Is Tristan really that difficult to understand?
I need subtitles for Anton, but Tristan has a beautiful soft brogue

Thanks


The thing is there is at least 2 if not 3 places available on DWTS

Derek's contract has officially ran out & he has won 6 mirrorballs as well as countless finals and although he is leaving every season I can't see what left for him to do granted I said this after he was partnered with Amy

Keo's position is on shaky ground as he hasn't done a good job with any of his celebs tbh and has been the first male pro to leave in three season and he has got Aliona's record to make that ok

Then there is Artem he was supposed to be on this season then a similar thing that happened to Tristan except a celeb pulled out and tptb replaced Artem with a better known pro who was left partnerless due to the drop out.

There are dancers in the troupe though who could be made pros though but no one who I could see as being the natural replacement for Derek.

Gleb said on afterbuzz tv that he wanted to season 22 (at the end) but this was before strictly started. Not sure what way Gleb left DWTS it was around the affair the last time he appeared he was back dancing with the troupe in the first episode that season although he was never named as a troupe member then the affair news came out on twitter and he suddenly disappeared I don't think he appeared any other time that season next I heard on the dwts thread (think it was edy10) that he was on the Russia version with his wife as a judge. To me he using strictly to showcase himself and doesn't seem that connected to it.

Well, I really don't know what's gonna happen with DWTS under new guy Rob Wade, kp2ni. I haven't watched since Autumn 2013, just read about it.

But there are never more than 6 slots on DWTS. And they never give duffers to their pets: Derek, Mark, Val. Artem 'may' join that echelon - but he's certainly not there yet. This last time, they announced Artem as definitely "in" then reneged -- my guess is he refused to take a duffer and they brought old workhorse Louis van Amstel in to escort Paula Deen. I imagine it's demoralising to see the "big 3" always get the ringers. Always. And even when Derek gets a fairly bad dancer - Ricki Lake, Amber Whatever, the judges will watch the dances and give pure crap 10's - it's so maddening to me I'm just done and will NOT watch it anymore.

Anyway to the openings: Tony is their Anton yet 10 years younger; he's part of the so-called family of Maks/Val/Tony who counter-balance the two golden boys Derek and Mark. Keo is their only and much-needed ethnic diversity token and if he's replaced, I imagine they'd try to find another. Well that's 5 right there. And then they have high hopes for Artem, rounding out the group.

Yes, Derek may leave but he's been promising that since Season 15, if not before, and I don't even want to think about what they're paying him - but I'm sure it's astronomical. He split his time between NYC and LA when with the Rockettes (that's the season they had Tristan on standby and dropped him).

Well, I'm rambling but I don't think there's much room - although they may well reconsider Gleb for Derek's place, but he's not very engaging as a personality so I wouldn't bank on it. If Tristan's back and I don't think he would consider it (he had to last time because he was still technically under contract - they sign them up for 5 to 7 years when they start) - I think he's really fed up with them - but IF he was back, he'd get a Paula Deen type - he fared worse than Tony his last couple seasons with partner assignments.

Oh this post is a mess and I should probably delete it but in a nutshell, there's very little room to get in the lineup, with the six male pro per season and the teacher pet system. And the rigging on DWTS is a freakshow - they create new ways to cook the books every week, with head to head couple battles - dance offs treated like pop quizzes (pulled out of the hat whenever they decide) - suddenly announced double eliminations - they'll do anything to get what they want, including throwing out all the internet vote which they've done more than once.

I agree DWTS is a mess and their system is flawed and bias especially on the male side. I could never see Tristan going back after how he was treated. Tristan was dropped in Amy's season (as was Sasha who is still in the troupe who was dropped for Mak) I think Derek was doing Nashville at that time not the Rockettes which was Nastia's season and it was Henry who was replaced by Derek that time. Artem was apparently going to be Tamar's partner but Val's partner dropped out and Paula asked for Louis but to me as Artem was announced first so should have been given Kym or Paula but anyways...

That's one show I don't watch.

Seeing as Tristans now bought a house in Sydney it could be possible he moves to DWTS Australia.

This thread is completely fascinating. The pro dancers have pretty chaotic lives it seems to me; shuffling around continents, in the show - out the show - on the periphery.

