General Gabbery: DWTS

[Uncle Owdy]

ari333 Really like your idea of posting the song title on the screen. Seems they could at least put it up during the intro, even if they didn't want to keep it on for the dance. One way or another we could refer to it to check out the song. I have been having some trouble with the camera angles, too. Seem not to show off the dance or put it in a context of the whole. Wishing for less back of the neck shots and more whole couple moving in space and closing in on foot action, or something. But did really like the tight shot of Meryl and Maks last week.

Like your idea. All for making the viewers better able to enjoy what everybody works all weekk to bring.

Oh, and about Knoll replacements:

I had been toying with Where's my tin foil hat? or maybe Under the Tin Foil Hat before finding your Area 51. Your's sounds clean and clinical;kind of giving a scientific aura, Maybe it will add credence or an air of  dignified accuracy to all of our birlliant insights.  And it comes off  less messy and deranged than my thought..

Edited April 8, 2014 by Uncle Owdy

[Uke]

Uncle Owdy,

Thank you so much for expressing my feelings about the dances Derek choreographs for his partners. You expressed my feelings much more eloquently than I have ever been able to. I agree 100% with your assessment, particularly when thinking about Kellie's season. In many of their dances (the Paso specifically comes to mind) I felt that he was dancing while she was posing dramatically behind his movements and it infuriated me because she was super talented and I wanted to see her dance, not see him dance around her. I think his strategy is incredibly successful and smart, particularly in seasons when he has partners who are not natural dance talents (like Amber and Ricki Lake) but it is very frustrating when he has someone who can do so much more. It will be interesting if Mark really gets Amy moving around the dance floor this week in Derek hasn't done yet. 

Derek seems to have 2 modes. When he gets a partner with dance training, he'll work her hard teaching her. When he gets a partner with no dance training, he poses them, drags them around, fills the floor with fog, etc. The problem is he never gets called out for it. He'll get a tongue bath for being so dramatic, so innovative, blah, blah.  Once or twice a season Len will give him a verbal rap on the knuckles to show he's being "fair". But how do you fill the floor with fog and then rave about footwork no one could see?  

Mark is in a difficult situation. Derek has worked with Amy for, what, 5 or 6 weeks now, and Amy hasn't moved independently yet. This week, Mark has had only 6 days to figure out what Amy can and cannot do and then gets a salsa which is not an in-hold dance and has to figure out the adjustments she'll need.  Salsa is not an artsy dance prone to bringing viewers (or CAI) to tears.  It's quite likely the scores won't be as high. (Plus, who knows what remarks Julianne will have in store for him this time around.)  The comparison will be, who's the better choreographer. Derek of course! - right? Artsy, inspiring,  tear-inducing choreography. Or Mark - who got her moving, even if not quite smooth and polished?

Edited April 7, 2014 by Uke

[Uke]

Rrrhumba said: I found it incredibly disrespectful in the all-star season that people were giving Derek all the credit for Shawn Johnson's ability, when it really was a testament to how well Mark had taught her in season 8. Derek fans claiming the choreo credit for him on the perfect scoring tango/paso fusion was particularly funny when you watch her season 8 paso - nearly all the paso steps in the fusion were lifted from her previous season with Mark. Even the dress color and styling were similar.

 

I'm so glad someone besides me noticed!

[smiley13]

Shawn was much better in her season when she was paired with Mark IMO.  She had some good performances with Golden Boy as well, but I just feel that her better match up was with Mark.

[Uncle Owdy]

spanana - really agree with what you said about the pros. Maks and Derek and Val have not only gone out together in New York a couple of months ago, but there have been many pics of them over the years, including lately, going out with each other after the Monday show in LA. I think you're spot on.

Edited April 8, 2014 by Uncle Owdy

[Uncle Owdy]

Warning: Ensuing discussion mentions boards, for those who would rather not continue ...

crowceilidh -  about your idea for a boards thread:

Yes! You really touched me.  What a good idea and it could work to be helpful in several ways. And isn't the best defense against the damage of fan camps going against each other (or being made out to seem to), the common ground meeting space? We could call the thread the Greater DWTS Community Thread ... like the Greater Boston area - that extends out to all places DWTS. It could even be subbed down to break out twitter and facebook and other social media on DWTS, and also blogs, columns, news stories, interviews, discussions groups and boards. Or the media part could be on the separate Media thread.

