DWTS Media Thread

[bbnbama]

I thought it might be easier to create a Media thread for articles that we find that may not pertain to one particular contestant/pro but rather to the entire cast or show itself.

This is the cover story for TV Guide

Link Here

Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Backstage, Dancing with the Stars Is More Grit Than Glitz
by Deborah Starr Seibel

So you think you can dance on ABC's megahit Dancing with the Stars? Get ready for a ballroom-busting workout. Before each performance, contestants endure grueling rehearsals, multiple costume fittings, hours spent in hair and makeup — and then more grueling rehearsals. It's no wonder everyone's losing weight. These hoofers barely have time to eat!

Given the daunting schedule, it's understandable that everyone goes just a little bit nuts on the day of their performances. What happens when a costume falls apart? Or the shoes don't fit? Or the live music doesn't sound like the recording they've been practicing to all week? Come with us as we observe the stars and pros trip the light fantastic — and sidestep the land mines — on a typical performance day.

8:30 am

Call time for the pros to arrive for hair and makeup. And by "makeup," we mean heavy-duty false eyelashes (pro Edyta Sliwinska wears three pairs because she loves the way they look on camera) and golden-tan body makeup and shimmer that, in some cases, is applied in addition to spray tanning. Pros Cheryl Burke and Karina Smirnoff have gone particularly toasty this season. Even the men get hooked. "Last season, I put some body makeup on Billy Ray Cyrus and he loved it so much that he wanted it all the time," says Nadege Schoenfeld, Dancing's body makeup artist. Wayne Newton wants to go at least three shades deeper. Head makeup guru Melanie Mills says Mr. Las Vegas finally left his personal makeup artists behind when he discovered that the Dancing crew was every bit as capable of making him "Indian brown," just the way he likes it.

11 am

Call time for the stars' hair and makeup. General Hospital's Cameron Mathison gets out of a limo, looking stressed. "I'm nervous and excited and exhausted," he says. Dropped off at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, the celebs can kick back in their dressing rooms or the hair-and-makeup trailer parked just outside the sound studio. But they're warned that paparazzi lurk on the fourth floor of the adjacent shopping mall's parking structure. (You can see the cameras and their long lenses reflecting the light from the sun.) The paparazzi were particularly aggressive last year when Heather Mills was on the roster. Inside the makeup trailer, Newton and Jane Seymour are getting dolled up. On one wall hang sheets of stick-on tattoos for Sabrina Bryan (cheetah paw prints that she applies to her wrists or arms) and Seymour (who designed "dancing hearts" that she sometimes uses to cover the scar from a herniated-disk operation six years ago). "Last night was brutal," says Newton, who sat in the audience with the other five male stars and watched the surprisingly solid female stars impress the judges. "I know for a fact that three of the men left the show and went back to the rehearsal studios."

**That's the only part of the article that is online but there is much more more in the actual TV Guide**

[bbnbama]

**I went ahead and typed out the rest of the TV Guide article for everyone to read. This article is apparently from the first week-where the girls danced one night and the guys danced the second night**

Continued TV Guide article:


11:30

Orchestra rehearsals and camera positioning.

This is the first time the couples-in workout clothes, with the female pros in rollers and pin curls-get to dance to the live version of the music they’ve been practicing to all week. The tempo often has to be adjusted, faster or slower. Sometimes, musical director Harold Wheeler adds flourishes the dancers aren’t expecting. “What was that?” demands the fiery Anna Trebunskaya, Albert Reed’s pro partner, when she hears a different ending on Elvis’ “ A Little Less Conversation.” She wants the song to end clean and sharp, thank you.

