Dancing With The Stars [AU] - General Discussion

[Meredith Quill]

Discuss Dancing With The Stars [AU] here!

[legaleagle53]

Kym, I know, and Todd, I know (his reputation as Australia's answer to the worst of Len Goodman and Craig Revel Horwood combined is known even in the States), and I know Helen as the "dirty old lady," but who's Adam?  He's cute, and he seems to know a thing or two about dancing, but what's his background?

 

And is it just me, or has Kym's native accent come back in full force now that she's back at home?

[legaleagle53]

Dan doesn't bother me as host (although I think he tries a little too hard to be the Australian Tom Bergeron, and it doesn't quite work), but I can see why everyone thought Sonia Krueger was perfect for the job of co-hostess.  The woman who replaced her seems rather blah by comparison.

[legaleagle53]

Nice way to start off the new series, I thought.

 

Kym is really good as a judge here (but I can't help thinking about how much I miss her on our version, even if by coming back here, she's really just gone back to her roots).

 

I thought the dances were all great, except for the Carnation guy -- that was just painful to watch.  But what was up with Todd and that one Foxtrot that he said broke the rules?  I didn't see any problems with it; I thought there was plenty of Foxtrot content, and while it would have gotten dinged for the lifts in the States, as far as the overall choreography was concerned, I've seen Derek Hough and Mark Ballas get away with far worse crimes against the dances than what I saw here.  So what exactly was Todd's beef that caused him to humiliate a newbie pro like that?

[legaleagle53]

Carmelo's still as sexy as ever, I see!

[legaleagle53]

OK, Aussies, exactly who's who among this year's A- I mean, D-listers?

[Robert]

There are no real A-listers on the show. No Nicole Kidmans or Hugh Jackmans, heck no major Sporting Stars this season as well.

B-Listers

Lynne McGranger - I wouldn't quiet say she is the Deirde Hall of Aussie Soaps, more like Suzanne Rogers - a solid presences that has been on the tele for a couple of decades.

Rikki-Lee Coulter - reasonably successful a few years ago post Idol, but she is now dangerously being known for just appearing on multiple reality televisions shows.

Mark Holden - a 70s has been that found minor fame again being an Idol judge

Torah Bright - everybody loves an Olympic Gold Medalists, though it was not really in one of the sports we care about either.

Kyly Clarke - the friendly happy face with a great smile that is a regular on morning television. The alternative spelling of her name drives me crazy however.

C-Listers

Eamon Sullivan - only an Olympic Silver medalist, so nobody remembers him (tough but accurate). Most remembered for his more successful (and gobby-mouthed) ex-Girlfriend

Tai Hara - a newbie to the soapie world, currently just another pretty face with buff body

David Rodan & Matt Cooper - football codes are quiet insular and state based in Australia, and very very few footballers get known outside of their code/club really, and these two guys ain't cracking the big time either with television or commentary.

Z-Listers (aka I don't know who the heck they)

Ashley Hart

April Rose Pengilly

Edited October 5, 2014 by Robert

[Robert]

To answer your question about the rules, the one thing I have noticed in the US version is that when dancers get called out on breaking the rules (especially in the Quickstep I've noticed), Carrie-Anne, Len and Bruno seem to still mark them relatively highly. Best example I can think of is when Nicole Scherzinger was raked over the coals by Len for breaking the rules in the Quickstep and still got a really high score of 8/6/9.

The judges in the Australian version do mark down heavily for both vagrant rule breaking and dances that contain very little ballroom. Todd has always been the harshest in the judging but the other judges still mark pretty low as well. A few years back one of the contestants famously got 4/40 for his Paso Doble which really was nothing but him wiggling on the dance floor and his partner dancing around him.

Kym is adorable and I am so glad she is judging now. She just is plane sweet!

[legaleagle53]

Cheers, Robert.. Now I can at least get some grasp of who's who.

 

Mark was just plain awful, wasn't he?  Dicko was a far better dancer when he did the show (I still have the Week 2 and Week 3 episodes of his series on tape, in fact)!

