WEBVTT - Danielle with…Daniela Gschwendtner 0:00:15.960 --> 0:00:20.880 Hello, everybody. I am Daniel Fischel, TV director, podcaster, mom 0:00:20.920 --> 0:00:24.439 of two, and a multi time answer on Jeopardy under 0:00:24.480 --> 0:00:27.880 the name of my nineteen nineties family sitcom character to 0:00:28.000 --> 0:00:32.120 Panga Lawrence. But if you've been like millions of Americans 0:00:32.159 --> 0:00:34.400 over the past few months, then you might recognize me 0:00:34.440 --> 0:00:37.040 as a competitor on season thirty four of Dancing with 0:00:37.080 --> 0:00:40.400 the Stars, the reality competition show. I was just recently 0:00:40.440 --> 0:00:43.559 eliminated from making it all the way to the Elite 0:00:43.680 --> 0:00:46.360 eight and along the way. Even now that I've been 0:00:46.479 --> 0:00:51.120 ceremoniously removed, I am recording this podcast, creating a journal 0:00:51.200 --> 0:00:55.200 of sorts detailing my life changing journey from zero dance 0:00:55.240 --> 0:00:59.920 experience to some dance experience. Even if I didn't find 0:01:00.080 --> 0:01:02.880 myself hoisting the Len Goodman mirror Ball trophy above my 0:01:02.920 --> 0:01:06.759 head and victory, I do still have this here microphone. 0:01:07.280 --> 0:01:10.680 I've been talking with pros, former contestants, fellow season thirty 0:01:10.680 --> 0:01:14.680 four cast members, and wildly talented behind the scenes geniuses 0:01:14.920 --> 0:01:18.720 in order to further understand the worldwide phenomenon that is 0:01:19.040 --> 0:01:21.679 Dancing with the Stars, and this week I am chatting 0:01:21.720 --> 0:01:25.000 with one of the most crucial components of that machine. 0:01:25.400 --> 0:01:27.920 During my time on the show, so many aspects of 0:01:27.959 --> 0:01:32.679 how It's run is both fascinating and basically unbelievable. And 0:01:32.760 --> 0:01:36.080 as a part of the Celebrated Costumes division, she helps 0:01:36.160 --> 0:01:39.319 run a team that makes everyone dancing look like a 0:01:39.400 --> 0:01:43.240 million bucks, even when their footwork taps out around a 0:01:43.240 --> 0:01:43.880 few thousand. 0:01:44.400 --> 0:01:44.959 And keep in. 0:01:44.920 --> 0:01:48.040 Mind she is in charge of creating new costumes week 0:01:48.120 --> 0:01:52.280 after week for at one point over a dozen different couples, 0:01:52.560 --> 0:01:56.600 sometimes in theme, sometimes shinier than a Christmas tree, sometimes 0:01:56.720 --> 0:02:01.680 numerous looks per show, all in less than The pressure 0:02:01.840 --> 0:02:04.960 is immense, and yet every episode is filled with not 0:02:05.000 --> 0:02:09.360 only beautiful outfits, but choice is made with care and elegance. 0:02:10.000 --> 0:02:11.920 If you have only a few hours and need a 0:02:11.960 --> 0:02:15.919 donkey costume that is both TV ready and danceable, well, 0:02:16.160 --> 0:02:19.600 thankfully for allan, there's only one team on TV who 0:02:19.600 --> 0:02:22.560 can pull something like that off. You can't step in 0:02:22.600 --> 0:02:24.920 the ballroom without looking the part, which is why this 0:02:24.960 --> 0:02:28.000 week I am absolutely honored to be speaking with a 0:02:28.120 --> 0:02:32.120 true backstage legend of the show, someone who has proven 0:02:32.160 --> 0:02:36.280 to accomplish the impossible week after week, year after year. 0:02:36.720 --> 0:02:40.800 It's Emmy nominated costumer Daniella Schwentner. 0:02:40.960 --> 0:02:47.440 Daniella hold out, Hi, Hi, Hi technology working. 0:02:47.720 --> 0:02:51.000 No, you the fabulous, you were here, You're ready, you 0:02:51.120 --> 0:02:53.400 know exactly how to work the camera. You look gorgeous 0:02:53.440 --> 0:02:54.240 as per usual. 0:02:54.680 --> 0:02:56.720 I don't know about that. It's been a rough day 0:02:56.760 --> 0:02:59.800 to day, has it? You know this room? Bells? 