PureDWTS A Challenging Week Of Rehearsals For Derek Hough And Kellie Pickler And More Details

What a breathtaking photo by Adam Taylor for ABC! I don’t think any of us will forget this dance with Derek Hough and Brilynn Rakes for a long time to come!! She talked all about it with Access Hollywood this past week too. In case you didn’t catch it, see Pure Derek Hough. Heidi has more too including new pictures of Derek and Kellie going to rehearsals, interviews, and more. So be sure to take it all in when you can.

Also, Derek has written a new blog for TV Guide. Below he describes what rehearsing for the Fox Trot has been like with Kellie. He also describes how it will go down with the pros joining them….

This week we have the foxtrot. It’s going… OK! I’m not going to lie — it’s been one of those weeks where I’m not liking anything I’m choreographing. It’s one of those things where the creative process is not coming to me. On Wednesday, I was banging my head against the brick wall. Sometimes you just have your off days. It’s choreographer’s block, I guess. I have a lot on my plate this week, so it’s about compartmentalizing and not getting overwhelmed. But I’m excited for the dance. Whenever I beat myself up about the choreography, it’s only because I want to arrive at the right stuff, so I think it will turn out good.

It’s also a little tricky for us because this is Kellie’s first ballroom dance, so I feel a little bit behind. I had to teach her the frame and the technique. We couldn’t just jump into the choreography, which is kind of frustrating, but she’s doing well. It’s completely different from any of the dances we’ve done, so it’s just a matter of her getting used to it. We’re also missing the entire day of Saturday. She has a show in Alabama and I can’t go with her because I’m choreographing a routine for the results show that is very elaborate. There’s a lot going on this week, but they’re good problems!

Henry and Anna are dancing with us. I know some people are confused by the side-by-side dancing, so here’s how it’s going down: Henry and Anna will dance for 30 seconds, then Kellie and and I come in and we all dance together for 15 seconds, and then Kellie and I dance the rest of the routine. It’s more about couples dancing side-by-side than the celebrity and another pro. It’s something interesting to do to keep the show fresh. I’m curious to see how it all pans out.

I’m really going to miss Lisa. She’s such a wonderful woman and a great personality. I think she did great. The show is so incredibly physically demanding. We don’t get a single day off. Not having a day off can be relentless. I think she exceeded expectations from the beginning. And to go out and dance like that after being ill is a testament to her fight.

And isn’t this an interesting part of his blog too? We’ve been saying for so long that just because someone is in the last three standing, does it mean that’s how the voting computes for them. The producers pick some couples to be at the bottom for pure drama. I wonder again too if he hasn’t been reading us?

Someone pointed out to me that Lindsay, Gleb and Sharna, our new pros, were part of the last three couples standing for the second time this season. I didn’t even realize that! Obviously two of them were in the bottom two both times, but that is interesting. The producers have a way of planning out the results show and who to declare safe when. I have no idea how they decide it, but I think sometimes leaving a couple in jeopardy until later in the show helps them. Some casual fans might not be paying attention that closely and think that the couple is in the bottom three when in fact that’s not the bottom three, so it might spur them on to vote the next week. Still, I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather be safe first than wait that long!

Let’s see if our Miss Heidi has something to add….

Heidi: Well, I’m intrigued – not by what Derek said, but what Henry revealed about his and Anna’s dance with Derek and Kellie to a paparazzi. He said that it’s not going to be what might be expected, that they’ve done it a bit differently. Since this is Derek we’re talking about, I can’t imagine anyone is surprised. 🙂 I’m envisioning Derek and Kellie entering the dance, but Kellie dancing with Henry and Anna with Derek for the 15 seconds. 🙂  Wouldn’t that be a nice little finger to TPTB!! 🙂 I guess we’ll have to wait and see.