WEBVTT - Danielle with…Louis van Amstel 0:00:15.720 --> 0:00:16.520 Welcome back. 0:00:16.720 --> 0:00:21.360 It's me Danielle Fischel, TV director, podcaster, mother of two, 0:00:21.480 --> 0:00:25.800 and colloquially known as Tapega from the nineties family sitcom 0:00:25.800 --> 0:00:29.840 Boy Meets World, but to almost seven million viewers and 0:00:30.040 --> 0:00:33.880 counting every week. I am a competitor on season thirty 0:00:33.880 --> 0:00:37.160 four of Dancing with the Stars, paired with my professional 0:00:37.240 --> 0:00:41.760 pal Pasha Pashkov, And in addition to my transformation from 0:00:42.000 --> 0:00:46.479 no prior dance experience to ballroom vet, I have been 0:00:46.520 --> 0:00:50.479 recording this year podcast, keeping tabs on every single moment 0:00:50.600 --> 0:00:53.280 along the way, hoping that the details of my journey 0:00:53.400 --> 0:00:57.640 might make your Dancing with the Stars fandom even more enjoyable. Plus, 0:00:57.680 --> 0:01:00.800 I have been joined by pro's former contestant and my 0:01:00.920 --> 0:01:04.920 beloved competition in hopes that these interviews could double as 0:01:05.040 --> 0:01:08.800 insider information to push me over the proverbial hump and 0:01:08.959 --> 0:01:12.480 into the winner's circle, holding the mirror ball trophy well 0:01:12.520 --> 0:01:15.920 above my head in the name of every listener. And 0:01:15.959 --> 0:01:18.240 today I am joined by a man who was there 0:01:18.319 --> 0:01:22.360 when it all started, a national champion gold medalist who 0:01:22.440 --> 0:01:24.760 joined the show in season one and went on to 0:01:24.800 --> 0:01:29.280 compete with a total of eleven partners, including Kelly Osborne 0:01:29.280 --> 0:01:31.720 in season nine, where they made it to the finals 0:01:31.880 --> 0:01:35.200 and placed third. He's been seen in the ballroom this season, 0:01:35.280 --> 0:01:38.200 taking in the festivities, and I, for one felt just 0:01:38.400 --> 0:01:42.160 a little more nervous knowing he was in attendance. And 0:01:42.240 --> 0:01:44.840 with the twentieth birthday of the show just around the corner, 0:01:44.920 --> 0:01:48.360 it would be impossible to imagine its early days without 0:01:48.400 --> 0:01:51.600 my guest. And now I'm honored to say it. It's 0:01:51.680 --> 0:01:54.160 Danielle with Louis van Amstell. 0:01:54.840 --> 0:01:59.040 Hi, Danielle, Hi, how are you there? You are? Yes? 0:02:00.120 --> 0:02:02.320 How are you. 0:02:01.600 --> 0:02:06.040 Nice to meet you? I didn't meet you. I saw Pasha, yes, 0:02:06.240 --> 0:02:07.440 and two weeks ago. 0:02:08.280 --> 0:02:10.480 Yeah, so I know I saw that you were there. 0:02:10.520 --> 0:02:12.560 But after the fact, I think we may have passed 0:02:12.600 --> 0:02:14.840 each other very quickly in the breezeway when I was 0:02:14.880 --> 0:02:17.160 either on my way to warm up or getting one 0:02:17.160 --> 0:02:19.799 of those many last minute hair and makeup touch ups. 0:02:19.840 --> 0:02:23.360 You get yes, and I know how important that is. 0:02:23.400 --> 0:02:26.440 So I do this and I do not. Yeah, I 0:02:26.440 --> 0:02:29.800 don't want to disturb anyone, whether it's my partner on 0:02:29.840 --> 0:02:33.079 the show. It's that that me time, you know, when 0:02:33.080 --> 0:02:36.280 you have to get ready and get into game game mode, game. 0:02:36.080 --> 0:02:39.040 Base exactly game face mode, and there's not much time 0:02:39.080 --> 0:02:40.960 and it all depends on where you fall in the 0:02:41.040 --> 0:02:42.200 show and how you know. 0:02:42.320 --> 0:02:43.760 Are you last, are you first? 