*Improving the Show*

[MFWalkoff]

Did I understand that Samantha played the lead on stage in Chicago? If so then she has some real talent. Maybe she is just in the wrong area of the entertainment field. In my opinion, she is an extremely attractive person.
I immensely disliked that wild and wooly hairdo the other night ( a week or so ago), but generally speaking she looks great!

Starring as Roxie or Velma in Chicago is a status-symbol thing now. The show has been running for so long that they can stand having less-than-perfectly-cast celebrities take one of the starring roles for a few months and still do good business.

I didn't see Samantha, but I've seen the show 4 times; worst stunt casting that I saw was Vicki Lewis (NewsRadio) as Velma -- flat and listless; best/most surprising was Nana Visitor (Deep Space Nine/Wildfire) as Roxie -- very good!

It made more sense when I learned that Nana's aunt was Cyd Charisse.

[ASassyKat]

ITA with this. It's all for show. But, I'd love to see them bring on a judge like Ron Montez, who is a United States Latin champion several times over. He's done commentary on the televised ballroom championships and would be a great judge, in my opinion.

He's been the host of the PBS ballroom challenges for a long time. He, or someone like him, would be a fabulous addition to the judging table.

I like Bruno, but CA annoys me and seems the most inconsistant of the judges.

[NFL1]

I LOVE this topic because I for one am NOT watching this season after being a regular every other... I can't stand Donny osmond or Tom Delay, so bagged it altogether eventhough I liked some of the others. Here are my thoughts:

Shuffling pairs - great idea OR doing the winning dancer gets to pick their pro the next week - a la Project Runway with the models!

Shuffling judges (like SYTYCD) with only 2 regulars!

Judges give comments only - like AI so the favoritism is not overscaling the viewer votes

LOVE the idea of an all pro season - let's see what it's SUPPOSED to look like - and have the "stars" be the world champs or viewer voted in pros, and have them change up partners each week! and take turns choreographing!

Yes, Drew NOT Samantha!

No more teeny bopper 50 somethings! (aka Donny & Marie!)

NO more political types (Delay) - they always turn SOMEONE off

I don't have a problem with the # of couples if they are interesting

Always have Louis as a Pro!

I like the variety of dances on SYTYCD, so adding some other styles of ballroom and latin would be good

I would also suggest the judges table be off limits for anything and everyone (Donny's smooch with Bruno brought back all that Cloris horror).

Give up on trying to get the young crowd and be happy for the big "older" viewership! So, do away with hip hop and other youngish type guest singers...and bring on the tappers, kids, and other classic singing stars that we all want to see!

[stcroix]

I would love to see a season where they use traditional music to dance to. This may eliminate the singers-- but that may be a plus! Some of the music they choose seems SO peculiar, some even seem hard to dance the chosen dance to! Last season I walked out of the room and when I came back in a couple was dancing away to some modern song and I asked my husband WHAT dance are they doing anyway? Finally figured out it was a waltz--with the steps hurried to fit the music. Can't remember the song or couple now... But anyway, traditional music!! (cranky voice)

[n4692u]

I get REALLY tired of all the audience clapping!! It starts at the beginning of the show and those poor people clap almost the entire show. Tom and Samantha yell over them and it's just plain irritating! Enough clapping. I don't need someone to tell me the show is 'FANTASTIC'. I can decide if it is or not.

There is something else that was soooo irritating to me last season. During the entire week 3 show of season 8, there was some girl in the audience that SCREAMED the entire show. It drove me completely crazy. I was hoping someone would tell her to shut up or be led out by her cuff and told never to come back. Maybe they did! It was awful. It ruined the whole show for me.

I agree that all the clapping at the beginning of the show is irritating when Tom and Samantha have to yell over the clapping.

This has not been a great season so far and I agree with karalott that they need to make some changes. Of course, last season was so good that maybe it spoiled us. They had way too many couples to begin with and they should go back to the 13 they had. Also, this crop of stars are not living up to Gilles, Melissa, Shawn, Lil Kim, Chuck and the entertainment Ty brought to the show. Maybe they should consider bringing back stars from the first 8 seasons and pair them with different partners than they had before and let 'em rip. Maybe the stars who made F2-F6 or so. Don't bring back the winners.

[FranSeaLou]

Maybe they should consider bringing back stars from the first 8 seasons and pair them with different partners than they had before and let 'em rip. Maybe the stars who made F2-F6 or so. Don't bring back the winners.

I love that idea. I haven't watched all the seasons, so I'd love to see a kind of "Dancing with the All-Stars" edition. That would be awesome!

[Rattus]

All the discussion about Mya and choreography has got me thinking - I think it might be cool at least one season to see the final four be responsible for the choreography for one dance. Maybe an all freestyle show with the pros doing one dance, the "stars" the other. It would be interesting to see how much they're taking away from all of this.

[ASassyKat]

I really love the idea of an "all stars" edition. Bringing back peeps who did not make it to the F1 and pair them with different pros.


If it were up to me they could only use traditional music for the Paso Doble, but them I'm biased.

[Bloomers]

I really love the idea of an "all stars" edition. Bringing back peeps who did not make it to the F1 and pair them with different pros.


If it were up to me they could only use traditional music for the Paso Doble, but them I'm biased.

Heck! I'd be satisfied sometimes if the music even fit the dance.... and that is not just for the Paso Doble but for some of the rest of them as well.

[LuvThisStuf!]

Love this thread. Thanks for starting it. Here's my 2 rupees......Please take Samantha off already. It's too painful to watch her try to banter with people Like nails on a chalkboard OK. I feel better now.

I love the idea of having a Dancing with the All-Stars edition!!! Outstanding suggestion! I think previous shows were better because there were less contestants and you got to know each one better. I can't remember who danced what with whom at the end of a 2-hour show. Less is more.

Please stick with more traditional music. I can't get into some of this off-beat music that's supposed to be a waltz, or latin dance, etc. Jeeez, the music they pick is awful sometimes. And those singers are terrible! (Gosh, am I being snarky enough???? Sorry. Maybe we should have a cat claws smiley....) Anyway, I can't remember the song last week, or the dancers (major ear trauma), but the singer was off-key throughout the majority of the song. Please. The singing is terrible.

(I just read this back and think I need to find some chocolate )