0:03:00.040 --> 0:03:00.359 I do? 0:03:00.480 --> 0:03:01.240 I know that room. 0:03:01.280 --> 0:03:06.960 I've stood there in many a hamstring brace yes in Yeah, 0:03:07.000 --> 0:03:10.120 thank you so much for coming on the podcast. I 0:03:10.200 --> 0:03:14.160 know just how grueling your schedule is as you approach 0:03:14.240 --> 0:03:18.080 the semifinals, but I would like the audience to understand 0:03:18.120 --> 0:03:22.520 this a little bit. How many costumes are you making 0:03:22.840 --> 0:03:25.880 for just this week with the twentieth anniversary of the 0:03:25.919 --> 0:03:28.239 show taking place Tuesday night. 0:03:28.919 --> 0:03:31.919 Well, you know, this is a mix now of things 0:03:31.919 --> 0:03:36.600 that we restructure, things that we shop, things that we make. 0:03:36.840 --> 0:03:40.880 So custom make is probably I don't I really don't know. 0:03:40.920 --> 0:03:44.800 It's it's double dances. So with seven couples, I think 0:03:44.840 --> 0:03:47.920 we are right now, so fourteen custom make from scratch, 0:03:48.400 --> 0:03:50.400 But then a lot of things that just need to 0:03:50.480 --> 0:03:53.640 be restructured, you know, and that's sometimes just as much 0:03:53.680 --> 0:03:57.760 work as making it from you know, scratch, because our 0:03:57.800 --> 0:04:00.320 stuff has rhinestones. Every alteration they have to peel of 0:04:00.360 --> 0:04:04.360 rhinestones off, you know, scripts have to be changed. So 0:04:04.400 --> 0:04:07.080 it's it's still a pretty big big. 0:04:07.200 --> 0:04:10.080 It's a big undertaking even if you buy something. 0:04:10.800 --> 0:04:12.680 Yeah, in the end, I think now we're looking at 0:04:12.760 --> 0:04:16.240 over two hundred costumes, you know, easily for just one week, 0:04:16.400 --> 0:04:20.720 you know, oh my gosh. Yeah, because we just had 0:04:20.760 --> 0:04:24.200 a show which unfortunately you left us. I know, I 0:04:24.279 --> 0:04:28.000 left you, guys. I was so sad, I know, and 0:04:28.000 --> 0:04:30.440 then the Christmas Special and now the twentieth where we 0:04:30.480 --> 0:04:33.080 have so many returning people. So it's it's definitely been 0:04:33.120 --> 0:04:33.520 a week. 0:04:33.680 --> 0:04:36.600 But yeah, we roll with it, and you and you 0:04:36.640 --> 0:04:39.320 somehow find found time to say, how about this Sunday 0:04:39.360 --> 0:04:43.159 at three pm? I can fit in a podcast. Maybe 0:04:43.200 --> 0:04:45.040 you have a you maybe you enjoy the pain. 0:04:45.839 --> 0:04:48.560 Yeah, I guess. So, yeah, this worked out kind of. Okay, 0:04:48.600 --> 0:04:51.080 we have a dress rehearsal in an hour, so I think, okay, 0:04:51.120 --> 0:04:52.800 half hour, I can sneak away. 0:04:52.960 --> 0:04:56.440 Perfect have my radio on so in case some emergency 0:04:56.440 --> 0:04:59.560 emergency happens. But okay, I want to start at the 0:04:59.600 --> 0:05:02.600 very beginning. Were you a kid who was making dresses 0:05:02.640 --> 0:05:05.320 for your dolls? When did you start to have an 0:05:05.400 --> 0:05:06.320 eye for fashion. 0:05:07.200 --> 0:05:09.520 I was more the kid who told her grandmother but 0:05:11.320 --> 0:05:15.200 all a little bit. I didn't necessarily all make them myself. 0:05:15.240 --> 0:05:17.960 But my grandma was a seamstress, and so I did 0:05:18.200 --> 0:05:21.240 grow up with sewing and all. But I always was 0:05:21.279 --> 0:05:24.159 a little bit like my ideas were a little bigger 0:05:24.160 --> 0:05:27.320 than what I could sew myself. So I very early 0:05:27.360 --> 0:05:30.400 on had people help me with that process because I'm 0:05:30.440 --> 0:05:33.200 more the idea person. I draw it, you know, as 0:05:33.200 --> 0:05:36.520 you know, I find the fabriak, I figure out with 0:05:36.600 --> 0:05:39.040 you guys the rope map of what we're doing, and 0:05:39.600 --> 0:05:42.000 then I