There’s no time for fooling around (although boxing champ Floyd Mayweather, Jr. would rather tell jokes with the band than strut his stuff on the floor). The couples can go through their routines as many timeas as they’re able to fit into the 15 minute window. Mathison goes at it nonstop, five times in a row, stopping only when his shoes gets caught in his frayed jeans. Mayweather, decked out in enormous basketball shorts, forgets his steps. His partner, Smirnoff, keeps going, giving him instructions while twirling with astounding speed. Her hairnet comes loose and long metal hair clips go flying across the floor. Two-time Indy 500 champ Helio Castroneves kisses Julianne Hough’s hand before they begin. In the corner, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is tossing a football and wearing a red T-shirt that says MY DANCE TEACHER CAN BEAT UP YOUR DANCE TEACHER.

This would be a great time for all of them to get their nerves under control. But how can they when 15 cameras are surrounding them, following their every move? The huge studio cameras are just off the floor, at eye level; smaller cameras sail high above, on cranes. In addition, treacherous Steady cams (handheld cameras managed by fast moving crews) follow the dancers on the floor and can get alarmingly up close and personal. “You can see the fear in some people’s eyes,” says executive producer Conrad Green, who has come in to observe rehearsals. “Sometimes they need a cuddle.” Green acts as head cheerleader, but counts on the pros to keep the stars’ feet on the ground. “Cheryl’s a genius,” he says, watching Burke guide Newton. “There’s such a kindness in her face when she’s dancing with him.” Green looks truly concerned when Newton stops, his left ankle collapsing. Whew! Its only the shoes, and one bad Cuban heel that needs replacing.

1:00
Lunch in the third floor green room.

Green encourages the pros and stars to break bread together in very workaday surroundings. “We always say (to the celebs), “You’re not going to be treated like a diva on this show,” he says. “That’s why you get that great sense of warmth and fun, because these people spend a lot of time together.” Pros Maksim, Tony and Derek are eating a super healthy lunch of chicken, pasta and watermelon and having a spirited discussion with uberbusinessman Cuban (who’s already dropped 20 lbs) about the mean-spiritedness in both the business and dance worlds. Says Maksim, “If you think business is tough, try ballroom dance.”

2:20
Dress rehearsals.

The female celebs get to relax tonight-albeit in full makeup and ball gowns-and watch the men shake their tail feathers. Seymour has lost 16 lbs since she started rehearsals at the end of August. At 56, her joints sometimes make her feel like the Tin Man. “It may look easy but trust me, I go home and….” She stoops over and walks like she’s 90. Seymour always appears regal and composed on camera. But, says Tony, when she saw the other women dance, she panicked. “Jane said, “They’re so good. Did you see that cha-cha?” He had to remind her that she would be good, too and to keep thinking about Ginger Rogers. “You can always tell how well a student is doing by how well YOU dance,” says Tony, who is the undefeated world-rhythm champion. “And I danced with Jane. I was loose, I was having fun.” There is widespread agreement in this crowd that Sabrina and Helio are the ones to beat. But at this moment, the female stars would probably put another name on that list: the Elvis-channeling model, Albert Reed. Pro Jonathan Roberts congratulates the 22 year old. “It was really good, man. All the girls were like ’Woo-Hoo!’” Host Tom Bergeron goes through the intros, inserting his own hilarious R-rated material for the family friendly words on the Teleprompter. Roberts hands him a cell phone: “Its Heather Mills.” Bergeron breaks into a wide smile. “Heather! I need somebody to crack my back. Everytime I see a pool table now I think of you.” The backstory? Bergeron hosted a pool-hall party for the cast last season and had a body-altering experience with Mills after telling her about his bad back. She made him lie facedown on the floor and cracked his back along the spine with her hands. “It was great, he says. “But I figured, if ever I was going to sue somebody, she’d be the one.”

3:30
Wardrobe rechecks and makeup touchups.

Head costume designer Randall Christensen is remarkably composed, given the fact that this is the witching hour when he and his staff have to work miracles. On Monday, Marie Osmond caught her heel in her costume three times during dress rehearsal. “What a trouper,” he says, “She never missed a beat. We cut the hem out completely and shortened it an inch and a half.” Smirnoff’s barely there costume required a massive overhaul. The bustline was pulling her down, the sides weren’t cut out enough. “She said, ’Give me a safety pin, I can make it work.” No go says Christensen. The costume was redone. Bryan’s black rhinestone encrusted minidress also needed a fix. “I don’t have boobs as a Cheetah Girl,” says Bryan, who is short but very curvy. “And I have fans at home that have never seen me like this. When I first put this costume on, (the chest area) was open. I was like “Guys, this isn’t going to work!”

