Executive Producer Speaks Out About Building DWTS Long Time Future, New Themes, And More
Dancing With The Stars Executive Producer Conrad Green spoke to TV Guide about the All Stars last season and how he thinks listeners ended up wanting to see “new” stars and not “old” stars. For Season 16, it’s about bringing in new faces to see new stories happen and bulding Dancing With The Stars long time future. He also talks of the new pros added in this take and why they made some changes…
“New blood is so important,” Green says. “The people who are your favorites now are only your favorites because they were introduced years ago. As always, that doesn’t mean our old pros won’t be considered in the future, but we want to be bring people through and we’ve been looking at Lindsay, Gleb and Sharna for a while. We want them to be your favorites years from now. They all bring something unique to the table.”
I totally support Mr. Green on this idea. I love some of the old pros, but, “change” is also important to keep things refreshing and new.
Mr. Green also talks of the what kind of dances and themes we’ll see this season and those we won’t see. Note how Week 3 will be “Prom Night”. There will also be a “Best Year of Your Life Week”.
“The more outlandish stuff probably won’t be back,” Green says. “The picking [dances] for each other will be. I don’t think there’s an issue with that. … Some of the things we did last season was because it was All-Stars and some of those people had done the whole show, so we had to keep them guessing. I don’t think we’ll be pushing as far and wide with the challenges now because I don’t think we need to. A lot of the joy is seeing if someone can do a paso.”
The Dancing staple, theme weeks, will be back as usual, with some new ones. Week 3 will be Prom Night, inspired by the stars’ own proms and for which fans will be able to vote to crown the Prom King and Queen. “Maybe the celebrities will do some version of their prom outfits,” Green says with a laugh. “There will probably be some campy music. We’re looking at some other special performance nights. One will probably be Latin. We’ll do The Best Year of Your Life Week. It’s small tweaks like that that are vital. Nothing radical.”
I’m not a fan to theme nights unless the music matches the style of dances, but, we’ll see. You can more at TV Guide. After you read it, let us know what you think of everything he says?
Heidi: Yes, let’s take a show that already is seen by cheesy even by it’s fans and see if we can make it the ULTIMATE in cheesy and add a prom theme night. Ya know, I generally think theme nights are CRAP but this one is the ultimate in CRAP. ย Another excuse for stupid outfits, stupid props and cranky ass Len who will dock someone (either Derek or Mark, is my guess) for having too many balloons at their prom. Oh, and Mark will wear horn rimmed glasses with his short pants. Again. ย At least he’s admitting up front to tweaks – but nothing radical?? Yeah, we’ll see about that.
I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Obviously. ๐
Yes change can be good but too many changes too fast and too many gimmicks can make a tv show initally based on traditional ball room dancing look more like a cheesier version of sytycd ๐ my opinion is that they know ratings are falling and the all stars in particular was low and they are throwing everything at the show seeing what sticks ….. Sometimes shows run their course ;-)im not a fan of contemp and jazz and these new fangled fusions but can appreciate that they feel they have to keep up with the fashions ๐
I must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed ,too. I totally agree with Heidi. I also agree that these shows run their course, then the fickle viewing audiences will move on to something else. DWTS will go the way of American Idol I’m afraid. Change is good to a point, but you need to dance and go home with the one that brought ya.
I think what they forgot about when planning the All star season was the fact that most of the stars hadn’t danced in years and had a steep learning curve. They didn’t need to throw constant curve balls at them. They just needed to let them have as much fun as they could while pushing themselves to relearn dancing and entertain us. ย Instead the show apparently felt like they had to invent a new show for a season where the great talent and some Argentine tangos would be enough to entertain us.
Maybe people really didn’t want to see people they had seen before, but I for one was looking forward to seeing a lot of my favorites. I can’t believe I was the only one. By the end of the season with its massive manipulation and stupid dance styles, they had managed to turn me off of the show forever. I wasn’t looking for new faces or bad dancing or gimmicks…all things they seemed to think they needed or caused the season to flop. I was looking for honest judging and some reward for difficult and well executed choreography. I was looking for that tribute to past seasons that they promised. I certainly wasn’t looking for people in Speedos splashing in a kiddie pool.ย
When the producers figure out what is ruining their show is their over-manipulation, making us at home think we must be watching a different show than the judges, then I’ll go back to watching. Until then I’ll just quietly watch from here as the show implodes, yet again. I promise I’ll be quiet.