have we have a fantastic team here, you 0:05:42.040 --> 0:05:45.120 know if fought who cuts everything and puts it together 0:05:45.160 --> 0:05:47.640 for me in the workroom, and then the ladies who 0:05:47.839 --> 0:05:50.760 you know helped put it together and rhinestone and so 0:05:50.880 --> 0:05:53.560 it's a big it's a big group of people who 0:05:54.000 --> 0:05:55.960 help with this here. 0:05:56.160 --> 0:05:58.600 You know, Yes, and your relationship and friendship with a 0:05:58.680 --> 0:06:03.400 thought is one of my most favorite memories and experiences 0:06:03.480 --> 0:06:05.440 of my time on Dancing with the Stars. The way 0:06:05.480 --> 0:06:08.960 you two work together with so much respect and admiration 0:06:09.120 --> 0:06:12.840 for one another and the exchange of ideas. I just 0:06:12.960 --> 0:06:18.400 love both you ladies so much. Okay, So I love 0:06:18.680 --> 0:06:23.920 that you are basically the big idea person and you 0:06:23.960 --> 0:06:26.760 don't so much consider yourself to be the technician, the 0:06:26.800 --> 0:06:29.640 actual person able to make your dream come true. Although 0:06:29.640 --> 0:06:31.160 you do know how to sew, but that's not what 0:06:31.200 --> 0:06:33.560 you don't spend your time doing that so much anymore. 0:06:33.960 --> 0:06:37.320 Yeah, I think, you know, I think my career always 0:06:37.320 --> 0:06:41.080 took me into the design area, and then there were 0:06:41.120 --> 0:06:43.440 people who were just you know, you have to do 0:06:43.480 --> 0:06:45.520 something over and over to be really good at it, 0:06:45.680 --> 0:06:48.400 you know. I mean, yes, there's a lot of people 0:06:48.400 --> 0:06:50.919 who can do things, but to be really good, you 0:06:51.000 --> 0:06:53.039 have to do it a lot. And I have a 0:06:53.080 --> 0:06:57.400 team that is really good. So and there's also on 0:06:57.440 --> 0:07:00.160 a show like this, no time, you know, between all 0:07:00.200 --> 0:07:02.520 the meetings we have to do in the fabric shopping 0:07:02.720 --> 0:07:05.800 in the fittings and and you know, the sketches and 0:07:06.520 --> 0:07:09.440 talking to everybody about the sketches. You know, there's not 0:07:09.600 --> 0:07:12.440 enough hours in the day for one person to do everything, 0:07:12.600 --> 0:07:16.320 you know, So we I mean, obviously there's you know, 0:07:16.640 --> 0:07:20.080 Steven leads the boys, I lead the girls, and and 0:07:20.280 --> 0:07:23.160 we you know, then you have to delegate. There's fantastic 0:07:23.200 --> 0:07:27.440 shoemakers that help us out. There's a man's tailor, there's women's. 0:07:27.480 --> 0:07:31.200 You know, there's so many difficult hands on deck, all hands, 0:07:31.280 --> 0:07:33.120 a lot of hands on every hand is needed. 0:07:33.240 --> 0:07:36.480 You know, yes, how did this become a career for you? 0:07:36.520 --> 0:07:38.080 Did you go to school for. 0:07:38.800 --> 0:07:41.160 I did that? I did know. I always wanted to 0:07:41.160 --> 0:07:45.720 be in fashion, and I always was, you know, drawn 0:07:45.800 --> 0:07:48.840 to that. I went to school for it. I got 0:07:48.880 --> 0:07:54.200 a fashion design and Merchandising degree, which really means not 0:07:54.280 --> 0:07:56.440 that much when you get in the real world. But 0:07:56.600 --> 0:08:00.920 I actually started as a stylist, and you know, one 0:08:01.000 --> 0:08:04.800 day I decided I wanted to know more than just 0:08:04.880 --> 0:08:08.960 purchasing clothes, and you know, I wanted to actually know 0:08:09.000 --> 0:08:12.800 how to create them. And I was lucky I ended 0:08:12.880 --> 0:08:16.080 up on shows that allowed that to learn that. And 0:08:16.120 --> 0:08:19.880 then I landed here with with no dance experience whatsoever. 