0:02:43.840 --> 0:02:46.200 Are you right in the middle. It's it's a it's 0:02:46.240 --> 0:02:48.680 a lot. And I wanted to talk with you because 0:02:48.720 --> 0:02:52.359 you bring such a unique POV considering you were there 0:02:52.720 --> 0:02:57.000 from season one. When do you remember getting the pitch 0:02:57.200 --> 0:02:59.760 for Dancing with the Stars and did it sound in 0:02:59.840 --> 0:03:02.040 saying to you what was your first thought when you 0:03:02.080 --> 0:03:03.840 heard about it. 0:03:03.840 --> 0:03:06.639 It's interesting you asked me this question because even though 0:03:06.639 --> 0:03:09.920 it's twenty years ago, it feels like yesterday and I 0:03:10.080 --> 0:03:13.920 remember every single detail. So Dance with the Stars is 0:03:13.960 --> 0:03:16.720 based on Strictly Come Dancing, which is Dance with the 0:03:16.760 --> 0:03:20.800 Stars version in England, and when they successfully brought it 0:03:20.880 --> 0:03:26.280 back on TV, I guess the producers asked the British professionals, 0:03:26.520 --> 0:03:28.480 who do you know in the United States. Well, I'm 0:03:28.480 --> 0:03:32.320 from Amsterdam, I'm from Holland my partner was British Julie Fryer. 0:03:32.800 --> 0:03:36.360 So we were actually on the original Come Dancing when 0:03:36.400 --> 0:03:40.880 it was counties against each other and then England against Europe. 0:03:41.160 --> 0:03:46.120 So we danced on the original version before it quit 0:03:46.320 --> 0:03:49.440 in the late nineties anyway. So then one of the 0:03:49.480 --> 0:03:51.839 producers called me while I was teaching in New York 0:03:51.880 --> 0:03:56.200 City and if I was interested in being part of 0:03:56.240 --> 0:04:00.320 the show that ABC was willing to test out of 0:04:00.520 --> 0:04:04.040 a show about bareroom dancing. They weren't sure, and I 0:04:04.320 --> 0:04:09.120 didn't think twice. Growing up in theater, I was already 0:04:09.160 --> 0:04:12.680 retired from competing, and I just had done my Broadway 0:04:12.760 --> 0:04:16.360 show in two thousand and two at City Center. So 0:04:17.480 --> 0:04:20.440 when they said do you want to be part of it? Yes, 0:04:20.920 --> 0:04:23.960 I want to, I didn't have to think twice. No, Wow, 0:04:24.040 --> 0:04:27.920 I did not question it. I did. I also thought 0:04:27.960 --> 0:04:33.599 it was the golden opportunity for ballroom dancing UH to 0:04:33.800 --> 0:04:37.200 be put in the limelight, and that it was interesting 0:04:37.360 --> 0:04:40.760 because then of course they asked me who do you know. Well, 0:04:41.200 --> 0:04:44.720 I was coaching Alec Mazo and edits Lavinska at the time, 0:04:44.960 --> 0:04:50.000 so of course I asked them. And then after they 0:04:50.240 --> 0:04:55.560 hired Alec Mazo, a Ukrainian edit, tes Lawns Cut Polish, 0:04:55.760 --> 0:05:01.440 myself Dutch, Sharlot to Jurgensen Danish, and then John Roberts American. 0:05:01.880 --> 0:05:04.719 So then they called me back, Joe Sunkert, do you 0:05:04.839 --> 0:05:08.919 we won an all American, I get it immigrants. So 0:05:09.560 --> 0:05:13.080 I was teaching at the famous Center Stage in orem 0:05:13.200 --> 0:05:16.640 Utah where all the Utah dances are from. Yeah, and 0:05:16.839 --> 0:05:18.920 he was asking me. I picked up the phone while 0:05:18.920 --> 0:05:23.320 I was teaching, and Ashley del Grosso, who was the 0:05:23.360 --> 0:05:27.360 final lady joining season one, she was in the other room. 0:05:27.520 --> 0:05:30.040 So I said, Joe, hold on. So I walked to 0:05:30.120 --> 0:05:32.680 the room. I said, here, pick up the phone and 0:05:32.720 --> 0:05:36.640 make sure you say yes wow. And so that's how 0:05:36.680 --> 0:05:39.640 that happened. Yeah, just put my phone in Ashley's hands 0:05:39.680 --> 0:05:42.120 and she talked to Joe and she did audition and 0:05:42.200 --> 0:05:43.119 she made it on the show. 0:05:43.520 --> 0:05:47.039 So you're basically responsible for the entire pro cast of 0:05:47.120 --> 0:05:48.800 season one. 0:05:49.279 --> 0:05:52.279 Well, I wouldn't say the entire cast. It was more 0:05:53.320 --> 0:05:56.720 you know John Roberts, who I did work with as 0:05:56.760 --> 0:06:02.560 a coach. He was approached, I guess through