Now I don't know a lot about DWTS Australia haven't seen it except a few dances on YouTube but I heard the latest series was cut short it was supposed to overlap the US version by quite a bit so Kym couldn't appear on DWTS but then it didn't only the final overlapped as it was on the same day as the opening episode of DWTS although technically it was the day before due to time difference.

I didn't write very clearly sorry! When I said Tristan was dropped - he was actually dropped twice. The first time was Season 18 (Amy's season) when he was not on the roster - and yes, that was when Sasha was demoted back to the troupe after what he thought was a very successful Season 17 with Snooki from Jersey Shore.

The second time Tristan was dropped was after he had done his first series of Strictly. He gave an interview in Grimsby while dancing there with Joanne at some family gala and said DWTS had called him back to be on Season 20. He moved back to L.A., they announced 4 male pros and held off on the final two, and it was assumed Tristan and ? (Keo or Derek) would be the last one -- but they ended up NOT using Tristan at all.

Louis van Amstel also thought he'd be on Season 20 and said so on Twitter but he wasn't. Kym Johnson did come back after being gone a bit to judge the Aussie show. So anyway, I was talking about the second "dropping" of Tristan. (Season 20 was the Rockettes season - Henry was told to practice a lot with Nastia - but he threw a strop when he wasn't getting enough credit on the VTs or something like that - and he was replaced by Sasha. And we haven't seen Henry since that season ahem.)

Henry may have thought he would have been assigned Nastia but I'll never believe that. His only season was Season 18 when he had duffer Diana Nyad and was booted first. Then it was straight back to the troupe. Season 18 is also when Artem came on board and thought he would be in the real cast but ended up in the troupe, replacing Gleb, and he was very angry about it.

ETA: Oh wait! Now I remember an interesting rumour. Henry was getting TOO much attention on the VT's and calling Nastia "his girl" etc. and Derek complained and that's why Henry was replaced by Sasha. Just a rumour but the one I'd prefer to believe, rather than Henry throwing a fit about something, but I've heard both versions. Another rumour from that season that I read on a show-biz forum: Derek's nickname on the set of the Rockettes was Princess Derek

Oh and while we're rolling with rumours - though I seem to be the one that started it? Anyway, I think it doesn't mean anything as per your orientation if you're seen at a gay bar - I've been at them and I'm not gay - and so what...

But Perez Hilton had an item about Derek. He was wearing shiny silver trousers at a gay bar in Salt Lake City (he's from Utah) and a fan came up and wanted a picture of them together. And Derek got upset and emphatically said "Not here!!!!!"

Well this thread is an eye-opener. I wasn't keen on Gleb, thinking he's taking it all too seriously and was a bit vain, but he's obviously been through a lot. I'll look at him differently now and not be so critical. I didn't even know he was married, let alone have a child.

I would have liked to see Tristan back next year. I like his laid back style and his accent is great.

I hope Brendan doesn't leave yet. He's been one of my favourites since the beginning and I think Strictly needs to keep some of the "senior" pros.

Wow even more amazing gossip, more please. Elsa you know a lot of good stuff I've never heard!

Was intrigued by the Artem stuff at DWTS this season, but I don't know anything like so much about it as you as I don't really watch it. But didn't know that sort of thing had happened to other people before as you've said. Amazing!

When Cheryl Cole, as she was, broke up from hubby and was in the USA she befriended Derek and there were rumours of a possible romance. But as the romance rumours began so did some speculation that Derek was gay. I've not watched DWTS so have no interest one way or 'tother but your post reminded me of this.

But the 2015 series was the same length as the 2014 one (nine weeks.) It's hard for me to believe they'd curtail the season just so Kym could make it to DWTS-US.

I also have trouble believing that Paula asked for Louis, though they trot that line out a lot - that a celeb requested someone and therefore got their wish. First, Paula is tall and large, Louis is short and skinny, which made her look a lot bigger than she is. So if she did ask for him, lousy planning Paula! Also, he's not popular, not even a "regular" pro, he's 40-something, and got in deep water for coming out as gay during his series with Margaret Cho, and now he says it was a mistake and he's warned others NOT to come out because it puts a target on your back for abuse (in the US anyway - at least with the demo that watches DWTS, very conservative and quite old - average age about 65).

