DWTS VIP Light Up the Night Winter Tour 17-18
#lightupthenighttour
I’ve had the pleasure of being a VIP for the last six Dancing with the Stars tours. From the first tour I participated in the VIP to this year’s tour I must say: It’s like night and day! They have improved them tremendously! So let’s talk about the details of the VIP!
Pre-Show: For my 1st show in Charlotte I did the Front Row VIP Pkg we received the email 4 days ahead of the show. We had to arrive between 4:15-5:15 but, remember that varies by city so check your itinerary. VIP Hosts this tour are Jeff & Sam (Lindsay’s hubby)
Entering VIP: There were a lot of VIP’s but, the facility was awesome and let us in out of the cold so we could line up inside. Once we signed in I got my ticket, the VIP bag with a tall mug inside and the signed tour program. They did the lanyards with the letters on them again which is great so then they are only lining up small groups at a time for the photos.
Now on to the good stuff! After check in we were directed upstairs. We all grabbed a drink and met up with some other really nice fans. At about 5:30-5:45 they lined up the first group for the photos and the cast came in. Hayley and Brandon were in the mingle and Jordan, Lindsay, Frankie (all 3 will be consistent this tour) and then the other 2 will rotate and we had Emma & Keo. I will be keeping track so you can see if there is a pattern and potentially narrow down who might be in your city! Photos did go a little quick this time but, they did have a ton of people. You were still able to say hi to each person and say something quick. Hayley and Brandon were super sweet in the mingle. The lighting was tough where they were standing so I would suggest using flash when you have your photos taken if the lighting is tough.
http://lightscmemories.com/vip/vip-photo-list-dwts-light-night-winter-tour/
The VIP Nation staff is also very kind, nobody is yelling at you it’s a pleasant experience. You do have to leave your purse, bags and anything else on you at the table and you cannot ask for autographs etc. at the cast photo portion. This year too it was one professional photo taken by VIP Nation host, no selfie options in the main photo. You could however do selfies with the dancers in the Meet & Mingle. They did have a GIF area this time. I didn’t get a chance to get over there as I was catching up with friends but, will at a future show. After the photos were done and the dancers all left to get ready for the show you could go to the merchandise stand and do some crowd free shopping which was also nice.
Please note on the pics: the itinerary says up within to 2 weeks which drives all of the fans crazy because that is the one thing they all want and it took 5 days to post the Charlotte pics and I am beyond disappointed, the host clearly did not check them like they usually do because my eyes are completely shut in both pictures! That is not ok, people spend a lot of money on these packages, I can’t print either of my pictures! If I could change one thing in the VIP world it would be that the photos were up in 24-48 hours as that is the ONE thing the fans want to see more than anything but, the tour just started so we will see if the speed improves. UPDATE: I have done 3 more shows since opening night and I am happy to report that the host is now checking the photos before you walk away to be sure eyes are open. I was much happier with my photo from the Verona show and the Mohegan shows. I did want to mention though because it was brought to my attention that the fans in Boston will not be receiving their photos. They received an email offering a $100 refund and an apology that they would not be receiving their photos due to a memory card error. I know so many of you follow this page and I just wanted to say that I am so sorry to hear that happened to you. In all my years of doing VIP I never heard of that happening to an entire city. I know on one hand you have the memory of meeting them but, I also totally understand how disappointed you are not having the photo memory.
What to wear: Be comfortable & wear what you want. You will see everyone from dressed down to wearing beautiful dresses and everything in between.
Show time! I will be doing another blog on the show itself after my next one. I will say it’s really a great show. Very minimal crowd interaction this time, only Alan goes out for less than a minute to start off a # in the crowd. That was disappointing because fans love that so much. Jordan and Frankie are a lot of fun and the Pro’s just knock it out of the park with their high energy performance. More to come in a few weeks.
