FINALLY - Some information about music choice, etc.
BuddyBontheNet
Posts: 28,163 Forum Member
✭✭✭
Thought people would like to read an extract from an interview this week with Tristan. It confirms the pros do NOT choose the themes, music or costumes, etc. -
One of our website members asked if the format of Strictly is mostly the same as DWTS with regard to music, choreography, costumes, etc. In other words, are you given the music and dance style and then choreograph accordingly? Is there choreographic assistance or do you handle that all yourself? Do you have input into costumes, props, music, etc.
You have influence to a degree but not as much as in America. A wardrobe department comes up with your costume and you are given your music although you are asked to suggest music and concepts when you get partnered up. The balance is decided by production as to concept and dance. The show tries to work here two weeks in advance of itself so for us it’s about taking it one week at a time and then trying to make some amendments when the time comes. There is a team who are available for help when it comes to the less familiar dances - Charleston, Salsa, Argentine Tango although not everyone uses them. We are expected, and rightly so, to do our own work for Ballroom and Latin as that is what we train in and are paid to teach but there is always help available if needed although all teaching is done by us, the professional, just like America.
The link to the full interview was posted by chachachavy in this thread.
One of our website members asked if the format of Strictly is mostly the same as DWTS with regard to music, choreography, costumes, etc. In other words, are you given the music and dance style and then choreograph accordingly? Is there choreographic assistance or do you handle that all yourself? Do you have input into costumes, props, music, etc.
You have influence to a degree but not as much as in America. A wardrobe department comes up with your costume and you are given your music although you are asked to suggest music and concepts when you get partnered up. The balance is decided by production as to concept and dance. The show tries to work here two weeks in advance of itself so for us it’s about taking it one week at a time and then trying to make some amendments when the time comes. There is a team who are available for help when it comes to the less familiar dances - Charleston, Salsa, Argentine Tango although not everyone uses them. We are expected, and rightly so, to do our own work for Ballroom and Latin as that is what we train in and are paid to teach but there is always help available if needed although all teaching is done by us, the professional, just like America.
The link to the full interview was posted by chachachavy in this thread.
0
Comments
I've always suggested this, as it's just basic good business practice and you can't blame them for doing it.
Despite people, (including myself), moaning about it.
Sorry, I meant I was wrong about people being interested in this thread because of the lack of response. I was right about the pro control (or lack of)
It is because the answer is of little surprise.
The BBC producers drive the show.
I suspect they write the judges' scripts and pre-determine their scores as well.
I'm not complaining. It is the same in the theatre, the cinema or in any pantomime. SCD is not a competition but a scripted soap.
I can listen to an internet heavy metal radiostation filling in requests for the likes of deathbringer42, bloodbath13 and vomit666 and still hear better music choices.
Ah, it's not that it's not interesting Buddy, I think it's simply that the Tristan interview thread got going first so people are commenting there instead…
Really really pleased that Tristan said that. All the better for not meaning to be controversial or rock the boat…
Good question. Maybe because they are tone deaf and have no idea of matching music to dance? All the evidence suggests that.
Freedom of choice. I'm sure we would see, dance - wise, a massive improvement all round.
It could be a special theme week - Pro's Choice. Novel, huh?
Bound to be an improvement on Movie week, yet another Halloween Week and then God Knows What Else Week the producers are planning to foist on us. Oh how I hate their ghastly theme weeks. >:(
Maybe it's no surprise to us, but week in week out we see posts blaming the pros, so I thought it was worth a thread.
I'm not sure about the judges' scripts, but I'm pretty sure, some if not all the judges base their scores partly on what they've seen during the dress rehearsals. It would help explain some of the strange scores on the night.
Didn't mean to sound needy
Love it. Want it. :cool:
So do I....there are some stunningly beautiful Ballroom music tracks out there and some really funky latin ones too. I think the producers have been to too many tea dances at the Blackpool Tower and its Wurlitzer looking at some of their latest efforts to entertain us musically.