[SnideAsides]

Actually, now that you mention it, there is a surprising lack of celebreality mainstays this time around. Aside from the two Idol people, I think the only one who's done a reality show before is Eamon (who won Celebrity Masterchef and I want to say also did that Australia's Greatest Athlete or whatever it was called that Channel Nein kept trying to make work on Saturday afternoons?).

[SnideAsides]

He's a professional tap dancer and actor, most famous from Coyote Ugly and the Sydney Olympics.

[Robert]

Mark was bad, but I will admit he was a gentleman throughout the show with very little ego and who could laugh at himself, which is something that would appeal to the voting public. Still none the less, I don't think he is long for the DWTS world.

 

Dicko on the other hand was brilliant.

 

And the most brilliant thing about him was that as good as he dished things out (constructive and otherwise) when he was a judge, he was able to take it on the chin and learn from anything given to him as well. Plus all indications I've heard and seen are that as much as Dicko was the 'mean judge' on Australian Idol, he is a gentleman in real life.

 

Dicko's downfall in DWTS (other then Chris and Ada being better dancers) I believe was the 'themeing' all his dances to the point where the actual dance got lost in the colourful but somewhat meaninless narative that was constructed. Though I think any criticism there really belonged to his dance partner Leanne Brampton, who did the same thing the follwing season with Toby Allen. Toby was far far and away the best dancer of season four but every single frigging week his dances had to have some sort of theme to them. Leanne didn't seem to allow either partners strength as a dancer (and the dance itself) take the centre stage. At first the judges praised  them (quiet rightly) for his dancing aspect, but they did start to waine in their lovin' towards the end (both funnily enough crashed and burned with their Quickstep - Dicko's Muppet themed and Toby's Duel Banjos - fun and energetic - but just very little Quickstep)

[SnideAsides]

Toby's Rocky Horror Jive is still one of my favourite DWTSAU routines though. (But despite easily being the least famous person ever cast for a celebreality show, Arianne Caoili is my favourite contestant? I think it's because she got St. Carmelo as her partner.)

[legaleagle53]

The Sydney Olympics?  How was he involved in that?

[legaleagle53]

Yes, it definitely helps when your pro is a hunk!

[Robert]

Watching those clips of Toby again where a great trip down memory lane. But it believes holds up my theory of Toby's dancing being superb, second to none and really on point, but them all just getting lost in whatever kooky theme Leeanne came up with that week. Voters just started to remember the themes' and not the dancing itself.

 

Arianne Caoili was great! And IIRC she was another victim to one of Todd's 'righteous' attacks (about previous dancing experience). I understand why Kouta won that season in the end (his storyline/journey as well as dancing improvement hit the mark exactly when it needed too. Something Todd talked about a few times this week to a few contestants as well.

 

If anything the controversy of Todd's attack on her I think helped propel her into the final over Tamsyn or Andrew. Lets face it, Arianne while a brilliant dancer, was one of the biggest unknowns of any of the contestants to every appear on the show. Regardless of her Chess prowess, she was only known for being the women two Chess Nerds got into a fistfight about.

 

I think Nikki Webster, Jason Smith, Arianne Caoili and now Robbie need to form a Todd McKenney Righteous Attack Recovery Support Group. ;)

 

I did love the joy on Lynne's face when she saw she got Carmello as a partner in the preview clips (who wouldn't?!). I would love to see Carmello to win a season (even though I don't think it will be with Lynne). I can see her getting to final three or four if she doesn't turn into a disaster based on her H&A strength alone.

[Robert]

I say Len Goodman has nothing on Todd McKenney. Len can be a cranky old man when he wants to be (especially when dancers break the basic rules of a particular dance (ie breaking hold in the Quickstep)), but Todd can be down right nasty and mean when he wants to be. He is more the Simon Cowell of the DWTS world.

[legaleagle53]

Apparently, you've never seen his Australian compatriot Craig Revel Horwood in action on Strictly Come Dancing.(the British parent show). Craig makes Todd and Len look like Mother Teresa when it comes to critiquing the dances.

