Dancing with the Stars: Live Studio Audience 4/18/16
Make memories, don’t collect things…
About 10 years ago I had a friend from high school who tragically passed away from cancer far too soon and an Uncle that had saved his entire life to fulfill all of these dreams he had when he retired, he ended up with brain cancer and passed away before he had that chance. Those two deaths truly changed my outlook on life. You need to make memories, have experiences, make the most of every day because life changes in the blink o
f an eye.
I have been a viewer of Dancing with the Stars since season 1 and I had always hoped to one day be in the live audience. A cast member at the show kindly offered to give me tickets to the show and to say I was excited would be an understatement. I quickly determined who I wanted to take with me and made all the travel plans to get out to LA for the Switch Up week.
I arrived around 4:00 and went to the VIP check-in area. They verified we were on the list a
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.
Not long after we were seated the various other groups were escorted to their seats. The Audience Coordinator that is in charge of the audience energy etc. invited us down to the dance floor for a brief dance party before the show started. As I was entering the dance floor area I nearly ran directly into Nyle DiMarco as he was trying to exit to the back of the studio. We were able to take photos with a camera if we wanted while we were on the dance floor. There was so much fun energy in the room I knew it would be a special
night. After the 2 or 3 songs ended they asked us to take our seats.
Once everyone was back in their seats they rehearsed the opening number and the Audience Coordinator told us he would be telling us when to clap, cheer etc. and said they wanted to see a ton of energy out of us since the last two weeks they felt it was lacking a bit. The energy in the room now was palpable
, 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.
The judges were all so funny. It was nice to have Maks on as guest judge. I have read a lot of thoughts and comments about h
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.
On commercial breaks they were doing trivia questions with the audience and it was nice to see how each of the couples gets in the zone so to speak ahead of their performance. Some would stay loose, others would practice portions of their dances and others appeared to be running through their routi
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.
After the live show was over (it went SO fast), we were asked to stay in our seats because they were going to film the opening dance for week 7. The pros had to go change to get ready for that and you could see the stars mingle a bit with their friends/family that had been in the audience that night. After about 20 minutes the pros took the stage and did two takes for the opening number. I don’t want to give away too much on that so it won’t spoil it when you watch. Once that w
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.
As a guest of someone on the show we had special access after the show to go back and say hello/thank you etc. I have met most of the pros on the various tours over the years and I cannot say enough about down to earth, genuine, kind and talented they all are. It was nice to run into Sharna, Brittany, Hayley, Alan, Maks, Val and Keo. The stars that I came in contact with were also very nice. Paige is stunningly beautiful and is having a gre
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.
If you ever have a chance to be a part of the live studio audience for either this show or another show that may be your personal favorite, I would highly recommend the experience. It’s just such a fun ene
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.
What was I wearing:
Hair: http://www.thedrybar.com/
Makeup: http://www.maccosmetics.com/
If you have any questions please feel free to ask….
Until next 
time,
Xoxo
Heather
gic spark between she and Von this season and I think Wanya’s personality and skills will make for a fun match up. He reminds me so much of Alfonso with his charisma.
h. I thought their dance was good, emotional, passionate, in character but, not much of it was done in hold. I personally have not learned this dance style yet in the lessons I have been taking but, going off what I have seen in past seasons and on the DWTS tours I was thinking that might be the biggest comment from the judges. Maks said it was a hard one that it was a great performance but, not a Viennese Waltz, lacking frame etc. Bruno thought they were on the money on the emotion of the dance and Carrie Ann loved it. Len agreed with Maks and he wanted to know why there wasn’t one step in hold. Maks reminded Keo of the height differences between him and Meryl Davis. My opinion is that Keo felt he was choreographing the best he could dealing with the height differences and I think he will continue to grow as a pro. Keo and Kim should be proud of a solid performance this week.
nts to go far in this competition and it is very evident in the hard work she demonstrates each and every week. I will miss seeing her and Val dancing together this week but, I think this partnership with Mark has some fun potential. Ginger’s husband, Ben is such a riot. I crack up each week with what they air in the packages from Ben. This week is a classic, Mark is like a glass of merlot and Val would be a dirty martini and then later Mark is the marrying type but, Val is more the Russian love slave. Too funny!