We could learn to be civil about it if we worked to keep it sane. I have felt so much like you on this. The board is where we come to share our opinions, but I really like the idea of coming to a board where there is a Media thread to check out for all the new media stories and interviews and vids members have found and posted. So much that comes up on google subject capture is some article repeated over and again written from some tweet or rumor or two weeks ago happening. When we find substantive stuff or rehearsal tapes or interviews not shown on the show, it would be great to be able to share them here in a media thread.

And the same goes for other boards and twitter fan groups and the pros' and dancers' tweets.  It is interesting to browse around to see what others are feeling or finding out. The techs who were doing twitter vote statistics would not have learned about the error in vote counting that was causing such grief if they had not put together a pool of information where some people's tweets came together from a connection here and a connection there running across each other and, seeing something wrong, seeking each other out and checking each other's work. Knowing there was a place to go to compare notes would have made that easy.

There is also the issue of "sources say".

I would love to have a thread to go to where people talked about the different reports from sites about what was happening with the rehearsals as the week wears on toward Performance Night.  Lots of people have friends associated with the show. The reputation of a dancer or celeb or producer is vulnerable to the hints and suggestions of a singular "source" that may get quoted enough to spread but is not followed by the eventual correction or modification. Having a thread where the talk showing up in different places can be discussed.

I know we don't want to inflame fan wars. Not a good plan. Would really like something to calm them.  However bad, they are not responsible for what is being blamed on them this week.  Some of the talk is being reframed as fan wars or fan loyalty gone wild   .... and this part about the existence of a mistake in one site's vote count was not coming from  "rival fans trying to make trouble" but from statisticians.

This time, fan groups getting together to compare notes helped stop people from getting hurt. It is a given that the net is a dangerous place and people all over use it to hurt people. There is no oversight on a free medium except the standards of the community of users. The community that makes up PTV has a deep history of providing a safe and civilized space for fans of DWTS to gather, learn, share and express their feelings about all things DWTS. Some readers come here looking for that safe, civil atmosphere to express their uncivil experience elsewhere and find a way past it.  Is there a way that is not offensive or hurtful or illegal to have a board board?

Having the discussion about the other board the last few days was tricky and probably not what some wanted here.They shouldn't have it in their faces without choosing to.( I am sorry for doing anything there that might have offended.) For some others it was too short to encourage opportunity for their responses sharing their experience, comparing notes and questions and checking the validity of what was being discussed.
Maybe a board thread could have allowed that sharing and questioning in a safely monitored way.

Maybe a board thread could include some sharing of other DWTS sites, twitter groups, blogs. statistics. So many comments over there asking about other sites about DWTS that they might visit.  Annie Barrett , long time reviewer of DWTS and friend of Tom, has just announced she is leaving EW.  Where are fans to find her next? If we had a place for members to bring word of the twitter and forum and blog sites they knew about, we would have a list to contact about the new board at ptv!  We could invite Annie over and all her fans.

Had there been a board thread to move the Pure discussion to, once it got started, there may have been a way to continue a discussion that was healthy and useful, accessed only by those interested. In this particular case, there are many, many people who have been cut off from dissent and blocked and hurt and some of them became TWo readers and some are now coming here to check the new place out.

This discussion may not have been one that helped stop the vote thing from moving to the threatened "Proof that DWTS is Rigged"  Exposé article that was due to be posted over there this weekend, and based in large degree on their vote tabulating error.  Several different folks were working to try to get the error shown to the site so they could test it for themselves and correct it for their readers. Whatever the reason, the mods made the decision not to do the article, just before this step-too-far triggered legal action against their own blog site or threatened to start the kind of uproar that could lead to federal investigation or even potential cancellation of the show.

There needs to be somewhere where this stuff could have been seen and shared and figured out together. I won't be going to that site any more, and anyone displeased with them can choose not to. The problem comes when the rest of the DWTS community backs away from fansite that seriously threatens - directly or inadvertently - to undo the show we care about, with ramifications to all the pros, the celebs, the shows personel, and all the fans. 