What floors me is why those closest to the show don't hear - and see - the same discordant note that I do when I have to sit and watch Mamma Mia being used as a bloody foxtrot, for instance. The whole damn thing is so unharmonious.
Surely someone must have twigged that appropriate music produces better dances, better dances produce a better show and a sharper competition. As things are at present, at least half of the show is jarring to watch. It sets my teeth on edge.
I honestly believe that someone or other has either forgotten that dancing is at the heart of the show or, even worse, no longer see it that way.
This, and the pros do well not to answer back and say they didn't choose it.
This could be why some pros such as Artem chose to leave. Having to choreograph dances to inappropriate music must be very annoying.
Yes, and also on hearing wrong advice and critique by certain judges that know little about what they are looking at.
I wish the producers would take a step back and look at the show and could see what they are doing it my bro and I think the hand of Jason Gilikson is involved as music choices are often what has been used in DWTS or SYTYCD and he is involved in that too - whilst i respect his dancing talent and what he has done in shows and BTF maybe it is time BBC found another influence for the show
Besides all the points that Tristan brought up in the interview, I have been told that the production team encourages the pros to come up with ideas and concepts for a dance only to be denied to them and then be given to a competing couple the following week, this has happened many times and it is awful.
The manipulation is monumental in every way, shape and form.
Pros are expected to give 100% of their time to celebrities 24/7, no excuses and any complaint from them puts their job in peril. for instance, if a beautiful celebrity blonde or a handsome tall celebrity gentleman is physically attracted to a pro (this happens every year) she or he can manipulate things their own way, that is how much power they are given over the pros, sometimes the pros are a dance couple in the show, like it is the case for Karen and Kevin, Aljaz and Janette and it was James and Ola and things can get REALLY BAD behind the scenes, the celebrity is always right.
I'll just carry on slating her for what I think is horrible choreography then if that's OK ;-)
Seriously though, if you know that producers doing your creative concept is the deal - and presumably the pros do when they sign up, and the celebrities cotton on pretty quickly - then bitching about it is only going to make you look stupider. To their credit, most of the pros manage to keep their mouths shut even when it looks like temporary insanity on the PTB's part, but I went right off Sid Owen, for example, when he moaned that he hated his Ghostbusters-themed CCC and that's why he looked so half-arsed doing it. Simon's been guilty of it already this series as well.
Iveta, Karen and Natalie are shining examples of playing horrible cards as well as you possibly can (the Mark Benton Lion King samba and Starship Trooper pasowhateveritwas, the Dave Myers - well, anything - and the Tim Wonnacott cha-cha spring to mind). Joanne's been dealt three horrific hands in a row, and I know Scott's awful, but she really doesn't seem to be trying to showcase him at all with her choreography.
but you are not compairing like with like Mark and Tim have a bit of go about them scott hasnt he just has not one dancing gene in him.
AS a dance teacher there has been recognisable steps in Jo's routines and from what she tweets etc she does go over trying to correct his faults through the week for him to get on the floor and it all goes out the window. I get you dont like her and I think that clouds your judgement of the choreography - for i nstance you dont mention the non charleston Tim did on saturday walking rounnd the floor with his shoulders up!! or the fact in 4 weeks Anton has not tacked Judy's hold one iota
Mixed results, but all in all the music fitted the dances much better.
For some great laughs, take a look at this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=83wUTvUaGuI#t=157. Mark Holden and Jessica Prince dancing Jazz.
Gets quite uncomfortable towards the end.
Poor Jessica. The look on her face when they still were not eliminated.
Presently the orchestrations are tailored to the length of the dance, which I understand is the same for each competitor.
Using CD tracks which have a variety of lengths, most being much longer than the time each dance is allowed, would create a problem.
I think the music choices are supposed to present a "balanced" programme.
In my opinion it leans far more towards contemporary pop, than traditional well loved dance tunes by the great songwriters of many decades, which were always suitable for ballroom.
He was doing the same thing in America as well