[legaleagle53]

I just want to see Carmello half-naked!

 

Oops, did I say that out loud?

[Robert]

Yes you are correct, I have never seen 'Strictly Come Dancing' but now I have to YouTube some of Craig's critiques.

 

I have always found it interesting that meanness and nastiness in reality television judging in the UK has always been looked on more favourably where as in Australia it will go down like a lead balloon no matter how much the contestant deserves it or will learn from it.

[Kromm]

Apparently, you've never seen his Australian compatriot Craig Revel Horwood in action on Strictly Come Dancing.(the British parent show). Craig makes Todd and Len look like Mother Teresa when it comes to critiquing the dances.

Yes, it's interesting that Len is the "nice" judge on that panel (even Bruno is meaner than him often).

[Robert]

Interestingly I mentioned that both Ashley Hart and April Rose Pingelly where the two complete unknowns in the comp and they where the first two out. 

I am mildly surprised they had an elimination tonight since we had an injury elimination.

 

Lynne McGranger is now my favourite!

 

Mark Holden's clown costume... yeah... just not right.

[SnideAsides]

Oy, Mark Holden. That was painful to watch.

[legaleagle53]

I didn't see the routine (Seven apparently made Kym Johnson's YouTube fansite take down the clips that were being posted), but I saw the aftermath with the judges. That alone was painfully embarrassing to watch.  As for the dance itself, when even Kym tells you that the routine is crap and gives you a 1, you've definitely got a problem.

 

Incidentally, Mark would never have gotten a mere 4 on our version.  At worst, he'd have gotten 5s across the board for a total of 20, since our judges apparently don't believe in scoring a routine as anything less than a 5, no matter how bad it is!

[Robert]

If you somehow can bypass the zonal thing, the official Channel 7 website does have the full episodes on its catch-up page. You'll just be subjected to ads like it was on the tele and it is buggy as all heck.

 

What is the lowest the US version has scored? I just cannot imagine Carrie Ann or Bruno being that mean! LOL! Carrie Ann plays the Paula-nice card way to much sometimes.

 

Kym was a little bit of the mean judge herself tonight! It was pretty cool! Granted it was Kym-mean which isn't that bad and she was still a sweatheart.

 

I am not sure of there is enough traffic here to justify a DWTS In the Media fora, but I found this article interesting:

 

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/mark-holden-a-clowning-disaster-on-dancing-with-the-stars-20141015-1165cl.html

 

I'm surprised he is a barrister these days!

[Dots And Stripes]

I didn't see the routine (Seven apparently made Kym Johnson's YouTube fansite take down the clips that were being posted), but I saw the aftermath with the judges. That alone was painfully embarrassing to watch.  As for the dance itself, when even Kym tells you that the routine is crap and gives you a 1, you've definitely got a problem.

 

Incidentally, Mark would never have gotten a mere 4 on our version.  At worst, he'd have gotten 5s across the board for a total of 20, since our judges apparently don't believe in scoring a routine as anything less than a 5, no matter how bad it is!

That's what has me suspicious. Has Kym ever pulled out even a 2 before? I just can't imagine all four judges pulling out a 1 unless someone had planted the idea. I think I stumbled across something saying ratings haven't been good so far. 

 

The routine was up on youtube (it might still be there) and while it was bad, I could see judges giving it a 4 or 5 out of kindness. To be fair, it was jazz. If producers are going to assign jazz, a dance I've been told has no rules, no one should be shocked when the result is something that defies rules. He did at least attempt a few steps that resembled dancing. I can't shake the feeling producers wanted buzz and so they ran with it. Bad dancing is nothing new or even that unusual. Maybe Mark's reputation played into it too, but I personally don't know anything about him.

 

I was more shocked to see April go just because she's Aric's partner. I thought for sure she'd be a finalist on that alone. 

 

The only celebrity I had ever heard of was Torah, so I really have no idea how famous these people are relative to one another. 

