PureDWTS Season 23, Court Rants: Why I Don’t Really Care About the Troupe
Let me preface this rant with this: I know everyone is excited for the season to start. I know that there hasn’t been a whole lot to report (yet). So I’m willing to cut people a little bit of slack – I think we’re all just looking for stuff to discuss until the next piece of intel falls into our laps. What’s puzzling to me is that of all things there is to talk about, I’m seeing an inordinate number of questions about the troupe – a fixture on the show that I find to be of little consequence anymore.
Not sure if it’s just not as exciting to talk about the pros that we’ve seen year after year or if people really do feel passionately about the troupe, but I guess it’s just hard for me to relate when people seem very invested in whether or not [insert dancer here] is going to be in the troupe again or might get a shot at pro a certain season. It’s of such little interest to me that I don’t even really actively seek spoilers about the troupe in the pre-season – I’d rather focus my efforts on the pros and their celeb partners, so you’ll have to forgive me if I respond with a bit of frustration when I get questions on Twitter about “Have you heard who’s in the troupe?” or “Do you think so-and-so will get promoted to pro this season?”
So for those of you who don’t understand why the troupe is not all that important to me (and Heidi, really), I give you this: the 7 reasons why Court doesn’t care about the troupe.
1.) The odds of getting promoted from troupe to pro are actually relatively slim.
Since the troupe was introduced back in season 12, we’ve had 24 different dancers that have done time in the troupe. Of those 24, only 8 have ever gone on to be a pro at some point after their tenure in the troupe. We’ve had 2 dancers that started off as pros (Lindsay & Gleb) and then got demoted to troupe; of those two, only Lindsay was ever able to get a pro spot again; Gleb was let go after his season in the troupe. Two pros started off in the troupe, got a pro spot, and then were sent back to the troupe (Sasha & Henry); of those two, only Sasha was able to get a pro spot again (Henry was let go after 2 additional seasons in the troupe). Are you starting to see the picture I’m painting? I also feel it’s worth noting that, of those 8 promotions of troupe members, 5 of them happened over 6 seasons ago – Tristan, Peta, Sharna, Sasha, & Emma were all promoted between seasons 13-17. Only 3 promotions have happened within the last 5 seasons – Henry & Witney in season 18 and Artem in season 19. Beyond that, the only other dancers we’ve seen move up to pro from the troupe for the past 2 years have been Lindsay & Sasha, who had already been pros before. We’ve also seen 2 dancers bypass the troupe completely and go straight to pro (Allison & Keo) in the past 2 years. If I haven’t made it clear enough at this point, I’ll spell it out: these days, if you’re in the troupe, your statistical odds of getting promoted to pro are pretty dismal; therefore, of the three new male dancers added to the troupe last season, statistically, only one of them probably stands the chance of ever getting promoted to pro – and that’s being optimistic. I personally just don’t see the sense in getting very invested in a dancer that we may likely never see as a pro.
2.) Troupe members generally don’t have a whole lot of longevity on the show these days.
Here’s a few more stats to chew on: four troupe members have only lasted one season before being let go (Dasha, Sonny, Julz, & Nicole); the record for longest tenure in the troupe without being promoted to pro is shared by Oksana & Jenna, who both have 5 seasons under their belt (I feel as though I should point out that Oksana was let go after her 5th season in the troupe). Aside from those two extremes, most troupe members have seemed to last 2-3 seasons before either getting promoted to pro (less likely) or sent packing (more likely). I get the feeling that those that aren’t fortunate enough to get promoted either fail to impress TPTB, or get tired of waiting to get promoted and pursue other projects. And really, when the casting process for the troupe seems pretty lax, can you blame TPTB for cutting their losses before too much time has passed and they realize that a troupe member may not hack it one day as a pro? Hell, these days, it seems like if you either were on SYTYCD/were a Burn the Floor cast member/have been on the Dance With Me payroll at some point/have been coached by one of the current pros, the show will give you a shot – if not at troupe, than as an extra dancer for big group numbers. If you can’t impress during that time? Sucks for you, but being a pro on the show is not for everyone. Doesn’t mean you can’t still have a successful dance career.
