Let's Review DWTS The Next Pro- Ep. 3

Group dances & Britt Stewart equals one exciting episode! Filled with exciting, albeit gratuitous, drama, and awesome team dances! Tune in now to hear what Daryl and Monise have to say about it! 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:06

Okay, everyone. Welcome back to another episode of Real Talk with D. This has been our Dancing with the Stars, the Next Pro recap. I'm joined once again by my lovely wife.

SPEAKER_01 0:15

Hello.

SPEAKER_00 0:16

We're here to discuss episode three, and we have guest judge Britt Stewart jumping in for this one as they are going to be focusing on group numbers. So a lot happened in this episode, a lot to unfold.

SPEAKER_01 0:30

Why do they have to reintroduce Mark and um Shirley every week?

SPEAKER_00 0:35

I don't know. I mean, it's like, yeah, I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 0:38

Like, I get the new one who the mentor, right? But they're like, let's welcome back your judges. I'm like, why?

SPEAKER_00 0:45

I mean, it's like, I guess it's the same thing as the actual Dancing with the Stars show when they introduce the hosts every single week. Like, you know, here are your hosts, Alfonso and Julianne, every single week, you know?

SPEAKER_01 0:56

Yeah. I don't know. It's like, but it's to a live studio audience. This is to the same dancers. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:01

I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 1:02

It's just depending on.

SPEAKER_00 1:02

And and to us who are watching the show, but Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:06

I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 1:07

But I I hear you. I understand. That's it's a little it's a little interesting. But so today we're going to be focusing on group numbers. So Britt mentioned how one of the biggest things that stands out in these shows are the opening numbers as well as team dances.

SPEAKER_01 1:20

Love team dances.

SPEAKER_00 1:21

Yes. Team dances are very unique. And they also mention how a lot of team dances, or I should say opening numbers, they kind of steer away from the ballroom figures and they kind of go a little bit more freestyle. So immediately the commercial dancers, particularly Selena, is ready to jump on this because this is going to be her strong suit. So I'm curious, you know, just we've been watching Dancing with the Stars for years now. So how do you feel about them kind of drifting away from ballroom figures? Considering how much you and I look for ballroom material in routines, how do you feel about that? And they focus a little bit more on freestyle jazz stuff.

SPEAKER_01 1:57

When it comes to the dancing with the celebrities, and I think it's really important because you're saying we teach them how to ballroom dance. And so, like, yes, it's more show dance ballroom dance numbers than actually being able to go out and do a five-dance in standard or Latin or four-dance in smooth. Like the expectation is that they can walk out and do a routine or like they learned the technique to the dance. And so I think it's important that they still keep the character because as soon as you just start like throwing it out the window and not knowing and teaching the dancing, it's just kind of like, okay, it's just a freestyle show at this point. It's not really a dance show or a ballroom dance show. And so it's like for the opening numbers, I don't mind like a little bit of something because it's the pros like showing off a little bit. But I just prefer when it's more consistently ballroom, which is funny because they say all that, like, oh, we steer away from ballroom, and yet the group number that Britt performs in is like a paso tango to the max. Like they add a few lifts in there. But that's the thing, it was just a couple lifts.

SPEAKER_02 3:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:04

But most of it is paso and tango content. So I just thought it was a very interesting.

SPEAKER_00 3:10

Yeah, you're right. And I've done my share of opening numbers at, you know, the studios that I used to work at. And a lot of the times it was primarily just ballroom and Latin dances, you know. We didn't really get too creative other than maybe a couple of numbers, but overall a focus solely on ballroom and Latin. So I always just find it a little curious, like what you think, you know, when they kind of drift away from that realm there. But, anyways, Britt decides to tell the group uh what they're going to be doing. So for their first big challenge, the dance that she comes out with, which was really good version of All Shook Up, by the way.

SPEAKER_01 3:44

Yeah, I was like, wait, is this the Elvis All Shook Up?

SPEAKER_00 3:47

Different artists, but yes, it is All Shook Up by Elvis. Um, but anyways, so Britt tells the uh dancers that they are going to be recreating this dance. Unbeknownst to them, that they have to recreate it in a very short amount of time, which is something that these Dancing with the Stars pros actually do need to do. So I'm gonna start off by saying this. I kind of agree with Adele with what she was saying, how this is kind of gonna be her weak route because you know, as ballroom dancers, you know this better than anybody. We take months to come up with some of these routines, especially when we go and compete or when we're getting ready for showcases or anything like that. It takes a long time to perfect the techniques and getting the chore excuse me, choreography. And me personally, I'm one who I'm gonna openly admit this, I do not catch on to things very quickly. I need to see things over and over and over again.

SPEAKER_01 4:42

But anyways, you And typically you have these five dances that you compete the same routines at at multiple competitions. So if you do Latin, right? Rumba, cha cha, samba, jive, and pasadoble, you will do the same routines over time. You might sometimes you entirely scrap it and you do a new routine, but oftentimes it's little changes that turn into a new one, but you do them over and over and over and over again. So it's while you might learn it really quickly in like one or two lessons at a practice session, that's your routine for the next six months.

SPEAKER_00 5:17

Yeah, 100%. And you can clearly see that, you know, as I mentioned, Adele, this is something that she struggles with. But, you know, to counter that, someone like Selena, this is her strong suit. This is something that she is known for doing with her commercial dancing. She is good at catching on to material very quickly and everything. But with that being said, this is where I think a little bit of the challenge comes in because, you know, on the one hand, you could be this top-notch group dancer, but if you still can't perfect those techniques, is it really gonna be the best kind of dance, if that makes sense?

SPEAKER_01 5:52

Yeah, if you can't perfect the techniques, how are you gonna teach it? So, like that might make you a great troop member, but how is that gonna make you a good pro?

SPEAKER_00 6:00

Yeah, definitely, definitely. So, well, let me ask you this how how are you with choreography? Can you think you can catch on to it pretty quickly? Like they it comes to find out that Britt says they are only given like three hours to do this and then they have to perform it. That's like the little big twist that she pulls on them. Do you think you could learn a group member in three hours?

SPEAKER_01 6:20

I actually think it was two. Was it two? Yeah, we'll we'll double check that, but um maybe I feel like I've done it before. Um, I'm trying to remember like different routines I've done. It's been a while because again, most of the time I'm just like learning one thing. There was one time with our coach, I did a number and we spent like two or three months working on a showdance number. And then the week of he goes, I had this new idea and I'm changing it. And so I had like, and they're like 45-minute lessons, so it wasn't even an hour lesson. I had a 45-minute lesson with him on Monday where he changed the whole routine. We reviewed it on like Wednesday or Thursday, and then I performed it Friday.

SPEAKER_00 7:02

Oh man.

SPEAKER_01 7:03

I don't know if you remember that.

SPEAKER_00 7:04

I think I vaguely remember it.