[legaleagle53]

That's what has me suspicious. Has Kym ever pulled out even a 2 before? I just can't imagine all four judges pulling out a 1 unless someone had planted the idea. I think I stumbled across something saying ratings haven't been good so far.  

 

I've seen it happen on the German and New Zealand versions -- in fact, I definitely remember that New Zealand also had a routine that was so bad that it got straight 1s.

 

It's extremely rare (and as I said, would never happen on the US version or on the British Strictly Come Dancing), but it does happen.

[Dots And Stripes]

I've seen it happen on the German and New Zealand versions -- in fact, I definitely remember that New Zealand also had a routine that was so bad that it got straight 1s.

 

It's extremely rare (and as I said, would never happen on the US version or on the British Strictly Come Dancing), but it does happen.

I'm sure it does happen somewhere. My guess is those judges would use other low paddles more often.Every judge is different. I wouldn't be surprised to see Craig give a 1 on Strictly, but I would be shocked to see that from Bruno or Darcy. I still say it's odd that Kym would suddenly break out the 1 paddle when she seldom gives anything lower than a 5. 

[Robert]

When David Graham scored a 4/40 (the only other person on the Australian version to score the minimum) he was doing the Paso Doble (is it just me, but Paso Doble is the one name I am CONSTANTLY having to recheck to see if I spelt it right!)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOyk7NEWHDw here it is for those that are interested.

 

The thing is it was bad, no question about it, but 4/40 worthy? Possibly.. as David really didn't actually dance (at all) as more then flex his muscles and pose for the entire routine while Eliza danced around him - and while I can see why they where scored that, the one benefit I've always thought with the Paso Doble, compared to other dances at any rate (correct me if I am wrong), is the man can get away with so much more (i.e. being a weaker dancer) because the man being the 'bull fighter' can be the strong and stoic and not doing a whole heap because it 'fits the story' (this is not to say this is a great excuse and they score good, it just is not 4/40), I have seen a few weaker male celebrities over the many seasons of DwtS get a free pass so to speak with the Paso Doble and have a 'mediocre' week instead of a 'bad' week!

 

But that is getting a bit of topic, so back on it... Compared to David who really didn't do any dancing at all, Mark Holden did actually do a few moves (as awkward as they where and often getting overwhelmed by the clown suit).

[SnideAsides]

The Sydney Olympics?  How was he involved in that?

He was the lead dancer for the tap-dancing section in the Opening Ceremony (which the link directs to).

[Dots And Stripes]

I like Torah and I wish she had a stronger partner. Whose brilliant idea was it to give her a contemporary dancer who is too short for her?

 

Ricki Lee has also won me over and so has her partner Jared. They have a really fun partnership. I think Ricki Lee sometimes goes overboard with the "acting" in her dances, like in her foxtrot, but I appreciate that she's a performer. Does she have any chance at winning this or should I just resign myself to another male star victory now?

[legaleagle53]

Apparently, Matthew Mitcham has signed on for the upcoming series (but, alas, not with a male partner.  Australia still doesn't have the balls to go there, I guess!).

[SnideAsides]

The rumoured cast list:

 

Matthew Mitcham (diver)

John Paul Young (1970s singer)

Larry Emdur (former Price is Right host, currently doing morning TV)

Tim Robards (guy from The Bachelor, voted off I'm a Celebrity at the first possible chance earlier this year)

Mat Rodgers (rugby player)

Jude Bolton (former Australian Rules player)

Lynette Bolton (Jude's wife, strong contender for prestigious "least famous star ever" award)

Samantha Harris (model)

Kelly Cartwright (Paralympian track & field athlete, London 2012 gold medallist)

Emma Freedman (radio presenter, former rival-network breakfast TV weathergirl)

Ash Pollard (My Kitchen Rules contestant, zzzzzzzz)

[legaleagle53]

The rumoured cast list:

 

Matthew Mitcham (diver)

John Paul Young (1970s singer)

Larry Emdur (former Price is Right host, currently doing morning TV)