3.) There’s very little variation amongst the pro lineup from season to season.
We’ve said it before – the pros on this show have become celebrities in their own right, and are the real draw for some viewers. Therefore, it benefits the show to keep a fairly consistent pro lineup – and our pros have a tendency to stick around for awhile, until something else comes up that basically forces them to step down. In order for troupe members to get promoted to pro, first we gotta lose some pros – and if the pros ain’t leaving, then there’s no room for promotions. These past two seasons have been a bit of a unique situation, as we’ve had injuries and pregnancies that shook up the lineup a bit – two events that we had no real precedent for on DWTS up until a year ago, and both affecting the female pro lineup, which seems to have more variation from season to season than the guys. But we also seem to currently have a bigger roster of female pros than male ones, anyway – we actually have about 1-2 more “regular” female pros than we do spots on any given season, anyway. So for any female troupe members hoping to make the jump? Start praying that there’s a DWTS baby boom, or that the current female pros suddenly get the urge to move on (unlikely – this show is a pretty plum gig). As for the guys – with the exception of Derek’s exit, I don’t really foresee the current roster of male pros going anywhere, anytime soon. I get the feeling Tony, Val, & Keo in particular will be available to DWTS as long as DWTS wants them. So no pros moving = no pro spots for troupe members to fill. And if there happens to be a vacancy created by a pro’s departure, it’s usually only one here or there – not a mass exodus of established pros that need replacing. Sorry, fans-who-want-to-see-all-the-guys-in-last-season’s-troupe-promoted-to-pro-this-season (yes, they exist).
4.) The show doesn’t place much emphasis on getting to know the troupe on a personal level anymore.
Back in the early days of the troupe, when it was still a very novel concept and TPTB seemed more serious about using it as a training ground for future pros, they put more time & effort into letting us as viewers get to know them – they did cute little packages where the troupe told us their names and a little bit about themselves, we heard them speak on camera – either to Tom or as part of one of the couples’ packages, and they did more troupe-only dances so we got to see them dance as individuals. Now, we’re lucky if Tom calls them out by name in passing, they get lost in the musical numbers amongst the hoard of pros, and we don’t really get to hear any of them speak unless it’s directly related to one of the couples (i.e. Alan filling in for Mark in Paige’s salsa, Shannon putting Von through the paces of MJ choreography). If the show isn’t making an effort to tell us about the troupe, sorry – I’m probably gonna assume they’re not important and I’m not gonna care much about them. Back when Peta, Tristan, Sharna, Sasha, & Emma were in the troupe, the show made such an effort to introduce them to the fans, that when they finally did become pros, they already had a halfway-decent fanbase – hell, I credit Tristan advancing as far as he did in his rookie season to so many fans becoming obsessed with him while he was in the troupe. Now? I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a significant number of viewers who can name more than one member of the troupe – the troupe fanboys and fangirls seem limited to hardcore internet fans, anymore, and I have to wonder if it’s more due to the fact that troupe members are generally more accessible and likely to interact with fans on social media, rather than the viewers being huge fans of the troupe’s dancing.
5.) The troupe’s main responsibility on the show these days is simply to fill in gaps.
