Private Members Area – DWTS Off Season Discussion
It’s time for the Dancing with the Stars summer break. Time to enjoy some friendly, educated banter with the Pure DWTS Insiders. If you’re not a Pure DWTS Insider yet, you can do so here. If you are, then I look forward to the discussion in the comments.
As most of you know, we generally take a bit of time off (except for Vogue who is basically a really attractive machine) during the summer and during the holidays in between seasons. With that said, we thought we’d open an off season private member areas thread for private members to chat during the summer break as well (thanks to Cidra for the gentle prodding).
I’m sure much of the conversation will be on DWTS, but nothing wrong with a little bit of summer fun discussion as well. I know if Court doesn’t share a pic of her at a beach or pool somewhere I’m going to be disappointed.
Anyway, this is your space. Have fun and be friendly!
Awwww John, thank you!!!
So, who else is here? How is your summer going? It’s super hot here now already and I’m ready for winter to come right back. lollll
Hi Vogue, *waves* It’s hot here in North Texas too – but I guess I’ll take it without too much complaint after a couple weeks of pretty non-stop rain. It was getting to the point that I was ready to suggest to my hubby that we needed to start building an ark.
Just doing another drive-by to say “thanks, John, for setting up the kids’ summer play pen.”
Now after reading John’s intro, I have a mental image of Vogue as the beautiful Replicant Rachel in Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner” (an attractive machine) and a less than flattering image of me as grizzled (but gentle) cow-herd with a cattle prod. LOL 😀
LOL Cidra. You are cracking me up. It’s so good to see you again and I’m glad you are enjoying a break from all the rain. x
Hey all. So glad about this. I miss you so much ? in the summer. My summer may be the best of my life. I haven’t walked in ten years due to a drug company failing to provide truthful info about potential side effects. Now those antibiotics have three black box warnings. Goes to show the have TPTB in every situation. Anyway I start a new treatment in two weeks and the doctor told me 100% I will walk and in fact run. Me running is hysterically funny because I didn’t di that much anyway.? I am very excited. Complete healing will be this time next summer but I’ll be doing some walking by fall and best part…no surgery. Yay!!!!
That’s too awesome, Lynne! Good job and keep us posted!!!x
Glad to see some regulars hanging around! And can you please send some heat this way? I’m in Western NY and it was 39 degrees this morning and yesterday’s high never made it above the low 50’s! Brrrrrr! I wanted to escape the heat of Florida, but this is ridiculous!
Cidra,
Sorry for the bad visual image. I was going to change it now, but I could only come up with inappropriate ways to get someone to do something. So, I’ll stick with prodding. I’m glad you saw Vogue as a sexy robot though. That was my goal.
Lynne,
I really hope the new treatment works out and it is a great summer. Keep on fighting!
Leigh,
I’m in Vegas where we have some insane temperatures. So, you can have some of our heat. I’m going to go to Hawaii to get out of this insanity.
John, please don’t change it. I’m not sure I’m ready to be visualized as a whip-wielding, leather-clad dominatrix (which is what came to mind after reading your reply)…and there goes our nice Summer thread straight into the gutter. Didn’t take long, did it? 😉
lol
Vogue, I’ll pop in now and then during the Summer — don’t want you to get lonely!
But Cidra, don’t a lot of fun things happen in the gutter? LOL!
My kids and I like to float boats down the gutter when it’s raining. So, you’re right that fun stuff happens in the gutter. I think that’s what Cidra means.
Awesome. Thanks Cids!!!!! xxx
Hey y’all!
Schools out…baseball season for my son in just about over. He has basketball camp next week then summer recess. I’m just working as usual. Nothing much goin on
Sounds like everyone is off to a great summer – especially Lynne. Congrats!
I just did a little online catchup session today, and Im laughing at how this #ourway tour is supposed to be the story of two poor immigrants making it big. And they keep harping on that it is “our story”. even named the tour that – but, they are using all these diff choreographers. I mean – yes, choreographers can tell other peoples stories, but why do these two PROFESSIONALS need this much help telling their story through dance?
One of Maks few outstanding qualities to me was his choreography – and I dont just mean dance. His Vegas show (le reve) was truly amazing. Val – eh, I mean we’ve seen his choreography deteriorate every since s16, but still. I just dont get why they need so much help, and are they really still choreographing with these people just one week before the show?
Anyway – sounds like Derek and Mark are both having a great summer so far. Kudos to them. And BCJean of course. So exciting to see people succeed at their true passion.
Off to sports camp – have a great day!
I’m in and out, mostly lurking rather than posting, but I love reading what you all have to say. 🙂 I’m with Leigh on the request to send some of the heat my way! I live in Nova Scotia, Canada and, except for a couple of isolated warm days, it’s been mostly in the low teens or colder Celsius (we’re lucky to see 60F and it’s often closer to 50F).
@Lynne – That’s awesome news!! I hope it goes well!
@sarina – I’m certainly not a big Maks and Val fan, but in their defence, Derek and Julianne also used outside choreographers for their tour. I see Maks’ and Val’s use of outside choreographers as a sign that they care about actually producing a good product, and not just a cash grab. I hope for the sake of everyone going to see it that it’s a good show.
Great point sonic! Believe me – given what Val has chorea’ed the last few seasons, I am glad to see him getting outside help. Although supposedly he is still having Jenna help, and Im not a fan of her work. I guess it just struck me as odd, given the hype around this is so personal to them, their story, etc.
I wont be going to the tour, but I do hope they produce a decent show. Does anyone know any extra details about the Witney/Lindsey event? I heard they have some friends helping out, but I guess Jenna isn’t one of them. I heard maybe Brooklyn from SYTYCD.
