Sharna Burgess Talks Of Mood Behind The Scenes Before DWTS16 Cast Announcement And More

As most of you know, the cast announcement for Dancing With The Stars Season 16 is quickly approaching. Tuesday, February 26th, we will finally find out who is dancing on Good Morning America. Stay tuned as we plan to LIVE blog and tweet the event. In the meantime, Dancing With The Stars Sharna Burgess was generous enough to answer a few questions from us before the ‘calm hits the storm’ so to speak. She talks of what the mood is currently like for all the pros and how she’s preparing. She talks of the dancers goals and what she’s looking forward to. Sharna also answers a question on speculation for whether or not they know if a troupe member will be promoted. She answers some other fun questions too that you won’t want to miss reading. Enjoy and we thank Sharna so much for taking the time to answer all of our questions. Stay tuned as she is going to answer more questions AFTER the cast announcement as well. THANK YOU SHARNA and keeping fingers crossed!!xx

What’s the mood like surrounding you and all the pro dancers right now? I imagine it must be an anxious time and one full of anxiety?

I think everyone is anxiously waiting to hear what’s going to happen this season. Normally there are a bunch of rumors going around by now about celebs but there has really been nothing. They have totally kept the lid tight on it this time!! I’m excited to hear who will be with us for season 16, it’s always wonderful getting to know them and to be a part of their journey in the competition. I’m excited to see how this season tops All Star. We had amazing talent and went all-in on the production value of each number, extra sets, the troupe had additional dancers a lot and so much attention to lighting and detail. I loved that about season 15 so I’m hoping that 16 is the same. 

How are you preparing for the cast announcement and are you ready for the show to start?

Totally ready! Even though I can’t believe how fast this break has gone, and that we are already in February of 2013 – WHAT!? I’m more than excited to get back into it. I’m looking forward to seeing friends who have become like family to me, and getting back in the ballroom. DWTS has certain magic about it that you don’t find everywhere so I dearly miss it in our hiatus. 

As far as preparation goes I’ve been making a list of some songs I would love to use, and collecting image references for numbers I would like to create. As a choreographer and a dancer I like to have ideas up my sleeve, kind of like having a library I can select from to create something unique and different each time. When we present ideas they are in something we call a “treatment,” basically a proposal of what you want to do. That’s where these images and ideas come in very handy! It’s not all necessarily for DWTS, but for me getting ideas out of my head and on paper so I don’t forget them 😉

What are you looking forward to in this coming season of Dancing With The Stars? Do you set goals?

To be honest I think every dancer’s goal is to better themselves and grow in their craft. DWTS is such an amazing way to do that. You constantly push yourself week to week creatively and technically. When I choreographed the Latin on the European dance movie “Street Dance 2 3D,” I fell in love with being behind the camera and capturing dance on film, it really isn’t easy and all the people at DWTS that make magic week to week are just so good at what they do, so I’m looking forward to being a part of that and learning more and more from them each week.

I’m also looking forward to dancing everyday again, and performing every week. There is nothing like the rush of a live show, I discovered that with Burn The Floor and have been addicted since.
 
And how about your costumes? Have you thought about them and what colors you’d like to wear and how you’d like to fix your hair??

We have such amazing wardrobe, hair and makeup teams that week-to-week make me feel and look incredible that I’m really excited to see what they have in store this season 🙂 However… OMG Carrie Underwood’s dress in her performance at the Emmys!! SO AMAZING! They put 3D mapping on her dress, which allowed them to make it look like her dress was alive, constantly changing color shape and pattern. I’m in love with the concept, though unfortunately I think it may be a little hard to put it on a dance costume with someone constantly moving 🙂 

Which music artists would you like to see perform on Dancing With The Stars this season?
Hmmmm I would love to see Bruno Mars, Frank Ocean, Miguel (PLEASE!!! 😉 ) Mayer Hawthorn, Ryan Leslie, Chris Brown (he always does amazing performances on DWTS) Florence + the Machine with Calvin Harris, Emeli Sande, and Mumford and Sons, every time “I will wait” is on the radio I’m totally singing it out loud!  

Do the producers give the Troupe the idea that they have a shot at pro every season, or is the word out this season in particular that they are going to “promote” one or two Troupe members?

We honestly get no hints just like the rest of the cast, nobody knows if they are on or what role they are in until a few days before the announcement, and sometimes troupe don’t find out until later!! Its crazy they really do keep it secret. That makes it exciting for everybody I guess – lol. 

I don’t know what will happen this season, I would guess most of the rumors about pros leaving or staying come from outside the DWTS family, speculation on things that have been said in passing or on twitter. I will say nothing is in stone until it’s announced so right now it’s still anybody’s guess.

It’s a hard position to be in, and a hard question to answer when we’re asked if we are hoping to be pro. We all are, that’s the goal and each season we all wonder if this is it. But at the same time its difficult to think who you would replace, not only are they very big boots to fill, they are all our friends and I don’t wish for anyone to be sat out so I could jump in. I know I would be great, but so are all the other females in the cast so I can’t ask to be put in front of any of them. I love that everyone is unique and adds a different element to the show; it’s always a shame when the elements change. DWTS has a great formula, a special cast and crew, and I’m proud to be a part of it!
Can’t wait to start!!! Love S xx

EXTRAS: In case you missed it, be sure to read our last interview with Sharna here where she catches us up on everything after her break in Australia. For the interview, she provides the most beautiful, scenic pictures of her homeland. Also, you can see Sharna dancing for the Date For A Cure benefit last weekend in this previous posting. Beautiful!!!!