Yes, they are exclusive in that I took them myself. Julianne Hough, Mark Ballas and Shawn Johnson attended the CMT Awards in Nashville tonight. The pictures I took are below. Julianne is one of the tiniest people I’ve seen, but then Mark Ballas is not a large guy. Cute though.

*Click on any of the pictures to comment on that picture and then click on the picture again to see the full size picture.

Videos I hadn’t seen before…which doesn’t mean they’re new, just that I hadn’t seen them before.

These are cool – the Paley Center panel on DWTS. I had posted a couple of these before, but I hadn’t seen quite a few of them:

Conrad Green on Casting Stars

Judges on the Shows encouraging of Dancers

Jane Seymore and Drew Lachey on Dancing

Len Goodman on Constructive Criticism

Co-hosts on the evolution of hosting

Hosts and Dancers on Relationships

Dancers on Best/Worst Costumes

Drew Lachey on dancers getting hurt

Dancers on choosing costumes

If you let the video play to the end and then the next videos come up automatically, there are interviews with all of the Season 8 stars and pros – more that I had never seen before.   A cute one with Shawn Johnson. It appears there is one for each star for week one and week two.

This is a much cleaner copy of previously posted videos uploaded to You Tube by TV Guide.

Part 1 – Injuries

Part 2 – The Pros

Part 3 – The Wardrobe

Part 4 – The Judges

Part 5 – The Stars

Part 6 – The Show

Part 7 – The Hookups

What tour, you ask? Well, there isn’t one this summer. It’s really annoying. I’m experiencing serious DWTS withdrawal, particularly after having gone to one of the tour shows this past winter.  Yeah, I go outside. Yeah, I have cocktails with friends. But still.  Today, for the first time in a while, my filter box search turned up 4 entries on DWTS.  FOUR?!?! Are you kidding me?  Sheesh.

So, to try to cure my withdrawal symptoms, I’ve been posting DWTS tour video in that other place where I spend lots of time – yeah, you’re going to have to live with my Derek-centric videos if you want to watch what I’ve put together (or filmed myself). I can’t help it. That’s how I roll.   Keep checking back here, as I’m not even close to done yet.

On the bright side, I should be able to get some video of Gilles on one of the entertainment shows tomorrow (I think it was ET) – supposedly all about his surgery. And possibly some coverage of Shawn at the Young Hollywood awards. Shawn and Mark are also (reportedly) presenting at the CMT awards next weekend here in Nashville.  I will need to be paid lots of money to actually go down to Music Row to try to catch a glimpse (it’s fan week for country music this week – going downtown will require serious bribes), but the local news should cover more than the networks do – I’ll see what I can catch.  As of right now, I’m also planning on going to the celebrity softball game on Tuesday (?) where Julianne Hough and Chuck Wicks are supposed to be playing.  I do have a full time job, so we’ll see.

That’s all I got, for now.

Well, Julianne is a busy little bee.   This past week, she tested for a lead role in the remake of Footloose, also staring Chace Crawford (but which should be staring DEREK HOUGH – sorry John).  According to Entertainment Weekly’s Hollywood Insider (and a billion other outlets):

Crawford may soon have his onscreen dance partner. A Paramount spokesperson confirmed to EW that Dancing With the Stars’ Julianne Hough will screen-test this week. Hough’s recent success as a country music star could give her an advantage. Says Meron, “It’s a much more singing-intensive movie for the female lead.”

Throughout the summer, Julianne will be on tour opening for George Strait and Blake Shelton – there are 42 cities listed on her official web site so odds are good that she’s going to be at a town near you.

In the recent past, Julianne has raked in a number of honors, not the least of which was the Academy of Country Music’s Top New Artist award.  She was also named to Maxim’s Hot 100 list (see what brother Derek has to say about her number 25 rank) and People’s Most Beautiful list. 

Next up, besides the tour?  The CMT Awards on June 16 in Nashville. Julianne is up for USA Weekend Breakthrough Video of the Year for That Song in My Head.

Julianne Links:
Official Site
Fan Site
CMT Artist Page

Apparently it’s date night after the Finale! Maks and Karina are double dating with Derek and Shannon (with spare BHB band members tagging along), and Julianne and Chuck get caught by the cameras as well. Julianne confirms once again that she is only taking one season off.