Prom Night???? I almost spit out my coffee! What are we in 10th grade or something? Lame idea.
Seriously. Stupidest idea I’ve heard in a long freakin’ time.
Funny thing is…most of the pros have probably never been to a prom. LOL.
…not to mention several of the contestants have probably never been to prom. Go figure.
@KarenT – Exactly! The problem *wasn’t* that there were no new things – it was *too many* new things (dances, themes), too much stress on the celebs and the pros, and too much manipulation by TPTB and the judges. The world in which the instant cha cha Shawn did was only half a point better the instant dance Kelly did, which had the same score as the instant dance Melissa did, is nuts. Or that a contestant gets docked for props used only in the intro to the dance, and other couples use the props more, but don’t get docked. Or…and I could go on and on. If the judging would reflect *some* semblance of reality, I think many fans would be a lot happier and more likely to watch. As PH stated in her comprehensive and insightful rants, we’re not stupid. Anyone who wasn’t blindly in love with their favorite celeb (who thus could do no wrong) could see the difference in dance quality, and when that’s not acknowledged or rewarded, people get frustrated, feel the whole thing is gimmicked and stop watching – especially if the celeb getting screwed is their favorite. And Shawn was by no means the only celeb who got the short end of the stick last season – Apolo also did superior work and wasn’t rewarded, while other stars were praised for something that could only be called a hot mess (like Gilles).
Something else TPTB don’t seem to realize is that even though we’ve seen dozens and dozens of foxtrots and cha chas, we wouldn’t mind seeing more – especially if the pros brought some creativity to the choreo (and if those who did weren’t slapped on the wrist for it). We want a ballroom show; we want ballroom dances, and they won’t get boring if the pros don’t phone it in with the choreography.
PH, waking up on the wrong side of the bed can be a good thing….. We get to read some snark where it’s needed!
I want to go back to where the show was back in season 5….. SIMPLE! It had BALLROOM and LATIN dancing. It didn’t have team dances or marathon dances or THEMES! Way back then, TPTB realized that simply LEARNING TO DANCE was a big enough challenge for the celebrities!
Boy that will bring in the viewers.. Hey, let’s all tune into DWTS tonight, it’s Prom Night!!
Even I, don’t want to see that show, And I eat, sleep, and breathe, DWTS.
Oy vey! What planet did Conrad Green come from that he thinks the viewers who want to see contemporary and jazz also want to see “Prom Night”? The changes they’re making are bi-polar (and I don’t mean that in a politically incorrect or insensitive way). They bring in new/young pros and non-ballroom dances to attract a younger audience. Then they throw in a “Prom Night” theme that will be so full of fake nostalgia and cheese that those of us who went to prom will be gagging and the young audience will be going “huh?!?”
I don’t mind rotating pros. Even though I miss Anna and Chelsie, that’s good change. We get to meet new pros and the older ones get to take a break and recharge.
That said, I completely agree with Lori. I want to turn back the clock to Season 5; celebs giving it their best shot to learn Latin and ballroom dances. As Butterfly said, we’ve seen dozens of foxtrots and cha-chas, and want to see more. We weren’t bored!
However, it’s premiere night and I absolutely *refuse* to be crabby! So ending on a positive note, I’m delighted to hear that we’re going to get “The Best Year of Your Life” instead of “Personal Story Week”. Someone finally realized “personal story week” was a big downer.
Best year of your life will still probably require a shit ton of rumbas, though. ๐
Yeah, I know. It’s not ideal, but at least they won’t be doing the “dance of love” to honor their dear, departed favorite second-cousin twice removed. ๐
Seeing as I have been out of high school for a good seventeen years, do they even still have proms?
I truly believe they are going about this the wrong way. What left a bitter taste in my mouth last season was it seemed everything was about the Pro Dancers and not the celebrities. Even who won the MBT was more about Tony and less about Melissa. That is one thing I adore about Derek and wish some of the other Pros would pick up on. It is not about them.
I very much would like to see more of the journey the celebrity takes on the road to obtaining the MBT. The odd themes and picking dances for other couples just seems very choatic to me.
I am not sure who I will be cheering for this season, I will hold my opinion until I see all the dances.