SPEAKER_01 7:06

I don't think you came to the show, you couldn't, but you were at one of my rehearsals, and I was like, oh dear, oh dear. And I did, I think I meant maybe messed up one thing, but you couldn't tell. I just got the wrong foot. But it's like I was able to do it.

SPEAKER_00 7:18

You know, as as dancers, I think everybody has a particular strong suit. Like there's some people who are really good at timing, some people who are really good at choreographing. I think one of your strongest things is you've always just been a really, really good follower. Like you know, like no matter what, no matter who you dance with, I know sometimes you're just like, oh, this person just throws me around. But they don't just throw you around because when you dance with somebody and it's something that you're unfamiliar with, you s you still have a tendency to make it look very, very clean.

SPEAKER_02 7:45

Oh, I thank you.

SPEAKER_00 7:46

So I think that's always been one of your strong suits. So I feel like something like this would actually come really, really naturally to you.

SPEAKER_01 7:52

Which is hard. Sometimes they're dancing with someone, but sometimes they're also dancing independently. Um, but one thing I do pride myself on, and that's because I did so much group dancing, is I use my peripheral, my peripheral vision. So it's like if I'm messing up or like I do my best to make sure I'm in line with the people and I'm using my provision per peripheral vision, and then like I'm emphasizing like using my head to help look to the side to make sure I'm in line or on time with someone, but I'm using my head in the dancing so it doesn't look like I'm just looking at someone next to me.

SPEAKER_00 8:25

That makes a lot of sense for sure. Well, as we move into the group number here, we're continuing with the rehearsals, and we uh excuse me, Britt gives them an opportunity to kind of practice on their own. So Selena decides to take it upon herself to basically kind of take the reins on this one. However, she starts bumping heads with Nina a little bit. So we clearly see that they have two different mindsets on how things should be done. Where do you kind of stand with this argument here that these two are kind of going?

SPEAKER_01 8:56

So it seems like they're doing two different things. Nina is trying to get the timing, like we go up on two, we do this on three, we do this on that. And Celina's trying to get the flow, like make it more like, oh, we're gonna add this dynamic to it, and we're gonna do this fancy thing with it. Um so it it just honestly seems like two different communication styles. Um, I will say this their backgrounds become really important. So everything we know about Celina is she's a commercial dancer, and so she gets choreography, she practices it and she executes it. Nina coaches people. So what she does is she goes through their routines and is like, this is on two, this is on three, this is on four, and like works every little piece, and that's what she does. She coaches people. So I think there's diff differentiating of how they're used to things. Um, do I think Nina could have probably been a little softer? Yes. I'm used the way people are like freaking out online by how she talks to people. I'm used to that. That's not nasty, that's not disrespectful. She's just like, this is two, this is three. I don't know her background, but she seems to have a European influence.

SPEAKER_00 10:05

Nina?

SPEAKER_01 10:05

Nina, I think. I'm not entirely sure. Um, and I again this is this is the difference. So my family's are my family's an immigrant, right? So I have experience of different like cultures and different people growing up in different ways. Americans are very overly friendly, sure. They're overly, and it's not a bad thing. I love the United States of America because of that, because we want to be courteous. We say hello to strangers, so we ask strangers how they're doing, we smile at people. I like that. Europe's not like that, and they're not rude. Like we went to when we went to Paris for our honeymoon, everyone was like, they're gonna be so rude to you.

SPEAKER_00 10:39

They're gonna be so rude to you. And the exact opposite, actually.

SPEAKER_01 10:42

We were very kind, but they're also not like, oh hi, how are you doing?

SPEAKER_00 10:48

They're just very to the point.

SPEAKER_01 10:49

Yeah, if like if we needed help, we asked a question, they'd be like, Okay, over there. Thank you. You're welcome. Like, is very, very to the point. Direct. This is what's going direct. And I think that's the issue there is Nina's very direct to the point because that's what she's used to. And then Celina's not. And I mean, again, another communicate, like this is dancing with people. Daryl and I dance together. How I dance with Daryl is if we're doing something and it's not right, my brain isn't moving as fast as my feet. So I can't say, oh no, we stepped on the wrong foot, or you're supposed to turn me. I just yell, I'm gonna pull my mic away. No, as we dance. And of course, to Daryl, it's just sounds like I'm yelling at you. And we've had conversations where it's like, I'm not yelling at you. I just can't say what I'm trying to say, and all I'm trying to get to you is no, no, no, that's not the right thing next while we practice. That was a really long tangent to say, like, I think it's just missed communication toward between people, and it's and that's that you have to figure out how to work with different people that don't get along with you. And I and I don't like this prerogative of like, oh, picking sides and this one's being nasty and this one isn't. Because again, that's what happened with her and Benji. She has a very direct style. We're doing this, we're doing this, we're doing this. And Benji's like, okay. And like there wasn't great communication. You could tell he was frustrated, and then he was like, Well, I just thought we could do this. She's like, Okay, well, tell me, what is it? What do you want to do? And he's like, Well, I don't know. So it's like, okay, we gotta talk a little bit.

SPEAKER_00 12:15

I don't know how Benji's like with his girlfriend when they dance together, but so I'm glad you brought that up because you know, it's on the one hand, like, you know, just going back to us, for example, you know, we we have had some situations where what might have sounded like a conversation actually turned into a confrontation, you know, kind of thing. Now, before we move on any further, I wanted to bring up this. Do you think it could have maybe just had to do with Nina's tone, if you want to put it that way? Like, because a lot of the times, too, and I think both you and I are guilty of this, when we say things to each other, a lot of the times we don't necessarily hear the way we say things to each other. And you and I have both come to one another and said, Hey, listen, that kind of came off as a little rude, more so. Do you think Nina could have maybe that kind of struggle? Like, she doesn't, she isn't aware of how her tone is, and it does come across as, say, rude to someone like Selena or Benji or something like that. Or do you genuinely just believe that, you know, maybe they're just being overly sensitive or that Nina actually is kind of being a little rude, or like, well, I know you sort of answered that, but I'm just you kind of get what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_01 13:20

Yeah, I think her tone, like, she doesn't understand it. But I will I will also say this is again, Selena doesn't have the training and ballroom Nina has. And Nina's used to coaching people. And when I came up from a student to a teacher, for the people who were my teachers, it was hard for them to get out of that coaching mode into like you're my coworker mode. You know, and this still happens sometimes where like I'm with certain people that I used to dance with and used to be a teacher at a studio, and they they still treat me like a student when they talk with me or they choreograph with me or I you do something with them. And you know, I'm I don't get upset, I don't get annoyed. Like I get annoyed, but I'm just you know, I'll try, you know, respectfully say, like, oh, I think we should do this, or give my input. Um, and I think that's probably where it's coming out with Nina, is she's just like, oh, I'm used to doing this coaching thing. Because I think it's interesting, Selena didn't seem to get offended by AJ doing like, hey, no, this is what we're doing.

SPEAKER_00 14:16

Right, right.