We need to be able to express our fondness for this show and the people associated with it in ways that help it be fun to watch, interesting to follow and still on TV for us to watch.  The folks who built ptv, I understand,  have a powerful history of creating and maintaining safe and rational discussion areas. Who better for this?

Thanks, crowceilidh. Hope they can take your request and run with it.

Edited April 8, 2014 by Uncle Owdy

[radishcake]

My board participation is an integral part of my enjoyment of the show and being unable to talk about it at all always felt unnecessarily constraining (I grant that the rule was made for a good reason, but as I wasn't around when the rule was made, I don't really understand the reasoning).

 

I think the rule was originally so people didn't drag drama from other boards over. We're not being super strict if it pertains (as this discussion did) to the general discussion. Hopefully we'll all be able to keep chatting and having fun as you guys have so far! :)

[Uncle Owdy]

Trouble Voting Tonight

Several people on twitter reporting tonght that  they are casting votes for Meryl online and the vote screen  afterward  says :

"Your favorite this week is Drew "

Reports are this has happened at least when using Firefox browser and Google Chrome. Seems to happen, not on every vote, but every forth or fifth time.

DWTS producers: Please check this out and fix it!

Also now reports that sign in for voting not working for some using Firefox.

Anybody here have trouble voting tonight?

Opps: Just saw comment on ABC board that iparisi was voting for Candace and was told the vote recorded for Billy Dee. Tonight!

Rosie could not get in using Firefox to vote online so she used the phone and was allowed to vote 11 times instead of 9. Sounds like the voting system needs a little maintainance.

Edited April 8, 2014 by Uncle Owdy

[Jobo05]

I vote using Firefox and it works just fine for me.

[Uncle Owdy]

Great! Thanks, Jobo05

That's good to hear. Hope everybody else voted successfully and that this turns out to be a very short term fluke that was not widespread or long lived. Heard of it in other seasons, but didn't know it was still happening till the screen shots started up on twitter tonight/

Edited April 8, 2014 by Uncle Owdy

[pumpkinspice]

Piping up to say I would really like a boards thread. I think being able to discuss other going on about the show, especially articles or blogs or podcasts, is important. If, like has been said before, it can be done in a peaceful and mature manner.

[ari333]

Just weighing in, I'd much rather read about other boards/news/gossip etc here than to actually click on the other boards' links. They're scary. [/chicken] Some people in other places are insane. There was this one time..  on another board I had an opinion (gasp!)  that disagreed with some insane person and they promptly suggested that I kill myself.... which was absurd and certainly not going to happen, but wow and YIKES. I think I had said that I didn't like someone's dancing or some such and all hell broke loose. It reminds me of Todd Barry's bit, "I like Triscuits, You like Wheat Thins; BOO!" hee.  My point is, thanks to admins and mods for this great place ...full of insightful, witty, snarky, sane, courteous posters even when we have (gasp! clutch pearls!) different opinions.

Sidenote: I was going to say, "There was this one time... in band camp..." but decided I need some new, more recent references. :)

Edited April 9, 2014 by ari333

[marinite]

I flove it too. I wish we had a Knoll here, but I don't know the legalities of that. Or we could have a Knoll and know it's a Knoll, but we can call it something different but still conspiracy-ish... for legal reasons if there are any.... Area 51 or some such.

I wish they'd post the name of the song in the corner of the screen that the couples dance to. Many times I have to go searching elsewhere for the name of the song. So far I'm liking the new band.

If you go to Wikipedia and search DWtS in particular season, they list each song with that couple.  Very convenient!  Type in something like 'Dancing with the Stars (U.S. season 1)' in the search field, scroll, scroll, scroll, et voila.

[JeanneH]

Sorry to bring things down, and I'm not sure where to post this.

I saw a small piece on EW's site today that said Samantha Harris has been diagnosed with breast cancer. She announced this on ET.

[Kromm]

Sorry to bring things down, and I'm not sure where to post this.

I saw a small piece on EW's site today that said Samantha Harris has been diagnosed with breast cancer. She announced this on ET.