another producer 0:06:02.600 --> 0:06:07.719 and Charlotte Jurgenson, who I competed with in Europe at 0:06:07.800 --> 0:06:11.280 World Championships. So it was fun for all of us 0:06:11.320 --> 0:06:14.719 to be in a different medium because competition scene or 0:06:14.800 --> 0:06:18.960 theater is still different than live TV. But we loved it. Yeah, 0:06:18.960 --> 0:06:23.360 and then I got Julian Hoff and Derek Houff on 0:06:23.440 --> 0:06:28.159 the show and a few more. But for me, you know, 0:06:28.240 --> 0:06:31.320 I'm the old one of the bunch. I coached most 0:06:31.360 --> 0:06:34.560 of them that are now on. So for me, it's 0:06:34.600 --> 0:06:37.679 about getting the best dancers that are appropriate for the show. 0:06:38.120 --> 0:06:43.320 So if you look at Jenna Johnson, you look at Lindsay, Arnold, Winsey, 0:06:43.960 --> 0:06:48.200 Whitney Carson, these are all cross Ray dancers Ezra cross 0:06:48.200 --> 0:06:51.839 Train Brandon and I know them since they were That 0:06:51.960 --> 0:06:55.719 makes me really old them all since they were eight, 0:06:55.839 --> 0:06:58.880 nine and ten years old because I was teaching them 0:06:58.960 --> 0:07:03.240 at center Stage. It's just wonderful to see they never 0:07:03.360 --> 0:07:08.960 decided to go into the ballroom Ballroom World Championships, but 0:07:09.120 --> 0:07:11.400 instead they have an amazing career on TV. 0:07:11.640 --> 0:07:14.240 So yeah, I ain't mad about it exactly. 0:07:14.800 --> 0:07:17.440 I mean, it's really smart and it was forward thinking 0:07:17.440 --> 0:07:20.360 of you as someone who had competed in Blackpool, had 0:07:20.400 --> 0:07:24.120 three Latin Dance Champion gold medals and a US National 0:07:24.240 --> 0:07:29.320 Championship with a partner that you knew I sure have. Well, 0:07:29.400 --> 0:07:33.280 you knew they that it was a chance to celebrate 0:07:33.320 --> 0:07:36.120 ballroom dancing instead of having fear that it was going 0:07:36.160 --> 0:07:38.000 to be something that made a mockery of it. Is 0:07:38.040 --> 0:07:40.720 that how they presented it to you or did you 0:07:40.880 --> 0:07:42.720 just know that this was going to be a shining 0:07:42.720 --> 0:07:44.280 opportunity for ballroom dance? 0:07:45.520 --> 0:07:47.800 In my heart, I knew that this was going to 0:07:47.840 --> 0:07:51.040 be a success because of having done a Broadway show 0:07:51.040 --> 0:07:54.000 of my own in two thousand and two when we 0:07:54.080 --> 0:07:59.520 had no TV, no ballroom dancing in the limelight, and 0:07:59.600 --> 0:08:04.000 I knew because of the enthusiasm from that audience that 0:08:04.320 --> 0:08:08.560 the public will like this. And so many people, not 0:08:08.720 --> 0:08:12.880 just in the eighteen thirty eight, eighteen to thirty nine, 0:08:13.400 --> 0:08:16.560 but also the older generation. How many of them did 0:08:16.560 --> 0:08:20.240 ballroom dancing when they grew up, the katillion, all that, 0:08:20.400 --> 0:08:23.640 and that's what Danced with the Stars represents twenty years in. 0:08:24.160 --> 0:08:29.560 It still represents that romance, the sassiness, and you know 0:08:30.080 --> 0:08:31.640 a little bit more nodding. 0:08:31.360 --> 0:08:34.520 You know, a little bit of drama, a little. 0:08:34.320 --> 0:08:38.320 Bit of everything. Yes, yeah, so I think it's I 0:08:38.480 --> 0:08:41.160 never questioned it. And also when they asked me do 0:08:41.240 --> 0:08:43.640 you know more dancers? I was right away thinking these 0:08:43.679 --> 0:08:47.160 have to be the right dancers, not the best dancers. Now, 0:08:47.840 --> 0:08:51.160 now having said that, when you take a Valsh Mukofsky, 0:08:51.280 --> 0:08:53.719 who I coached as well, he could have easily been 0:08:53.760 --> 0:08:58.240 world champion. He was world champion in junior. He could 0:08:58.280 --> 0:09:01.920 have taken every single title titled. Derek Huff could be 0:09:02.160 --> 0:09:04.800 world champion. He was youth champion. I was actually there 0:09:05.520 --> 0:09:10.040 when he became world champion in youth. These dancers are 0:09:10.480 --> 0:09:13.200 not only the right dancers for the show, they're also 0:09:13.240 --> 0:09:17.120 the best dancers. I mean, they're so well trained, and 0:09:18.400 --> 0:09:20.000 I'm proud to say that I was part of that 0:09:20.200 --> 0:09:22.400 before Dance with the Stars as their coach. 