SPEAKER_01 14:17

But she kind of got upset when Nina took the lead. So I don't know if she was wanting to shy because she's like, This is what I'm good at. And she didn't get to, so then she got offended, and I'm not saying anyone's wrong.

SPEAKER_00 14:27

Sure.

SPEAKER_01 14:28

I'm just yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:29

No, I I I understand that. I just I'm it's a really interesting thing because like I know how you said there's people online who are kind of just going straight for Nina, but they're it's like we're not even looking at the other side here. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 14:40

So Yeah, I think she's getting a little offended too personally, and I'm someone who gets offended very easily, so I think she's just taking a little to heart.

SPEAKER_00 14:47

Mm-hmm.

unknown 14:48

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00 14:48

Definitely. Well, moving on, we continue on with the rehearsals, and a really, really unfortunate thing happens as they are into the group number. Stephanie delivers a really hard backhand to poor Natalie. Yeah. Now, I will say this. At first, when she got when Natalie got hit, I was actually a little surprised that a hit like that sent her to the emergency room. Because I don't want to sound like, you know, I'm saying, like, oh, poor me, poor me. I've been punched in the eye before, and I was punched fairly hard. This is back in my elementary school days, but it didn't send me to the ER. So I'm just like, that must have been an insanely hard hit to send her to the ER. But like, I mean, what do you think?

SPEAKER_01 15:34

I'm trying to look at Stephanie's fingers. I'm wondering if she had like a ring on, because she also has super sharp nails. So right now, like she is very long, very, I think they're in a like a pointy. Um I'm trying, well, not on that hand, it was the other hand that hit her. Like, I'm trying to see if she might um have like something on her finger. Because it looks like it just kind of hit her. Oh, it hit her right on the edge of the eye. So it could be a little bit towards the temple area that it kind of um just like knocked her in right the spot that it's just gonna give you a little concussion or something.

SPEAKER_00 16:07

Yeah, yeah, definitely. I feel I really felt bad that she did that. Like part of me wanted to joke and be like, oh, I bet Stephanie did that on purpose to eliminate the competition, but no, I'm not gonna do that. We know it was on accident, but yeah, that's you can tell Stephanie felt terrible about it. But it's yeah, it was a really unfortunate thing that that happened. Um, I felt really bad for her because I want I want to see Natalie go further. You know, I want to see what she's capable of. We and I'm glad we got to see her do a ballroom last week. But we know that she would have done really well. And she was excited because she was also one who says that she catches on to choreography very easily.

SPEAKER_01 16:38

So and she's doing well in the group number dynamic.

SPEAKER_00 16:42

Definitely. So yeah, that was really, really sad to see. But we move on, we get to the next day, and Britt pulls a fast one saying, All right, guys, it's time to perform.

SPEAKER_01 16:53

I think it's still the same day, actually.

SPEAKER_00 16:55

Oh, is it the same day? I didn't yeah, I guess so, because they're all in their same outfits, aren't they?

SPEAKER_01 16:59

Oh, some of them aren't.

SPEAKER_00 17:00

Okay, maybe it is the next day. I don't quite remember. But anyways, so they are not given a lot of time to do this. So we now have to do the show for Britt as she brings in the judges, and they have to do it right then and there, and immediately people are thinking, uh-oh, this is it. We're gonna get some of us are gonna get eliminated, kind of thing. So at first glance, what did you think of the number itself?

SPEAKER_01 17:27

I felt like it was really, really good. Um, I mean, it's kind of hard. They're doing it like that. And I okay, I'm sorry, this is annoying me. I don't care about seeing the judges' faces. Yeah, I want to watch the dance, and I feel like we miss a lot on the dance because we're too busy watching the judges' faces and what they're saying too. Yeah, like I don't I don't know if I don't care. Um, I thought AJ really stuck out to me during it. Like I thought he did great, and Eric as well.

SPEAKER_00 17:52

I was gonna say, honestly, Eric was the one who stuck out to me in in this, but yeah, anyway, sorry, go ahead.

SPEAKER_01 17:57

Eric as well, those two. So the judges end up, it was very obvious towards the end that Tristan was off timing. And like we saw it in the rehearsals. He was like, I don't know what's going on, what's going on, where do I go? And Britt's like, okay. And so he's he gets lost in this choreography very, very easily. And then he's partnered with Nina. And honestly, when Nina was dancing solo, I felt like she was on time and she had musicality really, really well. Um, but then when she was dancing with Tristan, she was off. And they were I'll I'll say this when your partner is early andor late, there are things as a woman, like if you're not in frame, you can do to help. Like, because I think there was like one or two routines where we were late on something, and I was able to turn a little quicker and get in there. Um, and I think she should have slowed down a turn to make sure he was on count or held held his hand to make sure they were there. Um, but it's very hard when you're supposed to be following a lead and they're leading you somewhere. You don't want to look like you're pushing back on the lead. Um, so Tristan and Nina were in jeopardy because of their performance. I personally feel like it was more on Tristan than it was on Nina. Like I said, there was probably one or two things she could do to help. But I'm I'll put it this way, I'm very frustrated Tristan's still here over Benji and Jake. Like he seems like a wonderful human. I'm sure he's a wonderful teacher at Dance With Me Studios. But it's compared to the two other people, like, yes, there were things they could have worked on, but the fact that he's like struggling with like ballroom terminology and ballroom technique, like Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:33

Didn't it seem like when Britt mentioned that he needs to do a telespin? For a split second, it almost seemed like he didn't know what a telespin was. Like he ended up doing it, but it's almost like he was like telespin. It's like, dude, you should know what that is.

SPEAKER_01 19:47

Yeah, there wasn't proper technique, yeah. But yeah, I just like that's one of the basic things you can use in almost any Latin dance, a telespin. Yeah, do it in Rumba, you do it in Paso. Um, I don't you can do it in cha cha, you just don't do it a lot. Anyway, but yeah, so I'm just like, okay. So Tristan gets emotional and they comfort him, which is nice. Um, but yeah, so they're gonna have a chance to redeem themselves.

SPEAKER_00 20:14

Okay, um I might get some flack for this, but I don't know how I felt about Tristan getting emotional. Like, okay, now if anyone knows of anything about getting emotional, it's definitely me. I can get emotional at times too. But there has been times where I've been a part of group numbers and I kind of lost it a little bit. Like I raised my voice, I, you know, was getting frustrated more so at myself than anything else. But afterwards, I excused myself. And I, you know, whether like I stepped outside or just went behind, you know, into the bathroom or something like that, behind closed doors. But it's very rare that I would ever, unless like I just couldn't handle it, that I would just let all the tears out and just have a breakdown in front of all of my teammates or the people who I'm performing with or anything. It's almost as if like I would be asking for, like, oh, you know, like poor Daryl, like, you know, he'll it'll be okay, kind of thing like that. And while I don't fault people for doing that, sometimes they just need that, sometimes you just need that reassurance. I don't know. To me, I just felt like he could have done that behind closed doors. Again, that's just me, but I don't know. Like, that's the problem with these shows is that they're highly edited, you know. So there could have been more that we missed, but no, I I'm of the same mind.