While in the early days, the purpose of the troupe was to cultivate future pro talent as well as take some of the pressure off the main pros to do bumpers/pro dances/etc., nowadays, it seems more like a reserve squad that gets tapped to fill in when there are vacancies. Need more dancers for a big pro number? Troupe, you’re up. Mark hurt his back and needs someone to put Paige through the paces of her salsa? Grab a free guy from the troupe. Aly’s having trouble being sexy and needs a female to show her how to do it? Brittany/Jenna, this one’s yours. All the eliminated pros are taken and you need a 3rd dancer for your trio? Pick from the troupe. Some celeb’s routine is rather unimpressive and you need the troupe dancing in the background to distract from their mediocrity? The troupe’s all yours, son. If DWTS is a Broadway show and the pros are the main cast members, then the troupe is the chorus members-cum-understudies. No speaking lines, just filling in space on the stage and secretly crossing their fingers that one of the leads comes down with the flu so they can fill in and have their moment in the spotlight. The bulk of them probably won’t ever got a shot, but they can always hope. At this rate, I don’t think the troupe is a helluva lot different than the pre-troupe days when they just hired on extra dancers whenever they needed more for a pro dance or whatnot. Literally – just there to fill a quota. The only benefit to the troupe is that the show doesn’t have to call the talent agency each week to book x number of extra dancers for that week’s pro numbers.
6.) Some of the troupe members aren’t even primarily trained in ballroom.
And this, kids, seems to be my biggest gripe with the show these days: they seem to be hiring an alarming number of hip-hop/jazz/contemporary dancers that have only had a crash course in ballroom, and not the other way around. And to me, an “alarming number” of this particular kind of dancer is anything more than maybe one – this show is still primarily a ballroom dance show, and only dabbles in contemporary/jazz. I’ve learned to justify Allison’s presence by assuming she may increase the likelihood of an Emmy nom for the show sometime in the future, and the fact that she has a relentless work ethic that I’ve seen on SYTYCD; not sure I can justify it for anyone else. Hayley has trained her entire life in contemporary; she only started picking up ballroom when she toured with Derek & Julianne and then got hired into the troupe (ahem). Shannon’s dance dossier seems rather vague, as he claims to have trained in “all Genres of Dance” (yes, it is suspiciously capitalized in the bio on his website) but doesn’t specifically name ballroom, and judging from the gigs he cites, he seems to have much more of a ballet/gymnastic/jazz background. If TPTB would suddenly decide to promote these two to pro tomorrow (and I have no reason to believe they would, just using this as a hypothetical situation), could we really trust them to be able to help their celeb partner hang with celebs being taught by pros who’ve done ballroom their entire lives? Sure, they may slay their contemporary and jazz dances under Hayley & Shannon’s tutelage, but what about the other 10 ballroom/Latin dances the show includes? I still struggle from time to time with Allison, who has had somewhat more than a crash course in ballroom & Latin, but is still not an expert like the rest of the pros on the show – some of her ballroom & Latin is still pretty cringeworthy. So you’ll have to forgive me if I raise an eyebrow to those tweeting me with #Hayley4Pro and #MakeShannonAPro, because it really does not strike me as a good idea.
7.) It takes more than just being a good dancer to be a good pro on this show.
This one is the most obvious to me, and it’s the one so many diehard troupe fans seem most eager to overlook when it comes to breaking down why their favorite troupe member wasn’t promoted to pro. I hear so many fans whining that “[Insert troupe member here] deserves a pro spot, he/she is such a great dancer!!! WAHHHHHH so unfair!!!!” Errr…y’all do realize that there’s more to being a pro than just being a good dancer, right? You also have to be a good teacher, at least have some experience in choreographing, you have to be patient, you have to be emotionally stable enough to deal with a potentially emotionally unstable celeb partner, you have to know how to showcase your partner’s strengths while concealing their weaknesses…I could go on and on. Want a good example of someone that’s a great dancer, but generally not a very good pro? Keo. Yes, he can dance his ass off, but he leaves a lot to be desired in the teaching/choreography/etc. departments when it comes to partnering a celeb. Yes, he’s getting better; but it’s been a long time coming. I would argue that we do not need any more pros like Keo on the show – so it’s kinda beyond me why so many troupe fans assume that any dancer that has served a season or two in the troupe is automatically entitled to a pro position. Great dancer doesn’t always equal great pro – and given that we don’t get to see much more from the troupe than dancing, I’m not sure how some of you are assuming they’d be a good at teaching, choreography, etc. And being a pro on DWTS is not the be-all, end-all – you can still have a very successful career as a dancer without ever checking “Pro on DWTS” off your bucket list.
