other items) before the premiere. Procrastinators of the world, unite…tomorrow 
For those of you playing catch up (or who missed the previous editions), you can just use the search box and type in “previous dance experience” – all of the previous editions should show up, newest to oldest. I’m just too lazy to link to the 9 previous installments 
For Shawn’s best dance, I chose her cha-cha to “P.Y.T.”:
And for her worst dance, I picked her Lindy hop:
Admittedly, I’m not a huge fan of Shawn’s dancing – don’t get me wrong, I think she’s a great role model for young girls and a sweetie pie to boot. But rewatching all of her dances, I’m not just wowed by any of them – but thankfully, I’m not hugely let down by them, either. I guess the best way I can sum up my opinion of Shawn in season 8 is this: she was a hard worker & a good natural mover who, for the most part, seemed to let Mark drive the bus – she always struck me as very pleasantly going along with whatever theme/choreography/costume/etc. Mark threw at her, without really adding any of her own input. Disagree if you like, but I just felt like Shawn (maybe out of youth) was just a bit of a pushover that season – and consequently, I don’t think she ever really connected deeply with a lot of her routines. It could be the gymnast in her, too – kind of a poker face to get through each event. So I guess my primary hope for her this season is that she gets to give a bit more input into her routines, and can connect with them on a more personal level – and perhaps get a bit more mature with her choreo That said, I do think she is a good mover – she doesn’t seem to have any issues with timing or range of motion, and is one person that does seem to know exactly how to style her arms for each dance. However, I think she may face a bit of the same problem that Drew will: she’s just so LITTLE. At less than 5′, even moving with her full range of motion is probably not going to look as impressive and “big” as it will on someone willowy, like Melissa. Even in “P.Y.T.”, which I consider to be the best combination of dance skill & performance quality we saw from Shawn in season 8, her legs just can’t seem to get that same eye-catching bending & straightening action that makes cha-cha so appealing when a person with longer legs does it. I just hope Derek has some tricks up his sleeve that can help Shawn’s lines look as LONG as possible. As for her worst dance – I actually have to kinda blame that one on Mark. While I don’t think she really had any heinously bad dances on her season, I do think there were a few where Mark’s quest for eye-catching, creative choreo may not have showcased Shawn in the best way. Their Lindy was a prime example – he seemed to rely too heavily on her gymnastic skills, and off-the-wall tricks to sell that one. Too bad the judges weren’t buying it. I hope that Derek knows better than to do that this season, but with the level of competition as high as it is, I worry that all the pros may feel the need to “up their game” to stick around – and it may not always pay off.
Court’s verdict: If Shawn can mature a bit in her dancing and work on injecting some more of her personality into it (and Derek knows how to showcase her well), then she could be a contender.
So what are your thoughts on Shawn?
I think she’ll win, those are my thoughts.
I am with Courtney, I was not a huge fan of Shawn’s dancing either. She may make the finals, but will she Win, I don’t know, I am not so sure that she is a shoe-in for that MBT this time around.
I still think its a guys season to Win once again.
I think she will do great. People already think they already got in the bag and that they’re the team to beat.. Which I agree. I definitely think she has matured now. I bet D will bring out some emotions in her dancing, like being passionate and romantic. That’s why I am so excited, but a bit nervous lol. But I know Shawn is gonna tuck the floor with Derek. She’ll be wearing 4 inch heels btw.
I agree Evaine, I think Shawn & Derek are gonna take this thing (opinion subject to change, of course). And from the few snippets of rehearsal dancing I’ve seen, she does seem to connect to her body more, dancing with more emotion – it didn’t appear to be “hand here, foot there, head up”
and we all know that Derek is the master at showcasing his partner’s strengths and minimizing any weaknesses. But you’re right Court, the level of skill/fan-ability is through the roof this season (haven’t we heard every single pair say this!) and I too fear that the Pros (and to a certain degree the celebs) will throw anything at the floor to see if it sticks, and that’s not always a good thing.
Of course she’ll win.
She’s amazing, and Derek is not a bad teacher either.
I have to say I’ve been a fan of Shawn’s as a gymnast for years. I did watch S8 and at the time she was only 17. I agree that she was kinda shy but a strong competitor and hard worker. I thought Mark was great with her too. She is now 20 y/o, has definitely matured, and from the small clips I’ve seen of her dancing with Derek, I think he’s going to showcase her in a more mature manner. He did mention that he wants to create some “tension” there as she is a young woman and he wants to show that!–lol He adores her and they have great chemistry. Hopefully that will translate into some amazing performances.
Courtney, I remember Derek & Lil Kim’s Argentine Tango, his choreography and her leg extensions made her look quite a few inches taller. I think he’ll be able to do the same for Shawn.
There’s a lot of competition this season but I think Shawn & Derek are definitely a strong pairing and contenders for the MBT!