0:09:22.920 --> 0:09:23.199 Yes. 0:09:24.280 --> 0:09:27.040 Do you remember a specific moment, maybe it was even 0:09:27.080 --> 0:09:31.640 during season one where you felt like, whoa, this is working. 0:09:32.080 --> 0:09:34.199 It's all it's gonna go. This show is going to 0:09:34.240 --> 0:09:38.319 be a massive success, the show itself. 0:09:38.520 --> 0:09:43.200 Yes, I was so happy to hear that. Everyone was 0:09:43.280 --> 0:09:46.640 so nervous that first one. Danielle, you guys are nervous 0:09:46.640 --> 0:09:47.840 coming down those stairs. 0:09:48.200 --> 0:09:48.640 Yeah. 0:09:48.679 --> 0:09:54.440 But season one, week one, everyone ABC, the show run 0:09:54.440 --> 0:09:59.480 at Conrad Green, Dina. Everyone was so nervous because this 0:09:59.559 --> 0:10:02.120 is the first time. And then we had thirteen point 0:10:02.160 --> 0:10:06.080 five million viewers and they couldn't be happier. And that 0:10:06.280 --> 0:10:11.480 was the summer show. So I knew then it's a hit. However, 0:10:12.520 --> 0:10:15.120 I've never won this show, but I think I deserve 0:10:15.280 --> 0:10:17.480 a trophy because stress the ctter and I were the 0:10:17.520 --> 0:10:21.400 first ever eliminated couple in season one. Don't you think 0:10:21.400 --> 0:10:22.439 that deserves something? 0:10:23.320 --> 0:10:26.079 You know what I do? I think what's the opposite 0:10:26.080 --> 0:10:26.920 of a mirror ball? 0:10:27.720 --> 0:10:34.120 The well turn it outside of second? It's yeah. I 0:10:34.240 --> 0:10:37.640 learned a lot that first season. Oh my gosh. I 0:10:37.720 --> 0:10:41.480 learned a lot because I came in and not to 0:10:41.559 --> 0:10:44.520 brag or anything, but just to give you and your 0:10:44.640 --> 0:10:48.800 viewers perspective. I came in from coaching, coaching people like 0:10:49.160 --> 0:10:53.760 Jenna Johnson, Welshikovsky, Max Murkowsky, and then I went in 0:10:53.800 --> 0:10:57.200 with that coaching attitude in dense with the stars, Oh 0:10:57.200 --> 0:11:00.240 my gosh, I looked like and I mean, I'm not 0:11:00.240 --> 0:11:05.120 going to say the capital A because we strect yes. 0:11:05.360 --> 0:11:08.640 And then on top I had long hair in a ponytail, 0:11:08.679 --> 0:11:11.320 I have these cheek pumps. It looks oh my gosh, 0:11:11.360 --> 0:11:15.680 I look so dang arrogant. And then in the package, yeah, 0:11:15.840 --> 0:11:20.000 I'm a three time world champion, and oh my gosh. 0:11:20.040 --> 0:11:23.480 It was a very humbling experience, and season two was 0:11:23.600 --> 0:11:26.920 amazing because of the learning lessons from season one. 0:11:27.280 --> 0:11:30.920 I see, do you was that attitude that you had 0:11:31.000 --> 0:11:33.760 in season one? Was that something that is that what 0:11:33.800 --> 0:11:37.280 you were like as a coach generally or was it 0:11:37.360 --> 0:11:39.520 something put on for the TV show? 0:11:41.120 --> 0:11:44.840 Well that's that's a two first. So the first portion 0:11:45.040 --> 0:11:49.960 is that for me, if you tell me you want 0:11:49.960 --> 0:11:53.920 to be a champion, national or world champion, then I'm 0:11:53.960 --> 0:11:57.680 going to treat you as such, not in being nasty, 0:11:57.800 --> 0:12:00.079 but okay, here are the goals, and I'm going to 0:12:00.120 --> 0:12:04.120 hold you accountable. But that's with the stars. I mean you, guys, 0:12:04.240 --> 0:12:06.840 I mean I respect you so much. You put yourself 0:12:06.880 --> 