So yeah, from now on, when I get questions about “Who’s in the troupe???”…I’m just sending them a link to this post. 😉
I think the removal of the results show has lessened the importance of the troupe (not that they were every THAT important to the show before). DWTS no longer needs 30+ minutes of filler that any competition with a results show requires. That leaves bumpers (which for the most part I could live without), the pro numbers and opening dances (which aren’t what they used to be), and background dancing or filling in for a celeb’s dance. I have to say sometimes I think the troupe are overused when it comes to celebs, like sometimes there is too much going on and it detracts from the celeb.
To summarize the above paragraph, like you, I really don’t care about the troupe.
Good read! Add me to the list of viewers/fans that may not be able to name more than 1 dancer in the troupe. The troupe just doesn’t seem to have the sparkle that it once had.
Yes, if they cut the troupe entirely, I wouldn’t care. I remember the old days where they just filled in here & there for bumbers or big opening numbers and rarely in a pro/celeb’s dance. It was better when the eliminated pros did the bumpers. TPTB may as well get their monies worth.
I’m just bored with the same old, same old, pro line-up. For me, Tony’s tired, Val’s tired, Keo never took off for me, bored & a little annoyed w/Sharna, Sasha sweet but not super exciting. So I guess since this is the only dance show I’ve ever watched consistently, I look at troupe for fresh blood since I don’t know any other dancers outside the show.
Luckily, still excited to see Mark, Karina, Lindsay and Witney every season. Emma is definitely missed. And Allison, she may not be ballroom trained but she’s creative and has a fun personality. So I guess I’ll stick with the positives until I hear otherwise when they reveal the cast. Always excited to see the celeb line-up!
I agree with most of your post, though some troupe members have already come in with fanbases from elsewhere (SYTYCD, Broadway, etc.) so I don’t think it’s weird that some people would be eager to find out whether or not they’d return or be promoted to pro.
I care about the troupe, but only because I need more Haley on DWTS. She’s stunningly beautiful. Otherwise, I agree.
@Julia – But in the grand scheme of the DWTS fanbase, how many people are really going to look at Kiril & go “Oh, he was Billy Elliott on Broadway!” or “I totes remember Shannon from DWTS Australia!” Yes, I’m sure there’s some people, but I doubt it’s a significant number. And given the number of questions I’ve been getting on Twitter about the troupe, I sincerely doubt all of them are big enough Broadway/SYTYCD/elsewhere fans that they’re genuinely invested in the troupe.
Great post, Courtney!
I agree that it takes more than great dancing to get a pro spot and none of the Troupe dancers should feel entitled to get promoted to pro. I think in fact they should be grateful for the oppurtunity to dance on a top rated primetime televison show and even if you’re sent packing (it must suck, but that’s show business) – a past job on DWTS is great for a dancer’s resume and it will probably help to get other jobs (although they most likely won’t be such a big deal as DWTS).
The producers could just cut the Troupe altogether and I wouldn’t care 😉 Why can’t they save the money for a better celeb line-up :D?
I was moreso talking about the people badgering to know things on twitter. Though I was surprised to see how quickly Shannon is gaining himself a “cult following” of sorts. 😛
Great post Court!
I had always assumed that Oksana’s problem was her English, and she seemed a little shy. Any other “known problems” that troupe member had besides Britt maturity issue?
I also never paid much attn to the troupe until the last few seasons, but Ive actually noticed them more lately because they are often a distraction from the celeb. And yes – I know thats prob why some pros put them there, but still.
Any thoughts on if they will mix up the troupe again for s23? Off numbers? New faces? I do enjoy Hayley – so I hope she is back
I totally agree with this. I only know the first and last name of one member of the troupe, the one John said is stunningly beautiful which I agree with that assessment. But the reason I know her is not because of her beauty or her dance ability but because of who she dates. ?!?!?!?!