5:00
Showtime!

The stars’ first worry is not tripping down the stairs as they make their grand entrances. It is a legitimate concern: Mathison and Newton stumbled the first night out. “So many people are cocky before they enter the ballroom,” Green says. “But when you do, its actually quite intimidating.” Does he warn the stars about the staircases from hell? “They never listen,” he says. “We’re thinking about getting an escalator to get them down safely.” What’s fascinating about the live performances is that they can be very different from dress rehearsals. Cuban, Reed and Mathison lose some of their preshow exuberance and seem very contained. On the other hand, Castroneves, an adrenaline junkie, dances better than ever. “The energy in the room?” Castroneves says. “It just lifted me up.” He could use the boost-there’s another rehearsal around the corner.

[skyhigh79]

Thanks Bama! Fun read!

[bbnbama]

Additional 2 photos from that article: (sorry my scanner isn't the greatest in the world!)

[girlsmom]

Additional 2 photos from that article: (sorry my scanner isn't the greatest in the world!)

bbnbama, THANKS SO much for typing this for us!

[bbnbama]

Link Here

Gloria Estefan Sidesteps Dancing for Family
by Natalie Finn
Mon, 15 Oct 2007 04:11:58 PM PDT


Gloria Estefan can't stay away if her family needs her.

The Cuban crossover star has canceled several upcoming performances, including one on Dancing with the Stars' results show Tuesday, to be with her ailing mother, who underwent emergency surgery in Miami early Monday morning.

"Gloria flew on the first flight out of L.A. to Miami to be by her side," a spokesperson for Estefan Entertainment said in an exclusive statement to E! News. "Her appearances on [The Tonight Show], Dancing with the Stars and Ellen have been postponed. She thanks her fans for their prayers and support during this difficult time."

According to the rep, Estefa's mom, Gloria Fajardo, was rushed to the hospital late Sunday night after suffering abdominal pain. Doctors found that an intestinal rupture had caused a severe infection, and Fajardo was rushed into emergency surgery. She is currently listed in critical condition.

Estefan, 50, is currently making the TV rounds in support of her first studio album in four years, the Spanish-language 90 Millas, which came out Sept. 18 and has sold close to 100,000 copies.

There's no word yet on who might sing in Estefan's place on Dancing. Seal and the father-daughter duo of Billy Ray and Miley Cyrus serenaded the black tie-clad crowd last week.

Season-five contestant Jane Seymour missed the results show two weeks ago when she returned to England to be with her family after learning that her 92-year-old mother had passed away.

Returning to Dancing with the Stars this week is new mom Samantha Harris, who on Monday will be making her first appearance on the show this season since she and husband Michael welcomed daughter Josselyn Sydney Hess on Sept. 23.

[bbnbama]

Almost-Amy

Here's the website for the band Derek Hough and Mark Ballas has. You can see some great pictures of the 2 and listen to one of their songs and watch the video for it...not a bad song actually!

They are also selliing their CD too......

[Nemeses]

Another backstage report:

Dancing with the Stars Backstage Report: Samantha's Coming Back!
by Deborah Starr Seibel
Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Results night at Dancing with the Stars was chock full of comings and goings. First came word that cohost Samantha Harris would return from maternity leave next week. "She'll be here for our script meeting on Saturday," says host Tom Bergeron, who has kept in close contact with Harris. "And then she'll be back on the air Monday night."

Bergeron had predicted that Harris would be back within a month. She gave birth to a baby girl, Josselyn, on Sept. 23, the day before Dancing's fifth-season premiere. "When she starts talking about Josselyn, she gets all gushy," says Bergeron. "My girls are 19 and 17 now and I'm having a lot of 'sense' memory just talking to Samantha. I said, 'Doesn't baby head smell great?' And she said, 'You're right. Baby head is wonderful.'"