Also, everybody asks for Derek (and back in the day, Maks) because they want the exposure if not to win altogether. You'd be kind of daft not to. And Paula's not a big signing - IF they ever let the celeb pick their pro, it wouldn't be someone like her. And also, if she had any sense at ALL (a big if, of course), she'd ask for the black pro Keo because she was kicked off fricking television altogether for a while for her racist remarks and behaviour in recent years and it would have helped her I think. He's also quite tall, like her.

I'm finding this stuff really interesting. I like to pretend I don't enjoy some good gossip but it's really not true!

She got malaria or something while she and Derek were "together" (on a trip to Africa?) and a big to do was made in the press about him being at her bedside in hospital. He's had quite a strange romantic past, what little I know of it - the biggest rumour was that he and Ryan Seacrest were an item with his sister acting as "cover" bwah! Julianne's film career didn't take off (crashed, in fact) so I think Ryan decided his Hough adventure might not yield the results he'd hoped for (or maybe he and Derek had a falling out?) Oh to be a fly on the wall...

Gosh it's a strange world. I'm enjoying your input on the dancers, especially Gleb, very much. So thanks to you and edy10.

Oh mercy - a Derek story just repopped into my mind. He moved in with one of his celebrity partners - Shannon Elizabeth. She was a mess - forever throwing tantrums. One time and they let this show up ON AIR, she said he wasn't getting any that night because he hadn't been nice to her!! Also in one of the little videos with the two of them talking about the other couples, she started badmouthing them and Derek joined in, talking about one of the other contestant's "demented lines".

Shannon was angry because the judges criticized her abominable samba (I think that was the dance) - and that's what prompted Derek to attack somebody else who got good marks but had a bad dance (and if that's not the pot calling the kettle black then I don't know what is!) The wardrobe manager even said in the press she was a nightmare, refusing to wear some of the clothes he designed for her.

It was harder to hate Derek back in those days. With his first celeb, Jenny Garth, Derek tripped on her dress and one or both of them fell down on their arses during a dance and she started crying... The other two goldens, Julianne and Mark, both won before Derek did and I actually felt sorry for him for a while. Good lord, now I get sick if I see his face on the screen...

The Shannon incident was the awful it was back they have confessionals in the result show where the couples could talk about what happened in the dance Derek went off on one complaining about the judges Len in particular if I remember right which led to Derek's apologying the next week but they were eliminated and yeah both Derek and Jennie landed on their bottoms Jennie only began crying when the judges were talking it was lucky it happened right at the end of the dance.


2015 series was scheduled to be longer but cut short due to ratings nothing to do with Kym as she wasnt even on the last season of dwts

I not sure what i believe re the Paula request but it has happened before Jennifer Grey and Nicole both requested Derek (before he was super pro in tptb's eyes) rumours are Corbin requested Karina and Amber requested Derek though in her case just because she requested him didnt mean she would get her request (as you said everyone would be requesting Derek if that was the case) as she only knew she got her wish when he turned up to the first rehearsal whereas others refused to do the show without their preferred options. Apparently the producers have been after Paula, as you said Louis isn't that popular and they seemed to have problem getting female celebs so possible to get her on the show they gave in to her request.


In season 18 the producers were having ongoing chats with both Maks and Derek now from what I heard Tristan and Sasha was scheduled to be Amy's and Meryl's partners until Derek and Maks signed on a week before the official announcement (according to rumours there were even rumours that Tristan was in Sochi with Amy before Derek flew in)

Season 20 is when Rob Wade took over DWTS he originally worked in another role on DWTS before and said he was bringing pros from previous seasons, he had asked numerous ex pros if they were interested and it was going back to basics that was before he hired Allison Holker a contemporary dancer and the only pro that returned that season was Kym. I didn't know about Tristan thought he had gone back to LA for the ballroom with a twist tour and the cruises and to see his former housemates Emma and Sasha who by the looks of their twitter is back together again

As for Henry, Derek, Nastia and Sasha thing - Henry and Nastia were training together and sharing photos on twitter/instragram according to Nastia i think she said she spent half her week in New York with Derek and half with Henry in LA a lot of fans on twitter complained that the show wasn't showing this and it was unfair to Henry so tptb put out a VT explaining the situation this lead to people asking if they (Derek & Nastia) won would Henry too? This lead to Henry no longer working with Nastia and when Derek got injured Sasha stepped in because I heard because whatever happened after the VT Henry point blanked refused saying he was too busy he has since left and is doing theatre shows including broadway.