Suggestions for Tour Management: This is something I have been thinking about. For the Maks & Val Tour and the Derek & Julianne tours there was another top level tier package when you got pictures in the VIP and then got extra time with them backstage. I know the VIP photos are with “select” dancers (4 the last 2 tours & 5 this tour) at each city but, many fans have voiced their disappointment when their “favorite” isn’t in their photo since it’s a random rotation. I have heard many voice their displeasure at paying several hundred dollars but not getting a pic with their favorite. What if you added another ticket tier or made it with the front row packages that you get your pic with the rest of the VIP’s and then you are either taken down just before the show or just after and get a photo with the full tour cast? If you sold a very limited # of them it wouldn’t take that much extra time. That way you those that truly want to meet them all would have the chance and it would then add another tier package for you. I know I would sign up for that for sure!
If possible rotate the staff if you are doing two shows in one city. Some of us like to go to both shows and it would be great to get pics with two sets of dancers since you are paying VIP at both.
Bravo & Thank you: VIP Nation you always put together fantastic unique experiences and it doesn’t go unnoticed! Thank you so much to the tour staff: Mandy Moore & Ashley Edens-Shaffer, Directors and our dance captains: Jenna and Artem truly put together an amazing show that I think every fan should be sure they have a ticket for! The creative genius is obvious at every moment in the show. The vision and layout for this tour is truly worth 10 Stars! The crew and all the other behind the scenes individuals also deserve a shout out! The Dancers (Sharna, Gleb, Artem, Lindsay, Sasha, Keo, Emma, Jenna, Hayley, Alan, Morgan and Brandon all truly leave it on the floor each night. It’s emotional, it’s passionate, it’s raw, it’s FUN, it’s full of energy and I am so excited I will get to see this tour multiple times and have a new take away each night!
If you don’t have a ticket…Buy one today and if you are able to do VIP it’s worth the investment for this experience they have many different levels and price points too! Here’s the link for tickets/VIP package! http://dwtstour.com/
Want to see more photos? For many more pictures from the tour, past tours please follow me on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook @lightscmemories! If you have any questions that I can help with please don’t hesitate to reach out!
Where do I love to shop for fun outfits for VIP pics!
Fun concert wear!
Bebe: http://www.bebe.com/
Nordstrom: http://shop.nordstrom.com/
White House Black Market: https://www.whitehouseblackmarket.com/store/
Coach: http://www.coach.com/shop/women-wristlets
Until next time,
XOXO
Heather
I’ve had the pleasure of being a VIP for the last five Dancing with the Stars tours. From the first tour I participated in the VIP to this year’s tour I must say: It’s like night and day! They have improved them tremendously! So let’s talk about the details of the VIP!
Now on to the good stuff! After check in we were directed upstairs. We didn’t wait very long at all when they started telling Group A to line up. A few minutes later we saw Alan and Britt coming our way, it was their turn to do the Meet & Mingle! It appears that it’s all rotating like last tour (2 in the Meet & Mingle and 4 in the photos with Emma & Rashad/Heather being consistent). To give you an idea for our cast photo we had Emma, Lindsay, Rashad & Gleb. I will update this after each show to give you all an idea:
The photos were wonderful as always. In all past tours I have attended they have always taken 2 pictures, this time they only did 1. The staff is also very kind, nobody is yelling at you it’s a pleasant experience. You do have to leave your purse, bags and anything else on you at the table and you cannot ask for autographs etc. at the cast photo portion. This year too it was one professional photo taken by VIP Nation host, no selfie options in the main photo. You could however do selfies with the dancers in the Meet & Mingle. I did not honestly see the green screen option anywhere at either VIP party in Durham so I cannot comment on that. After the photos were done and the dancers all left to get ready for the show you could go to the merchandise stand and do some crowd free shopping which was also nice.
Suggestions for Tour Management: This is something I have been thinking about. For the Maks & Val Tour and the Derek & Julianne tours there was another top level tier package when you got pictures in the VIP and then got extra time with them backstage. I know the VIP photos are with “select” dancers (4 the last 2 tours) at each city but, many fans have voiced their disappointment when their “favorite” isn’t in their photo since it’s a random rotation. I have heard many voice their displeasure at paying several hundred dollars but not getting a pic with their favorite. What if you added another ticket tier or made it with the front row packages that you get your pic with the rest of the VIP’s and then you are either taken down just before the show or just after and get a photo with the full tour cast? If you sold a very limited # of them it wouldn’t take that much extra time. That way you those that truly want to meet them all would have the chance and it would then add another tier package for you. I know I would sign up for that for sure!