0:08:20.040 --> 0:08:21.600 You know, I was like, I didn't know a possible 0:08:21.600 --> 0:08:23.480 from a chart show and I started here. I was like, 0:08:23.560 --> 0:08:29.200 what's that? You know, I'm sure you learned the dance 0:08:29.240 --> 0:08:31.480 has taught a lot, and I learned a lot, and 0:08:31.520 --> 0:08:34.160 you know, so it was an interesting journey to be 0:08:34.320 --> 0:08:35.320 here where I am now. 0:08:35.679 --> 0:08:37.960 And you actually started on scripted shows. Right, it was 0:08:37.960 --> 0:08:40.480 one of your first shows, Charmed, which is a pretty 0:08:40.520 --> 0:08:41.560 costume heavy show. 0:08:41.920 --> 0:08:45.440 Yes, that was my first show that I designed. Towards 0:08:45.480 --> 0:08:47.800 the end, I took it over from another design. Eventually 0:08:47.840 --> 0:08:50.960 I supervised and then I designed it. Yeah. It was, 0:08:51.360 --> 0:08:54.439 you know, another one where I really got to learn 0:08:54.520 --> 0:08:58.400 how to you know, make a fantasy costume, things that 0:08:58.440 --> 0:09:01.000 aren't just out there, you know, just gone to shop 0:09:01.000 --> 0:09:05.559 a banjee or you know whatever crazy demon our producers 0:09:05.600 --> 0:09:09.520 back then came up with. So yeah, So that was that. 0:09:10.600 --> 0:09:12.880 And so you joined Dancing with the Stars in two 0:09:12.920 --> 0:09:18.200 thousand and nine. How did this opportunity come about to you? 0:09:18.200 --> 0:09:21.920 You know? It was actually funny enough. I think it 0:09:22.040 --> 0:09:25.720 was partially s Steven because Stephen was an intern on 0:09:26.720 --> 0:09:31.120 Charmed with me. And then I left town for New 0:09:31.160 --> 0:09:33.040 Mexico and did a show there for three and a 0:09:33.080 --> 0:09:35.800 half years, and then I came back and I was like, 0:09:35.840 --> 0:09:39.200 I need a job, and he was like, well, it's 0:09:39.200 --> 0:09:41.880 not a design job. I actually started as a key 0:09:41.960 --> 0:09:46.040 on this show, which was not I had been designing 0:09:46.080 --> 0:09:48.320 for I don't know how many years, probably eight years 0:09:48.360 --> 0:09:50.520 at that point, but I had lost sort of my 0:09:50.600 --> 0:09:53.120 contacts here in town, and everybody was telling me I 0:09:53.160 --> 0:09:57.079 was committing career suicide because you don't go backwards in Hollywood. 0:09:57.240 --> 0:10:01.360 And I was like, well, but I learned something, and 0:10:01.440 --> 0:10:03.880 you know, learning something is always better than sitting at 0:10:03.880 --> 0:10:07.080 home waiting for a phone call. Yes, so I ended 0:10:07.200 --> 0:10:10.920 up joining this team, and I don't know, it happened 0:10:10.920 --> 0:10:13.560 that they needed a designer for the Chooster Show and 0:10:13.960 --> 0:10:16.640 you're of us, and they're like, you're a designer, design it, 0:10:18.000 --> 0:10:21.600 and then eventually I became, you know, it became part 0:10:21.640 --> 0:10:24.240 of the girls designing the whole thing. 0:10:24.840 --> 0:10:28.040 I love that. I love that, you know, because sometimes 0:10:28.120 --> 0:10:31.560 it is you'll get advice from people and you think, oh, 0:10:31.640 --> 0:10:34.520 am I doing the wrong thing, but your instincts told 0:10:34.559 --> 0:10:37.440 you no, and also your desire to work and to 0:10:37.520 --> 0:10:40.960 learn something, and you thought, okay, worst case scenario, I 0:10:41.000 --> 0:10:43.160 go and work on a show and it's it's not 0:10:43.440 --> 0:10:46.000 up to my standard of what I have been doing 0:10:46.040 --> 0:10:47.480 for the last eight years, but I'm going to learn 0:10:47.480 --> 0:10:50.160 something new. I'm going to enjoy it, and then look 0:10:50.200 --> 0:10:52.600 what happens. Like that's such a good lesson for people 0:10:52.679 --> 0:10:55.200 to trust your instincts sometimes, you know, I think. 