AfterBuzz TV DWTS: Tristan MacManus

I cannot believe the end of the season is here. I want to thank all of our guests who took the time out to visit this season: Sharna Burgess, Henry Byalikov, Julz Tocker, Lindsay Arnold, Witney Carson, Tyne Stecklein, Tony Dovolani, Gleb Savchenko, Toni Basil, Sonny Pederson and Tristan MacManus. 

I think it's the most guest-heavy season we've ever had. For those of you who have been around since Season 15 when it was just me and Suri, you know how far we've come. We are still a work in progress, but I loved how our team really jelled this season. Anna and Jake were great additions to AfterBuzz in Season 16 and we hope to all be back together (with Baby Trebunskaya!) in Season 18. 

Thank you for all of your comments and support. It means a lot to us. We have worked hard to bring you the best shows possible. So, here's to Season 18.

Have a great holiday season and see you all in March!

AfterBuzz TV DWTS: The Finale Preview

What a finale! I really enjoyed this finale more than other seasons in recent memory. I feel like the pros came into this season with a renewed sense of energy and purpose. The celebs all had great stories and reasons for taking on the show.

We have so much to talk about tomorrow on AfterBuzz TV, so I am going to open the forum to you. We are not having any guests, just the AfterBuzz team talking about the Top 4 dances and the season in general. If you have a hot topic you want us to talk about, let me know in the comments below.

Just a reminder that our show is live tomorrow at 2pm PT at AfterBuzz TV. We can't wait to hear from all of you!

AfterBuzz TV DWTS: Julz Tocker

Hello, Everyone! It was so great to be back in studio with the entire DWTS AfterBuzz TV team. I missed them and I missed you.

I see your comments coming in, so I want to clarify a few things so they make sense to you.

--Sean Cheesman/Derek Hough choreography: I was in NO way implying Derek copied Sean. There are a ton of differences to the routine. The beginning table work reminded me of Sean's choreography, but you can clearly see the the direction each choreographer took. Watch Sean's routine here.

--Debbie Allen: Were you just as shocked as I was to learn about Corbin's dance experience with Debbie Allen? Ms. Allen's school is legendary for producing quality dancers, so I know it shouldn't surprise me…but…wow! It explains a lot about this season.

--Predictions:  We made predictions for next week's possible winner, but as I like to say, "it ain't over until that freestyle hits the floor." I'm expecting top level choreography from Karina and Derek, so it should be a great night of dance. If fans are voting for the best dancer, Corbin or Amber will be the winners. If fans rally around their favorite dancer based on story, Jack or Bill could have a serious shot. (Although I think the judges' scores will not allow this scenario to happen, but we know stranger things have happened.)

--Victor Ortiz: If you missed his appearance last season, you can watch how he mauled the pillows on the AfterBuzz couch during the interview. The chat room fans call it the "Victor Ortiz couch."

We loved having Julz Tocker back in studio. His energy and insight always bring so much to the table. It was really appreciated!

If you missed the show, you can listen here or watch below:

DWTS Week 10

This is it! The Top 4 have been announced for next week's finale and we are ready to talk about what happened last night. We tried to get Tristan MacManus on this week, but his rehearsal schedule is going to prevent him from appearing. Sasha Farber was also in the mix, but he's heading to New Jersey today to rehearse with Snooki. This is the first day many of the eliminated pros are being reunited with their celebs for the finale, so it was a challenge nailing them down.

However, we do have a return guest who kicked off our season, Julz Tocker! He's here in the U.S. this week and I thought we had to take advantage of that…and to all of the people who were tweeting me to get him on--I heard you!

So get those questions in for Julz who was at the show last night (And sitting behind Carrie Ann, did you see him?)
I'm open to taking questions for Anna, too. (And see at how amazing our Mama-to-be looks in Us Weekly.)

The whole crew will be back in studio this week and for the finale next week. It will be a great way to wrap up the season.

Get your questions in the comments section below. See you tonight on AfterBuzz TV at 8 p.m. PT!

NOTE: Next week's show will be at a special time due to the 2-night finale. Finale show is on Wednesday, Nov. 27 at 2 p.m. PT.

My Thoughts on DWTS This Week: Just The Facts

It's been a very long day. I was working all day and my phone was blowing up. I had a feeling I knew why, but the level it escalated to was astonishing.  I have a busy week of work ahead of me and I can't go around to every site and respond to comments. I will do it here only once. No Twitter, no Facebook, no YouTube…only here.