If possible rotate the dancers if you are doing two shows in one city. Some of us like to go to both shows and it would be great to get pics with two sets of dancers since you are paying VIP at both.
The vision and layout for this tour is truly worth 10 Stars! The crew and all the other behind the scenes individuals also deserve a shout out! The Dancers (Sharna, Gleb, Artem, Lindsay, Sasha, Keo, Emma, Hayley, Alan and Britt all truly leave it on the floor each night. It’s emotional, it’s passionate, it’s raw, it’s FUN, it’s full of energy and I am so excited I will get to see this tour multiple times and have a new take away each night!
Want to see more photos? For many more pictures from the tour, past tours please follow me on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook @lightscmemories! If you have any questions that I can help with please don’t hesitate to reach out!
This was my 5th Dancing with the Stars tour! The stage set up with fantastic, great music/dance selection and the cast was filled with not only great talent but, the kindest people. Truly loved the Hot Summer Nights Tour!
This year’s tour was very light & fun with a lot of summertime elements mixed in. It was so great to see Emma & Rashad dance together live again. I was so excited for them that they won this season. I haven’t seen Heather perform yet that will be at the next show. It was also so nice to have Sasha back on tour this time and Britt was another fantastic addition to the cast. I know a lot of people were unsure what to expect when Val took the summer off. Even though he and Jenna were incredibly missed on the stage I think many of the other dancers really shined bright this tour. 
We saw a few of our favorite dances from the season, they had an entire movie section which was just fantastic. I know I keep saying it when I post pictures but, that dance that Sharna & Gleb do to 50 Shades was just smoking hot. I also really enjoyed Artem & Hayley’s beautiful and passionate contemporary dance and Gleb & Hayley’s dance to “Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”. Watching Sasha and Emma dance quite a few pieces together including the Viennese Waltz dedicated to their engagement was just beautiful. 
Lindsay has a fun storytelling portion of the show as well that is hilarious in addition to performing many amazing numbers. I also really enjoyed the Prince/Princess piece. Keo is absolutely hilarious with his drop the mic moment and also has many beautiful and high energy performances. Alan also truly stands out this tour with his fun dance with the ladies, his Samba with Lindsay and many other fantastic performances. 
Britt is a real sweetheart and also incredibly talented. She shines bright on the stage every night! All of the dancers just radiate joy on that stage. The entire show was absolutely beautiful and high energy and it allowed all the dancers to be equally in the spotlight.
I also loved all the other special elements. If you haven’t seen the show you can skip a few of the videos so it doesn’t get spoiled:
The dancers gave it their all every single night of the performances and I cannot say enough what a privilege it was to meet them at the meet and greets, but to sit in the audience and watch their talent and brilliance come to life.
I am attending 5 shows on this tour and have one more to go in Costa Mesa on the last night of the tour and did VIP for each. If you want to learn about their amazing VIP experience check out this link: 
This year’s tour really focused on each dancer’s story and it was so beautifully put together. You would find yourself laughing, in tears, with goosebumps and just sitting on the edge of your seat. To highlight just a sample: Val and Laurie perform a few of their favorite dances from the season, there is a section on favorite movie dances that is just fun and stunning at the same time, special dances for just the men and just the women and a lovely moment as Emma shares the story of her engagement. The girls and Artem perform a fun Spice Girls number that will really take you back. I loved the opening & closing numbers and the piece they all participate in on how they put together the dances each week. There is also a section after intermission that will leave you in stitches it is so hilarious. 