SPEAKER_01 21:33

So I have sceliosis. Um, I got it later in life. I didn't wasn't diagnosed as a child, I was diagnosed as a teenager. Um, and unfortunately, with some of the dance coaches I had as at at the time, they viewed it as and it was a hindrance. It would get in the way. I used to be really good at back bends. It would started really hurting my back. Like it would, like, I would sit at home and cry because I would be in so much pain. And so eventually my mom had to like. It basically got to the point where the coaches were like, Well, just do it and you'll be fine. Like you just do it. And it would be in so much pain. I would not cry in front of them. I would go to the bathroom when we were done and I would cry, or I would get home and I would cry. Um, I used to get very emotional about being in front of people. It took a while to control those emotions. But one of the things is I'm not gonna cry in front of them because I don't want them to see it's bothering me. My mom ended up calling them and was like, Can you stop making my daughter do things that hurt her?

SPEAKER_02 22:27

Sure.

SPEAKER_01 22:28

Like she was like, she's like, she's genuinely like, do I need to get a note from all her doctors saying she cannot do these things? Like it my mom was so mad. But it's like I did not cry in front of them. I like I almost did because I was an extrude essentially, I had to like do almost a chin stand and then arch my back and have my feet and on the ground and then arch my whole way up. So someone who was getting pain and back bends with all that back arches, I was in excruciating pain. But I saved it. I waited till I could get to a space. And I mean, I had my mom to fight for me, but as an adult, I would just have to speak up and say, Hey, that hurts my back.

SPEAKER_02 23:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:04

Um, but yeah, so it's like I like it's nice that they were also supportive and loving, and I think that's wonderful. But it's also like knowing who Shirley Ballas is, it's check it out the door and move on. So it was very interesting seeing her in this life because it's not the way I've heard about her or known her.

SPEAKER_00 23:20

Sure, for sure.

SPEAKER_01 23:21

But I mean, being on TV will change you, man.

SPEAKER_00 23:23

It will, yeah, I'm sure it brings out some uh some things that you didn't realize you had inside of you. But, you know, it's it's interesting though that we're talking about, you know, this not really being like a live show or anything like that, because I was actually watching an interview the other day with Briar, the first girl that was voted out, and she had mentioned, I don't know if you guys are listening, I don't know if you guys are aware of this, but she had mentioned that when they did their samba, they actually did two takes of it. So like they did one performance when the first one is where she fell, and the second one she didn't fall, but they edited it to have her do the fall for some reason. I'm just like, you guys couldn't pick the better option and put it in there, but it's like, why are we doing this twice? You know, that's my big thing. You know, this if we're making this an actual contest, it should be a one and done deal. You get one chance, just like how it should be on Dancing with the Stars. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 24:13

So Yeah, I'm wondering if they don't have time for camera blocking. So they're just kind of like, well, do it, but then you you don't do it. You just you do it camera blocking or you you don't. So yeah, I'm kind of with you. I don't think that's right.

SPEAKER_00 24:27

Yeah, so I thought that was I thought that was rather interesting. But no, I agree with you. I think that Tristan is by far the weakest dancer, and I, you know, he is he does have some moves, but he needs to work on the ballroom technique. He does, like, you know, even when we'll get there eventually, but when he starts doing paso, like, you know, as a man, you're like you you are the the matador, you're the bullfighter, which means you gotta have those hips forward, you gotta look intense. And he didn't do that, but again, we'll get there. We'll get there. All right, so moving on, we are back at the house, and we have another one of those awkward group conversations where they're just all together and they can just like they literally forced them in a room together.

SPEAKER_01 25:08

It's so uncomfortable.

SPEAKER_00 25:09

It is, but of course, not before Eric confessing his undying love for Britt, saying how much he liked her. It's hilarious.

SPEAKER_01 25:15

He's dating Briar now.

SPEAKER_00 25:16

Really? I thought that was actually really nice, though, that how much he really likes Britt. But anyway, so how did how do you feel about when they do this drama stuff? It really takes you to like just Love Island or like any of these reality shows that are going on. Bachelor. Bachelor, yeah, exactly. And of course, we have Selena basically accusing Nina of not respecting her, were her exact words.

SPEAKER_01 25:38

My my ish, and this could be just them forcing it with her, is you're gonna bump heads with people. That's totally fine. Why not have a private conversation with them? Why are we airing it out in front of everyone? Pull her to the side, say, hey, I just felt like we were really butting heads. I didn't feel like you were listening to me. How do we how do we work through this? But we're doing it in front of everyone, creating drama and having this conversation. And again, it could totally be the producers like, hey, sit down and tell each other what you're frustrated about.

SPEAKER_02 26:06

Right.

SPEAKER_01 26:07

Why today was a hard day. Because like everyone else is just kind of sitting there like looking. And it doesn't get resolved essentially. Because at least her and Benji tried to resolve it. Like they tried to get to a place where they could figure it out.

SPEAKER_00 26:18

Um one thing that stuck to me too is I'm just curious. So what that's one of the main things is that Selena says is that you know, you I feel like you don't have respect for me. And Nina responds by saying, I'm sorry you feel that way, instead of actually saying, like, well, I'm sorry, kind of thing. Like, I didn't mean to disrespect you, kind of thing. But how do you feel about that? Because she in Nina's mind, she doesn't, she probably doesn't feel like she's disrespecting her, but clearly Selena does. It's like, where do you find that happy medium? Because I'm sure we've all dealt with situations like that, you know.

SPEAKER_01 26:52

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 26:53

Yeah, you're making faces already.

SPEAKER_01 26:54

So well, we worked with some people who 100% did not respect us. And I remember having a conversation, and um, one of them was very upset. I don't remember exactly what I did, but I guess I was doing something. And I I said, I'm sorry I made you feel that way. Um, I knew it wasn't true. I knew there were other things going to the situation that were adding to it. And this person just wanted to take one perspective. And I get it, we have different personalities, we clash, and I tried explaining that to them. And I said, Look, I feel like we're oil and water, we just bump heads, and I've just been trying to take a step back. So we don't, you know, we work together. I've just been trying to take a step back, and that was not a good answer. That made them more mad. Um, but you know, like I did. I was like, you know, I'm gonna, and it's kind of different for each person because some people are like, Well, I'm sorry, I you feel that way because like that's not true. Because I had I have no doubt Nina respects Selena. Like she you can see her cheering Selena on in the other few weeks that we've had it. Like she cheers them on. So she's like, Well, I'm sorry you feel that way because it's not true. And it's just how some people apologize or how sometimes they articulate their words because Selena was, you know, telling her, like, oh, you push back and I just had to be quiet because I feel like you weren't listening. And Nina was like, Well, I was trying to pull back. And then I think she said something where she felt like Selena was essentially pushing her too much. I don't remember the exact dialogue. But so it just sounds like two different communication styles. My biggest, like, here's the thing Yes, reality TV will sit you in a room and make you do this, I have try and get you to have uncomfortable conversations, but you still have you're in charge of yourself. So if you like, heaven's sakes, we had a conversation of Stephanie and Eric in a bathroom together talking about how pretty Brit is. If you wanted to be a mature adult and you had a problem with Nina, take her privately and do it. Don't do it in front of everyone. Yeah. But like, I think that's my biggest issue. And that was the issue with what happened with us at the studio. It was not a private conversation, it was like, let's air it out in front of everyone. And again, I we apologized. We were like, hey, that's not what we meant to do, but there was no like reciprocation. So it was like, hey, okay, like this, like, but this is how I feel. And it's like, oh, well, you're wrong. And I feel like that's kind of like what happened with both of them. Nina at least said, Well, I'm sorry you feel that way because you know, like that's not how it was. But nothing came back the other side of it.