0:10:55.000 --> 0:10:57.800 So because I really look back on that decision, and 0:10:58.280 --> 0:11:01.480 it was I really never think that way, you know, 0:11:01.559 --> 0:11:03.960 But listening to others, you're like, is this really bad 0:11:04.040 --> 0:11:07.080 if I do this? You know, people think I go 0:11:07.280 --> 0:11:10.360 really backwards, But for me, it was like I'm always 0:11:10.400 --> 0:11:13.000 intrigued when I learned something new, and this was not 0:11:13.120 --> 0:11:15.400 a jeans and T shirt show, you know, I was like, 0:11:15.559 --> 0:11:19.200 obviously something, if nothing else, just how to rhinestone, which 0:11:19.200 --> 0:11:23.959 I did back then, I'm of rhinestoning, and yeah, I 0:11:24.400 --> 0:11:26.640 think that's the thing, you know, And now looking back, 0:11:26.679 --> 0:11:29.200 I mean eighteen years on the show, I'm like, my 0:11:29.240 --> 0:11:31.640 life would have gone a totally different direction if I 0:11:31.679 --> 0:11:32.559 hadn't taken the. 0:11:32.520 --> 0:11:35.480 Show right exactly, life changing moment for you right there, 0:11:35.520 --> 0:11:38.720 real fork in the road. Okay, I wanted to speaking 0:11:38.720 --> 0:11:41.680 of the rhinestoning, I have seen some of the rhinestoning 0:11:41.760 --> 0:11:47.319 taking place outside. I think, is it really every individual 0:11:47.679 --> 0:11:50.560 hand place and glued rhinestone? 0:11:51.720 --> 0:11:56.120 Yes, every single one is placed and yeah by hand. 0:11:56.400 --> 0:12:01.440 Yeah, that is must be the most time consuming work. 0:12:02.000 --> 0:12:04.600 Well, we have gotten pretty good at it. You know, 0:12:04.679 --> 0:12:08.439 we have a system down. We use glues ve enges 0:12:09.200 --> 0:12:12.280 in our girls. So again, as something you do a lot, 0:12:12.400 --> 0:12:14.840 you get very good and fast ed, you know so. 0:12:15.600 --> 0:12:18.520 But yeah, obviously that's a big element of the show, 0:12:19.120 --> 0:12:22.520 which is why we have to push the girls through early. 0:12:22.559 --> 0:12:24.920 As you know, when you come for your first fitting, 0:12:25.280 --> 0:12:28.480 things don't look all that great yet they're just about 0:12:28.520 --> 0:12:31.200 to get a shell on you. To get a you know, 0:12:31.280 --> 0:12:34.000 make sure we have a guideline because we need at 0:12:34.040 --> 0:12:36.080 the back end so much time to write stone it 0:12:36.160 --> 0:12:38.680 so it does look beautiful, you know. That is what 0:12:38.800 --> 0:12:42.080 takes our costumes then out of like the ordinary into 0:12:42.160 --> 0:12:44.200 the spectacular. You know, it's the stones. 0:12:44.640 --> 0:12:47.000 So speaking of that that first fitting, let's go through 0:12:47.120 --> 0:12:49.080 a typical week for you, and I know the week's change, 0:12:49.160 --> 0:12:50.960 especially as you get later into the season and now 0:12:50.960 --> 0:12:53.120 there become you know, group dances and two dances and 0:12:53.160 --> 0:12:55.400 three dances. Let's start kind of at the beginning of 0:12:55.440 --> 0:12:59.120 a season. What does a week look like for you? 0:12:59.160 --> 0:13:01.720 At the very beginning? How does how does the week start? 0:13:01.760 --> 0:13:03.160 You get the idea for the theme? 0:13:04.080 --> 0:13:07.360 Well, you know, we we obviously we are in team 0:13:07.840 --> 0:13:10.960 with the producers. I mean, there is a creative normally 0:13:11.000 --> 0:13:15.000 given to us that kind of explains what the story 0:13:15.080 --> 0:13:19.200 should be, what lighting we're doing, what maybe what story 0:13:19.280 --> 0:13:21.640 we want to convey, you know, in the first in 0:13:21.679 --> 0:13:24.560 the beginning, you know, normally we want to introduce our talent, 0:13:24.679 --> 0:13:27.320 you know, the new celebrities that come on. If they 0:13:27.640 --> 0:13:30.320 I mean, if they're a sports person, we want to 0:13:30.400 --> 0:13:33.160 