0:12:11.400 out there. You're a working actress, you can control your work, 0:12:11.559 --> 0:12:16.479 and here you are putting yourself on the chopping block potentially, 0:12:17.080 --> 0:12:21.800 and so I respect every and all celebrity for doing that. 0:12:23.080 --> 0:12:26.120 But for me as a coach, I realized, wait a minute, 0:12:26.160 --> 0:12:28.400 Wait a minute, wait a minute, this is not your 0:12:28.400 --> 0:12:31.880 bread and butter, and this is your hobby. Now in 0:12:31.920 --> 0:12:34.600 a way, it is your bread and butter because you 0:12:34.679 --> 0:12:38.240 put yourself out there as a celebrity. And but I 0:12:38.280 --> 0:12:41.440 was never I don't think I'm arrogant. It's just I 0:12:41.520 --> 0:12:46.640 hold you accountable. But then the way the questions are asked, 0:12:46.840 --> 0:12:51.439 you know, when you have your Thursday interviews. You have 0:12:51.520 --> 0:12:54.640 to be mindful on how you say it because everything 0:12:54.760 --> 0:12:57.320 can and will be used against you. And that's not 0:12:57.400 --> 0:13:01.040 on the producers. That's on us to be mindful on 0:13:01.600 --> 0:13:04.760 you know, what you say in terms of in terms 0:13:04.760 --> 0:13:11.000 of the bad Boys status. I think they tried, and 0:13:11.040 --> 0:13:13.560 then you know, Max came on board in season three, 0:13:13.640 --> 0:13:16.480 and I guess he took the role. But I don't 0:13:16.480 --> 0:13:18.079 want to play a role. I've always said I'm a 0:13:18.120 --> 0:13:21.720 chameleon as a coach, as a teacher, as a dancer, 0:13:22.000 --> 0:13:24.959 Expect the unexpected. I've said it in so many interviews 0:13:25.480 --> 0:13:28.520 because I, for example, if you and I were parted, 0:13:28.600 --> 0:13:32.960 I don't know you, so maybe I have one approach. Well, 0:13:33.000 --> 0:13:36.880 then that approach doesn't work, Okay, a different approach. Maybe 0:13:36.920 --> 0:13:39.760 you're a visual learner, audio learner. Maybe you're just slow 0:13:39.800 --> 0:13:42.679 in picking up, so the first three days take it 0:13:42.679 --> 0:13:45.120 a easier and then when I see you pick it up, boom. 0:13:45.160 --> 0:13:48.240 Then we're going to spend the hours on really diving deep. 0:13:48.520 --> 0:13:50.760 And others say, let me give me, give me everything 0:13:50.800 --> 0:13:53.559 on that first day and then slow down towards the 0:13:53.679 --> 0:13:58.320 end of the week. So they tried, and I think 0:13:58.360 --> 0:14:00.680 that's part of the reason I'm being really for that 0:14:00.800 --> 0:14:03.600 off not being in all seasons, because that was never 0:14:03.679 --> 0:14:07.120 my choice, not to be real, I just don't like 0:14:07.200 --> 0:14:09.800 being put in a box. I don't like labels. So 0:14:10.880 --> 0:14:13.360 I also don't want to be called the gay dancer 0:14:13.600 --> 0:14:16.680 or the I am me. There's so many more sides 0:14:16.720 --> 0:14:24.160 to me, and so yeah, I you expect the unexpected. 0:14:24.240 --> 0:14:27.280 That's really my coaching philosophy because I don't know who 0:14:27.320 --> 0:14:29.360 I am partnered with totally. 0:14:29.520 --> 0:14:30.200 It's funny. 0:14:30.040 --> 0:14:33.160 We interviewed Max as well, and Max said something similar 0:14:33.240 --> 0:14:35.360 about coming onto the show, and he said, you know, 0:14:35.400 --> 0:14:39.200 when I joined the show, I was told your goal 0:14:39.440 --> 0:14:43.600 was to get this celebrity to be a trained dancer, 0:14:43.920 --> 0:14:46.120 and he said, and so I came in very much 0:14:46.160 --> 0:14:49.320 with like, if you want to be a star dancer, 0:14:49.800 --> 0:14:51.840 you're going to have to do all of these things. 