Courtney, thanks for this segment. You’re awesome. I’m sooo excited about this new season. Hope I’m not disappointed.
hope she wins. Love the pyt chacha one of my favourites dwts dances ever.
and even reading your reasons to worry about her height, I don’t think this can be a barrier.
Just my opinion.
I really like the new site and the blogger bios. Nice! Re this post, I’m glad I missed this dance the first time. While Mark’s hair looks better, his over dancing his partner in the cha cha (and that’s sayin’ something) is ridiculous. She’s terrific, without a doubt, though.
Ally, I agree with you that Derek will help her to connect more emotionally with the dance and together as well. He’s a very passionate performer.
As a matter of fact, Shawn almost echoed some of Courtney’s comments about hers/Mark’s partnership in her interview with KTLA. She pretty much said that their teaching technique is totally different. She pretty much followed what Mark did whereas Derek is very technical. I think she said he breaks down the dances, teaching facial expression, hands, talking about emotion and passion. This will be a challenge for her but I think she will be fine. It will be interesting to see how they’re pairing comes together.
I have to watch that interview again but she made it clear that their t
Meant to say I have to watch to interview again as it kind of made me laugh. She’s definitely tougher now.
Sorry about the multiple posts.
Many factors play into each and every contestant this go around, many have stated that things are different now with them. And Shawn will be no exception… Shawn is no longer that cute little girl, she is a young lady now… will it change her appeal to the viewers, I don’t know. There was also that horrid stalker incident and that could have garnished her some sympathy votes the last time. But she is paired with Derek, who by all rights is the cream of the crop. So we shall see.
I do agree this season will be insane, but I think the athletes are at the most risk of trying to overdo their routines and that could spell disaster.
I think Shawn may be able, now that she is older, to show more emotionality and that, combined with what I hope will be amazing choreography from Derek, may be enough to win. But I have to confess that I have a selfish motive for wanting her to stay until the end of the season. And that, of course, is so I can enjoy every second of dancing of the incomparable Derek. For me, his talent IS the show, so I hope Shawn will stay in it to win it!
It’s so funny, I have been reading about the new cast and everybody talks about how much more mature she is now that she is older. I hadn’t realized that she is ONLY 20. Wow, talk about a wow life for such a young person.
I don’t know, I wasn’t thrilled with her the first time around. The female athletes aren’t ever my favorites, a good point that they might be trained to be serious so the ‘theater’ doesn’t come through, which is what I love about DWTS.
Love the post as always, can’t wait for the season to start!
I think Shawn faces a couple of obstacles big enough she can’t just be considered a sure thing. If people have the impression, well, she’s gonna win, so maybe I’ll vote for one of my other favs…this season more than others that could mean she could go home quickly. Then, agree that Derek is going to have to do everything he can to get her to look less cute and with veeery long lines cause ppl will be comparing her look in the dances with at least 2 or 3 other ladies on this season. And I think they will need to get the fact that she’s more grown up in the audiences head right out of the gate with her look, dances and demeanor…but not so far as to be a turnoff. I think they are going to have quite a challenge on their hands. She has to be good, likable, bring a little sexy, convincingly, and hope the judges aren’t off the rails this season. She also has to contend with t next best choreographer on the show being paired with the guy I think will end up being her biggest competiton,Apolo. And,it was a problem during S8, and I remember judges bringing it up every time they needed to knock down her scores, about that fixed, stoic, gymnist “look” they all have. Heard Derek and her mention it a couple of times already. Sounds like he’s working on her, and hopefully he will be able to get her to connect with the emotions of the dances more. I think she SHOULD be able to make it to finals, and then it will just depend….but selfishly for me too, she happens to be my favorite but, Derek raised the bar on this show and infused a sense of fun like no other. I want him to be around all the way to the bitter end. As much as I love this show, it will never be as good once he leaves for me and lots of others. There just won’t be the anticipation and excitement waiting to see what he will come up with to make his partner the best she can be and entertaining everyone at the same time.
I’m just not sold that Shawn is going to waltz in and easily take the MBT this season – I don’t think she’s going to have an easy time, to be quite honest. Especially with Apolo & Joey in particular to contend with – and some possible handicapping going on from the men upstairs…
I agree with pretty much everything Courtney said. Shawn didn’t do much for me in season 8. I was a fan of her gymnastics, but I was a big Melissa fan and a pretty big Gilles fan, too, so I admit I was disappointed in Shawn’s win.
I do think Derek will be able to make her a more skilled dancer than Mark could, and I’m sure her age now will play a part in it as well. 17 and 20 aren’t that far apart, but, IMO, a ton of people grow up A LOT between those ages. Due to those two components, and due to Derek’s fanbase + Shawn’s fanbase, I still think they’ll win. I’d be in absolute shock and probably fall out off my couch if they didn’t make the top 5 at the ver least.
I hated her paso the first time around. Saying that, I think she has a good shot at winning but wouldn’t be shocked if she got eliminated before the finale since she kinda is boring personality wise. Personally, I think Derek is great and she is a natural mover so this could be the pair to beat but we’ll see.