Tim Robards (guy from The Bachelor, voted off I'm a Celebrity at the first possible chance earlier this year)

Mat Rodgers (rugby player)

Jude Bolton (former Australian Rules player)

Lynette Bolton (Jude's wife, strong contender for prestigious "least famous star ever" award)

Samantha Harris (model)

Kelly Cartwright (Paralympian track & field athlete, London 2012 gold medallist)

Emma Freedman (radio presenter, former rival-network breakfast TV weathergirl)

Ash Pollard (My Kitchen Rules contestant, zzzzzzzz)

 

I did a double-take when I read the name in bold.  Our version's second hostess was named Samantha Harris, and my immediate thought was "Why is she doing the Australian version?"

 

And Matthew Mitcham is already confirmed as being part of this.  When people commented on Twitter about the fact that he wasn't assigned a male pro to dance with, he basically shrugged and said that he loved his assigned pro partner nonetheless.

Edited June 25, 2015 by legaleagle53

[SnideAsides]

Matthew, Matt, and Ash are definitely in the cast; the rest are just heavily speculated right now.

[legaleagle53]

Yes, it's interesting that Len is the "nice" judge on that panel (even Bruno is meaner than him often).

 

Speaking of Bruno, he's back as a guest judge this series (lucky Australia!).

[SnideAsides]

Adam's out.

[Robert]

Will this season appears to be the biggest bunch of Z-Listers ever. Does anybody know what happened to the rumoured All-Stars season? Even I, who knows way to much pop-culture for my own good is struggling to know who half these folks are. You know it is pretty bad when Channel 7 couldn't even dredge up one Home & Away starlet.

 

The only people I'd remotely call a star are Matthew Mitcham and Larry Emdur. Okay maybe I'll sort of count Ash Pollard's hair as well... ;) héhéhé.

 

Hmmm... talking about hair Stefan would've been a good contestant (And even though he hasn't been relevant for 25 odd years, he still would be more famous then half these folk!)

 

I think the SMH article title 'Who are these People?' says it all!

 

I am slightly offended at these various people (on the web) making stupid comments about Matthew Mitcham dancing with a same-sex partner. I don't recall any of the other GLBT contestants (Ian Roberts, Tim Campbell, Molly Meldrum & David Graham) being subject to such tripe. If we where to do a same sex partnership in the future (which would be actually pretty intersting) - it shouldn't be based on the contestants sexuality!

 

As somebody that use to love this show and once upon a time, would rearrange things around it so I wouldn't miss an episode... It I just feel really tired and needs either a change-up in concept or a long hiatus.

Edited July 20, 2015 by Robert

[legaleagle53]

Will this season appears to be the biggest bunch of Z-Listers ever. Does anybody know what happened to the rumoured All-Stars season? Even I, who knows way to much pop-culture for my own good is struggling to know who half these folks are. You know it is pretty bad when Channel 7 couldn't even dredge up one Home & Away starlet.

 

The only people I'd remotely call a star are Matthew Mitcham and Larry Emdur. Okay maybe I'll sort of count Ash Pollard's hair as well... ;) héhéhé.

 

Hmmm... talking about hair Stefan would've been a good contestant (And even though he hasn't been relevant for 25 odd years, he still would be more famous then half these folk!)

 

I think the SMH article title 'Who are these People?' says it all!

 

I am slightly offended at these various people (on the web) making stupid comments about Matthew Mitcham dancing with a same-sex partner. I don't recall any of the other GLBT contestants (Ian Roberts, Tim Campbell, Molly Meldrum & David Graham) being subject to such tripe. If we were to do a same sex partnership in the future (which would be actually pretty interesting) - it shouldn't be based on the contestants sexuality!

 

But a same-sex pairing with two heterosexual members of the same sex wouldn't make sense because there'd be no logical reason to put two straight men or two straight women together as a competitive team.  Having Matthew dance with another man would at least be logical (assuming that he had even requested a male pro; I've seen no evidence that he gave any thought to it one way or the other).

[Robert]

Why would it be logical? Just because he is gay? That kinda is what I find (really) offensive sorry.

