DWTS Season 18 Premiere – The Switch Up, the Opening Number and “Creative Oversight” by Derek Hough
Well, the producers haven’t given much new info regarding the switch – likely because they don’t know – but I do read it as one week. As you might imagine, however, it’s the second paragraph that has me most interested. 🙂 Thanks to Kaitlyn for sending this to me. From the ABC Press Release:
“Episode 1801” — “Dancing with the Stars” is back, and for the first time ever the show will premiere with a massive opening number featuring all pro dancers as they perform live with musical guest Jason Derulo. Derulo will sing his mega hit song “Talk Dirty,” marking the first time ever a musical guest has accompanied a season’s opening number. Each couple will then perform a Cha Cha, Foxtrot or Contemporary routine, vying for America’s vote. The two-hour season premiere begins MONDAY, MARCH 17 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network
This season, “Macy’s Stars of Dance” returns to “Dancing with the Stars” with creative oversight by Emmy® Award-winning Choreographer and Pro Dancer, Derek Hough. “Macy’s Stars of Dance” showcases some of the best choreography and performers from all different styles of dance, and gives them the opportunity to perform in front of a national audience.
As previously announced on “Good Morning America”, the competition will feature a new game-changing twist called “The Switch Up.” For the first time ever, America will be given the power to vote and change celebrities and professional dance pairings. This new rule will affect all couples as they will be required to switch partners at one point in the season. Never before have dance partnerships been split up during the course of competition.
Awesome. Bring on the Creative Oversight dance that Derek is helping with!! Can’t wait!!
Did any of you see the new promo this morning? It talks about the switch and shows a male pro with a male contestant….hmmmm do you think they would do that? Have to say I dropped my jaw a little…lol. For some reason in the “switch” discussion that never went through my mind.
Did any of you see the new promo this morning? It talks about the switch and shows a male pro with a male contestant….hmmmm do you think they would do that? Have to say I dropped my jaw a little…lol. For some reason in the “switch” discussion that never went through my mind.
Lynne if they do that, it would be entertaining for sure!! Might be a train wreck but it’ll make for good television lol. I have to add though that it might make it hard to judge/compare them to other couples if some are paired male/female.
Yes, go Derek! I’ve been seeing the promo for the “switch up” and the only thing that concerns me is they say something like “the partner they started with might not be the partner they end with” or something to that effect. I’ve seen the male match-up too so maybe it’s anything goes. I just hope this whole switch-up thing is for one week only.
I admit when I first heard about the ‘switch,’ I was hoping that somehow, by some miracle, Meryl might end up with Derek. I’m not interested in who wins, but I’d love to see what Meryl could do with him and was pretty bummed when I heard she was with Max. That way Derek can work with Amy AND Meryl. Best of both worlds for me.
I’m sure that was just a joke – the way Derek and Drew were laughing made that clear. I doubt any of the male pros would be to into that and neither would the male celebs.
Anyone know who is dancing what style for their first dance.
The producers are trying everything to get the ratings up so they will do this midway through the season…hopefully 1 week only so the audience will watch and vote for the switch they want. I am with Susan…so disappointed they paired sweet Meryl with Maks.
I was showing my husband the pairing pictures today and he said Maks looks like the devil, and my husband rarely says anything negative.
This is a wait and see season for sure.
They described the switch as a “game changing” twist. If the stars only had to switch partners for one week, I don’t see how that could be described as game changing.
This sounds really interesting! I’m not going to lie the only reason I’m happy about this switch up challenge is to possibly see Meryl and Derek end up together, even if they don’t win. Maybe even Maks with Amy, but I am really hoping for Derek and Meryl.
I’ll be glad when he switch up is over. It’s making my head hurt.
Happy for Derek and a fitting role indeed for the shows Emmy Winning Choreographer!
I really hope we get to see him perform with BoA and members of his upcoming movie. Really want to see him tap. From the clips I’ve seen, he’s really good.
Really interested in seeing how the switch up is going to work out.
I think it’s going to be a great season.
I really want to see Derek tap so maybe we can this season. Would love to see. Cobu performance. The drums with tapping looks so interesting.
I don’t want Derek to get Meryl in the switch. To me, she’ll look good with anyone. Maybe not up to her fullest potential, but still very very good. I’d rather see him take someone who’s struggling to look good and use his magic. I just love watching him do that.
Vogue, you might get your wish to see Allison Holker dance on the show again now that the Macy’s Stars of Dance is back and Derek is the Creative Director!
Oh. I hope so Susan. *fingers crossed!
Let me start with I don’t think they will do it, but didn’t SYTYCD have same gender couples of their show, and DWTS has followed some things like adding more contemeporary/hip-hop,jazz features. But no matter what anyone’s beliefs are on the subject, I think TPTB know it probably wouldn’t sit well with who they still think their major demo is. But then again, they have done some really crazy decision making, and I think made some changes that a big majority of the audience doesn’t like.
I’m so happy for Derek. Does anyone know how many of these Macy’s features there will be this season? I’ll bet he has some GREAT ideas, as usual. I know he has seveal projects in the works and I hope he will actually be in most of them, dancing, singing and acting. I hope he has a career like Astaire or Gene Kelly, and we get to watch him dance over a long career span.
@RaineMayer- SYTYCD does same gender pairs, but only for hip-hop, jazz and contemporary. They’ve never done it for any ballroom dancing.
is derek going to choreograph all Macy’s routines this season or what ??
I am hoping for a Misty Copeland & Derek dance!
That’s not what it says, Maria. It says he has “creative oversight”. If he were going to choreo all of them I think it would have said that. But what do I know? 🙂
Lord, Carolyn, we should be so lucky.
Hope Derek performs w/ballerina Misty Copeland whose book just made the New York’s bestsellers.