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!

New Year's Eve With Zac Efron

At the press junket for the film, New Year's Eve.

I had a pretty amazing birthday this year.  I had the opportunity to spend the day with Michelle Pfeiffer, Abigail Breslin, Hector Elizondo, Lea Michele, and Zac Efron from the movie, New Year's Eve.  Not a bad day on the job at all.  I headed over to the Beverly Hilton Hotel to ask the cast about their experiences on the set and if they believed in New Year's resolutions.  Not surprisingly, most did not share their New Year's resolutions because I think we all make a list each year and often fail or forget about the list.  If a celebrity makes that resolution public, I'm sure the tabloids would love to hold them accountable for it. I expected everyone to be excited about the Lea Michele interview, but I found out on Twitter that Zac Efron has some fervent fans.  So fervent, they call themselves "Zanessa" fans.

Now, let's talk about this for a moment: Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens met and dated during their High School Musical years.  They were a very cute couple and they lived in my neighborhood, so I saw them quite a bit with the paparazzi constantly on their trail.  Like many first loves, they broke up.  This happened about a year ago.  Well, the Zanessa fans relentlessly hounded me on Twitter to ask Zac about Vanessa when I'm supposed to be asking about New Year's Eve.  They called me a bad reporter.  Giggle and sigh.  I understand when fans get excited about their favorite stars, I think that is why it is so enjoyable to interview the Disney Channel stars.  However, at a certain point, you have to understand that these stars have a life and feelings and sometimes things should just be private.  Zac hasn't ever discussed the Vanessa break-up and I doubt he will beyond saying it was a lovely time in his life, she's a sweet girl, etc. (You know, the standard answers to the press.  So, foolish me for thinking everyone wanted to hear a Glee interview, they wanted a Zac interview.  I definitely learned something that day and it convinced me that having enthusiastic fans is pretty powerful in Hollywood these days.  I should have remembered that from my Angie Harmon Twangels encounter......maybe that's my New Year's resolution? Remember the fans, KB, remember the fans!!



Anyway, enjoy my interviews for iVillage with Zac and Michelle Pfeiffer, who is perhaps the most stunning celebrity I have ever interviewed and so NICE to boot,  as well as Lea Michele, who gave a great answer to her red carpet/Twitter disagreement with Modern Family star Sarah Hyland.



What's your New Year's resolution?  Let me know in the comments below.

Don't forget to enter my Holiday Giveaway!  You have until Sunday, December 18th to enter.

Clearing Out the Clutter, Rediscovering My 15 Minutes of Fame.

Since I am home for much of the summer versus hitting the road like I do the rest of the year, I am cleaning out the clutter.  I am posting clothes on Ebay and Smashion, I had a yard sale over the weekend, and I purging the junk drawer, closet, box....wherever I can clean, I will!  While cleaning out one of my end tables, I can across some great entertainment memorabilia.  Much of it was from the 2007 Academy Awards, the program, ticket, and a few of the entertainment magazines from the event when I was on the red carpet versus covering the red carpet.  I also came across a July 25, 2007 People magazine and I couldn't remember why I held on to it, but here's what was happening just four years ago:

1.  Eva Longoria and Tony Parker got married in France on 7.7.07.  I guess that wasn't their lucky number.

2.  The MailBag featured letters from readers who were thrilled that Billy Ray Cyrus was "Raising a Teen Star (The Right Way!)".  Sure, dating men in their 20's, taking half-nude photos on your iPhone, and grinding against a pole at the MTV Music Awards is definitely a great way to raise your Disney kid.

3.  Lindsay Lohan was partying.  Oh wait, that hasn't changed.

4.  Charlie Sheen got engaged to Brooke Mueller.  I wish I could tell the girl, "Run for your life!"  Oh well, we all know how that one turned out.

5.  The main article focused on rich teens like Hilary Duff, Daniel Radcliffe, and the High School Musical kids who are now officially.....rich adults.

Finally, I came across an article and I knew why I had kept the magazine.  Take a look at this photo.  Look carefully.  Maybe you see someone familiar?

 Leave it to me to have my 15 minutes in People magazine with a drug possession/arrest article.

Special Edition: Dance Camera West's Choreography Media Honors Panel

**Update: June 25, 2009**

This article was written on Monday, June 22, 2009. Michael Jackson suddenly passed away from cardiac arrest on June 25, 2009. He was a part of many dancers' childhood dreams of performing on the stage. May his music live on and may his soul continue to dance.