As for Nastia being Tristan's partner I heard someone dropped out that year i thought it was Henry's partner as it was rumoured he was to be a pro that year but maybe it was Tristan's no idea but i know Nastia was only brought in last minute as tptb wanted Derek back and they needed a New York based celebs ie Nastia.

Some good info there - I didn't know Emma and Sasha were back together!! I wondered what happened. There was one photo posted of Emma and Artem kissing - well one kissed the other on the cheek - and it was somebody's birthday maybe? Inside a van or a car. It may have been during the DWTS tour. Or "Sway"? Oh I can't remember. And it's NOT enough evidence of anything - and Artem had a girlfriend on the cruise he had just done a few weeks prior - but I wondered if Artem had anything to do with S&E breaking up because it happened right after Artem moved to LA and there were tweets of them meeting up at coffee shops and such - which suddenly stopped... Probably not and I'm just being overly imaginative

Anyhow, Sasha's so sweet. Tristan said Aljaz had a very similar personality and he loved them both (Aljaz and Tristan were roommates during Ballroom with a Twist or some other show). I think Sasha has handled his mistreatment at DWTS better than everybody else but I don't blame anybody coming off that show for having sour grapes.

I so hope you're right about the positive planning for Tristan (re Rob Wade) -- and him helping to arrange Tristan going to Strictly backs up that he likes Tristan (plus calling him to be on Season 20.) Just think, if Derek hadn't changed his mind so much about leaving - then not leaving - etc. - things would have likely worked out ever so much better for Tristan (and all the other pros come to think of it.)

But he's a star and can do smoke-and-mirrors choreography better than most (Gleb learned well) and anyway, most viewers probably don't get annoyed like I do when there's a teacher's pet.

I hope Tristan stays at scd he seems to be happier here than he was in the last few seasons he was with DWTS. Another thing I heard about Tristan was that he was originally Kelly Monaco's partner in the all star series but tptb wanted him to have a showmance with her but Tristan point blank refused because he was with his then fiancée now wife so Val who would have a showmance with a door handle jumped at the opportunity it was the only time on DWTS Tristan was given any celeb who had a chance even though she wasn't a popular winner but she did end up 3rd with Val. Tptb had Anna and Karen on the season that just finished so as Tristan was/is a popular ex pro there is every chance if he wants back and they find the right celeb he could go back however as I said they had real trouble finding female celebs this season which is the opposite problem than scd had this year hence the Artem not a pro not a troupe member situation.

I like Derek but the pro hierarchy on DWTS is so annoying to say the least and so predictable would love to see what Derek could do with a duffer but the judges would still overmark him as it's Derek! & if Gleb wants to take his smoke & mirrors choreography over to DWTS I would be quite happy tbh would like Neil as a pro instead.

I really like Sasha too hope he gets a chance to be a pro if I had to pick dwts pro to come to strictly it would be Sasha and Emma.

Another thing was that producers thought in s20 that they were likely to get one or the other in Derek and Maks so Tristan was supposed to be in that season but Maks agreed to come back but apparently wanted Derek's partner

OMG - that ghastly old woman............

Would love Tristan to stay - my absolute favourite!

I have to say, I love reading all the stuff that goes on behind the scenes at DWTS. I mean, watching it you can that some pros are favored over others but I would never have guessed just how much.

I hope Oti comes back. She's great. Really like Giovanni. Wouldn't care if Gleb didn't come back but after the fuss they've made about him I think he will be. Tristan is my fave make so I really hope he's back too. Love Natalie. Think Kristina might not be back but she's had a good run. I like Aljasz and Pasha. No one else is springing to mind right now.