Before anyone suggests it, I'd say that this probably had nothing to do with her being booted from the show, because at the time she was expressing quite a lot of shock/dismay at the dismissal (and if she's been diagnosed back then and told the show and they'd booted her the tone of both sides would have been very different).  It's just a horrible coincidence.

[JeanneH]

Before anyone suggests it, I'd say that this probably had nothing to do with her being booted from the show, because at the time she was expressing quite a lot of shock/dismay at the dismissal (and if she's been diagnosed back then and told the show and they'd booted her the tone of both sides would have been very different).  It's just a horrible coincidence.

Are you referring to Brooke, booted just before this season?  As for Samantha, she's going to have a double mastectomy this week, and her diagnosis process has been going on for a while now, according to stories on several websites,

[Kromm]

Are you referring to Brooke, booted just before this season?  As for Samantha, she's going to have a double mastectomy this week, and her diagnosis process has been going on for a while now, according to stories on several websites,

Yeah, I'm half asleep and confused the two.  Back to napping.  

[Snarklepuss]

What was with the band being out of sync with the timing this week?  I know it's a new band so perhaps they're just getting used to things?  I have to say they're good but I'm not sure I'm on board with the new approach to the music.  A lot of the dances are coming out what one of the judges called "staccato", and the music sometimes isn't feeling quite right with the style of dance.  And I'm not sure I like the recent trend in the dancing style either, where everyone is whipped around and posing.  And I'm not a dancer nor anything close, just an average viewer, but even I could see that dance was nowhere near a rhumba.

Very, very sorry to hear about Samantha Harris.

[ari333]

If you go to Wikipedia and search DWtS in particular season, they list each song with that couple.  Very convenient!  Type in something like 'Dancing with the Stars (U.S. season 1)' in the search field, scroll, scroll, scroll, et voila.

Thank you for that!

Now I'm agonizing over the bumper songs. :) I hate that when I know the song, even recent or current hits,  but can't think of the name. [/old] And they only play a snippet so I can't even Google the lyrics.

[Buggin]

Conrad Green is leaving his post as executive producer at DWTS. 

 

 

[Lonesome Rhodes]

My very first reaction after ny shock of learning about SH's illness was that she will get scarce mention for a much, much, much more serious cancer than the one BB-C was facing.  Everyone dropped EVERYthing to fall all over themselves wishing her the best on air.  SH?  Out of sight, out of mind.  Tom will likely make quick mention of it and that'll be it.  The sheer phoniness of everything will be on full display.

Wow!  No more Conrad!  I am a very happy camper.  His true colors have been coming out for several seasons now.  He is just another schlock TV executive.  The Dance mattered little, if at all.  His full-throated defence of the various cutbacks in expense was pathetic.  His insistence on bringing in ancients created the worst mess I have yet seen:  BD Williams.  

Edited April 10, 2014 by Lonesome Rhodes

[legaleagle53]

I think the rule was originally so people didn't drag drama from other boards over. We're not being super strict if it pertains (as this discussion did) to the general discussion. Hopefully we'll all be able to keep chatting and having fun as you guys have so far! :)

That was one reason for the "no talking about the boards on the boards" rule at TWoP.  The other reason was that such discussions very quickly tended to lose focus and become less about the show and more about the posters themselves, thus defeating the purpose of a site that was dedicated to discussion television (as the forum FAQs put it, such discussions tended to make the forum "slide into irrelevance").  In terms of this particular site (and based upon my experience with other sites that allow boards-on-boards discussions), encouraging boards-on-boards talk is a sure-fire way to have people violating this site's Prime Directive, which is, "don't be a dick to other posters."

That's just my opinion, naturally. 

[crowceilidh]

Your opinion, legaleagle53, is why I suggested a separate thread for that purpose. Then, when there's an issue of b-on-b, those people who are interested can adjourn to another room.  There have been many many times when I have wanted to discuss another's board's viewpoint on an issue  -- maybe if we started it differently, and profitted from past experience, we might stay free to do so.

[RescueMom]

For anyone else who read her DWTS recaps and was terribly sad when Annie Barrett was let go from EW, she has landed at the Hollywood Reporter.  She did a recap there last week as well, and here's a link to this week's recap: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/dancing-stars-recap-dont-you-698095

Edited April 22, 2014 by RescueMom

[Uke]

Thanks for the link - I was wondering where she went.

