Season 23 - Week 1

Here is ABC's Press Release for week 1;


ABC’s ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Returns With a Special Two-Hour Season Premiere on September 12



“Episode 2301” – “Dancing with the Stars” is back with its most dynamic cast yet and ready to hit the ballroom floor. The competition begins with the two-hour season premiere, live, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 (8:00-10:01 p.m. EDT), on the ABC Television Network. The premiere episode will kick off with the largest scale opening number ever, shot with the pros at Griffith Observatory.
 
Each couple will perform a Jive, Foxtrot, Cha Cha or Viennese Waltz, vying for America’s vote for the first time. No couples will be eliminated on week 1, and they will all advance to week 2 of the competition.

Each Couple Will Dance to the Following Songs (in alphabetical order):


Jake T. Austin & Jenna Johnson – jive – “Kiss You” by One Direction

Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds & Allison Holker – foxtrot – “Deed I Do” by Ray Charles

Marilu Henner & Derek Hough – jive – “Can’t Stop Dancing” by Becky G

Laurie Hernandez & Valentin Chmerkovskiy – cha cha – “American Girl” by Bonnie McKee

James Hinchcliffe & Sharna Burgess – foxtrot – “Live Life” by Zayde Wølf

Calvin Johnson Jr. & Lindsay Arnold – cha cha – “That’s What I Like” by Flo Rida feat. Fitz Lunchmoney

Terra Jolé & Sasha Farber – jive – “Stuff Like That There” by Betty Hutton

Jana Kramer & Gleb Savchenko – Viennese Waltz – “Dangerous Woman” by Ariana Grande

Ryan Lochte & Cheryl Burke – foxtrot – “Call Me Irresponsible” by Michael Bublé

Maureen McCormick & Artem Chigvintsev – Viennese Waltz – “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman” by Mary J. Blige

Rick Perry & Emma Slater – cha cha – “God Blessed Texas” by Little Texas

Amber Rose & Maksim Chmerkovskiy – foxtrot – “Here” by Alessia Cara

Vanilla Ice (Robert Van Winkle) & Witney Carson – cha cha – “Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice

Hosted by two-time Emmy-winning host Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews (sports host and “Dancing with the Stars” season 10 finalist), “Dancing with the Stars” is the hit series in which celebrities perform choreographed dance routines which are judged by a panel of renowned ballroom experts, including head judge, Len Goodman, dancers/choreographers Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba.

For Monday, viewers may cast their votes for their favorite couples via phone during and up to 60 minutes after the end of the “Dancing with the Stars” broadcast in each time zone. Online voting at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] on Facebook at https://apps.facebook.com/votedwts/ is open for 24 hours, beginning from the start of each episode on the East Coast at 8:00 p.m. EDT/5:00 p.m. PDT and closing at 8:00 p.m. EDT/5:00 p.m. PDT on Tuesday evenings.

Editors please note: “Dancing with the Stars” will air live from 5:00-7:01 p.m., PDT in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

“Dancing with the Stars” is produced by BBC Worldwide Productions. Rob Wade, Ashley Edens-Shaffer and Joe Sungkur are executive producers. Phil Heyes directs. “Dancing with the Stars” is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound. This program carries a TV-PG, L parental guideline.

About BBC Worldwide Productions 

BBC Worldwide Productions is a key business under BBC Worldwide North America, the U.S. division of the main commercial arm and wholly-owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), BBC Worldwide.  Based in Los Angeles, BBC Worldwide Productions develops and produces scripted and unscripted projects based on BBC formats/brands for cable and broadcast networks, as well as digital platforms. Key titles include “Dancing with the Stars” (ABC), “Getting On” (HBO), “Top Gear” (History), the limited series “The Night Of” (HBO) and the upcoming game show, “Hypnotize Me“(FOX).

ABC Media Relations 

George Zaralidis 
(818) 460-7920
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Amber Brockman
(818) 460-7093
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Nate Reeves
(818) 460-6422
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Jeff Fordis
(818) 460-6676
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Downloadable HD video clips will be posted to [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Monday approximately 9:00 p.m. PDT.

Photography will be available at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] at (818) 460-6611.

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I haven't watched yet.  Steeler Football was on so the show didn't tape until the wee hours.  Catch up with you later!

SLA44 - I so agree with you about Babyface and Allison.  I was not happy to see her back and cannot for the life of me figure out why they picked her instead of some of the other past pros.  Babyface seems like a nice guy, but I didn't vote for that team.  Also did not vote for Rick Perry.  Just can't stand the man.