Bergeron, known for his wicked sense of humor, says he suggested to the stars backstage that it would be interesting "if they all started to cry like a baby when she's interviewing them — just to see if it forces her to lactate on television. It actually happened to my wife once when she was out at dinner and a baby started crying at another table. It's that inner wiring that keeps the species alive."

What's kept Bergeron alive and well these first few weeks is the easy camaraderie he's shared with Harris' substitute, Season 2 champ Drew Lachey. "It worked on a lot of levels," says Bergeron. "First of all, it wasn't what people were expecting — two guys hosting a ballroom show. Then there's the fact that we're friends, so we have an easy chemistry, a nice passing game, if you will. And he's hosting the spin-off show in January [Dance Wars], so it was a great opportunity to give him some live-TV muscles." How would Bergeron assess Lachey's progress? "He's a natural."

The night also featured the delightful return of Billy Ray Cyrus, performing with his red-hot daughter, Miley. Miley Cyrus' tour may be the hottest ticket in the country right now, but in this ballroom, Daddy ruled. Billy Ray got a lot more applause than his talented offspring.

As for this season's dancing celebrities, Jane Seymour's return had a less raw feeling on this second night. When she performed on Monday, her exquisite face had a pinched, haunted look. Twenty-four hours later, the strain was still apparent, but she looked a little more rested. Her husband, James Keach, says that dancing has been wonderful therapy. "I think it's probably the best thing that could ever happen to Jane," says Keach. "It's given her the ability to creatively express some of the grief. And also some of the joy."

But at a cost. Seymour had to fly halfway around the world to attend her mother's funeral in London, rehearse her tango all week with pro partner Tony Dovolani, and fly back — all within the space of six days. "In our family, the show must go on," says Keach. "We were together. We flew over there. We just did it. We didn't even think about it. Jane is a very focused person and — very much like her mother — she doesn't look at the glass as being half empty. It's always half full."

As it is for Mark Cuban, who had the look of a 10-year-old boy who got picked for his favorite team. Cuban not only made it to the next round, he didn't even land in the bottom two. Cuban stood by the door, shaking hands with audience members on their way out and telling them, "Thanks for coming." He then turned to this reporter to say, "I'm gonna shake hands with everybody so now maybe they'll vote." We haven't seen this kind of hardcore public relations since Cyrus left last season. He was famous for climbing into the bleachers during commercial breaks to meet the fans. Cuban's partner, Kym Johnson, looked positively stunned that they're still in the game. Is the entire state of Texas voting for their native son? "They must be," she said.

And as for Wayne Newton, there was a send-off you had to be in the room to see: When the cameras stopped rolling, the stars and their pro partners all bowed to Newton in a "we are not worthy" gesture of love. Rarely has a celebrity generated such goodwill. But like Jerry Springer and George Hamilton before him, Newton was relieved to head for the showers. Is he going to miss dancing? "No," he said, laughing. "Because this has been grueling. I'm not terribly upset." And why should he be? He wanted to learn to dance, and his partner, two-time champ Cheryl Burke, has already agreed to teach Newton and his wife, Kathleen, privately. For Burke, it was a great life experience. "He's a legend," she said. "I'm honored to dance with him."

[Nemeses]

Link Here
There's no word yet on who might sing in Estefan's place on Dancing. Seal and the father-daughter duo of Billy Ray and Miley Cyrus serenaded the black tie-clad crowd last week.

It appears that Wayne Newton will be the one replacing Estefan on tonight's results show, according to the article just posted in the Wayne Newton/Cheryl Burke thread.