SPEAKER_00 29:14

I'm wondering if it would have been prudent if either Nina or Selena, since everybody was present, that they turned to everybody else and they say, Hey, listen, you guys were all there, you know, like was she being rude kind of thing?

SPEAKER_01 29:26

Oh, I don't think that's a good idea.

SPEAKER_00 29:27

You don't think that would have ended well?

SPEAKER_01 29:28

No, because that's what happened to us.

SPEAKER_00 29:30

Yeah, I guess you're right, huh? I forgot about that.

SPEAKER_01 29:33

And the people in the studio did their best to be peacemakers. I mean, in the end, they you know, not to put it on, but they did agree with us. But like we were, we all were just trying to be peacemakers at that point. We're like, we just don't want to fight anymore. Um, but like I just like that's when you start picking sides and things can get really icky. So it's better if they go solve it all, like go try figure it out, be like, hey, I just want to feel heard. So if you can like give two seconds and at least listen to my idea and acknowledge most people just want to be acknowledged. They just want to say, I heard your idea. Um, I like that. Let's add it, you know, like they just want to be acknowledged. And so they need to figure it out and then if it continues to be a problem, then we pull other people in. But like, like the fact that there was no one, at least that we were shown, I don't appreciate that personally.

SPEAKER_00 30:18

That's fair. And we do stand corrected, by the way, is that we were well, actually, technically I was right. It is three hours, three hours that they were given before they had to perform in front of Britt. So, anyways, we return to the next day. We still have no update on Natalia. She is still in the hospital, but we unveil another challenge as both Tristan and Nina were marked safe and not eliminated, even though they were on the chopping block. So we have another challenge, which means they are breaking up into two teams and competing in a team dance against one another. So our two people who were on the chopping block, which was of course Nina and Tristan, become the team captains.

SPEAKER_01 30:54

That's a fun, fun challenge.

SPEAKER_00 30:56

Yeah, I like when they do that actually. Like you're the you're kind of at the lowest, so you get to rise above and make the call now, which is pretty cool. Because they do that on the show too, on Dancing with the Stars. Um, so, anyways, Nina gets first pick, and of course she rolls with Alan, which was a very nice pick. Tristan rolls with Selena.

SPEAKER_01 31:15

Nina, then he picks Stephanie first.

SPEAKER_00 31:17

Oh, does he? Yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. You're right. You're right, you're right. He does pick Stephanie. Yeah, because Nina says nobody wants us. I forgot about Stephanie. Oh my gosh, I can't get my names right.

SPEAKER_01 31:26

Selena.

SPEAKER_00 31:26

Selina says nobody wants us. That's right.

SPEAKER_01 31:29

I was like, don't just don't say that. That's not true.

SPEAKER_00 31:32

So, yes, Tristan picks Ste Stephanie. Yes, I'll I'll get there eventually.

SPEAKER_01 31:37

Nina then goes to AJ.

SPEAKER_00 31:38

AJ, yep.

SPEAKER_01 31:39

Then he picks Selina.

SPEAKER_00 31:41

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 31:41

And then Adele and Eric are picked.

SPEAKER_00 31:44

Adele and Eric, yes. Eric took it like a champ, too. I've I have been picked last in gym class before. It is not a fun feeling. It really isn't, but he really took it like a champ. He did. Eric. I I'm gonna say this again. I like Eric a lot. I know Alan, I think, is kind of my number one right now, but Eric is a really, really close second. Yeah, he's doing well. So, anyways, we break it off into team tango versus team pasa doble. And to be honest with you, it should be team ballroom versus team commercial dancers, plus Eric, in my personal opinion. But so how do you feel about this? We got two different teams competing in two different dances. Don't you think it should be the same dance, or do you disagree with that?

SPEAKER_01 32:27

I mean, essentially, they're taking the dance Britt did and doing the two different styles just independently.

SPEAKER_00 32:32

Yeah, that makes sense. Because I said this in week one that they should all just be judged on the same dance, but I know how you mentioned that might get a little boring afterwards.

SPEAKER_01 32:41

But this is this isn't the dance, it's how does the group look together.

SPEAKER_02 32:47

True.

SPEAKER_01 32:47

So I mean, I would say tango is gonna be harder to do as a group dance because typically you stay in frame, then pasadoble. Pass a doble, I feel like, is a little easier to do a group dynamic with, but it's a good challenge. And it's just how do you work as a group and how does it come off in the end? Like that's the challenge, not necessarily the dance. Now you should still have technique, even though we tend to ignore that after week one.

SPEAKER_00 33:09

Yeah, definitely. And it's very interesting how both teams take two very different approaches about how they want to do it. So Team Pasadoble kind of just says, like, everybody just pitch in their ideas and we'll just, you know, kind of figure out a way to make it work, you know, put in your your strengths and everything, whereas Team Tango kind of gave it all to AJ to do the choreographing. Where do you where do you kind of stand with all that?

SPEAKER_01 33:32

So AJ came with a vision, and then the others, they kind of put the pieces together to create the big ballroom piece. And I you do, you do need someone who's in charge of cleaning and going through it. So typically how you and I work when we choreograph as a team, I'm musicality. Oh, this is really cool, and we should do something like this here. And when they say this, we need to do that. And you look at me and go, okay, what count is it on? And how do we get there? And and it works because you are very much one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. And I'm like, ooh, this thing on like that kind of and beat would go well, and then it and then it comes and it forms together. So that's I mean, you you need that, and then even when cleaning like a big group, when you and I have done those like group performances and we've choreographed groups, I'm typically the one who's going through every little thing. I'm like, because I I'm nitpicky on details. I'm like, if your hand doesn't look good, then like I don't want to see the day, you know, it's like I I want to see the fine details in it. So I think it was wise doing AJ because then they're coming together, they have a process. We're doing this, that part, and then this part. I've choreographed with someone before who just played the music and would pick just different parts. And it's and it's out of like it's so hard to do that. You want to have at least, like, even if you start with the chorus, be like, okay, we know we want to do this for the course, but how do we get there? It just seemed like Team Pasadoble was kind of like, oh, here's a fun trick, and here's a fun trick, and here's a fun trick. Oh, we gotta figure it out somewhere in there.