On a side note, I LOVE the new site look!
I originally wanted Shawn to dance with Tristan but I think Derek is also a good choice. The biggest problem I had with Shawn’s dancing was how stiff her movements were. She and Mark relied too heavily on her gymnastics training while her personality was hardly shown. Granted, Shawn’s personality is reserved so she isn’t going to be wild and crazy. I just want to see her loosen up more and have fun with the dance.
I don’t think she is going to easily win especially since Sabrina is there and the guys are really strong contenders but on dwts you never know. One minute your the frontrunner then the next your gone.
Its hard to say how well they will do the first time around in the finals the voting margin was pretty close less then 1% between her and Giles will have to wait and see I guess if it could be close again and don’t forget the hudges are judging harder this season
I absolutely loved Shawn and I for the most part agree. She was a very good dancer technique-wise. I felt she was the most precise and at times the cleanest and sharpest in her season.
But she did hold back a bit in the performance, and the two big factors of that IMO are age and her gymnastics background. Like she said once, they are taught to show NO emotions. She was taught “leg here, arm here” for the majority of her life and it affected her performance. And while I think there are advantages in being younger, one of the biggest disadvantages is that they tend to have a harder time connecting emotionally and they have a harder time showing deep emotions (in other words, not just being fun and energetic).
I think Derek’s partners all tend to be very strong in getting into the emotions of the dance and really making you FEEL something. That’s one of the reasons they tend to stick around, they connect to the audience emotionally (likely by a combination of Derek’s teaching and their personalities) and so they are remembered. I think Derek will definitely bring out the more mature, emotional Shawn. And he also has a knack for showcasing their strengths and making them shine.
Combine that emotion and good choreography with Shawn’s great technique…she could be a force to be reckoned with. That being said, I don’t think she’ll walk away with it so easily like others have said. This is the All-stars season, Shawn isn’t the only voting juggernaut in our batch now.
I agree with your assessment of Shawn, but I have trouble with the idea that Shawn didn’t “GET TO give input” for her dances or that she was a “pushover.” Maybe Mark did ask Shawn her opinions, but she didn’t have enough experience to contribute and just trusted Mark’s decisions on everything (which didn’t work out badly…they won!)
And anyways, don’t most of the celebrities (even those 2-3 times Shawn’s age) usually just do whatever their professional tells them, especially since most of them come in knowing nothing about ballroom dancing? In general, I don’t really expect that they would give input and I wouldn’t consider it a weakness if they don’t.
Mark did what he thought was “age-appropriate” for Shawn during their season. Derek, I’m sure, will do what seems appropriate for Shawn this time around.
I never said she “didn’t get to give input”, Cali. I just said she seemed to very pleasantly go along with whatever Mark threw at her. She may not have offered any, and just deferred to Mark as the pro – but I still think that her personality never really showed through in her routines, and part of the reason was because she was just going through the motions of someone else’s choreography. I don’t think she ever managed to “make it her own”. Even if a celeb is basically doing whatever their pro tells them, they still need to find a way to connect to each routine they dance – and I don’t feel like Shawn always did that. There’s a difference between owning a routine and just going through the motions.
Do 17 year olds have a personality?? Just kidding. Kinda.
There is a HUGE difference between the ages of 17 and 20. Not even close to the minimal difference between, say 30 and 33.
How right you are Miss Heidi. Just from my own personal experience …. worlds apart at 17 and at 20. This will be a different Shawn for sure.
LOL PH, that’s exactly what I was thinking — especially when the 17-year old is an elite athlete.
The difference between 17 and 20 should translate into more emotional maturity and fewer inhibitions, and I think I’ve seen some signs of that. But Shawn was still pretty immersed in gymnastics during those years which means she hasn’t exactly been living la vida loca. Hopefully she’s had enough new life experiences to help her make a better connection to the choreography. If she can do that, I think they’ll make the finals.
Pros:
All the good stuff that comes with being an athlete (agility, focus, drive, work ethic, stamina, coachability, etc), good technical dancer, sweet girl. That smile. Derek. Fanbases. May get some sympathy for her premature gymnastics retirement.
Cons: As Courtney said, there is a difference between knowing the steps and feeling them. Short, non-traditional dancer body type. Mechanical, monotonous, masked personality (all from her training).
Double-edge: Age. Her body is more capable than and should hold up better than most anyone else’s in the competition. Also, the at-home female voting demographic may go more for her daughterly image than the usual male suspects. The downsside is that she simply won’t bring as dimension into her dances. But did manage to come out of her shell a bit and put more panache into her last few dances so if Derek can build on that…
I agree with Courtney’s on Shawn in season 8. I also felt Mark’s over dancing never helped either. But I looking at her foxtrot already, Derek did make her lines look longer and she did inject more personality. In the recap on the results,show, loved the quick interaction where Derek notices Shawn giving a bit more personality. It was adorable. I think this jive can be more growth and hopefully better than her season 8 jive.