P.S. Missed you guys!! Can’t wait to see what this season brings. ๐
Glad you’re back, Cher!
For a lot of viewers it has become more about the pros than the celebs. I think that’s unfortunate but perhaps inevitable. That’s why rotating the pros on a regular basis could be a positive change. I have my favorite pros, too, and always want them to do well; but when I choose my favorite couple for the season, it’s based on the partnership. Not saying that’s the “right way”, just my way.
Yes, Derek and several other pros (like Tristan) honestly make the season about their celeb. There are others who sometimes forget and grab the spotlight for themselves. Like you, I prefer the ones who keep the focus on their partner.
Can’t wait to see how everyone dances tonight! ๐
Has Zendaya even had her prom yet?!
Hi Cidra! ๐
My hope is the new pros learn this early on. I had a small concern for Sharna because she has been known to be part of “The Family” but after seeing her with Andy so far I think she will be ok but time will tell this season. It took a while for Peta to show her true colors. I really did want to vote and cheer for Wy but she got Tony as a partner and I’m sorry if it is wrong or sounds wrong but I cannot vote for Tony. He just rubs me the wrong way and he really should have been one to take the season off along with Maks. In a way it is a double edged sword.
I really don’t want to remember my prom. Sounds like prom week could rank up there with Americana week. lol
I have two questions for Mr. Green after reading this article –
If rotating the pros keeps the show “fresh,” why haven’t Cheryl, Mark or Tony ever been rotated out, no offense to their fans.
Why does he believe Prom Night and adding contemporary and jazz is going “back to the basics?” Why not add or re-add official BALLROOM dances?
And maybe rotate out the obnoxious judges. I could use a season without Carrie Ann.
Those are the stupidest ideas I’ve ever heard. These people have learned NOTHING.
Thank you Deena, #18, for saying what I have been thinking. I’d really like to know why Cheryl is allowed to stay for 16 seasons and why Chelsie and Anna are made to sit out. I haven’t heard or read one substantial reason for that decision. Instead, I’m hearing some shrivel about “rotating the pros”. How can that be true when any of them have been there and remain there for every season? Sounds a bit hypocritical, no? If you’re gonna rotate some of them, you have to rotate all of them. Or have a very good reason why you don’t.
And “Prom Night”? Contemporary? Jazz? Seriously? Why is Conrad trying to turn what used to be an excellent ballroom dancing show into a second version of SYTYCD? Does he really have to compete with Nigel?
Thank you very much but I will “watch” the show via your commentary and I’ll join the ranks of The Voice viewership.
Sounds like someone still isn’t ready to take responsibility for last season. Prom and Best year of your life week? I remember when theme weeks were rock and acoustic week not doing a sexy rumba to remembering your dead mother.
Now Val can take Z to her prom!
My guess with the pro rotation thing is that it is based on how popular the pro is believed to be with the viewers. Fairness has never been a factor that I can remember on the show.
I’m ok with new pros,but it was the ones that were replaced this season.Chelsie and Anna are two of my favorites and I’d rather have them over Lindsay and Sharna,but hopefully those two will be back next season.As from prom week?What the heck!How about a Disney week?Dumb?Yeah,but still better than prom.
I’m actually surprised there hasn’t already been a Disney week. I better shut up before TPTB get any more wacky ideas.
Now that you mention a Disney week, that does seem like a theme that the really creative pros like Derek can atleast have some fun with moves, costumes and music!
Kashti, Anna (and to a lesser extent Chelsie) are favorites of mine as well, but no matter which long-standing pros are replaced, they’ll be someone’s favorites. So in my opinion it’s kind of disingenuous to say I’m OK with new pros as long as they don’t replace *my* favorites.
I could probably also get on board with a “December holidays” week. Since DWTS never runs into December, they never get to use holiday music, which I think would be fun. I always thought “It Must Have Been the Mistletoe” would make a great (albeit fast) V. waltz.
How about rotating Len out completely! Len does not have the capacity to critique the dancers in a constructive manner…he stabs them and stabs them hard! He is “stale bread”…he has stayed way too long!
All of my club members and I have decided to boycott DWTS if Len continues as a judge!!!!!!
Makism was totally correct when he had a few words with Len and the producers were too unconnected to understand that Len is their biggest problem (IMO) and should be sent home!!!!
A long time follower of DWTS!