Hope she resumes "hidden gems" but I think readers helped her by sending screen pics to her.

[spanana]

Not entirely sure where to put this, but team dances this week.  The teams were apparently chosen by the celeb captains without the pros present (interesting).  Meryl and Charlie are captains since presumably they are the two highest scorers at this point.

Team Meryl: Meryl/Maks, Danica/Val, Amy/Derek, Candace/Mark

Team Charlie: Charlie/Sharna, James/Peta, NeNe/Tony

I'm going to assume Meryl chose Danica first and Charlie chose James first.  Teams are pretty lopsided though.  Not necessarily in terms of the quality of the celeb dancers, but in terms of pros.  I'm pretty sure Derek and Val if they put their heads together in terms of choreography could easily wipe the floor with whatever Peta and Tony manage to come up with.

However a team of the C. bros, Derek and Mark is pretty funny.  Will there be drama?  Not drama, but I could see them all butting heads on who is taking the lead on choreography.  I'm more amused for the sake of their warring fanbases who actually have to root for the same thing for once.

Edited April 22, 2014 by spanana

[COESpiral]

However a team of the C. bros, Derek and Mark is pretty funny.  Will there be drama?  Not drama, but I could see them all butting heads on who is taking the lead on choreography.

 

Part of me wonders if because Derek is in charge of the MSOD that someone else would handle team dance choreo.  I mean, I'm sure the guy has a million ideas but wouldn't it be more prudent to let someone else (aka Val) take charge for this dance?

And yes, watching certain factions have to root for Derek with Maks/Val (and vice versa) should be prime entertainment.

[spanana]

I realized after I wrote that anyway that Maks will be out of town much of the week, as will Sharna on the other side.  So I assume Maks wouldn't be taking the reins anyway. 

[Woodrose]

Bad News.  Danica is injured, may not be able to continue.  She sent the following tweet an hour ago:

So...I broke a rib in yesterday's #DWTS rehearsal. Trying my best to pull thru and could use your prayers!! #wanttokeepdancing
https://twitter.com/...742581367521281


Damn, that's not good.  Probably trying to do a lift.  I remember Melissa broke a rib during her first season.

[fembotz]

What happened with Melissa? Did she leave the competition? I didn't watch that season. 

 

I feel terrible for Danica, she was obviously having a blast and improving week to week IMO. 

[RemoteControl88]

I really hope she can pull through.  She LOVED being on the show that was obvious every week.  I was hoping to see her do a paso or rumba.  VERY bummed.  Fingers crossed she and Val can continue to dance :(

[Mrs. P.]

 

What happened with Melissa? Did she leave the competition? I didn't watch that season.

She continued with the season.  IIRC, she was given a pass for one week - she was judged her on her rehearsal dance (before she was hurt) since she was unable to dance the next night.  She got through that week and wound up taking 3rd place.

[Dots And Stripes]

Yep, Melissa had some ups and downs with her rib injury and it got worse on show day so she missed a week, but was able to continue with the competition after. I remember Maria broke everything under the sun too. There might have been others through the years with broken or bruised ribs.

 

It's a painful injury for sure, but I didn't gather from Danica's tweet that she's likely to drop out just yet. Time will tell.

[CED9]

I feel bad for Danica, because rib injuries are unpredictable and there's literally nothing you can do for them. Though, it would be convenient for her to have to sit out during Team Dance week with the teams being uneven.

No conspiracy, just an observation.

[Bitsy]

I really like Danica and Val - watching them dance and improve from week to week, but also watching for signs of drama.  She's an actress, and she strikes me as a bit insecure. 

 

The snarky side of me thinks Danica was sticking pins in the ribs of her Meryl voodoo doll and something went wrong with the spell.

[Uke]

Mark Fans

Not sure where to put this - seems Mark doesn't have his own thread.

 

Wednesday (4/23) Mark filmed the music video for his next single "Get My Name". 

Witney Carson is a dancer, Derek Hough directed, Misha Gabriel choreographed.  His 8-piece Sayers band appear to be playing the music.