I am actually going to leave emotion out of it as much as possible because no one wins on either side of the argument. Here are the facts:

1. The lead host for AfterBuzz TV books the guests, in most cases. The weeks I have been out of town, Suri has held down the fort and secured guests for us. I am working in Florida this week and Tony Dovolani kindly agreed to come on the show.

2. He is the ONLY pro who has come on twice very late in the season. Season 15, Week 6 and this week. The only other pro to come on while she was still on the show was Sharna Burgess during Season 16, Week 1. It is very difficult to come in the middle of their season, week 1 or week 9. We are grateful to anyone who takes the time out to appear on our show…but the extra effort late in the game is more than appreciated.

3. While many of you were upset, there were many who were happy to see our guests this week. Thank you for your kind words. We try to appeal to all sides of DWTS…and there are many sides as you all know.

4. I have a pretty thick skin, but others do not and some of your words really hurt them. It made me sad to see my friends and co-hosts feeling so down. We are a team…we rise and fall together. They all know I love them very much and they have my support.

5. We always take your comments into consideration for our show. However, if a pro becomes available mid-season while they are still competing, we want them on the show--no matter what.

You are welcome to leave comments here on my blog.  I won't be able to comment on Twitter or other places since my work schedule is nuts this week. I hope you all understand.

Everyone will be back in studio and we will be working hard to deliver the best show possible to you for Week 10. See you all on Tuesday!


xo KB

AfterBuzz TV DWTS: Tyne Stecklein

I will totally admit that I was really excited to have Tyne Stecklein in the studio. She has such an incredible résumé as a performer and I'd be lying if I didn't admit that the fact that she was a part of the Michael Jackson This Is It tour was a huge part of the reason I was excited to meet her.

I loved having the opportunity to get to know her on AfterBuzz TV. She provided some great insight and she was the perfect person to have on for Cher week. It certainly wasn't planned, it just worked out that way.

We talked a bit more about Elizabeth this week and the struggles we have had with her. I really like her, but I feel like she's working too hard. However, I understand her mindset and I know she loves being on the show and she really wants to do well. As a fellow Type A person, I get it. It can be hard to let go and let that freedom take over. She's done it a few weeks, but then she starts holding on again. I think it's very important to her to make it to the finale. I don't want to see her face if she's eliminated because Snooki already made me sad…I think Liz would have the same reaction.

Next week, Suri will be leading the way with Jake in studio. I will be joining the crew from Orlando while Anna will be on vacation. Our guest will be announced soon….

If you missed the show, you can watch below:

DWTS Season 17: Week 8 Preview

We've had such a great season filled with amazing guests so far, but this particular pro was one I really wanted to book on our show.  Even though Tyne Stecklein had a Week 3 exit with Bill Nye, I don't think anyone had a bigger splash in Week 1 than this pair. Their Cha-cha-cha was watched by millions on YouTube. 

Besides DWTS, Tyne has been seen in Burlesque with Cher (Good week to have her on!), Rock of Ages and High School Musical 2. Just this week, Virgin America launched their new safety video, #VXsafetydance. Can you spot Tyne in the video?

 Before you submit all of your questions in the comments below, be sure to read this awesome Dance magazine article about Tyne and her career. What a talent!

And for your final homework, watch this segment from Michael Jackson's This Is It called "Meet the Dancers". It's about a 30-minute piece. Tyne comes in at the 12:54 mark, but it's so good you will want to watch the entire clip. (The embedding was disabled on YT, so click the link above.)

I know I left you all with a lot of work to do, but it's fun and her story is fascinating.

See you all on Tuesday at 8 p.m. on AfterBuzz TV!

AfterBuzz TV DWTS: Witney Carson & Lindsay Arnold

It has been four weeks since the entire AfterBuzz TV crew was in studio together. It was a rowdy night in the studio! From Witney's mom calling in to Anna giving some on point critiques, it was anything but boring. A few of you have asked if Suri was implying that the producers manipulated the exit of Snooki. None of us have any concrete evidence, but it sure feels that way.

As for Bill Engvall, he has proven to be the most loved man this season. Witney and Lindsay talked about how sweet he is and the fact that he was willing to sacrifice his own journey to save Snooki says a lot about his character.

The article I referred to from E! News is here.
After you read that, read Val's Today Show blog for follow-up information here.

Thanks to Witney Carson and Lindsay Arnold for joining us. I love that their friendship has taken them on such an incredible adventure. Fingers crossed that their schedule will work out for a visit to AfterBuzz for a Season 11 SYTYCD appearance.

Next week's guest is Tyne Stecklein.