Jenna Johnson performs a really amazing number to Seduces Me that is just breathtaking. Sharna & Val perform a high energy jive that just totally rocks and Sharna performs a steamy tango with Alan that I just loved! Alan and the ladies perform a special number that will leave every man in the room jealous of him. Artem and Gleb heat up the stage in their respective pieces that tell their stories. Lindsay hits all the right notes in her dances too including the one she dedicates to her Dad…Crazy Train. Keo also has some moving pieces to his life story and a rumba with Emma. Jenna and Artem perform a special piece from La La Land that is visually and emotionally stunning. The contemporary numbers that Jenna & Artem and Hayley and Val do are so beautiful and passionate. The number that makes me cry and I get goosebumps every night is Sharna’s story. I don’t want to spoil it for those that have not yet seen it but, it’s a story some can really relate to and will pull at your heart strings for sure. This was just a quick highlight of my thoughts. All of the performances are just amazing!
VIP Shout Out! I was thrilled to see that we have one of VIP Nation’s best hosts Anthony Jones for this tour! He also did the Maks & Val Tour this summer. He is not only a really nice guy, he gets it and works to post pictures as quick as he can (remember we all have to be patient), he checks the photos after he takes them and truly cares about the customers. High-five Anthony when you see him in your city because he really is a rock star for the fan experiences!
Now on to the good stuff! After check in we were directed upstairs. For this venue the layout was a bit odd compared to other venues I have been to but, they have to work with the space the building offers. We didn’t wait very long at all when they started telling Group A to line up. A few minutes later we saw Keo and Alan coming our way, it was their turn to do the Meet & Mingle! It appears that it’s all rotating like last tour (2 in the Meet & Mingle and 4 in the photos with Val & Laurie being consistent ). To give you an idea for our cast photo we had Val, Laurie, Sharna & Gleb. I will update this after each show to give you all an idea:
The photos were wonderful as always, it was my first time meeting Laurie & Gleb and it was so fantastic to see Val & Sharna. Anthony takes great care in taking the photos for us. The staff is also very kind, nobody is yelling at you it’s a pleasant experience. You do have to leave your purse, bags and anything else on you at the table and you cannot ask for autographs etc. at the cast photo portion. This year too it was one professional photo taken by Anthony, no selfie options in the main photo. You could however do selfies with the dancers in the Meet & Mingle. The green screen operator for this city wasn’t the best at taking the shots and they were having issues with the Wi-Fi not being fast enough so the green screen pictures were very hit or miss on if you got them in your email. However, Anthony with VIP Nation being the rock star host that he is, is already on it for us! I noticed today in the photos link there is one for the Meet & Greet pictures and then one for the Photo booth. That was smart thinking to just upload them all vs having issues city to city with Wi-Fi. After the photos were done and the dancers all left to get ready for the show you could go to the merchandise stand and do some crowd free shopping which was also nice.
Please note on the pics: the itinerary says up within to 2 weeks. I know it’s super hard to be patient but, I know Anthony will post as quickly as he can. He is one of the best in speed to get them posted.
You will get to see a few of the best dances of our Mirrorball Champions Val & Laurie and a few other truly amazing performances by the cast from this season. However, my lips are sealed on more details for now so you can be surprised and enjoy the shows in your city.
I have been a fan of this show ever since Season 1 and I have to say this season will be a hard one to top. The entire cast truly came in with a great attitude and really put in the effort. It was hard not to fall in love with the personalities and stories of each of our stars this season. There were so many shining stars.
I want to give a huge shout out to the Season 23 Dance Troupe: Brittany Cherry, Alan Bersten, Hayley Erbert, 
On to the finale:
It was too fun to watch Maureen McCormick live her huge fan dream of dancing with Babyface, Ryan, Artem, Keo and Dennis tonight. Maureen was one that I truly felt grew a lot this season. It’s always fun when a star is also a fan of the show because it allows us at home to live it through their eyes.
I loved the friendship that developed between Vanilla Ice and Rick Perry this season. Vanilla’s performance was a fun blast from the past and even though they might not have been the strongest dancers the partnerships between Witney/Vanilla and Emma/Rick were fun to watch all season and both did work hard.
Sharna Burgess & James Hinchcliffe 
The gift that James gave to Sharna of the race suit he wore the first time he raced again after his accident was truly sweet. Sharna truly put together the most amazing piece to close the chapter on James’s survival journey. They performed a fusion dance of Foxtrot & Viennese Waltz. It was absolutely beautiful. James demonstrated all the grace in his movements and it again highlighted the beautiful friendship that developed between them this season. It was stunning.