Mark broke the news on his video chat yesterday. From Mark's description and the pictures online, the setting is 1920s style speakeasy.  There's two pages of pictures at http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/Search.aspx?EventId=486948049#  The single and the music video drop on May 5.

(I guess this explains his current hair style?)

[Kromm]

I really like Danica and Val - watching them dance and improve from week to week, but also watching for signs of drama.  She's an actress, and she strikes me as a bit insecure. 

 

The snarky side of me thinks Danica was sticking pins in the ribs of her Meryl voodoo doll and something went wrong with the spell.

 

Yep, Melissa had some ups and downs with her rib injury and it got worse on show day so she missed a week, but was able to continue with the competition after. I remember Maria broke everything under the sun too. There might have been others through the years with broken or bruised ribs.

 

It's a painful injury for sure, but I didn't gather from Danica's tweet that she's likely to drop out just yet. Time will tell.

It effectively means, even at best, that she's done for IMO--it could just be in slow motion.  You can certainly continue, but it seems fairly inconceivable that you could do ambitious enough moves, or not be affected by the pain, movement restriction, lost sleep and bad rest, etc. enough to WIN.

[Flick]

Going through the pictures on that was strange because for the most part my initial reaction to the photos was that it was Mark doing a modernized take on Buddy Holly (sans glasses), but then the few shots they showed the dancers in made it appear that it's 1920s. It's weird because the shots of the stage set up definitely read mid to late 50s to me but then there's definitely a flapper inspired dress on one of the female dancers. Maybe it's just that I've done Buddy one too many times at this point in my life and automatically see it.

[kitcloudkicker]

With all the injuries (Amy and Danica - ribs, Meryl - toe, Charlie - potential knee tweak?), and some of the commentary I'm seeing that "it's just that time of the season," I wonder why they wouldn't want to give the cast a "bye week" halfway through. Would they really lose that much momentum? If football fans can deal, it seems like this show could deal. I mean, probably not gonna happen because, money, but I'd much rather see healthy (well, healthier) cast members than see people forced to drop out or struggle through the competition on injuries. A week off wouldn't heal everything, but it'd ease the burden a bit. 

[Uke]

I don't follow football so I don't know what a "bye week" is, but I'm guessing you mean an enforced break. DWTS could certainly do that. Make everyone stop rehearsing for a week to rest and recuperate. For that week's show, it could be non-competing/eliminated pros in pro dances, troupe dances, background on each of the remaining stars, confessionals, bloopers from the prior weeks rehearsals, Dance Center for humorous assessments of the remaining stars, judges' chat of the remaining stars.  There's 6 stars left. A 2-hour show is approximately 124 minutes excluding commercials. They could do 10 minutes on each star, interspersed with dancing and other things I mentions. I think that would a fun and interesting midway break. They would have to have a double elimination to get down to 4 for the finale but I don't think that would be such a big deal.

[TeeM]

I don't follow football so I don't know what a "bye week" is, but I'm guessing you mean an enforced break. DWTS could certainly do that. Make everyone stop rehearsing for a week to rest and recuperate. For that week's show, it could be non-competing/eliminated pros in pro dances, troupe dances, background on each of the remaining stars, confessionals, bloopers from the prior weeks rehearsals, Dance Center for humorous assessments of the remaining stars, judges' chat of the remaining stars.  There's 6 stars left. A 2-hour show is approximately 124 minutes excluding commercials. They could do 10 minutes on each star, interspersed with dancing and other things I mentions. I think that would a fun and interesting midway break. They would have to have a double elimination to get down to 4 for the finale but I don't think that would be such a big deal.

I think I saw an interview with Maks a few years back where he suggested this exact thing. He said that by the time you get just past the halfway point, everyone is physically and mentally exhausted. He suggested letting the pros put together an awesome show for that one night and the celebs could get a break. I think it would be great for everyone. I'd love to see some more dances from the pros. 

[RescueMom]

I'd love to see some more dances from the pros. 

 

I would love to see the pros do killer performances of some of the regular dances - we almost never see that on this show.  One of my favorite pro performances is the waltz that Anna and Jonathan danced as tribute to their friend back in season 14. I would love to see the pros do quickstep, tango, waltz, samba, etc, etc, etc instead of the Stars of Dance type performances all the time.