Season 1 I also am interested to see the stories that are portrayed in the packages each week. Often I take them with a grain of salt. This week there seemed to be a lot of emphasis on Antonio being late and not putting in the work. Over the seasons a lot of celebrities have had very challenging schedules but, still put in the work it’s part of the commitment to the show and if he truly is late all the time that is not only disrespectful to the experience but, to your partner as well.
ge’s dress tonight, it was beautiful! Paige is too cute and I bet it’s hard to channel your inner sexy for such an intimate dance in a room full of people with a new partner. I felt Sasha did a great job building that trust with Paige in this week. I LOVED their dance. It was beautiful, it told a story and had such elegance. Every week I am in awe of Paige that she can be such an tough fighter and yet so incredibly graceful. If I had to pick a top 3 today I would say for sure Paige will be in this for the long haul. She is beautiful inside and out and absolutely should be proud! Maks told her she is capable of winning but, was bothered by a lack of rumba content. Bruno and Carrie Ann really loved it! I thought Maks scored it too low, I understand his comments on the content but, the overall performance deserved at min straight 8’s at least.
Taking away nothing at all taking away from Witney. I have just been trying to put my finger on my thoughts on Von all season. Some partnerships have this amazing chemistry from the start, others it takes time to grow.
we are all in for seeing magic tonight.
loved it and said it was a total eclipse! Maks said best dance of the night & of the season and he still cannot figure out how it is possible for Nyle to perform so well. Bruno loved it. OMG seeing Nyle, Sharna and Peta all in tears too it was just so beautiful.
om 2 each week but, she needs a breakthrough to hopefully keep her in the competition and I know Val can do that. He is such a strong, amazing leader and I think he can help Jodie get out of her head a bit more this week.
th the male pro dancers and he absolutely brought the cool factor. FANASTIC performance. It was fun, it was creative and he demonstrated so much personality in the character. I had to go back and watch it again I loved it! Bravo! I truly hope the judges break out the higher paddles for this dance because they deserve it! FINALLY some good scores for 
be Doug, I do think he tries, I just think it’s not coming together for him to the point
! Len really loved it and said it was her best dance so far and I totally agree. Every week Kim improves. Her smile is contagious. It was hilarious when she dove on the desk to thank Bruno for his compliment.
as a pro on the show this season and Jodie never stopped smiling even though they were having a few issues in the dance. She said later that she couldn’t hear the music over the enthusiastic fans which really made it hard for her in the Cha-cha. Bruno is waiting for the WOW factor, I agree she has it in her absolutely. She just needs a breakout week. Len had a lot of positive comments which I thought was great. Jodie really has the potential and I hope they have the chance to let it shine.
etween them I am sure this dance was challenging to keep the frame. I found it hard when I was learning to dance to do it with someone the same height as me. I do think this was Von’s best dance to date. I just think maybe he isn’t connecting with the audience or something. Will be interesting to see how he does in switch up week.
Val you deserve tremendous praise for your creativity on this dance. You perfectly choreographed to all of Ginger’s strengths and I truly thought it deserved 10 but, let’s see what the judges say.
seems to excel with the faster dance styles. He absolutely has that competitive drive and he’s fun to watch.
nce floor.
nce was light, it was fun, had lots of content and filled with joy. Marla always pays attention to the details and clearly works on it. I would say Tiffany is probably beaming with pride for her mom right now. Tony’s pure joy is also so much fun to see. I love it when he gets great partners and can really demonstrate what an amazing teacher/dancer he is and his fun personality. The judges all had great feedback and suggestions.
ening herself up more and more each week. Her story wasn’t always perfect, she went through some tough times with drug and alcohol addiction when she was trying to numb the pain she was feeling inside. It’s a common issue for child actors. They live these bigger than life experiences and then the role ends and the world in a way gets quiet and they are still just a teen trying to grow up. Her most memorable year was this year when Fuller House came back in 2016. She has been sober now for 5 years. She is a Mom and it was great listening to her co-stars describe what a real person she is. The story of her mom saying that she had such a bright light when she was a kid and how she watched it become very dark really pulled at your heart strings.
ealthy and it shows, she looks fantastic. Tonight’s dance was sexy & hot for sure. I thought it was precise, she had great lines and had the character of the dance down. Seems Glen wanted more intensity or down and dirty based on his score/comments. Overall good feedback from the judges. Good job Marla & Tony!
w you, to root for you. I would say as an observer you have to put in more time/effort because in a way it still looks like you are still walking and not dancing. Dancing doesn’t come naturally to everyone but, you can do this! There were definitely some mistakes. I think the judges all gave her good feedback. She needs to take it as feedback, learn from it and improve for next week. They are trying to help her. Again, I will say she has one of the best pro’s in her corner, soak in all the effort Artem is offering you. You also cannot just walk off like that on live TV it comes off like you are being a diva. It’s understandable if you were upset or sad just hold it in for another few seconds vs. walking off on camera. Think of who is voting for you.