not given not to the sport therein for example, or 0:13:33.480 --> 0:13:36.600 you know for everybody, or you had, like eventually on 0:13:36.640 --> 0:13:39.000 the show a number where it was a not to 0:13:39.679 --> 0:13:43.400 your show, and so you know, so every week has 0:13:43.440 --> 0:13:46.000 those elements, and then you do the research or you 0:13:46.080 --> 0:13:50.320 talk to you know, you and your partner, and there's 0:13:50.960 --> 0:13:54.280 there's so much dialogue involved until we get to a 0:13:54.360 --> 0:13:57.640 costume because we you know, there's the music, there's a 0:13:57.679 --> 0:14:00.400 story we want to tell, there's what producers want it 0:14:00.400 --> 0:14:03.440 to look like. Then we need to think for the women, 0:14:03.640 --> 0:14:06.240 what skirts right for you? What can you do and 0:14:06.280 --> 0:14:09.679 not do in that? What is your choreography? Then it's 0:14:09.720 --> 0:14:12.040 normally for me, a sketch you know that I show 0:14:12.440 --> 0:14:14.720 you and we look at a fabric that I think 0:14:14.840 --> 0:14:17.280 is right for what we talked about, and then it 0:14:17.320 --> 0:14:20.240 goes through the motions, it gets cut, it gets put together, 0:14:20.400 --> 0:14:23.400 it gets fit for the first time. Then after the 0:14:23.440 --> 0:14:25.840 first time, it goes back it gets you know, fine 0:14:25.920 --> 0:14:29.880 tuned to the point where we start winstoning it and 0:14:29.920 --> 0:14:32.360 then we fit it again then and dances. 0:14:32.880 --> 0:14:35.560 And you are always working on more than one week 0:14:35.600 --> 0:14:39.560 at a time, because that first sketch and meeting happens 0:14:39.640 --> 0:14:43.560 at least one full week before the week you're talking about. 0:14:43.840 --> 0:14:47.640 But plus, when you're in production, you're actually doing the 0:14:47.680 --> 0:14:51.800 fittings for the current outfit that you're wearing. So there's 0:14:51.840 --> 0:14:56.040 never a time where you're not thinking about multiple costumes 0:14:56.880 --> 0:14:59.720 for every single celebrity. 0:15:00.200 --> 0:15:04.040 Yes, for every girl dance and every female celebrity. That 0:15:04.040 --> 0:15:06.560 that's true, and Dad was Dad. We're kind of used to. 0:15:06.600 --> 0:15:10.040 What was the challenge this time was we had this 0:15:10.240 --> 0:15:13.000 Christmas special also, so it was times when we had 0:15:13.080 --> 0:15:16.720 three shows in our heads, and you know that it 0:15:16.760 --> 0:15:19.200 gets a little confusing at times. You're like, but show, 0:15:19.520 --> 0:15:21.840 what are you talking about? What show are you talking 0:15:21.880 --> 0:15:23.720 about right now? Oh wow? 0:15:23.760 --> 0:15:26.840 And you of course obviously know all the materials that 0:15:26.920 --> 0:15:32.440 make those costumes also danceable, because we're also limited by 0:15:32.480 --> 0:15:34.560 the fact that we have to be able to move. 0:15:35.160 --> 0:15:37.840 And so you know, thankfully you've been doing this long 0:15:37.920 --> 0:15:41.040 enough that everything's made in a way that even though 0:15:41.080 --> 0:15:44.120 you are very sucked in. You can still dance in it, 0:15:44.200 --> 0:15:46.440 you can still breathe in it. There's usually room for 0:15:46.480 --> 0:15:49.440 a mic pack, which is everyone's favorite conversation, where's the 0:15:49.480 --> 0:15:53.480 mic pack going? Fun little tidbit for our listeners. Most 0:15:53.520 --> 0:15:57.920 of the time, the pack itself is in your near 0:15:58.000 --> 0:16:01.640 your butt, very very very close to your your butt, 0:16:02.160 --> 0:16:04.600 and then occasionally, for whatever reason, it can't be near 0:16:04.640 --> 0:16:08.200 your butt, it is in your breast, like in your 0:16:08.240 --> 0:16:12.600 bra area, which is not everyone's favorite spot. Although I 0:16:12.720 --> 0:16:16.080 actually preferred it to the one in my butt. I 0:16:16.600 --> 0:16:18.400 did not like the butt. 0:16:18.200 --> 0:16:26.520 Back like you like, what's the least offensive place exactly. 