With the exception of Sasha, I have never enjoyed the troupe. I think they are just a distraction (i.e. Louie/Paula Gilligan’s Island dance).
I’d love to see a pro line up shake up. I don’t think they will though because a lot of the pros have rabid fans that won’t watch if they aren’t on.
I agree with all points but especially number 6. My number one wish is for them to drop jazz and contemporary and just let them do it in the freestyle.
Please go back to more classical ballroom.
@sarina – Oksana’s accent was an issue, but she had also injured her back around the time she was let go and I think she wouldn’t have been able to dance that season anyway. FWIW, I’ve also been told there has been talk of subtitling Keo, due to his Zulu accent. 😛
Britt was just let go due to maturity issues – they just didn’t see her being able to effectively partner a celeb. I’ve also heard she tended to be a bit giggly, and maybe slightly ditzy behind-the-scenes – nice girl, but mentally probably not up to the challenges that come with being a pro on DWTS at this point in her life.
Henry threw a diva fit back in season 20 that likely led to his termination. Detailed story is here.
I believe Kiki was also let go due to an injury (like Oksana) because he would have had to sit out a season. I personally always found him to be rather bland, so I don’t know that he would have been made a pro anyway. Kiki was also part of the DWM crew that Maks & Val brought in, and seemed to be last casualty of the show “cleaning house” of the Chmerkovskiy posse, along with them ditching Nicole & Ted. Dasha was never meant to be in the troupe long-term or eventually become a pro – from my understanding, she wanted to return to professional competition and was just taking a break. I think they asked her to be in the troupe as a favor to Val, since they had just retired their professional partnership.
Other miscellanery? I feel like I read (or was told) that Sonny was just in the troupe to make a little side money (and get a little exposure) while pursuing his music career; I think Julz was just a warm body that was available to fill in a season when they couldn’t find anyone else, and he just didn’t make a huge splash.
I agree with the stats and assessment in the post above. My only input is that for me, the reason I am so interested in the troupe is I am a bit bored with our male roster (exceptions being Derek and Mark). I feel like in so many ways the show is becoming formulaic and predictable and thinking about troupe promotions makes me think hey, maybe we will have someone bring fresh energy (like Tristan) and come in and set the show on fire. I’m frustrated with Keo and Artem’s seeming inability to connect with partners and viewers and while Tony seems nice enough he tends to bore me to tears. And Val, well I just won’t go there. Seeing some of what Dennis has done (YouTube vids) I think he could do cool stuff. Shannon seems kind and goofy and very talented. That’s just refreshing to me after the ho hum that I’m afraid the show is becoming.
I am not invested in our female troupers because I think the current pros we have are excellent, although wit needs to step up!
@Julia
I think some of Shannon’s “cult following” might come from his dancing for Britney, Christina Aguilera, Taylor Swift and J Lo.
I agree .. for me Witney isn’t the best dancer/choreographer in the show , but her patience and her relationship with her partners and her bubbly personality made the audience love her , by that she became one of the most popular pros in the show
And I also agree about the troupe being a distraction in the dances,in Von & Witney M.J bad routine , i kept looking at the pros “Shannon” .. same thing in Val & Ginger Janette Jackson jazz routine … !
I dont know guys Haley is very pretty, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I think that she and Jenna are closer to normal beauty and sharna and peta fall into the more “stunning” category for me, but this isnt a beauty or modeling show. Its a ballroom dancing show! So I dont care as much what they look like as I do how they dance and teach ballroom. I think lots of times like even in derek and juliannes tour u could see hayley’s lack of training, and if Shannon hasnt had much training how in the world is ue supposed to keep his partner in hold etc?
When Witney was paired with Alfonso.. I loved her! All of her work previously and after have seemed lackluster to me. Maybe my love for Alfonso outweighed my negativity toward her. But for me without question, Lindsay is the female star of the show.