The smart thing to do is to get outside help choreographing their show – interesting to see they chose one of Derek and Julianne’s choreographers for the help. Of course, from how the two of them talk, it is surprising they would have the sense to go this route.
I do agree, sarina, that Maks did have some choreography skills – when he choreographed the DWTS tour I thought he did a great job. It’s just that he can’t teach/choreograph for a non-ringer celebrity. That’s a separate skill and it seems that both he and Val are too unbending to have what it takes.
Yep PH – I agree completely that hiring outside professionals will produce a much better show than anything Val seems capable of at this point. And maybe theres a lot more numbers, which will feature some Maks choreo.
I have always had the opinion that val would probably be an excellent teacher/choreographer for a true ballroom competitor, competing at a high level. As in – a perfectionist on technique, etc. Unfortunately – thats not really what DWTS is, and that strict hard-ass demeanor seems to equate to no fun for his partners. Maybe Im answering my own question here – and maybe thats why he has had Jenna helping out so much because he realizes his efforts aren’t really “crowd pleasers”.
Oh well, I will just remember the times I saw Le Reve – and reminisce in the awesomeness that Maks used to display in his creativity.
It’s the middle of the summer….just been working and spending every other weekend at camp. my Son is spending the next few days with my side of the family camping…slowly buying school supplies for the upcoming school year….I LOVE going to Office Max and Staples :p
Hubby is still laid off–going to school for HVAC which the state pays for…or rather GE. It is what it is.
Can’t wait to hear what DWTS has up it’s sleeves for the upcoming season!!
Too hot to be outside, so I’ve spent the last hour catching up here. So thank you all for the great entertainment!
1) Thrilled for Mark and BCJ. They are so talented and deserve the best!
2) I also wish Mark had been nominated for an Emmy, but realistically several of the other nominations were at least as good as his material this year, and I agree with the point that Mark puts on an excellent Production – whereas Derek is Production plus choreo.
3) Great points about Derek spends his time broadening his horizons. He has truly spent time learning the world, but more importantly I think he enjoys learning from other people and their experiences. Instead of judging them or just thinking they are different – he actually educates himself and finds beauty in the differences.
4) The Val sttmt – hmm, I actually took it a diff way than what was discussed in the thread (and is why I am posting this privately). I took it as him purely taking a shot at Derek. I could see the entire fam thinking that they finally got rid of Derek, and now the show is still promoting him. (Not agreeing with this – just trying to think like the fam seem to). Its like saying “we finally got rid of him and you (TPTB) still aren’t giving anyone else credit?” And by using Marks name, it accomplished 2 things. First – it seems to not be self-promoting to those who dont know his tricks Second – it seems like he and the fam are trying to “claim” Mark. Almost like, they are trying to make him “fam”, while Derek is away. Petty little fam!
5) And the other way I took his sttmt was at least he knows his choreo (or should I say his gf’s choreo) isn’t up to Marks level. Prob the most honest thing we will ever get from him.
6)Psychee22 nailed it with her post in how I see Vals talents. He has a very minimal skill set, but he has perfected whats in that skill set. So his partners get little creativity – and he drills them for perfection. Ive said it before – I think he would be a good ballroom competition coach. But thats all. He’s just not into having fun and entertaining an audience. It gets old and boring.
7) Brings me back to my comment a year ago about I wish they had two scores for each dance. A technical one, and a performance score. (Like ice skating). Because I think it would show clearly where the pros strengths are and are not. IMO – val would get 9.5, and 5.5 averages. Derek would get 9.5, 9.5 averages. And Mark Im guessing 8 and 10 for averages. The man knows how to entertain his audience.
And on that note – maybe I just answered my own question. TPTB probably dont want two scores because it would remind the audience just how boring some of the pros are.
I’ve been quite busy this summer. We just returned from our trip to Pidgeon Forge, Tennessee at their new Ripken Experience field. My grandson’s 12U baseball team came in 3rd place. Which I thought was awesome! Considering the temperatures were around 100 degrees, with the turf’s temperatures actually being around 120 to 130 degrees. They played for 5 days in sweltering heat. So proud of the boys.
Nothing like finishing out the season with an award in hand to take back home and show all your family. Now it’s onto Fall Ball.
I’m only going to say this here….don’t be so sure Derek’s gone for good.
😉
Man, I hope so hope so, Heidi. This show is seriously not the same without Derek.
Sandy, congrats to your Grandson. I’m so glad you’ve had a great summer so far.
Kelly, have fun camping and getting ready for school. It’s hard to believe the summer is almost over.
Care to elaborate, PH? Or barring that, any idea when we’ll know more?
Well, I don’t have a ton of info. I just heard that he’s considering it. I suspect he’s thinking fall, but nothing is for sure. I just heard his schedule might have changed a bit in regard to other things, possibly freeing him up long enough for one season. I don’t see any way he can do more than that, if any at all.
And this part is my opinion based on some things I heard – if he doesn’t do it soon, we won’t see him on the show as a pro again.
Thanks PH! I’ll take what I can get. 🙂 With the part that’s your opinion, is that based on stuff you’ve heard from his side or the show’s (or both)?
My opinion is based on what I know of what he has lined up (SitR and Hairspray, to name two). I don’t think there’s any way you’ll see him on DWTS due to his already booked commitments. I don’t see how it’s possible beyond MAYBE this fall – and even that seems so unlikely to me, but this is Derek we’re talking about. He’s not one to let grass grow, if you get me meaning.
Fair enough. Thanks Heidi!
And less than 24 hours after I make these comments, my “inside info” becomes public. 🙂 SitR has been pushed back a bit. Derek said “a bit” – but who knows how long a bit is in his mind. I prefer NYC in summer over winter anyway, so it’s all good.