0:14:51.840 --> 0:14:54.160 And he said, and then of course, over time you realize, 0:14:54.200 --> 0:14:58.120 like these celebrities, it's impossible for them to become in 0:14:58.800 --> 0:15:01.960 ten weeks eleven weeks. You can't possibly learn all the 0:15:01.960 --> 0:15:03.880 things you need to learn. And he said, you know, 0:15:03.960 --> 0:15:07.560 so I realized that maybe my approach wasn't working and 0:15:07.600 --> 0:15:09.520 that that really wasn't the hook of the show. So 0:15:09.520 --> 0:15:11.880 it's interesting to hear you say something similar that, Like, 0:15:12.440 --> 0:15:14.360 you know, they told me I was taking a celebrity 0:15:14.360 --> 0:15:16.080 and wanted to make them a national champion. 0:15:16.440 --> 0:15:19.280 Well, of course I have to hold you accountable to that. 0:15:20.160 --> 0:15:24.320 Yeah, And of course, again it depends on the celebrity. 0:15:24.400 --> 0:15:26.480 I can give you two examples. In season nine, I 0:15:26.520 --> 0:15:30.000 had Kelly Osborne. Yeah, no dance experience. There was a 0:15:30.040 --> 0:15:33.440 lot of baggage, emotional baggage that we had to go through. 0:15:33.840 --> 0:15:39.320 So that was one step at a time, very slow going, 0:15:39.600 --> 0:15:43.160 and she made the final. So it doesn't mean you 0:15:43.200 --> 0:15:45.520 can't make the final when you're a non dancer, but 0:15:45.560 --> 0:15:48.120 you have to approach it differently from a dancer. And 0:15:48.200 --> 0:15:51.280 when we lose our patients, you can hold all the 0:15:51.320 --> 0:15:55.080 pros accountable because that's on us because a good coach 0:15:55.240 --> 0:15:58.080 never loses their cool. You can be frustrated, but you 0:15:58.120 --> 0:16:00.520 cannot lose your patients. It's not well, you're not getting it. 0:16:00.560 --> 0:16:03.800 You're not getting it. Well, that means us as pros, 0:16:04.080 --> 0:16:07.840 we have to dig deeper, change our strategy until you 0:16:07.960 --> 0:16:10.960 get that hook where your celebrity really feels oh, I'm growing. 0:16:11.400 --> 0:16:14.360 And then in the All Star season I had Sabrina Brian, 0:16:14.880 --> 0:16:18.720 I had that season the best dancer of the season, 0:16:19.160 --> 0:16:23.600 but hip hop trained cheerleading, everything is slice and dice, 0:16:23.680 --> 0:16:26.880 bam boom, and I love Sabrina, so it was my 0:16:27.000 --> 0:16:30.080 goal in that one. I put on my coach's head 0:16:30.480 --> 0:16:34.720 and I said, and this was also discussed with Sabrina, look, 0:16:35.520 --> 0:16:38.240 you are the best dancers that can backfire. It did 0:16:38.280 --> 0:16:43.000 in season six with marks Week six, three tenths voted off, 0:16:43.640 --> 0:16:46.040 and she was willing to go do the work, but 0:16:46.120 --> 0:16:48.640 I made her go for that lowering and the heat 0:16:48.680 --> 0:16:50.880 leads and the posture up and the chest up and 0:16:51.440 --> 0:16:53.280 you know all about it now. 0:16:53.440 --> 0:16:53.920 I do. 0:16:54.200 --> 0:16:57.880 I do, And I never expected to love it nearly 0:16:57.920 --> 0:17:02.160 as much as I do. I just it's shocking to me. Well, 0:17:02.200 --> 0:17:04.240 thank you, I do. I just love it so much. 0:17:04.680 --> 0:17:06.639 And you, as a quok well hearing what you have 0:17:06.720 --> 0:17:09.199 to say about what it means to be a good coach. 0:17:09.600 --> 0:17:12.720 All I can picture in my head is my dear Pasha, 0:17:12.880 --> 0:17:19.000 who is every single day consistent. There's never a day 0:17:19.040 --> 0:17:21.320 where I have to wonder what kind of a mood 0:17:21.400 --> 0:17:24.560 he's going to be in, or adjust what how I'm 0:17:24.640 --> 0:17:27.640 feeling or doing based on something that's going on with him. 0:17:27.840 --> 0:17:33.600 He is a total professional. He is always committed, he's 0:17:33.680 --> 0:17:37.959 always prepared, he's always ready to work. He doesn't He 0:17:37.960 --> 0:17:41.399 gives me space to have my feelings about something, but 0:17:41.480 --> 0:17:44.240 he's never He's very quick to just sit there and 0:17:44.320 --> 0:17:47.440 let me have the experience and then go, Okay, it's 0:17:47.480 --> 0:17:50.200 time to get back on now. He's the most patient 0:17:50.560 --> 0:17:53.480 human being. I mean, maybe I've ever met in my 0:17:53.640 --> 0:17:57.400 entire life. I can't imagine having been partnered with anybody else. 0:17:57.520 --> 0:17:59.920 So I really feel like I lucked out the season. 