You can use the name Derek here, Cheryl. Exactly everyone knows they’re dating. What they don’t know is for how long (a year).
I”m trying to remember if Hayley did any ballroom in MOVE other than a (very hot) rumba with Derek. I seem to recall that all the strict ballroom was done by Derek and Julianne. But I could be wrong – it’s been a year after all.
I read somewhere that a DWTS producer saw Hayley during the MOVE tour and brought her in for an interview/audition. I never saw MOVE but I do like her energy and personality, although she seems shy. Gorgeous, down-home, girl. Whether they would hire her just because of Derek, maybe, but I don’t see it.
I didn’t know Shannon had a “cult” following from his past tours with big name artists. I will say I had no idea who he was until he was in troupe last season and he stood out to me like Witney did when she was in troupe. And I never liked the troupe. They all looked the same to me but Witney popped and so does Shannon. He has such charisma and stage presence, imo. I also think Dennis has some major talent. I looked up his background, impressive & fresh. I’m just so over the male, pro, line-up. There’s nothing but Mark to look forward to. Just give me one new guy to shake it up a bit. Please TPTB. Just not Alan. He’s adorable & funny to a teenager or a mom. But I want a grown-a**, masculine, mature, adult, man. Is that too much to ask.
12:52 PM EST: I post this editorial about why I can’t be bothered to care about the troupe anymore, partially because they don’t even bother to introduce them to viewers.
6:52 PM EST: The DancingABC Twitter account tweets about an unprecedented meet-up at the Grove tomorrow with the troupe.
Hmmmm.
This is shallow of me but is it possible that Jenna not becoming a pro has to do with her looks? She is a little awkward looking to me (looks young and old at the same time) and her body shape is weird. I’ve also seen some people say that it could be because she is from the same place as Wit and Linsdey and that would be a lack of diversity.
Hayley on the other hand is gorgeous. I could look at her all day and her legs are amazing. Her trio with Sharna and Antonio is the first time I have seen her stand out. She is not the best at ballroom but I’m excited to see her growth.
POINT NUMBER 7!!!
Meet up with the troupe? Hmmmm…indeed! Well I guess producers must have been following you, Courtney 😀 So next time don’t write “why I can’t be bothered to care about Val”. Don’t want to see any meet up with Val at the Grove -:D
Honestly I want to see what Dennis Jauch can do (more of him). I have a good first impression about him. I don’t mind Shannon but I prefer Dennis.
Hayley is pretty and a good dancer but unfortunately her timing getting hired by DWTS isn’t the best due to her association as “Derek’s girlfriend”. Say she gets hired for Hairspray, most people will probably think she’s done it because of Derek, not anything else. Especially now that people know they are together. SYTYCD isn’t as big as DWTS. And SYTYCD alumni aren’t well known. DWTS is the best outlet for any dancers to get noticed. With that said dating and being in the public eye can be tough. Add that with social media, now it’s even more challenging. I followed Bindi and Bethany on IG and I have to say these girls know how to handle trolls. Ignore.
@lordeluv – Ehhh, Hollywood is shallow too, and without going into much too much detail, I will say that it’s been said by more than one of my sources that TPTB try to maintain a certain aesthetic amongst the pros/troupe members…and will decline to hire a dancer if they don’t fit that aesthetic. There is one dancer that I would LOVE to see hired into the troupe that can dance circles around Hayley, Jenna, and even a few of the pros – but it probably won’t ever happen, simply due to the fact that she’s not classically “pretty”. The aesthetic these days seems to be male pros with washboard abs, waxed chests, and good hair; for the ladies, it’s long legs, classically beautiful faces, and flat stomachs. And given that aesthetic, I could maybe see how Jenna might struggle to fit in – I have noticed just how drastically her look has changed since she joined the troupe: she definitely sexed up the makeup, traded in the long straight hair for a tousled bob, and started hitting the gym HARD. Personally, I actually preferred her look from SYTYCD – more natural, more wholesome, much more youthful & carefree. I actually loved her freckles, but those seem to get hidden with full-coverage foundation anymore. If Jenna’s new look makes her feel happy & sexy, more power to her; but given how often she seems to post very “I’m so blessed & happy & comfortable in my skin!” stuff on IG, I have to wonder just who she’s trying to convince of it – us or herself.
