I'd do it the other way round actually. Start with the music, find a narrative within the song, use that to inspire a character, then think of steps and movements that build the character and help the character narrate the story.

Finally, stick a costume on the top that fits the character but works with the movements (to try and minimise wardrobe malfunctions).

I can kind of understand the pros (or maybe production) thinking the 'truth' might be a dangerous thing, undermining their credibility or some such, but they could easily spin it in a good light ('look our pros are so professional - want to do the best by their celebs - working with specialists' yada yada). For people really interested in the show a segment on ITT explaining how it all comes together would be great. For those who just watch the main show, it wouldn't matter. I'd far rather they were completely open and didn't take us for dunderheads who need to be 'played along' .

I'm not making a fuss but I do think it was rather disengenuous to accept praise for the stunning choreography for Sophie's charleston without mentioning that anyone else helped him.

It would have been generous to have mentioned it, rather than not saying anything and looking foolish when it was discovered

I always think they start with the music first, like you said, then build the concept. James & Denise's charleston is the most obvious I think as the song was so obvious to choreograph to. So you have "Walk Like an Egyptian", it's an obvious Egyptian theme, you then put in lots of sideways head movements, lots of traditional charleston steps and you style it as Tutankhamen. I could have choreographed that one.

Why would you do it the other way round? far too much work and inconvenience and time, especially for the charleston that is so stylised.

Artem is always good when talking about how a dance is put together I find.

I completely agree, that's the way I would assume it would go ~ concept and character dictate the choreography as the expression of that concept.
It was the idea that Brendan set the choreography and then someone else came in to tweak the 'concept' that I find odd, as that seems back to front to me. It's not like he could have set the choreo, and then someone came in and went 'great routine. How about this for the concept: you're a dinosaur, she's a cave-woman and you're .... what do you mean where do the restaurant table and champagne bottle come into it? They don't, that's the whole concept!!'

[NB: if you're reading, producers, I totes own the dinosaur/ cave-woman charleston concept and I am highly litigious ]

Hmm, Kevin and Susanna are now sorted for their show dance, to "Walk the Dinosaur'.

I suppose in reality, the outside help could've come in, discussed the song and the feeling and taught B&S some steps, leaving Brendan to piece it together into 90 sec dance and pick a costume...

Bit like doing a Jigsaw.

Sophie is a popular girl (woman) these last two days.

Think it's pretty clear from what Brendan said on Twitter.
They will ALL get extra help, it's rarely mentioned on the show unless added into the training clips beforehand.

It may be clear what he said, doesn't mean what actually happened is clear though.

This is my take on it, the specialist choreographers give the pro dancers help on what needs to be included content wise, the pro then choreographs the dance. Think of the specialists as consultants, they won't do the routine but they will point the pro dancers in the right direction.


Brendan clearly stating he choreographed it, on twitter, in front of those specialist choreographers who could easily dispute it if it wasn't true.