R.I.P., Michael

On Friday night, I had the opportunity to attend Dance Camera West's Choreography Media Honors. What a treat for choreographers, dancers, and dance aficionados! The panel consisted of the top creative teams from "So You Think You Can Dance", "The 81st Annual Academy Awards", and "High School Musical". The night was moderated by Daniel Ezralow, choreographer for the upcoming Broadway show, "Spiderman".

Highlights from each of the shows/choreographers:

SYTYCD: The spotlight was really on this show during the panel. Matthew Diamond, director, Tabitha and Napoleon, choreographers, and Tyce Diorio, choreographer. It was fascinating to hear that choreographers only get 4 and 1/2 hours of rehearsal time with the dancers before the show. Tabitha mentioned that they are literally calling out reminders and instructions as they are walking out of the studio. SYTYCD is a game show, so it is regulated by the FCC and all contestants must have the same amount of rehearsal time to make it fair to everyone. A few audience members wanted to know why the dancers didn't have the same type of launching pad as the "American Idol" contestants. It does seem that the SYTYCD winners seem to fade into obscurity while America still knows the names of Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, and Jordin Sparks. Napoleon felt that the dancers do the show because they love to dance, they don't care about being a star. Tyce mentioned that the show is only a springboard or a beginning then the reality of the dance world sets in. I think it has to do with the bottom line......$$$$. The producers make a ton of money off of these kids, put them on tour, and then throw them to the wolves when they are done. No preparation for what is about to happen or not happen to them. The producers don't look back because they have another season around the corner. Harsh, no? I even had a chat with a true insider, but I promised that our entire conversation would be off the record. And so it remains, off the record, but wow......it makes you think twice about reality/competition shows.

The 81st Academy Awards: This panel was fascinating since it consisted of Marguerite Derricks, choreographer of Hugh Jackman's opening number at the Oscars and John Palermo, producer and partner to Jackman's Seed Productions. This was probably the most interesting to me due to my work at the Kodak and the years I have worked the Meet the Oscars exhibit. I love this show and it fascinates me to see how all of this work comes together for one night only. Maguerite expects a lot from her dancers by not tailoring her movement to them. She expects them to be able to do her movement from the first audition. While John works in a producing capacity, he really has an eye for what works in terms of choreographing for the camera. Movement created for the stage is one element, but movement for the TV cameras adds an entire new dimension. Maguerite has a lot on her plate with the new Broadway show, "Wonderland", and the remake of "Fame" coming out in September. (Look for a 2 1/2 minute pas de deux in the Graduation scene of the movie. Woo hoo!) And, dancers, if you are looking to work with Maguerite, she is now finding Los Angeles dancers more versatile than New York dancers whom she thinks sometimes get stuck in a rut with one style after performing in long running shows.

High School Musical: Representing the HSM trilogy were Charles "Chucky" Klapow, Co-Choreographer, Mark Hofeling, Production Designer, Barry Rosenbush, Executive Producer. Well, I feel like the tide has finally turned on the HSM trilogy. The heat of this series has peaked and there were fewer questions for this group, although it was interesting to hear how Mark Hofeling put together an amazing set that was both utilitarian and safe for the dancers. Surprisingly, HSM 4 is coming our way. Sigh. I expect it will be a new crop of faces as most of the core cast has gone on to bigger and better projects. Keep your eye on Chucky Klapow, everyone. He is a rising superstar who is assisting Kenny Ortega with Michael Jackson's big comeback tour in London. If Jackson delivers, I think we should all expect a US comeback for the King of Pop. While we may be exhausted from his tabloid antics over the past decade, remember many of you ran home to see "Thriller" on MTV each afternoon. The King of Pop sure knows how to dance.

The one final tidbit I want to leave with you......SYTYCD fans, the Katie Holmes rumor is true. She will be performing a number from "Summer Stock" that was choreographed by Tyce Diorio. Don't let the tabloids fool you into thinking Nigel Lythgoe had anything to do with it. Let's give credit where credit is due.....go, Tyce!

Thanks for joining me for this special edition of Red Carpet Closet. Who cares what I wore? It was all about dance!

Reporting Live from Los Angeles,

Kristyn

PS If you enjoyed this special report, please follow me for the Can't Miss List on Dance Channel TV.