All that being said, though, I don’t really think her looks have anything to do with her not being a pro. Allegedly, TPTB were ready to promote her in season 19, and she was supposed to partner Antonio – but Cheryl decided at the 11th hour to come back for one last ride. Given that they haven’t tried to squeeze her in as a pro in the 3 seasons since then, I have to wonder if they changed their minds about her…maybe her attitude changed after hanging out with the Fam too much? Who knows. As for the diversity factor – I doubt it has anything to do with that either, as the show actually seems to love pulling from the VIBE family: in addition to Lindsay, Witney, Jenna, and Brittany, they have tapped Brooklyn Fullmer & Tanisha Belknap as extra dancers, as well as Lindsay’s younger sister, Jensen.
Not sure if that meetup on Wednesday is actually about the troupe or if they just chose that picture to use but if it is I will laugh for days. XD
I never really cared about the troop and can only name a few of them. To me, they’re just time fillers and I think that time could be used better.
Same old Pros and the same lackluster routines. I wish they would get some new blood, specially now because without Derek, it’s just not as exciting for me. I also liked Gleb a lot and I really don’t understand why they dumped him … but I have my suspicions. But it could be worst, at least I still can enjoy Mark and Karina.
I really love this post and I actually like the troupe just because I’m a huge sytycd fan as well. The troupe bumpers were to be desired this past season and I’m hoping for better this year. I really hope they even out the guys and girls a little more though. Either a 3/2 or a 3/3 would be better.
Also just wanted to say that I really enjoyed Oksana when she was on. That routine where she wore that massive skirt is still one of the most memorable visuals that cone to mind. And I’m super glad that she’s getting a chance on Strictly.
I realize with all they do now and the fact there is no results show that pro dances (though my preference) may sadly be few and far between. But I can’t see why they couldn’t get some current Ballroom/Latin champs on to do some routines and they wouldn’t need Mandy to choreograph them. Heck I’d even be happy seeing Ruby Castro and other Junior Champs dance some bumpers. Replace the troupe bumpers with THAT some and maybe I’d be more interested.
Great post, Court. I’m loving it!!! My faves in the troupe have been Gleb and Sharna. I also liked last season’s troupe a lot better than in the past.
I’d like to reference that post that said troup was a distraction. Alan put himself in position to steal attention from Paula in the Gilligans Island dance. I can’t stand Alan, always mugging it up somewhere. Talk about A maturity issue! Troup from the past, actually did choreographing. Sharna for example. I see a change in Jenna Johnson, not necessarily a good change. Most likely from hanging with Val and the clan. Develop your own personality and style. That’s what got you here. I love the show but I agree, time for a pro shake up . Thank you for the good article.
Meet your DWTS faves at The Grove! Well, if it is the troupe since that’s the picture they showed, this is an interesting turn of events. I can’t wait to see which pros or troupe show up at The Grove tomorrow. If it is the troupe or only some of the troupe, I can see women showing up way more than men since that’s the demo who watches. Can’t get past the timing of the announcement only a few hours after this post!
I also wondered why they had 4 troupe guys last season (3 new ones!) to only 2 troupe girls (not counting fillers). I get Emma chose not to but that still would be 4 to 3 if she had. I don’t remember an odd number in past seasons and thought it was so strange. It could be because they knew they wanted a new male pro and wanted more to choose from than just Alan. Like the 4 were competing against each other to see if anyone stood out as a possibility? Derek left a giant hole. .