[bbnbama]

Link Here

Backstage at Dancing with the Stars: Curing Injuries One Step at a Time
by Deborah Starr Seibel

Everyone talks about weight loss on Dancing with the Stars (tonight at 9 pm/ET, ABC), and for good reason. If you stay in the game long enough, the long hours of practice — some are putting in as many as six hours a day — can't help but whittle away any extra pounds and inches. Marie Osmond is over the moon about losing 3 inches from her waist. Jane Seymour, who has lost 16 pounds, is glowing after hearing that people at the show were comparing her new body to one of the exceptionally beautiful and streamlined pro dancers. "Everyone's calling me Edyta today," says Seymour, referring to Cameron Mathison's (All My Children) partner, Edyta Sliwinska. "And I'm loving it. Can you imagine?"

But this season, because so many of the celebrities have been physically challenged by their health histories, the focus is not only weight loss but their new feeling of well-being. "Lots of the dancers this season have suspect body parts," says Dancing executive producer Conrad Green. "We had Wayne Newton's bad knee. We've got Cameron Mathison, who had trouble with his hips as a child. We've got Jane's bad back. And Mark Cuban [who had a hip replaced at the end of June]. If Heather Mills [who danced last season on a prosthetic left leg] and someone who's just had a hip operation can dance, then anyone can dance."

"You can't believe the difference in my mobility," says Cuban, who looks thinner every week and cruises the Dancing hallways like a sleek panther. He shows no trace of the arthritis that was crippling his left hip. "I was so crooked before because I was compensating for my hip," says Cuban. "For a couple of years before the operation, people would ask me why I was limping and I didn't even know I was doing it." He knows he's rushing the rehab, but Cuban thinks dancing is the greatest physical therapy in the world. "I feel like I'm 21 again. People walk by now and don't even recognize me."

Mathison says his hips have been very tight but he ices them every night and the dancing workouts actually ease his discomfort. He suffered from a childhood disease that forced him to wear braces for several years. As an adult, he feels no ill effect, except the stiffness he's lived with his entire life. "Once I get stretching, I'm fine," he says. "And my hips have been getting better and better."

Seymour has spent years trying to protect her sore back. She was taken in for an emergency herniated-disk operation six years ago. Now, her pro partner, Tony Dovolani, is an exceedingly proud teacher who wants to show off his student's new physique. "Look at this," he tells you, turning Seymour around and pointing to her lower spine. Seymour, Dovolani and her doctor got together before she started training for the show, all concerned that she not do further injury to herself. "She had no muscle on the left side at all, and now, look, there is equal definition to the muscles on both sides. We straightened her out and strengthened her back. We've created a new back!" Seymour is thrilled. "It doesn't matter what happens on the show," she says. "Because I've already won."

Even world champion boxer Floyd Mayweather is showing changes from dancing. His weight hasn't changed, but his manager, Leonard Ellerbe, says he's noticed changes in Mayweather's posture. "He's standing up straighter, I have noticed that," says Ellerbe. Mayweather puts in the most punishing training schedules of all the celebrity dancers. "He was in the gym at 4 o'clock this morning, training for his December fight," says Ellerbe. Because of his added practice hours on the show? "No, that's what he usually does," says Ellerbe. "He's always done that. He thinks like this: 'What are my competitors doing at 4 in the morning? Sleeping. That's why I'm gonna win.'"

But Ellerbe says that Mayweather has been so impressed by the dancing workouts — and the effect the show has had on his fans — that he's thinking about opening up a dance studio for kids in his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. "People are talking to him about the dancing all the time," says Ellerbe. "And the kids look up to him so much. If they see Floyd dancing, they figure it's OK to dance. So he wants to do something to help them."

Grand Rapids is one of those Michigan towns feeling the pain from the ailing automotive industry. "The parents are calling me up now all the time," says Ellerbe, "asking me how they can get their children involved in dancing."

After all this talk about good diet and wonderful exercise regiments, it's refreshing to see Edyta Sliwinska — in her bathrobe — at the backstage crafts services table, wolfing down corn chips. You'd think her diet would be perfect, but she begs to differ. "I have to have sugar or I'll crash," she says. "I want some of those sour gummy bears right now."

Nice comments about Floyd in this article.....maybe he will do something for the children in his hometown! That would be wonderful!