DWTS Season 17: Week 7 Preview

I am excited for this week's guests because I tried to make this pairing happen all season long during So You Think You Can Dance on AfterBuzz TV this summer. Their crazy schedules didn't align, but I'm thrilled we could do it for DWTS Season 17. Bring on the questions for Witney Carson and Lindsay Arnold!

I believe the entire AfterBuzz team is in studio this week. I need to double check on Anna, but I am back from working in Detroit/Toronto. I can't wait to join the gang again. I am always happy to join via phone, but it's more fun to be there in person.  

It's also Suri's birthday this week, so don't forget to tweet her birthday wishes on Halloween!

See you all on Tuesday at 8pm PT on AfterBuzz TV!

Just a couple of things to remember:
1. Fan questions are a supplemental part of our show. We will get to as many as possible if there is time. AfterBuzz TVshows were reduced to 50 minutes this season because our studios are so busy and there is a show in our studio immediately following our DWTS show.

2. If you are having trouble posting in the comments section, please clear your cache or the cookies on your computer. That usually does the trick!

Dance Chat: DWTS Judging

Let's chat about Dancing With the Stars voting. I'm frustrated and I know I'm not the only one. For some reason, Len has decided to take his TV antics to another level. We talked about it on last week's AfterBuzz show, but some of you think we are only bringing it up because it involves Derek Hough. That's actually not the case. It's not fair when it's done to any pro whether it was Maks or Val or Anna, who talked about her own experience in our Week 6 episode. In fact, I personally think Karina was the pro most battered in scoring by the inconsistent judging last week.

I don't even want to single out Len on this because Carrie Ann is also guilty of inconsistent scoring when it comes to lifts. It's all or nothing...you have to judge all pros the same. With the direction these two are going, the dance is becoming solely about the pro and not about the celeb.

I have no problem with the pros being judged on their choreography since I believe their creativity and talent can bring out the best in their celeb. If the pro has an off-week in the studio, the celeb usually does. Look at the difference with someone like Leah in Week 5 versus Week 6. A better choreographed routine makes a world of difference no matter how strong the celeb is as a dancer. With that said, the celeb also needs constructive feedback each week to know how they can improve. The judges need to find a balance somehow. Right now, Bruno is looking like the only rational one on the panel. How is that even possible?

Since I'm not the only one who has been frustrated by the judging panel this season, I was brainstorming about how to fix this mess outside of the obvious thought of getting new judges for the show.

1. If you want to stick to ballroom rules, then require the pro to follow certain guidelines with each dance. The list of elements would also be disclosed to the judges and the viewers. This would cut down on the inconsistent scoring since the judges and the pros would know what to follow.  I also think this is a boring choice.

2. Have DWTS finally admit that the dances are a freestyle version of ballroom and other forms of dance. Allow the pros to imagine a dance to its full potential instead of worrying about Carrie Ann calling out a lift or Len arguing over repetitive movement. This idea makes me more excited about what all of the pros could come up with. You want to get nominated for an Emmy? This is a direction that has limitless potential.

While neither of these options will ever be executed, a girl can dream.

As for this week's surprise announcement, I'm going for a guest judge. Maks would probably be a good guess. (And he is in LA right now...hmmm, wonder why?)  It would also balance out the Julianne/Mark/Derek factor with the Dance With Me Studio crew.

Let me know your thoughts on the judging issues on DWTS...how would you fix the show?

See you all on Tuesday on AfterBuzz TV!

AfterBuzz TV DWTS: Toni Basil & Sonny Pederson

Another week and more controversy. Could this season get any crazier? I'm not sure we all successfully answered the true reason behind Len's personal vendetta against Derek, but it's glaring at this point. It's no longer a cute TV story that creates controversy once a season. If you want to be consistent on your judging, you have to do it for every pro even if they have a dancer with less talent. The only thing I'm hearing now as a viewer is Len's criticism of Derek. I rarely hear him offer constructive comments on how Amber is doing. How do you solve this before the end of the season? Tell me what you think in the comments below.

I loved having Anna and Toni Basil in studio. Two amazing women with strong opinions, does it get any better? Toni is always someone who tells it like it is. That's exactly what I want to hear on the judging panel on DWTS. Sonny Pedersen had some great insight on the show as well. 

I missed being in studio, but work in Detroit kept me from being there in person. I will be back in studio next week with our guest Witney Carson.