0:16:27.320 --> 0:16:29.960 So Also, I know this is not a very sexy topic, 0:16:30.000 --> 0:16:33.480 but networks don't love spending tons of money, even on 0:16:33.520 --> 0:16:35.960 a massive hit show like Dancing with the Stars, So 0:16:36.080 --> 0:16:40.320 you still have to make all of this costuming for 0:16:40.440 --> 0:16:44.480 all of these people happen within a budget, right, Yes, 0:16:44.960 --> 0:16:45.600 But I. 0:16:45.680 --> 0:16:49.440 Have to say that's been really good on the show 0:16:49.520 --> 0:16:53.160 for okay, because I think everybody understands that besides the 0:16:53.280 --> 0:16:56.680 dance and the dancer, the only other thing you really 0:16:56.800 --> 0:17:00.120 see full on all the time is the costume. And 0:17:00.160 --> 0:17:03.680 also it really does help the dance, so much, you know, 0:17:03.920 --> 0:17:08.240 and when you have a beautiful flowing walt skirt versus 0:17:08.320 --> 0:17:11.639 you know, I mean, we really do spend on the 0:17:11.680 --> 0:17:14.600 good fabric there and the stes and rather than you know, 0:17:15.600 --> 0:17:18.359 our producers are very good that way. They understand that 0:17:18.400 --> 0:17:21.520 we really do need to make it look beautiful, you know, 0:17:21.640 --> 0:17:24.959 because a big part of the beauty is how it 0:17:25.040 --> 0:17:27.800 moves and how it fits and how it looks on 0:17:27.840 --> 0:17:31.600 you guys. You know that's great good. I'm so glad. 0:17:32.160 --> 0:17:34.560 I'm so glad they're not waving a check book over 0:17:34.600 --> 0:17:36.480 your head, going you can't do this. I will say 0:17:36.480 --> 0:17:38.720 I never felt that way in any of in any 0:17:38.720 --> 0:17:41.280 of the fittings. I never felt like there was something 0:17:41.320 --> 0:17:44.240 we wanted or asked for and the response was anything 0:17:44.280 --> 0:17:46.760 other than yes, we can do that. Speaking of which 0:17:47.119 --> 0:17:50.040 I had to give you credit on my on my podcast. 0:17:50.080 --> 0:17:51.800 I know you heard it a while back. There was 0:17:52.800 --> 0:17:57.959 when we did for the Cha Cha I we originally 0:17:58.080 --> 0:18:01.280 Daniella wanted to have straps on the dress and she 0:18:01.400 --> 0:18:05.000 wanted it to feel feel different than my promo hot 0:18:05.040 --> 0:18:07.720 pink dress that I had worn. And I loved my 0:18:07.880 --> 0:18:10.919 promo dress so much, and it was a halter and 0:18:10.960 --> 0:18:13.840 so I reached out to Danielle and I was like, 0:18:13.920 --> 0:18:15.840 can we do a halter? I just felt like that 0:18:15.920 --> 0:18:18.760 was so comfortable and I loved the way it looked, 0:18:18.840 --> 0:18:22.800 and she was like, yes, we can do that, and 0:18:22.840 --> 0:18:25.240 she told me her reasons why she wanted to do 0:18:25.280 --> 0:18:26.520 the straps, and I was like, I think I still 0:18:26.520 --> 0:18:29.040 want to do a halter. She said okay, And then 0:18:29.240 --> 0:18:32.040 the night of the show, I put that dress on 0:18:32.440 --> 0:18:37.800 and it weighed so many rhinestone pounds and it just 0:18:38.080 --> 0:18:40.439 was completely hanging on me and we all watched it 0:18:40.520 --> 0:18:44.000 during dress rehearsal and I immediately took it off and 0:18:44.040 --> 0:18:48.200 said I was wrong. I was wrong, Danielle, I apologize. 0:18:48.240 --> 0:18:50.760 I need to have straps put on this. And within 0:18:50.800 --> 0:18:53.560 an hour I had a dress that had the straps 0:18:53.600 --> 0:18:56.600 that Daniella originally wanted on the dress, and it fit 0:18:56.720 --> 0:19:01.480 and worked so much better. So never never doubt you. 0:19:01.480 --> 0:19:04.280 You You've been doing this a very long time. You 0:19:04.359 --> 0:19:07.080 know what you're doing. Uh, And I just I wanted 0:19:07.119 --> 0:19:09.520 to apologize again for thinking I knew better. 