Calvin & Lindsay 
Calvin & Lindsay did a Jive & Quickstep fusion. Calvin and Lindsay almost developed a big brother/little sister relationship this season. Calvin should be so happy with his journey this season. He grew immensely and I think kept his attitude on the fun this entire season. He was a joy to watch! Their fusion dance was a lot of fun, high energy and again showed off all the great dance qualities that Calvin brought to the floor.
Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy 
Val and Laurie had a Foxtrot & Argentine Tango Fusion dance. Their package was so adorable. It was sad hearing them talk about this season ending. I think Val was a tremendous positive influence on Laurie. Laurie grew so much before our eyes and is truly a remarkable young lady. Their fusion dance was incredible. Laurie had that fire, pure determination and the look of champion in her eyes when they started that fusion dance. I do disagree with those that felt Laurie had an edge this season because of gymnastics. Laurie was the first gymnast that didn’t use the tricks in the dances this season. I can speak from personal experience at a lower level. I was a cheerleader and when I started taking ballroom & latin dance lessons it is totally different and definitely not easy to learn to dance with a partner.
More on the finale…
ce number was also choreographed by the amazing Mandy Moore. This was truly remarkable. It was creative, it was a technical and visual delight the way she was able to bring the story into motion using the special screen to make the young girl’s dream a reality. It truly was an absolute Masterpiece!
Sharna & James and Val & Laurie were the final two couples and truly they were both so good it could have been a tie this season. Each partnership just had that special something. The talent, the creativity of Val & Sharna with their respective partners was just unstoppable this year. I would have been absolutely thrilled if their partnership had won.
cing ability and truly be the lead. Len said BRILLANT! Bruno said she is the Queen of the Jungle. Carrie Ann said she is unstoppable! Everyone is still trying to figure out if Alan and Paige are dating…too cute! If they are I think they would make an adorable couple.
perience. I can say from personal experience it’s very different taking individual dance and dancing with a partner. It might give an edge on some things like lines & musicality but, the movement with a partner is totally different. Their Argentine Tango was sexy as hell, lots of great lifts, a fun storyline and overall a great job! Bruno loved how nasty it was and said it was like watching 50 shades of Paige. Len liked it but, felt it was a little too sexy for his taste.
rather than just strike poses. Sharna and Hayley did a great job with the choreography. Overall they did a good job.
ome timing during the dance. Overall I thought it was fun, cute, and full of energy. Good job.
e wanted to be a Math teacher and then Tyra stole him for America’s Next Top Model. Nyle wants to stay on this platform because he feels he can make a larger impact for the deaf community. He was blindfolded for part of the dance. It was beautiful, moving, emotional, and impactful in so many ways. I absolutely loved it. Nyle said he likes to challenge himself and it truly came across so beautiful tonight.
few balance issues they saw in the dance.
elt a need to control something in her life. Her curiosity about weather developed into a passion. She started on GMA in 2011. Val said this was a fun & awesome season for him. I have loved their partnership. Their dance was light, fun, high energy, had a lot of content, and overall they did a great job. Ginger has grown so much this season as a dancer, she truly is able to get into the harder characters now and should be very proud of all she has accomplished with Val.
go to: 
she brings a strong desire to do well and to learn and they are a real joy to watch. Absolutely loved their enthusiasm when their scores were announced.
I keep saying it but, Kim and Sasha are seriously the cutest partnership and you can tell they have formed a genuine friendship. I love how Sasha likes to keep things light and wants to use last week’s scores to fuel their drive for this week. This will be a fun week for them as they are dancing to a Jackson 5 song and Kim is friends with Janet.
ght a lot of flak last week because of his comment about Val being his biggest competition. He was able to clarify what he meant a bit more and he seemed to really take it to heart that people would be looking at him like he was cocky. I don’t think there is anything wrong with aspiring to be the best in whatever field it is you are in, it’s good to stay motivated by that.
glad that Antonio decided to stay in Los Angeles this week and really put everything into rehearsals. They seem to be back on track and I am glad he is taking advantage of having an amazing coach on the show.