SPEAKER_00 35:05

Right, right.

SPEAKER_01 35:06

There was no organization of anything.

SPEAKER_00 35:08

This would be right up Eric's alley, but I believe Pasadoble is his favorite dance. There we go. So I'm surprised he'd actually didn't. It seemed like he didn't give a lot of input, though. Like he just kind of not stood in the back and just let everyone else do their thing, but because he still spoke up, but seems like Selena, Stephanie, and Tristan were kind of just going back and forth with one another.

SPEAKER_01 35:28

Tristan got confused. Tristan was lost, he had no idea what was going on. Eric very much jumped in and he was giving input when it came to technique and making sure that they were in. Like you could tell he was like, we need to make sure we do this and we have to do this. I would say he was the grounded one. They should have had him on cleaning. They should have had him going through one, two. Like, what are the counts, what are the steps, and doing everything. I think these people you can see, they're so focused on the tricks and oh, I'm gonna look great doing this, and I want to show myself off as this. But the important thing is that it's the group. And I think that's what Team Tango was succeeding, even in the rehearsals, you can see it. Team Tango was working as a group. Yeah, AJ was the leader, but they were all coming around his vision and supporting it, where these people are like, Well, I want to do this fun thing, and I want to do this fun thing, and I want to do this fun thing.

SPEAKER_00 36:18

I did find it funny how AJ was like, I'm clearly the best at this, or whatever he said, but it's true though, because he's been on strictly. So this he's definitely the right man for the job. Like, this is the one time where his arrogance, you know, kind of helps him out a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 36:32

Yeah, so I don't know him personally. I like he's he's making comments where I'm like, AJ, like, just like you don't need to say that. Yeah. I personally I I find it a little demeaning to him that they made him do this show to be considered for a pro.

SPEAKER_00 36:48

Is that right?

SPEAKER_01 36:48

Per I find it for him because he obviously knows how to dance. All those people who are saying he's not good like need to go sit down and be quiet.

SPEAKER_00 36:55

There's people who are saying he's not good.

SPEAKER_01 36:57

Yeah, that other people are better. Like he's he's probably one of the better guys on the show. He knows how to teach. When he was on strictly, I think he was on four or five seasons. He got his pro there a majority, like I think he he was in the finale three or four times.

SPEAKER_00 37:08

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_01 37:09

So it's like he obviously knows how to teach, he obviously knows how to help. He's helped choreograph group routines before. So, yes, it makes sense that they picked him because they were out of the three, four of them, he would have known. So, you know, that's an important part of being a leader is like this might not be my strong area, but it's yours, so I'm gonna let you take and run with it. And that was wise of Nina. I just like I don't know what he's like when it comes to arrogance-wise. I never watched strictly, but it's you know, again, people, this is a like reality TV show. They're editing things like don't go send him hate and be mean and go say, I hope you're out next on his page. Like, people are doing that to him and Nina.

SPEAKER_02 37:47

Really?

SPEAKER_01 37:47

Like, oh, I hope you're out next. Like, you don't deserve to be like, did they're being really nasty? Like, guys, this they're they're editing it like a Love Island show, like, or or a bachelor show where they edit the villain, like just give a little grace. So, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 38:03

I was gonna say, no one's gonna say anything about Selina doing the air quotes when calling Tristan a captain.

SPEAKER_01 38:09

Yeah, I mean, Tristan wasn't necessarily jumping in as captain or like Nina did delegating and saying, like, hey, this is your strong shoot, you take the lead on it.

SPEAKER_00 38:17

Yeah, did I say Nina? I meant Selena. If I did, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 38:19

No, no, you're good. I'm I was comparing to Nina, you know, like because Nina was she is the co mm captain, but she delegated. And I think Tristan was trying to do the same, like, oh, give me all your ideas. And I'm the type of leader where I want to hear everyone's ideas, but then I'm like, okay, this is our path forward. And so either he needed to do that or he needs to give someone else the job of doing that.

SPEAKER_00 38:40

Now, this is one thing that I would say you have over me. I feel like I've probably done a few more ballroom group routines than you have, but you have actually choreographed one before. So, like, how difficult is that to do, you know, especially in such like a short amount of time, I would say.

SPEAKER_01 38:57

So the ones I've choreographed, they have not been ballroom dancers. And so one of the things I tell them when I walk in there is I said, Hey, so this is what's in my head, this is the vision I have, but I'm also one person doing it. So some things might not work or have to change. So, like, I always kind of make it a joke where I'm like, well, then my head it turned out great, but you know, I'm just dancing in the living room by myself. So, like, just to ease them up. So it can be hard that dynamic, especially when you look at it and you're like, that's not what was in my head, and you have to change something. And working with people who know nothing about ballroom because you're essentially having to teach them steps, teach them borderline technique, and then like get the vision across on there. Um, and I I did Anastasia and it was the same opening ballroom number. I choreographed two different versions of it for two different places because I wanted them to have their own one, um, even though one of them said you can reuse it, like they wouldn't be offended. But like that was hard trying to teach people ballroom technique and all that vision. It came across well. I was very proud of both of them and how both both places and how they did it. They did a great job. They worked really, really hard. But it was it was hard to kind of choreograph it in that with especially people who don't know ballroom. But they were all really hard workers. That's who you have. And I had I had students, they were high schoolers, mind you, and middle schoolers who put worked their tails off to make it look good and something that they were not comfortable with at all. So it's the people you have who are doing it and the effort they're gonna put into it.

SPEAKER_00 40:32

That makes a lot of sense. Yeah, I just I don't I don't ever see myself having the patience for that, honestly. Like I just I feel like I get frustrated too quick because I remember I tried choreographing a segment in a group dance one time and I was getting frustrated. It had to do with a certain movie called Dirty Dancing, but we won't go down that road. So um, but yeah, I just I don't know if I would have the patience, especially with people constantly asking questions and like you know, I guess that doesn't make me a very good teacher, but it's I remember your situation.

SPEAKER_01 41:03

It was different. I had people, they were definitely asking questions, but these were kids in theater who like soaked it all in and then we had question time. Like we would did you were dealing with people who was more like their students, so they feel like they have a say because they're paying you. So like I feel like it's a little bit of a different situation. Um, and it's very hard when you're trying to teach it and they question every little step you make. Or can I get out the full sentence before you ask your question?

SPEAKER_00 41:28

Exactly. That's what and that's one of my biggest pet peeves. If any of you guys ever meet me in person or you know me in person, just know one thing. Don't interrupt me when I'm talking. That's one of my biggest pet peeves. I cannot stand it. Let me finish my stuff first and then we'll go from there.

SPEAKER_01 41:40

No, but like that's something the kids did well. It would be like if they did jump in, I'd be like, Can I finish it? And then Oh, of course. For sure. And then I would go.