AfterBuzz TV DWTS: Gleb Savchenko

It was happy to be back in studio just in time for Gleb Savchenko's visit. We tried really hard to get him on with us last season, but it just didn't work out. He offered some surprisingly honest critiques during the show. I love it when we have an unfiltered guest because it makes for a waaaay more juicy show.

With some many hot topic from Monday's show like Christina's exit, Len's "7", ringer conversation from ABC and weak choreography (I was probably the harshest on this particular dance.), we didn't even get to talk about the East Coast voting issue. I am interested to see how ABC handles it for Monday's show. Will it affect the final outcome for elimination?

Next week, Toni Basil is back with us on the show. If you didn't see her with us in Season 15, oh boy...it's going to be fun. Toni is a no-nonsense kind of gal. You are in for a treat! I will be joining the crew by phone, but Anna will be back in studio. Anna and I seem to be rotating with out-of-town gigs, but everyone will be back together for our Oct. 29 show.

If you missed the show, watch it below. Thanks for making us AfterBuzz TV's No. 3 show of the week!

And thanks for making us #3 this week! Top 10 @afterbuzztv After Shows: #DWTS pic.twitter.com/Qy1oVHlb3P
— Kristyn Burtt (@KristynBurtt) October 16, 2013

DWTS Season 17: Week 5 Preview

We have a first-time guest in studio this week, Gleb Savchenko. We worked hard to get him on AfterBuzz TV last season, but the schedule didn't work out. This season, we are able to make it happen!

It should be an interesting week with the stars dancing to the theme "The Most Memorable Year Of Their Life." While most of us on AfterBuzz predicted this would be the week that Brant would go home, I heard from a few of you that were ready for Christina or Leah to exit. That's what makes this season pretty exciting. It's unpredictable in way that keeps me riveted to each episode.

I'm back in the studio this week after working in Toronto. I believe Anna is out of town though (I will double check), but hopefully, she will join us on the phone.

You know what to do with the questions, put them in the comments below. I will see you all Tuesday at 8 p.m. PT on AfterBuzz TV.


Just a couple of things to remember:
1. Fan questions are a supplemental part of our show. We will get to as many as possible if there is time. AfterBuzz TV shows were reduced to 50 minutes this season because our studios are so busy and there is a show in our studio immediately following our DWTS show.

2. If you are having trouble posting in the comments section, please clear your cache or the cookies on your computer. That usually does the trick!

AfterBuzz TV DWTS: Henry Byalikov

Suri did a great job of leading the way last night, but I missed being in studio with the crew. I know Anna and I have a tough schedule this month and we are going to keep missing each other. However, I am glad AfterBuzz TV is allowing us to join by phone. Even if it was all the way from Canada, it was worth it to join the discussion. A big thanks to Henry Byalikov for stepping in again as our guest!

I will be back in studio next week and our guest is Gleb Savchenko. This will be his first appearance on DWTS on AfterBuzz TV, so I think it should be a great night in the studio.

We didn't get a chance to discuss it, but what did you think of the opening number this week? I am a fan of Ray Leeper's work, but this didn't hit the mark. The contestants were introduced in a lackluster way and the number didn't use the stage well. I did like the judges coming out from behind the desk to join the fun though.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.

AfterBuzz TV DWTS: Sharna Burgess

Sharna Burgess was back with us and it's always great to have her insight. She gave us the inside scoop on Keyshawn Johnson and his disinterest in the show during Week 1. I think we all felt it, but Sharna vocalized it. It's too bad he caught on for Week 2, but it was already too late. Happily, she will be back dancing in most of the opening numbers for the rest of the season and in a few pro dances once more contestants have been eliminated.

We've been focusing a lot on content this season which I think is the right thing to do with so many qualified dance contestants. Are the pros choreographing enough content? How should this be judged? This week we talked about the Charleston and the Quick Step. I know a lot of you had questions about what we saw on Monday night. I think Anna and Sharna did an excellent job breaking down those five performances for us.

Sorry for the technical difficulties with the live broadcast, but the show was captured without any issues. So enjoy the show and let me know who you think is going home this week.

This might be the greatest screen capture ever....what is happening between Sharna and me at this very moment?

DWTS Season 17: Week 3 Preview

It's Hollywood Night on DWTS tonight and there are already two injured celebs: Brant Daugherty and Bill Nye the Science Guy. It will be interesting to see how this plays out because Bill's knee looks really swollen and tender. I hope they are both feeling better soon. Brant's injury looks less serious, but how will both injuries play out in tonight's elimination?