[legaleagle53]

Yes, because he is gay.  He'd naturally want to dance with someone he felt the most comfortable around and with whom he could form the most organic connection.  I know I would, which is why I, as a gay man, would request a male pro in a heartbeat if that were an option.   Why is that such an offensive idea?

Edited July 21, 2015 by legaleagle53

[legaleagle53]

I have to say, Kym really impresses me as a judge.  She's like the Australian Paula Abdul, except that Kym actually knows what she's talking about and doesn't come across as out of it the way Paula always did on American Idol.  I love, in fact, how all four of the judges (including Bruno) put emphasis on the technical aspects of the dances compared to the US version.

[legaleagle53]

So, did anyone in or outside of Australia watch besides me?

 

My favorite dance of the night was Emma's Viennese Waltz.  I thought it was beautifully done; it was very light and elegant, and I thought Emma's frame was nearly perfect.  I think she is going to be one to watch this year -- the Jive I think is going to be her Latin dance as well.

 

John Paul Young's Foxtrot was painful to watch.  I thought his posture was horrible, he was stiff throughout, and I almost wonder whether that bit where he almost slammed into the judges' table was really choreographed -- he seemed so out of control there.

 

Thoughts?  I think it's going to be a fun series (and it's up on YouTube for the time being, at least until Seven gets wind of it)!

[legaleagle53]

Incidentally, John Paul Young is rubbish as a dancer, but I definitely want him to stick around long enough to get the Samba so he can dance it to his signature tune -- oh, the humanity!

[Dots And Stripes]

I watched from outside Australia! I really liked Matt, both in his personality and his dancing. He was a lot of fun. 

 

I'm getting the sense Larry is a big deal in Australia. Is that right? I thought he suffered from the same problem as the Boltons, lots of stops and starts, avoiding the assigned dance at times. 

 

Poor Carmelo isn't winning this time either. I like Jared and I think Ashley has a lot of potential, so that's good. I'm curious about Josh but sadly I don't think he'll be around long. His partner looked so elegant at moments, but she looked too scared overall.

[SnideAsides]

Larry's a morning television host more famous as being linked to a hilariously long string of failed game shows over the past 25 years, including but not limited to Celebrity Splash (on which Matt Mitcham was a judge), Celebrity Dog School, a shortlived revival of Wheel of Fortune, Family Double Dare, and three separate versions of The Price is Right in three decades.

[legaleagle53]

And incidentally, the dance clips are available on the show's official website to anyone regardless of geography.  Of course, that means that we miss the judges' comments, which normally wouldn't bother me, but since Kym is on the panel, it's a bummer!

[legaleagle53]

I'm curious as to what Australians think of Bruno.  I'm finding him to be not nearly as annoying in Australia as he is in the US and the UK.  I think Kym must have a tranquilizing effect on him, as he's not as all over the place as he is on the other versions, and he seems to be more focused on the actual technique.  From what I've seen on Twitter, the Australians love seeing him and Kym together.

[legaleagle53]

Psst -- would one of the mods mind fixing the thread title?  I think I got the series number wrong.  We're only in Season 15, but I thought it was Season 17 for some reason.  Thanks!

[legaleagle53]

Well, the right couple definitely went home.  As lovely as it was that John Paul Young got to dance the Samba to his signature song (and who among us didn't see that coming?), it was downright painful to watch.

 

I had forgotten how sexy Carmelo is, and I was impressed with the way he defended his celebrity against Todd's criticism.  Can we get Kym and Bruno to bring him back to the States with them?  Pretty please?

 

The jury is still out on the new host and hostess, by the way.  I like the new host, but I think he's trying just a little too hard to show how hip he is.  The new hostess, I think, bears a passing resemblance to Sonia Krueger, but she doesn't quite have Sonia's sharpness.

 

So what was everyone else's favorite dance of the night?  I thought, for example, the best male dance was Mat's Contemporary, just for the way he sold the emotion of the dance (and mind you, I HATE Contemporary).