SPEAKER_00 41:46

Now, before we move on to the actual show night, the one thing that I did notice too is when Selena was saying, you know, talking about Tristan and like not really being aware of what's going on and everything, she mentioned one particular thing is that at the end of the day, she's more so dancing for herself and like you know, wanting to make sure at the end of the day she's the one who stays and like continues to go and everything like that. But she's putting so much attention on keeping herself there. Whereas with Team Tango, some of their whoever I don't remember who was speaking, but they're talking more about like wanting to make sure that they keep each other safe. It was Alan, yep.

SPEAKER_01 42:19

Making sure that he takes a step back and making sure that everybody stays safe and it's for the group because he was like, you know, Nina's the leader, she chose this for AJ, so I need to, you know, take a step back um so I can support her so she's not on the chopping block again.

SPEAKER_00 42:33

And there's one thing about one great thing about being a ballroom dancer is that you learn how to, as a teacher, you learn how to you obviously learn how to lead, but you also have to learn how to follow too. And that goes in everyday life. I think in order to be a good leader, you have to know how to be a good follower, you have to know when to take that step back and you know, kind of let things unfold the way they're meant to.

SPEAKER_01 42:49

And a lot of ballroom dancers, you're on a team, even if it's just with one person, you you're on a team, you have someone else, and there's some very, very arrogant ballroom dancers out there that we've had the joy of encountering, but like they they have a teammate, like they may be arrogant, but they love their teammate because that's the person they spend so much time with. So, you know, not commercial dancers do dance in groups, but oftentimes you're changing groups so often. It's not one group we're ballroom dancers. You have one partner that you're usually with for years at a time. So you learn to be that team, that person's like one and only support. Um, and I think that was very evident with the one group that are very much ballroom dancers and the other group that were more commercial dancers. And so, I mean, it makes me sad. Like, I get it, you're on a competition show, but she's kind of missing the point of the challenge is you're supposed to come together as a group to pull off a good performance and support each other. And her thought was, Well, you know, I gotta do it for myself, which a hundred percent sure is a hundred percent is true, but you can't just perform for yourself here. You have to make sure you're performing with the group.

SPEAKER_00 43:53

Definitely. All right. Well, before we waste any more time, 45 minutes later, we're gonna go ahead and jump to our team day.

SPEAKER_01 44:01

So before we go to the show, um, they posted this on their social media, but Mark Ballis said it sometimes you have to be selfless to look better as a couple. You'll shine more by showing off less.

SPEAKER_00 44:14

And that's 100% true. I really feel like if because I mean, like it just goes to when a man dances with a woman. What are what role are we? We're the frame. What role are you? You're the portrait. And that's exactly what it is. You know, you can't dance like I'm not gonna go out there and do a rumbo with you, but try to make myself outshine you. You know what I mean? I'm gonna showcase you. And I think that's a very, very important quote that uh some of these dancers kind of seem to be missing, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_01 44:41

But yeah, but also like some of these pros like Daniela and Whitney, they do such a great job of showing off their partner too. Like, of course, they're the picture, but they do a good job of choreographing so their partner shines, even though they're supposed to be the frame.

SPEAKER_00 44:55

Absolutely, yeah, 100% right. All right, so first up we have team commercial dance and Eric Pasadoble. Excuse me, team Pasadoble. And um, well, let's go ahead and get right off the bat. How did you feel about this dance overall?

SPEAKER_01 45:10

The beginning was really, really good. Like when it was content and pure paso and not a lot of this freestyle stuff, it was good. As soon as they broke apart and the girls had that section in the beginning, they lost me. Like that one where they're right in front of the camera and they're locking arms. It was it was really, really weak. Like you have boys doing tricks in the back, and it's very weak. Um they didn't have the foot things together, then they were kind of off timing. Arms were different. When you're in a group in this way, you're not dancing as an individual. Your arms should match, your lines should be in the right place.

SPEAKER_00 45:43

But your hips need to be fully.

SPEAKER_01 45:46

Your hips need to be forward, yes. There there was a lot of technique missed in this by some of the commercial dancers.

SPEAKER_00 45:51

I also don't know if it was the jacket that Tristan was wearing or what, but there's a point where him and Eric kind of go down and his shoulders look up.

SPEAKER_01 45:59

But those jackets do kind of because I think it's the material they go up, but there was a lot off when they did the kicks and the knee slides and everything. They weren't dancing as a group, some w spatial awareness was off, not engaging with each other.

SPEAKER_00 46:13

That's the I think that's the big thing is that we didn't see a lot of engagement from them. I saw it from Eric, but yeah, you guys can tell who I'd like him in this. But I had to I had to actually go back and re-watch this again because the first time I really could not take my eyes off of Eric because he really stood out to me. But going back and watching the others, I was like, oh, I'm a little underwhelmed right now. And I hate to say that because they're beautiful dancers, but you know, as this group, it was a little messy.

SPEAKER_01 46:38

It was very sorry, it was very messy when they were doing the passo technique, just the basic pasta in the beginning, it was super, super strong. And then like you could tell it was a bunch of different I people throwing ideas together and it wasn't cohesive. Like even Shirley Ballast said, Who took the lead on the dancing and who took the lead on the cleaning? They were like, Oh, we kind of like all did it in a way, like it was very uncle, like it was like, okay, like you need to have an answer for Shirley Ballast. It was unorganized, unorganized in many different ways.

SPEAKER_00 47:08

That was so funny. I love Mark's little stress ball change thing that he said. I'm totally gonna steal that by the way. But yeah, no, you can definitely see that there was there was not connection in this dance. There, you know, they were clearly dancing for themselves, some of them were anyway. But yeah, I I wasn't I wasn't crazy about it. But let's go ahead and move on to our next dance, Team Tango.

SPEAKER_01 47:36

So I love it. When Shirley asked who did the cleaning, who did this, very clear answer. AJ came with the vision, we put bits and pieces together, but AJ was the one with the vision, AJ did the cleaning. Very straight, and Shirley. Shirley was happy.

SPEAKER_00 47:50

Yeah, very positively delivered, she says. And as a dance itself, this dance was amazing. It was really, really good.

SPEAKER_01 47:57

Very clean. Poor Alan.

SPEAKER_00 47:59

I know he fell within like the first 10 seconds of the dance.

SPEAKER_01 48:04

But I don't know if you it happened later, but AJ slipped a little bit at one point too. And it was on the around the same place Alan did. So the floor might have been a little slippery or their shoes might have been slippery. But they did a great job with the tango, like really engaging it together, having people swap, but putting a lot of content in it too. Um, I love Adele, but you can tell she's a Latin dancer primarily.

SPEAKER_00 48:27

You definitely can. And even with Alan, with his fall, like he got back up so fast. And it honestly, it didn't screw him up. He got right into it. Because I know firsthand, and I hate to admit this, if I fell, I would be beating myself up.