Sharna Burgess is our guest this week and while we are sad to have her gone from the competition, we are thrilled to have her in studio with us at AfterBuzz TV. She's been a friend to our show since she was in the troupe and we are so happy to see all of her success on DWTS. 

So get those questions ready for Sharna by placing them in the comments below. 

Just a couple of things to remember:

1. Fan questions are a supplemental part of our show. We will get to as many as possible if there is time. AfterBuzz TV shows were reduced to 50 minutes this season because our studios are so busy and there is a show in our studio immediately following our DWTS show. 

2. If you are having trouble posting in the comments section, please clear your cache or the cookies on your computer. That usually does the trick!

Thanks! See you on Tuesday at 8pm PT on AfterBuzz TV....it will be a fun night!

AfterBuzz TV DWTS Season 17: Henry Byalikov

What a week! As you know, we always try to get Henry Byalikov on twice during the season. Hopefully, we will get him on closer to the end. There was so much to talk about with 12 dances, Bill Nye's injury, the opening number and the Emmys that we did not get to the fan questions. However, Henry stayed after and we audio-recorded the questions and answers for you. So make sure to send a big "THANK YOU" to Henry on social media for being so kind to do that for all of us.

Henry answers YOUR fan questions:
Two things to note:
1. Many of you had multiple questions. I asked one question per fan.
2. The questions came only from my blog. Due to time constraints, any questions on Twitter or Facebook were not answered.

Thanks for understanding!

VIDEO: Bill Nye the Science Guy Injured, See His Paso Doble on DWTS

One of Season 17's most popular contestants on Dancing With the Stars, Bill Nye the Science Guy, was injured last night during the show. At the time, the trip didn't seem that bad and he brushed it off when his pro Tyne Stecklein asked him if he was okay. However, it seems his fall was much worse than he portrayed to Tyne and host Tom Bergeron.

ABC has confirmed that Bill is currently seeking medical attention for his injury. 

In a statement, the network said, "We can confirm Bill Nye was injured during his performance last night and is currently seeking medical attention. We will continue to keep you posted on his progress."

RumorFix has reported that the injury involves his knee and he is having an MRI done. Depending on the severity of the injury, surgery is possible. 

If he does drop out of the competition, there will most likely be no elimination next week. Due to his popularity, Bill most likely would have stuck around a few more weeks in the competition. 

See his Paso Doble from last night. He falls just after the 3:06 mark. Bill does a great job of covering the fall though, he's a true performer.

Watch our DWTS show tonight at 8 p.m. PT live on AfterBuzz TV with guest Henry Byalikov. 

DWTS Season 17: Week 2 Preview

I hope you all like the photo.

Yes, Henry Byalikov is our guest on Tuesday. Many of you saw the announcement on Twitter earlier this week and you've been eagerly awaiting this post. It's been a busy week, but I finally had a free minute to get this up.

The wonderful thing about having Henry on the show is that it is great timing. He and Sharna Burgess are choreographing the opening number this week, so we will get the inside scoop on how it all came together.

The whole team is expected to be in studio this week: Anna, me, Jake and Suri.

Time to get those questions in! Fire away in the comments section below. We will see you all on Tuesday at 8pm PT on AfterBuzz TV.

My Thoughts on Derek Hough

This number alone should win him the Emmy

I have always maintained that I believe that Derek Hough is going to be one of the defining choreographers of his generation. I don't take that statement lightly. As someone who has been a student of dance history, think of the names you would put in that category: George Balanchine, Agnes DeMille, Jerome Robbins, Bob Fosse, Michael Bennett, Martha Graham. There are more, but it's not a list of thousands or even hundreds. I don't say that about any other pro on the show.

With a statement like that, it should be understood that you also have to be a great dancer and teacher in order to be classified as a "defining choreographer of a generation." You can't just be one thing.

On AfterBuzz TV this week, we were talking about Val and Derek and their strengths. If I am going to pick the one quality that makes Derek stand out on the show...yep, it's choreography. For Val, it's teaching. Does it mean they don't have the other qualities? Nope.

We are a show about dance, talking about dancers and why we love it so much. We give opinions that you won't always agree with, but the one thing we all agree upon is that we love dance. I'm one of the hosts of the show and as a part of my job, I have to balance my love for Derek's work with my appreciation and support for what other pros on DWTS bring to the table.

Come Sunday, I hope it's Derek who is holding that Emmy.

Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments below. I will respond to all comments here, but I'm going to keep the debate off of Twitter. Thanks, guys!  See you next week with our guest Henry Byalikov...who is also choreographing this week's opening number on DWTS with Sharna Burgess.