0:18:01.040 --> 0:18:05.640 You Hit the Jackpot. Now, as I mentioned earlier, I 0:18:05.680 --> 0:18:10.320 know every single pro dancer on the show, probably eighty percent. 0:18:10.440 --> 0:18:13.240 I was the coach growing up, so I have to 0:18:13.320 --> 0:18:19.760 preface that I like most and love a few. I mean, 0:18:20.160 --> 0:18:23.280 like there's no tomorrow. I never actually worked with Pasha 0:18:23.920 --> 0:18:28.760 or Danielle, but I've seen him grow up. And they 0:18:28.960 --> 0:18:33.639 are not just Pasha but also Danielle, the most grounded couple. 0:18:33.880 --> 0:18:36.080 And they've been on the show now for many seasons 0:18:36.359 --> 0:18:39.960 and it hasn't changed them as humans. But also where 0:18:40.000 --> 0:18:44.320 You hit the Jackpot, Pasha is had to always get 0:18:44.320 --> 0:18:49.600 it from hard work, and Danielle that is such a 0:18:49.840 --> 0:18:54.600 natural gifted, naturally gifted beast, I mean, and everyone can 0:18:54.640 --> 0:19:00.560 see it. And he just worked, worked, worked, And also 0:19:01.119 --> 0:19:05.399 they did ten dance, so they're especially Pasha. He's equal 0:19:05.400 --> 0:19:08.640 in the standard ballroom dances as he's in the Latin dances. 0:19:08.840 --> 0:19:11.640 And on top, he taught a lot of proem which 0:19:11.720 --> 0:19:14.119 is an amateur dancing with the pro such as Pasha, 0:19:14.240 --> 0:19:17.040 they compete. He has a lot of teaching experience too, 0:19:17.520 --> 0:19:20.520 So you hit the jackpot on the kindness as a human, 0:19:20.960 --> 0:19:24.200 but also has a lot of different ways on how 0:19:24.200 --> 0:19:28.360 he can approach that. He is successful with you and 0:19:28.880 --> 0:19:32.480 I just for me, kindness is number one. If you're 0:19:32.480 --> 0:19:36.040 a kind human being and you are grounded, then you 0:19:36.080 --> 0:19:39.119 have my respect. And if you are on top a 0:19:39.119 --> 0:19:43.200 great dancer and teacher, then you've made it. And these 0:19:43.200 --> 0:19:44.520 two are wonderful. 0:19:44.560 --> 0:19:59.959 People couldn't agree with you more. I know. 0:20:00.040 --> 0:20:02.960 Oh, you have been watching this season both on TV 0:20:03.080 --> 0:20:04.880 and you've been in the ballroom, and there has been 0:20:04.920 --> 0:20:07.320 a lot of talked about that this season is a 0:20:07.480 --> 0:20:11.800 stacked cast. It's become a large part of the discourse 0:20:12.000 --> 0:20:16.919 on surrounding the show. Considering you were there for its genesis, 0:20:16.960 --> 0:20:19.439 what are your thoughts on the conceit of dancing with 0:20:19.480 --> 0:20:23.080 the stars and celebrities who have prior dance experience. 0:20:25.119 --> 0:20:30.000 Well, especially in the early years, I was really frustrated 0:20:30.680 --> 0:20:36.240 when half the cast had dance experience and we are 0:20:36.280 --> 0:20:40.040 the ones, as the pros, that have the non dancers. 0:20:40.520 --> 0:20:44.000 But then I grew to like it more because for me, 0:20:44.960 --> 0:20:49.959 if you have a non dancer, that means that celebrity 0:20:50.040 --> 0:20:53.520 represents the majority of the viewers watching. Yeah, and they 0:20:53.640 --> 0:20:58.560 live vicariously through that celebrity. And that's why people like 0:20:58.600 --> 0:21:04.320 a Kelly Osborn, Bobby Bones and directed this season, they 0:21:04.359 --> 0:21:09.119 make it far because they just move slightly. But also 0:21:09.800 --> 0:21:14.119 we had conversations. I've had conversations with Dina Katz, executive 0:21:14.119 --> 0:21:17.320 director and casting director, like, hey, why