People who say that Hayley would only be on Hairspray because of Derek SERIOUSLY overestimate Derek’s influence outside of DWTS. In the dance world, sure. Everywhere else? Um, no. Not only that, but he wouldn’t try to exert influence on Hairspray or SitR or anywhere else. That’s ridiculous. IF Hayley shows up on Hairspray, it will be because Hayley auditioned and got the part – and I doubt very much that will happen, in any case. But you never know. I’ve also seen fans say that she’ll probably go with him to SitR too – what is wrong with people? Again – Derek has NO control over who gets cast and who doesn’t in that production. He has no part of the choreo, the staging or anything else. He’s the LEAD. There are RULES and unions regarding everything on Broadway. Getting tired of hearing about it, honestly. I love the guy – but he ain’t god. He’s not in control of everything he touches. That’s not how it works.
Courtney – care to share who that dancer is that you would like to see in the troupe?
Also, I wonder if any of the dancers from maks recent tour will be hired to troupe. I hear that taylor banks and tracy shibata got outstanding support. I know these aren’t necessarily the same backgrounds that have normally been hired, but if they really are mixing it up – – what do you think?
Excellent point PH about Derek/Hayley. They keep forgetting that Hayley may have been seen on Derek’s tour, but that just opened a possibility. She had to earn it from there. No diff than Pamela Anderson being seen at a ballgame on camera – and look how that turned out. I actually think it is a bit demeaning to imply that hayley doesn’t have enough talent to earn these spots on her own. Tell me any troupe/pro who would turn down an opportunity because they happened to be “spotted” at the right time?
And you can thank me later John – for bringing Pamela into the discussion! 😉
PH,
It’s true that Haley would have to audition and get the part, but Derek could get her an audition that others wouldn’t get. Plus, he could be the tie breaker between two evenly matched dancers. Those two things could be the difference between Haley getting the part and not. It’s just like the friend that recommends you be interviewed for a job to their boss. It carries weight, but ultimately you better have some skills too or you’ll lose credibility for recommending them.
Maybe John, but I don’t think so. For one thing, in Hairspray he’s not the lead. For another, I don’t think he would find that professional. And, finally, he won’t be anywhere near the audition space when they’re going on – he just won’t be involved. That’s not how it works. He shows up to sing and act and that’s about it.
Wow! Courtney…great review of the Troupe Dancers. I agree totally with everything you said, and thank you for taking the time to explain. I don’t blame you one bit if anyone asks you any questions from now on about the Troupe; I’d just give them this link to read, too.
For me personally, I seemed to notice the Troupe Dancers more in the earlier seasons when we had two nights of DWTS. Last season the two that I can recall now is the guy that danced in Mark’s place with Paige. He danced incredibly with her. I think he was Alan. And, I also paid more attention to Hayley, because I watched videos of her on MOVE Live Tour.
And, I agree with John…..She’s beautiful and lovely dancer.
Wouldn’t Hayley get paid more by being in the DWTS troupe this season as opposed to being an extra in Hairspray? Besides, who would give up regular work for a one-off opportunity at her career level? It doesn’t make financial sense to me. LA is not a cheap place to live.
Certainly, Psychee22 – it would be crazy to sit out 11 or 12 weeks of work for a one-off.
I would imagine that Hayley is somewhat well known among casting directors casting for dancers. She danced/dances for two major network shows as well as for big boss man Harvey Weinstein with Derek’s SITR group for, I think it was a pre-Oscar party.
She’s also talented and versatile, which goes a long way.
I would be okay with the troupe disbanding. The pro numbers are almost nonexistent since the results show went kaput, which leaves bumpers, opening show numbers and extra bodies in couple routines. With the influence of Mandy Moore on the non-routine bits, you really don’t need trained young ballroom dancers since most the choreography she gives can be performed by generic, all-around dancers. Or in the case of her choreo for the ladies, strippers or burlesque dancers.
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