Laurie Hernandez was a delight.  She just lights up the room with her smile and her enthusiasm.  They were fortunate she was going last - I can't imagine any other contestant who could have lifted the mood of the ballroom at that point.

I agree about the protesters.  That was in very poor taste.  And it seems a bit excessive given the crime.  It's already been proven that no damage was done other than the poster, they didn't call the police - the police came to them, he's already been fined, suspended for 10 months, has to forfeit the money he won for his medals, lost millions in endorsements.  What more do they want?  It's absurd.  And I have to be honest - I have never been much of a Derek Hough fan, but I will give him mad props for stepping in during this debacle to help kick out the protestors who were shouting from the top row.  Good for him!!  As he said, the show is meant to be a positive experience - no room for them.  Go Derek!

I also agree about Jana and Gleb's dance.  She definitely has potential, and I voted for her because I want to see what she can do, but I'm with Len on that one - I like my VW soft and flowy, not sexy and raunchy.   

I thought most of them did fairly well.  For me, Perry was the worst of the bunch.  The rest all showed potential to some degree.  I like Marilu Henner and Maureen McCormack - blasts from my past - so I hope they stick around a while.  Calvin Johnson showed some real potential, and he has a wonderful smile, so he can stay.    I like Jenna, and I'm glad she's getting a chance to be a pro, but she's off to a rocky start.  Jake probably has enough of a fan base to stay around to give her a chance to learn. 

Overall, it was a fun night. 

mustang, I liked Jenna on SYTYCD, but on this show, I find her salacious facial expressions disgusting.  I think she was warned about that on the other show, to dispense with the sex in her dance.  So, for me, she's on the same train as Allison - it's all about HER.  Watch her face.

Anyway, top of the night for me was Laurie, with James second.

My daughter called and was so tickled with Marilu and Maureen.  Said she'd never seen anyone as excited to be on the show as these two and hopes they stick around.

I agreed with Len about Jana and Gleb's dance.  I, too, like it flowing.

And yes, Perry was the worst.  I'm blank right now, so -

I get what you're saying, Singly, about Jenna, but I don't equate Jenna and Allison at all.  Jenna reminds me more of Witney at first - when Witney was in the troupe, it was all about her.  She always knew where the camera was and mugged for it.  She's learned as a pro.  She still does it occasionally, but she's toned it down a lot.  I'm hoping Jenna will learn to do that as well.  But at the end of the day, both Jenna and Witney are first and foremost ballroom dancers, trained and competed.  They know what they're doing.

Allison, on the other hand, is a contemporary dancer who has learned some ballroom, but virtually all of her routines are not really ballroom dances.  There's a nod in there somewhere usually to the actual ballroom dance, but there's also always a lot of "other" stuff.  As someone on another board put it, her dances are all [whatever ballroom dance it's supposed to be]-inspired lyrical something.  And because she doesn't really know the ballroom dances herself, she can't teach them to her partners, so the dances become all about her, and she dances like mad around them.  I also do not generally care for Allison's quality of movement - her ballroom dances don't flow the way they should.  There almost always seems to be something "Frantic" or "hectic" (as both Len and Julianne noted) about her choreography.

That said, I still love watching Allison dance contemporary.  That's her forte, and she does it very well.  The same cannot be said for watching her dance ballroom.

Allison = Frantic.  Yes.  Perhaps you're right about Jenna not being the same, but she's still a turn-off to me now.  Shame.  She was a fav of mine on SYTYCD.

BTW, my daughter says there's a question as to whether SYTYCD will stay with kids or go back to what it used to be.  They must really be concerned about ratings.  Wish they'd have stayed with "regular" dancing and dancers.  I didn't watch the kids' season.

That's a shame about Jana.  I hated that Viennese Waltz, but I thought she danced well.  I was expecting her to be around for a while.  Hopefully she'll be able to continue on.

Ryan Lochte also has an ankle injury from last Monday night's show.  When the security guard tackled that guy, apparently they rolled over Ryan's foot.  Haven't heard anything more so hopefully that healed quickly.

Singly -  I wish they'd stayed with teens/young adult dancers as well.  I had zero interest in watching kids dance and couldn't even bring myself to check out a single episode.

With the exception of Rick Perry, last night was enjoyable.  Maureen looked so much better and Marilu has some moves for a lady her age.

Of course, Laurie was great and I think James has the potential to get to the final.  Terra was surprisingly good in the QS.  I was completely focused on her and thought she did a wonderful job.  Kudos to Sasha, as well.

BTW, is Rick Perry a vet?  I felt an odd twinge when he said they were dancing for the vets.  For me, something felt off.