SPEAKER_01 48:41

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 48:42

And I think that would screw up my mindset. And because I mean, there's been times where you and I have danced and I've blanked. I've full-on blanked. And I start panicking, and I know it's not that's not what you're supposed to do, but this is, of course, a couple quite a few years ago. But yeah, I just I know that if I fell, I don't think I'd be as strong about it as Alan was. So I give him a lot of credit for that.

SPEAKER_01 49:04

And the other thing I absolutely loved is there's multiple times, and you need to do this as a pro on the show, the camera work with it was so good. They engaged with the camera, they knew where the camera was. Also, the musicality and how they hit certain things in the music. Oh, it was wonderful.

SPEAKER_00 49:21

The song, the song choice was really good too. I liked that. What is it? Ariana Grande?

SPEAKER_01 49:25

Yeah, it was a remix of her song, which I enjoyed. I thought they did a good job.

SPEAKER_00 49:28

Yeah. Um, what was the song that Pasadoble danced to?

SPEAKER_01 49:33

I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 49:33

I'll look it up really quick. Oh, it was Lenny Kravitz. Are you gonna go my way? Okay. But yeah, no, this one was really good. But no, overall, the frame was awesome, everybody engaged with one another, the technique was sharp, and the judges loved it. Yes, they really loved it. And how did you feel though about Shirley's comment towards AJ?

SPEAKER_01 49:53

It was so backhanded. Like she spent way too much time. Like, she was like, it's not about you. She could have just said, you know what, I'm proud of you. You know, you you put your team first and showed them off in a really great way. You know, good job. But she was like, It's not she's saying all this stuff. And I'm just like, girl.

SPEAKER_00 50:10

See, I will say though, seeing Shirley and Mark constantly bicker back and forth is priceless. I absolutely love it. And I agree with Mark on this one. You know, I think that you know, the girls were really in sync with this, and the guys, of course, had to hold them steady, but like he said, the guys weren't necessarily picking them up so they could do that. Like they did that on their own, which was awesome.

SPEAKER_02 50:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 50:29

Um, but no, we got four strong dancers here. Honestly, I could see any of these four as a pro on Dancing with the Stars. And yeah, but overall, really, really good performance. Well, now we get to the part where we all dread the most, which was the elimination. So on the shopping block, we have Selena first, followed by Tristan. Now, were at any given point were you shocked that that Selena? I know I think we kind of expected Tristan because we just kept saying he's probably the weakest one out of the group. But there are a lot of people who were surprised that Selena was on the shopping block. Do you agree with that?

SPEAKER_01 51:05

Performance-wise, no, because I think you and I have said some of her technique has needed work, and then this week was not her strongest week. I was surprised the judges did it because she's been a favorite. So I was surprised on that field, but I felt like this week she was her interest in were the weakest.

SPEAKER_00 51:21

For sure. But at the end of the day, neither one of them got eliminated because unfortunately, Natalie was not cleared to come back and dance. So sadly, we had to say goodbye to Natalie.

SPEAKER_01 51:34

So I know.

SPEAKER_00 51:35

I really wanted to see her go further, and I hope she continues to go further. But it would be nice to see her on Troop or something like that.

SPEAKER_01 51:42

I think she'd be great on Troop, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 51:44

Honestly, I think a good chunk of these people should, if they don't make it, they should go to Troop.

SPEAKER_01 51:49

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 51:50

Because I mean, we we could use a brand new troop, honestly. I like who's currently on Troop, but I I think we could add more, and I think these people could do it, honestly.

SPEAKER_01 51:59

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 52:00

But overall thoughts on the episode. How'd you feel?

SPEAKER_01 52:02

I felt like it was good. It was nice to see lots of ballroom work and the focusing on that. And I I love a good team dance, so I was very happy.

SPEAKER_00 52:10

All right, awesome. Well, that we'll go ahead and start wrapping it up there, but we are gonna talk really quick about next week as we are bringing on Jenna Johnson as our guest judge, and she will be putting her attention on chemistry in a dance. How do you feel with this?

SPEAKER_01 52:26

We're gonna get a lot of Argentine tangos and rumbas.

SPEAKER_00 52:30

Again, though, like, so we clearly see that team tango, these are all experienced ballroom dancers. I don't think we've seen team commercial dance do one ballroom style dance. Like they've done Latin, they've done Pasadoble, they've done rumba.

SPEAKER_02 52:44

Eric did ballroom.

SPEAKER_00 52:45

Okay, yeah, Eric, but I'm talking more of the commercial dancers. Tristan, Stephanie, Selena. I want to see them do a ballroom dance because these are the nothing, not Stephanie per se, but Selena and Tristan have openly said that ballroom has never been their strong suit. So I want to see them do a ballroom dance. Yeah. I want to see them do a waltz. I want to see them do a fox shot or a Viennese or something.

SPEAKER_01 53:04

Because you need chemistry. It's different types of chemistry, right? Like Argentine Tango is like a forbidden chemistry. Tango's like passion between a couple. Waltz, there's still chemistry, but it's a soft romantic chemistry. Very similar with Viennese waltz, right? So it's it's different. Rumba is a lust dance. So it's different, but you still need chemistry. Chacha and samba are more playful chemistry that you have with each other. Same with Jives. So like it applies to all of them, but I feel like we're just gonna get rumbas and Argentine tangos. I know.

SPEAKER_00 53:36

Man, I want to see more, but I want to see teaching. That's the main thing I want to see. How do you guys teach students? Because you can be the greatest dancer and since sliced bread.

SPEAKER_01 53:45

But if you don't know how to teach or choreograph, or choreograph, then it's like it's like what why like you're you're gonna so you know, them doing this, they could be the best dancer wins the show, but if they don't know how to teach and choreograph when they get on dancing with stars, they're gonna fall flat.

SPEAKER_00 53:59

Mm-hmm. Definitely. And you know, that's one thing that even I'm gonna take a little pride in myself here, and I don't even like doing that, but I've never seen myself as the greatest dancer in the world. There's a lot that I still need to work on, but I like to think of myself as a pretty darn good teacher, honestly. You know, I I'm very patient with my students. I like to work with students, I like to go slow with the students, I like to kind of go at their pace, but you know, also find a way to make sure that they have some kind of growth each lesson that they come to. And that's what you got to do. But yeah, I just I'm really curious how every single one of these people can teach. I want to see it. So it's a big question is will we see it?

SPEAKER_01 54:39

I feel like it's necessary.

SPEAKER_00 54:41

Yeah. But anyways, everybody, we will go ahead and wrap it up there for today. Thank you so, so much for tuning in once again for listening to us rant about the next pro. Hopefully, you guys are enjoying the show. We want to hear your thoughts and feedback. Do you agree with who's being sent home? Do you disagree? Who's your favorite? Who would you love to see as the next pro in dancing with the stars? We want to hear it all. Reach out to us. Make sure to follow us on Instagram at Real Talk with D. Make sure to tune in on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcast. Until then, everybody, thank you so much, and we will see you on the dance floor.