I don't know why they choose music that is hard to relate to so early in the series (or at all for that matter) as it is so distracting trying to watch if they are on the beat or not.

It was the same with Chuck & Julianne's foxtrot for me. It is bad enough when I don't know the music at all, but I like to at least be able to hear a recognisable beat, otherwise it spoils the whole routine for me.

I agree, especially with a notoriously difficult dance like the Samba - it must be incredibly hard for the pro to choreograph to a song without a recognisable beat and for the Celeb to hear the beat enough to be able to keep to it.

Yeah true, music choice always makes a difference.
But I just think it helped that Holly wasn't stretched to do anything like samba rolls, or too many samba steps in general or given a lacklustre ending.

WRT music choice, there was an interesting bit in Carrie Ann's blog about it


http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2009...-ann-in-1.html

I assumed that they were all assigned but there is some leeway. I don't want to say Maks definitely picked that samba song but I read it has been his myspace song for a long time

That sounds like the same basic process as on SCD, although I am not aware of SCD pros not giving the producers a list.

On SCD I don't always like the music for a routine, but it is only on DWTS that I can't always follow the beat of the music chosen - weird!

I thought Denise's samba had more 'samba' in it too, although her rolls were the weirdest I've ever seen!

I just have this feeling that if they - and scd - choose music that has an obvious strict tempo, then even more people (not just those with dance knowledge) will be able to recognise that very few of them - the celebs, I mean - can keep their dancing in time!

When I read Ty's blog today he said that he and Chelsie did not get the music they requested. But they gave Chelsie a choice between a few songs and she picked the one she thought was best. They are doing the paso and the song is Barracuda by Heart. Now to me that is NOT a paso song but we will shall see. I guess it depends on how she choreographs but a bad song can really hurt a dance I think. I don't why the producers would put that song in the mix or what they are thinking with some of their song choices. I have read if a celebrity does not get on top of song choices when they are offered in the beginning before the season, then must take what is given to them.

Well, that sounds bang out of order to me.

Conspiracy theories would abound on SCD if that happened (it is bad enough now ). Two things spring to mind if the producers over ride the pros' choices -

1. The show might be making money from promoting a song or an artist chosen by the producers.

2. The producers are trying to manipulate the results using song choices.

I wonder what criteria the producers use when choosing songs and who exactly comes up with the suggestions. What a nightmare for the pros!

A lot of the songs seem to be aimed at the person dancing them, even if they are not necessarily suitablility for the dance.

Sometimes I listen to Lacey's strange "choices" and I wonder if they are her pick and in keeping with her nature to be non traditional or if they are given to her by producers because they are keen to show her as a rebel.
Something like "I Kissed a Girl" was used for Lance's Paso. It didn't work for a paso but it seemed like it was used because Lance is gay (I know it's sung by a woman) - but he kisses a girl and put on his cherry chapstick at the end of the dance.

Chuck and Ty get country songs (I also thought Ty's cha cha song was country till I found out it was by the Clash ) Julianne was particularly happy with the foxtrot song she got.
A couple of Lawrence's songs are more old funk and soul

I also think Gilles songs capitalise on his masculinity or his sex appeal (they've also been suitable for the dance)

I'm just wondering if it's something the producers do or if it's the pros picking them when they find out their partner.

Until this subject was raised I thought that as Lacey is young and 'funky' we were hearing her choice of music which sounds strange to me as I've never heard of most of her music - I don't know what to think.

Maybe the producers see Lacey as 'funky' as well, and give her music they think will suit her?

Next week I'm seeing someone who has been involved with scd (teaches a couple of the pros for the show) so I'll try to remember to ask if he knows who chooses the music. If it is the pros choice, then (a lot of the time) they should be ashamed of themselves!!

That info will be interesting to pass on to us. I do recall Arlene saying the pros were give 5 song choices and had to pick from those.

I think that is what Chelsie did. Here is an excerpt from Ty's blog talking about the music choice.

""This song has what they call dynamics, which means you'll hear it speed up and slow down and then almost stop. The pace of it changes a lot and, for me, that takes a little bit of getting used to. There's still a count and it doesn't change like the music--it stays the same.

Chelsie has taught me that the dynamics of the song is what makes the routine more interesting to watch."

I still think the choices can really hurt if the public does not buy into them. I remember Apolo's tango to Jessie's Girl and Len marked them off and gave his spiel of "the tango is a slow passionate dance" and said he didn't like it. Good gravy, the song was anything but slow and passionate and Julianne timed it according to the music. If she had slowed it down, wouldn't they have then said he did not have musicality? I also remember a gazillion posts about Heather's tango to David Bowie and how everyone felt it just wasn't tango music.

On DWTS I do see them trying to match the music to what they perceive as the personality of the celebrity. I am not sure about SCD because I have not watched enough of the show to know what I am talking about. I do read the complaints about music choices though.

Anyone watching tonight?

I LOVE Lindy Hop and Argentine Tango, they're my two favourite dances.

I didn't really watch much of the first two weeks, but tonight I'm at home and watching. So far tonight my favourite is Ty (?)'s Lindy Hop. I don't really know who most of the celebs are.

We moan like heck about song choices on SCD! I read on here that Nicole or Flavia said they are asked to submit a song list before each series so I wonder if things have changed if Arlene has said something different. That also leads me on to thinking if a pro does submit a list, do they already know what celeb they are paired with as that could have a bearing on what the choose?




I've watched the links Force Ten gave earlier - I love Ty too!