I just found this short little story on People that talks about Julianne Hough not leaving Dancing with the Stars for good. Here’s the quote from the article where Julianne Hough talks:

In an exclusive statement to PEOPLE, Hough said: “I am appreciative to be taking this coming season of Dancing with the Stars off to focus on my other career paths like touring in support of my album and recording my next one. I look forward to returning to DWTS in early 2010.”

Dancing with the Stars executive producer, Conrad Green, is also quoted in the article talking about how they encourage the dancers to take a break. Check out Julianne Hough’s list of Tour dates and you can see she’s going to be busy without Dancing with the Stars.

Glad to know Julianne Hough will be back on Dancing with the Stars.

USAToday.com article called “‘Dancing’ Stars find new fans and more opportunities”.  The focus of this article is mainly on Gilles, but it’s a pretty interesting read all the way around. Here are a few excerpts and the picture they used:

LOS ANGELES — Hours after actor Gilles Marini and dance partner Cheryl Burke wrapped up a rumba that drew a standing ovation from the Dancing With the Stars studio audience, he needs a body tuneup.

Soft New Age music and a soothing tabletop waterfall in chiropractor Tom Rudenko’s office are a quiet contrast to the boisterous theatrics at ABC’s hit ballroom competition. But they’re just the tonic for weary Marini.

The potential payoff is far bigger than bragging rights and the cheesy mirror-ball trophy awaiting Dancing’s winners on the May 19 finale. Yes, the actors, athletes, singers, models and reality stars who have appeared since its 2005 debut have risked injury and humiliation on live TV. But Dancing also has jump-started careers, polished tarnished reputations and generated opportunities in ways most of them couldn’t imagine.

Lil’ Kim, the pint-sized rapper best known for R-rated lyrics, breast pasties and prison time for perjury, was ousted last week. But during her stint, viewers saw the sweet demeanor and feisty spirit of a hip-hop artist shaking her booty to the cha-cha. “I think I’ve already won,” she says. “This has shown another side of me. I’ve got new fans. Acting makes sense; I could see doing a kids’ show. Definitely, the music will be different.”

For Johnson, 17, who may aim for the 2012 Olympics, Dancing provides more options. “It’s really given me the opportunity to see what else is out there. I never thought about acting. Now? Maybe,” she says, giggling.

Even show regulars have managed to parlay Dancing into opportunity. Co-host Samantha Harris is subbing as host of syndicated game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Burke, who opens her third dance studio this week, also has an apparel line and endorsement deals. Pro dancer Julianne Hough is leaving to focus on a promising singing career.

I’ll be listing all of the music from the top 4 of Dancing with the Stars as I find it. If I’m missing a song, check back regularly and I’ll update the music as I find it.

Mayo Alanen & Kym Johnson danced a Tango to the song “Jalousie” —Alfred Hause’s Tango Orchestra
Mayo Alanen & Kym Johnson danced a Cha-Cha-Cha to the song “Shake Your Groove Thing” —Peaches & Herb
Anna Demidova & Maks danced a Quickstep to the song “Almost Like Being in Love” — Frank Sinatra
Anna Demidova & Maks danced a Samba to the song “Crayons” — Donna Summer feat. Ziggy Marley

Raphael Saadiq sang the song “100 Yard Dash” (Music Video ) while the Raphael Saadiq Dancers performed.

Mark Ballas, Lacey Schwimmer, Derek Hough, and Julianne Hough danced a quickstep to the song “It Don’t Mean I Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” for the Design a Dance. (Check out the video of the Dancing with the Stars Design a Dance)

Also, check out the music from past episodes of Dancing with the Stars.

This is per Derek in an interview with E! Online’s Mark Malkin. Here is what Derek says about he and Mark possibly not returning for Season 9 (click to read the whole article).

Julianne Hough may not be the only pro skipping out on Dancing With the Stars next season.

Her brother, Derek, just told me that there’s a chance he and Mark Ballas could be following in her footsteps.

“Mark and I might not be back, either,” Derek says. “We have other things going on.”

Like what exactly? Read on…

Derek and Mark’s band, Ballas Hough Band, released their debut album, BHB, in March. “There’s a bunch of stuff on the table right now,” Derek said, “and we’re going on tour this summer.”

His comment about “stuff on the table” again takes me back to Footloose. I’m still not getting my hopes up. What that has to do Mark, I don’t know.