[Uke]

Half of me says YES! I really miss the pro dances. But the other half of me thinks the competing pros need a midway break too. They get pretty beat up trying to wrangle inexperience stars' bodies into "dancers", especially now that lifts are the norm right from the start.

 

One of my favorites was Anna & Jonathan dancing to (Anna floating in the air to) Hallelujah and I'm still waiting for a re-Duel with Mark, Val, Tanisha & Lacey.

 

I wonder why DWTS has never had an all-pro Christmas special.  Those shows are usually filmed in the summer from what I've heard. They could do it right after the May finale before all the pros scatter to other projects.

[marinite]

Howdy - I seem to recall Tom mentioning last Monday night that the pros are indeed going to dance against each other for the May 5th show!  That will be awesome!

[Uke]

Howdy - I seem to recall Tom mentioning last Monday night that the pros are indeed going to dance against each other for the May 5th show!  That will be awesome!

 

 

Oh, I was referring to Mark + Val's "Toxic Duel" with Lacey + Tanisha (one of Mark's Vibe dance students)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qljhFMFGQDA

[Bella]

By bearcatfan, moved from an episode thread:

 

I hope that this isn't going over the line but I'm stunned at what I just read elsewhere and need to vent.

I ended up at a site (quite by accident the first time) that is known for loving Derek. They also have an inside source which is why I ended up reading it rather than running as I had heard warnings about it. Someone, who was a new poster, stated, in a  matter of fact manner, that she felt Amy had been over scored and didn't feel the judges were judging her based on what she was putting out there but based on sympathy for her condition. One of the mods basically tried to pick a fight with her and after several attempts by the person to say that she was only expressing her opinion and wasn't trying to tell anyone how to vote, that same mod must have banned her because of the post the mods put up. It was like a train wreck, I knew I should walk away but I kept refreshing and reading. The person in question was not confrontational or aggressive. The worst thing she said was that the mod was being passive-aggressive and she didn't appreciate it. She was right, the mod was trying to get an argument going (I imagine it was so that she had a reason to ban her). The other mod doesn't seem to be that bad and I'm not sure why this one is allowed to do this. Don't they realize that this is why they have the reputation they do?

I thought people were exaggerating because they didn't care for Derek but if anything, the reality was worse than what I heard. Derek doesn't bother me so this was not seen through Derek hating glasses. Just wow.

I appreciate this place and TWOP so much more after that.

[TeeM]

I saw the same thing over there, Bella. I thought the particular poster who was being attacked (and eventually deleted, I think. I don't see all of her posts over there anymore, just the mods response to her posts) was actually making fairly reasonable points and stated more than once that she was not trying to assert that her points were fact but that they were her opinions, which seems totally reasonable to me. Not sure why her posts got that mod so up in arms. 

[Toonces464]

One of the hosts in particular over there does not take kindly to anything that even remotely doesn't put Derek and his partners up on a pedestal. That's why I go there to read their scoops but have refrained from becoming a poster.

[bearcatfan]

Thanks for moving my post over Bella. I just went into the first thread I saw and if I had been thinking more clearly, I would have put it here to begin with.

 

The whole thing was just surreal. I always thought one of the jobs of a mod was to try to keep the peace so to speak rather than try to incite a fight. There's no doubt in my mind that was her sole purpose, to start a fight. It's a shame as it looks like they do know someone on the inside and one of the other mods has some ballroom dance experience who basically confirmed what I'd been thinking all along about Charlie's dances being more difficult than the dances of everyone else.

 

Yes, the person who's posts were deleted made some very valid points and she was not being confrontational at all. Despite what they say, they really don't like someone saying anything outside of the party line.

[COESpiral]

I'm not sure if this goes here or in the week 8 thread but there's an article in OK magazine with Abby Lee Miller talking about her being a guest judge this week and her past spat with Derek and Mark. (I'm not on my computer so I can't link to it.) All I know is, I don't care what she does to them. They're big boys and they can handle her. I just don't want Candace and/or Amy to get caught in their crossfire. I've never seen her show nor have any desire to watch but I've heard enough about her to dread this week.

Edited May 3, 2014 by COESpiral