can we not 0:21:17.359 --> 0:21:22.560 do a season with all non dancers? Well, what would 0:21:22.600 --> 0:21:26.480 the show look like visually? And there you got me 0:21:26.680 --> 0:21:30.560 as a producer myself, I had to yeah, thank you 0:21:30.600 --> 0:21:33.280 for explaining. And it wasn't really like why are you 0:21:33.440 --> 0:21:36.480 doing this to me? No, it was more sincerely wanting 0:21:36.520 --> 0:21:38.679 to know why why did they do that? And I 0:21:38.720 --> 0:21:44.000 get it. And also again Andy Rictor, and there were 0:21:44.520 --> 0:21:47.040 quite a few dancers, if not every single one that 0:21:47.160 --> 0:21:51.000 have gone home already are better dances than Andy, And 0:21:51.160 --> 0:21:54.040 somehow the people at home keep voting him, and even 0:21:54.080 --> 0:21:57.080 the judges give him low scores. So it's not that 0:21:57.119 --> 0:22:02.880 the judges are helping him either. It's really it's really 0:22:02.920 --> 0:22:05.199 the people at home they're voting. And then there's the 0:22:05.280 --> 0:22:09.040 other question that comes from here, Well, we shouldn't have 0:22:09.119 --> 0:22:11.600 the people at home voting because look, otherwise, hey and 0:22:11.640 --> 0:22:13.480 you would have been mong gone home. Yeah, but then 0:22:13.480 --> 0:22:15.959 we wouldn't have a show on TV. Yeah, it's all 0:22:16.000 --> 0:22:19.640 about ratings and voting, and you just you are in 0:22:19.680 --> 0:22:23.960 the season that really has come back so strong, over 0:22:24.040 --> 0:22:28.520 fifty five million votes, yeah, number one showing it on TV. 0:22:29.160 --> 0:22:33.000 I mean, so I hope that the viewers understand that 0:22:33.160 --> 0:22:37.520 it's hard to just have non dancers celebrities or do 0:22:37.640 --> 0:22:41.119 a season with all dancing celebrities. Would it be fun 0:22:41.200 --> 0:22:45.640 if Jennifer Gray would come back, Nicole Scherzinger, Bindy Irwin, 0:22:46.720 --> 0:22:49.600 maybe get Paul Abdul. Wouldn't that be a fun season? 0:22:49.880 --> 0:22:51.800 But they won't do it. I don't think they will 0:22:51.880 --> 0:22:55.160 do it. But anyway, there's a fantastic season, and it's 0:22:55.200 --> 0:22:57.760 the diversity that makes it special. 0:22:58.000 --> 0:23:03.000 Right, That's exactly what it is, the dichotomy of watching 0:23:03.040 --> 0:23:08.520 Andy Richter versus watching Whitney Levitt and being impressed with both, 0:23:08.680 --> 0:23:12.840 you know, for different reasons. Like with it's nice in 0:23:12.880 --> 0:23:15.760 one night to be able to run the full gamut 0:23:16.320 --> 0:23:18.000 and just to vote on what it is that makes 0:23:18.040 --> 0:23:20.080 you happy. I thought it was really smart when Andy 0:23:20.160 --> 0:23:23.520 said that a producer told him that they ask you 0:23:23.560 --> 0:23:27.000 to vote for your favorite dance, not the best dance. 0:23:27.520 --> 0:23:31.560 And so you know, that is the joy of America. 0:23:31.600 --> 0:23:34.480 Having a vote is who do you want to see 0:23:34.520 --> 0:23:36.520 more from? It doesn't have to be the best, It 0:23:36.640 --> 0:23:39.600 just means who do you want to see again? And 0:23:40.040 --> 0:23:41.520 that's where they have a lot of power. 0:23:42.720 --> 0:23:44.800 Two things on that one I really want to share 0:23:45.240 --> 0:23:48.560 so on so you think you can dance? Season one 0:23:49.320 --> 0:23:52.800 one Fox, that was to find the best dancer, and 0:23:52.840 --> 0:23:56.240 that was the MC was constantly the best dancer. They 0:23:56.359 --> 0:23:59.960 changed it in season two, We're looking for your faith 0:24:00.160 --> 0:24:04.720 a dancer, same thing because they realized, oh, the judges 0:24:04.880 --> 0:24:08.200 choose one to be the best, but then the audience 0:24:08.280 --> 0:24:11.919 chooses another because it's their favorite and not the best dancer. 0:24:12.440 --> 0:24:18.439