usual humor and grace. I did wonder why Tom couldn’t have whispered something to her rather than bringing it up in such a public manner. The judges all liked it but, they noticed a few mistakes.
t some serious weight since starting the show and I do really like his humble attitude. I never really care much for the packages that highlight the busy schedules because it always feels like they are trying to make an excuse. They all have really busy schedules, some are flying coast to coast each week, others are in training camps etc. What matters is do they find the time when it matters and put in the work when they can.
as such a big personality. He is very likeable and clearly works hard. I agreed with Carrie Ann that it was good but, she was wanting more. Wanya has the right attitude and you can tell he is very motivated.
eek’s scores and feedback had Ginger concerned and discouraged. Val dialed up the drive and intensity so he could help her have a breakout week. I personally love Val’s style, he wants what is best for his partner. When he said he always does this and doesn’t want to ruin the experience for her it made me sad in a way. Having a drive and a genuine care for your partner isn’t going to ruin the experience and Ginger is smart enough to see that. That is one of the things I have always admired about Val compared to some other pros on the show, you can tell he does everything out of pure love and care for his partner not for his own personal gain/credit etc.
ink Von is finally relaxing and allowing people to truly see his personality. I found myself finally routing for him the last 3 weeks. This dance should be fun and I think it’s a great idea that Witney had to incorporate lifts and take advantage of Von’s strengths this week.
hook her confidence last week being in jeopardy. It made me sad to hear her doubting herself and if people liked her and are voting for her. Paige you are amazing, be confident! You are beautiful, talented, sweet and truly kind and that is why people are rooting for you!
f an eye.
nd told us what section we were in etc. At that point they take your cell phones from you and you are given a card to pick them up after the show. After that you go through a metal detector and they check your belongings. Once you are set with that you are escorted into the studio to your section and then to your assigned seats. It was such a surreal experience walking into the studio. It was much smaller than it looks on TV. We were seated on the 2nd level, front row directly across from the judges table and the interview room was directly to my left. It was so exciting to actually be in the studio and to realize I would be able to see everything perfectly from where I was seated.
night. After the 2 or 3 songs ended they asked us to take our seats.
, I was beyond excited for the show to start. A few minutes later we were told to start yelling and clapping as loud as we could and the show started live. The opening number was absolutely amazing, full of energy and just flawless. One interesting thing I noticed right away is it’s absolutely impossible for you to hear what Tom and Erin are saying in the studio because it is so loud. When they are playing the packages that you see on TV they are running on two screens in the studio, one above the stairs to the main stage and then another in the back so their truly isn’t a bad seat in the house. On the 2nd level there was only 2 rows and I am pretty sure the 3rd level was the same. Another amazing thing that you see live is the set change outs. They truly hustle to get those sets torn down and the new ones in within minutes on commercial breaks, I can only ima
gine how much more complicated it is on Disney week.
is guest spot and I will say my opinion is he was hard on some because he knows they can do better. He has won the show, he knows what it takes along with all of his years of dance experience.
ne in their heads. The beauty and pure emotion of some of the dances are just that much more intense in the live audience. Nyle and Sharna’s dance for example had me in tears because you couldn’t help but, feel the emotion of every movement. It’s a bit different than watching it at home. The studio was actually a bit warm too which was a little surprising to me, I had always heard studios were more on the chilly side but, that’s probably for the safety of the pros/stars.
as done we all exited and got into this long line to get our cell phones back. For more on what I thought on the dances please check out my weekly blog.
at time on the show. Kim is so sweet and just radiates happiness. Nyle is even better looking in person, beyond handsome and Ginger is seriously the absolute nicest person. Her husband Ben is incredibly funny and they really are the cutest couple. I also saw Doug Flutie but, didn’t want to ask for a picture because he was with his friends and family at the time and already had quite a few people waiting for him. He seemed to be very kind to each person he was interacting with.
rgy to be a part of the audience. The dances are amazing on TV but, the emotion in person truly is palpable. I will never forget this amazing experience and I am so thankful to have had the opportunity.
time,