Executive Producer Conrad Green Talks On The Changes For Dancing With The Stars Season 17
TV Guide has a new article up with Conrad Green, the Executive Producer for Dancing With The Stars, talking about this season’s changes. He tells fans not to fret. The show will be slightly different, but, it will still be the same show everyone loves. He also talks of the elimination, set changes, and more. Below are some highlights which all sound good in my opinion. What do you think?
But longtime fans shouldn’t fret, in spite of all the modifications. “There will be changes. It will feel slightly different as a show to watch, but it will feel absolutely packed with incident and excitement,” Green says. “Essentially, at core, it’s going to be the show everyone knows and loves.”
Each episode will open with a “massive dance number” and end with a pair being eliminated, with the exception of the premiere. “It’ll probably make it a lot more nerve-wracking for people’s performances,” Green admits of the same-night elimination strategy. “But I think the benefit of that is, for an audience, the story keeps on moving.” Another benefit? An extra day of rest “will probably make a huge difference in terms of people’s sanity and hopefully will make the quality of dancing better,” according to Green.
Other revisions include a new set design. Gone is the skybox; instead, the celebrity and dancer seating area will be situated on the floor near the judges’ table — which will also be shifted to the opposite side of the ballroom. The show is also adding a makeup room and a rehearsal room, where co-host Brooke Burke-Charvet will chat with the contestants before and after their performances, while Tom Bergeron will run the show from the main stage. “Brooke will be moving a lot more around different parts of the studio, to get sort of a bit more of what’s going on behind the scenes on the show,” Green explains. “So, we’re hoping the show will be more fluid and a bit less sort of predictable.”
More at TV Guide.
So are they still going to have the opening packages for every contestant before they dance each week or will it take up to much time?
SHOCKINGLY…. I really like the new changes!!! Without the skybox we really get to see more of a reaction with the CELEBS/PROS and Judges throughout the night! I love the idea of the rehearsal room so we can se how they are acting before going on to perform! I also love that we are getting opening numbers every night!!! It’s a lot like SCD. I am really liking this!
Change is always good. Can’t wait to see everything falls into place tomorrow night.
I do like some of the changes! I think the show has gotten slightly stale and predictable but these changes will make show better and more fresh! Plus it sounds like fun!
“Hollywood Night” … interesting … Sounds better than Movie Night to me.
Other than that, I really like the changes. The make-up room and rehearsal room sounds good. The spanish-version of DWTS “Mira Quien Baila” also has a make-up and rehearsal room and it’s always nice seeing how everyone backstage is getting all dolled up and getting their dances ready. I am all for that!
Tomorrow cannot come soon enough!
Heh. Sounds like there will be plenty of cheese fodder.
Okay, I DON’T LIKE IT!!! Sorry, but as of right now, I can’t get behind these changes. I DON’T WANT Brooke to interview them backstage before they go on. I WANT a rehearsal package, where I can see how the pair “gel”, along with each celebrities TRUE personality, not an interview with Brooke with them “on”. I don’t feel we can REALLY know them in interviews….
AND! The packages give the couples time to ge onto the floor, the pro to give some last minute instructions and calming of nerves, and time to get “set” in place to begin. I don’t want to have to watch them RUN from backstage onto floor and right into place, and probably having to start their dance slightly out of breath!
Nope, I don’t like it. I will watch, but I doubt I can get behind most of the changes.
Where was it printed that there will be no more packages??
For the most part, I’m going to take a wait and see attitude to these changes. I think we’ll still have rehearsal packages because there’s way too much opportunity for melodrama there to let that go.
The biggest possible downside for me is more inane Brooke-bot. We’ll have to endure the mindless, “how are you feeling” not once, but twice each night 🙄
The only thing I dislike about the physical changes is those damn couches on the floor. You’re not going to get anything of value from that. Knowing the camera is on them most of the time means you’ll get fake reactions (polite applause and insincere smiles). At least with the skybox they had a semi-sheltered place to hang out and if they wanted to see a performance they’d go out to the balcony.
I like the idea of the opening pro numbers. Will TPTB invite the pros that are sitting out or will it just be the cast pros as I can only take so much Lindsay and Witney. Mixed feelings about the couples sitting on couches near the judges table. Yes, please, for cheese fodder.
They also said that there’s going to be guest hosts…Sounds interesting.
@ThanMeLater
It does sound interesting… I have a feeling they meant guest judges though
Alex, I sure hope your feeling is right and they meant guest judges because I don’t want anybody other than Tom hosting the show. Now if sidekick Brooke would sit out a few shows (or the whole season), my feelings wouldn’t be hurt at all. 😉
LOL couldn’t agree with you more Cidra! 🙂
I doubt that they would get rid of the rehearsal packages. It’s the producers way to storyboard and would be a giant missed opportunity for them.
they are for sure to have rehearsal packages. even if they are like just 60 seconds long. a lot goes on during the rehearsals (drama, funny things, etc), so the show would be pretty dumb to take all of that out
Well I’m a big nerd who loves the backstage stuff, so the makeup and rehearsal room addition sounds great.
My only concern is that this will fluster Brooke even more than normal. She was just starting to settle down and relax a little bit.
I very much doubt they will get rid of rehearsal packages. As Cidra said it’s an important way for the producers to create drama and control the story.
I hope the “massive dance number” is actually going to be ballroom dancing, not some Macy’s Stars of Dance potpourri of styles.
I’m excited for this season. I truly wish them luck and hope they don’t screw it up.