eally like Ginger, she is adorable and fun to watch. She is spunky and sweet and seriously is so fortunate to have Val as her partner. There was a minor slip up but she was good at not letting it get to her and not showing it on her face she just kept moving. That comes from Val’s great teaching ability, you just keep moving. Kudos to Val from Len on the content of the dance! She has such a bright light that shines and they will absolutely go far in this competition in my opinion. I liked what Carrie Ann said that sexiness is just owning your own unique beauty. Ginger you did great! Val fantastic job on the choreography. This was a fantastic performance, I think the scores were probably fair given a few small errors but, they should be happy with their performance!
ly deserves this opportunity and Kim is lucky to have him as a partner. Kim Fields was on Facts of Life, Living Single and Real Housewives of Atlanta. First dance is the Cha-Cha. I thought they did a good job for the first week. The Cha-Cha in my opinion is a difficult dance to learn. Kim showed a lot of personality, charisma and truly looked like she was having a lot of fun out there.
un personality. First dance: Foxtrot. I thought Paige did a great job, she was very elegant and seemed to soften up since the practice footage. She had a lot of great lines and a lot of grace. Paige has a lot of potential that is for sure!
eems to have a Type A personality and truly seems to have the desire to learn. It’s not easy to try something new that is totally out of your comfort zone. He has a fun energy and truly looked like he was trying. Is he a natural dancer…no but, he gave it his all and I give him a lot of credit for that. I think each week you will see him improve.
e excitement which is always fun to watch. She is a perfectionist and it’s hard when you are as you learn to dance because you want everything to be totally correct. Their first dance was a Tango. I found this was a fun dance to learn when I took my lessons. I thought they did a good job. It had a lot of attitude and was great for a week 1 performance. Jodie has a lot of potential to go far this season.
just so sweet and such an amazing dancer. He has a ton of charisma, as does Marla and it will be fun to watch this pair. First dance: Quickstep. Marla is very elegant, has a fun personality and a lot of potential. I think they will go far this season. . I thought their dance was a lot of fun!
nce: Cha-Cha. Wanya has a fun personality and his charisma shines through the TV screen. He’s going to fun to watch! This pair reminded me so much of Alfonso and Witney. I think he will go far in this competition for sure, so much fun to watch this pair!
and a desire to learn. First dance: Jive. This was a challenging first dance. Jive does not look like an easy dance to learn. Val posted a video of his swollen knees on Instagram one night after practice. Ginger really has a dynamic personality and I think this pair has a lot of potential. Val is a great teacher and they will be another fun pair to watch.
ice person and a true talent. Mischa is well known for being an actress on the OC. First dance: Tango. Mischa is definitely not a natural dancer. She did ok for the first dance and I think she will need to put a lot more work/effort into it to be successful this season especially with this cast. I am sure she was nervous. I also think she will need to relax a bit and let people get to know. Artem is a good teacher, hopefully she will loosen up a bit and take advantage of learning from him.
ord after watching their performance: WOW! The fact he is deaf did not stop him at all. He can only feel vibrations if the music is loud enough. Peta did such a fantastic job as a teacher and they truly seemed to be in tune with each other’s bodies. I am so excited to watch this beautiful pair dance this season. Nyle truly shows that you cannot let anything stop you from learning, from giving it your all and truly blew everyone away on night one.
think the combination of their personalities is going to make them a team to watch this season! First dance: Quickstep. Antonio did a great job, he has crazy charism as well and this super fun spunk! I will be really surprised if they don’t go far this season!
and I am sure she will be an asset to teaching Von. They definitely will be dealing with a major height difference. First dance: Foxtrot. I thought they did well for the first dance. Von is charming and I think just needs to loosen up a bit more.
This was my 3rd Dancing with the Stars tour and hands down the BEST one to date! The stage set up with fantastic, great music/dance selection and the cast was filled with not only great talent but, the kindest people.
I have been asked by several friends what were your favorite dances. That is just so hard to pick because they were all so good for different reasons. I think the ladies would all agree that the men of DWTS doing the Magic Mike dance to Pony was well let’s just say HOT, anyone else need a cold shower after? I took two videos if you want to check them out. This one I affectionately call Magic Val: 
The 2nd video I tried to capture more of the dancers, my seat was a tough angle. 