0:19:09.800 --> 0:19:13.240 Oh please, though you didn't calculate in that that dress 0:19:13.720 --> 0:19:17.119 weigh seven thousand more pounds than the Troma dressed because 0:19:17.160 --> 0:19:20.560 I was all beaded fringe, and those are our heaviest dresses. 0:19:21.000 --> 0:19:23.280 And especially when you move, you know, and you start 0:19:23.359 --> 0:19:27.399 moving with beaded fringe, it just pulls poles and poles 0:19:27.440 --> 0:19:30.520 and poles. Yes, that is true. That was an easy fix. 0:19:30.640 --> 0:19:33.679 And you know the I mean, we do try to 0:19:33.840 --> 0:19:37.639 make everybody. You know, if somebody really loves something, I 0:19:37.680 --> 0:19:40.640 will always give it a try until you can see 0:19:40.640 --> 0:19:42.399 maybe that it doesn't work. Then we fix it, and 0:19:42.480 --> 0:19:43.199 then you fix it. 0:19:43.240 --> 0:19:46.320 Then you go, okay, I already had those straps made up, Danielle, 0:19:46.760 --> 0:20:02.199 I was ready to go. Do you look forward to 0:20:02.320 --> 0:20:04.760 the theme weeks every week? Does the having a theme 0:20:05.040 --> 0:20:08.560 help you with creativity or does it sometimes feel a 0:20:08.560 --> 0:20:09.320 bit like a burden? 0:20:09.920 --> 0:20:13.119 Yes? And no exactly. I mean, I think theme weeks 0:20:13.119 --> 0:20:16.159 are good sometimes because they give us all a roadmap. 0:20:16.200 --> 0:20:18.360 There's not so much like, oh, we could do this 0:20:18.480 --> 0:20:20.720 or that or the other. You know, it's where you 0:20:20.800 --> 0:20:25.000 when you when you design for an individual dancer, because 0:20:25.040 --> 0:20:27.520 there's so many options you could go with, you know, 0:20:27.800 --> 0:20:33.439 so the the theme weeks definitely limit that down. But 0:20:34.760 --> 0:20:38.320 I personally I am not a fan of copying anything, 0:20:38.520 --> 0:20:42.600 you know, so that's why sometimes I don't love that 0:20:42.800 --> 0:20:45.800 when I have to copy with another designer, design doesn't 0:20:45.880 --> 0:20:49.119 feel like as fun to me, you know, And especially 0:20:49.160 --> 0:20:52.199 when it's like like Disney, where it's really supposed to 0:20:52.240 --> 0:20:55.560 be correct, you know, like look like that character, so 0:20:55.640 --> 0:20:59.680 you're copying pretty exact. That is that has its other 0:20:59.800 --> 0:21:01.960 child challenges. You know. It's kind of like you look 0:21:02.000 --> 0:21:04.879 at a color for ten times a day and you're like, 0:21:04.960 --> 0:21:06.879 is it really to write blue? Is really to write blue? 0:21:07.080 --> 0:21:09.439 Is it a little shade? Darker, lighter than you know? 0:21:09.960 --> 0:21:15.199 So that has that challenge. But I mean both, you know, 0:21:15.720 --> 0:21:18.800 the show has both and both we you just roll 0:21:19.960 --> 0:21:21.439 roll with that, with all of it. 0:21:21.640 --> 0:21:24.080 Yeah, I want to talk to you a little bit 0:21:24.080 --> 0:21:27.600 about Prince Week because I was very excited that if 0:21:27.680 --> 0:21:30.280 I made it to Prince Week, we were doing bat 0:21:30.400 --> 0:21:33.199 Dance we were going to do and I was so 0:21:33.359 --> 0:21:36.720 excited about it because in the video for bat Dance, 0:21:37.160 --> 0:21:41.439 Prince is wearing a purple joker suit, and I just 0:21:41.520 --> 0:21:44.000 knew I was going to be able to hand over 0:21:44.119 --> 0:21:47.679 that inspiration to you and that you were going to 0:21:47.720 --> 0:21:52.920 come up with something incredible for that week. So what 0:21:53.040 --> 0:21:56.840 are you what aspects of Prince Week in particular, are 0:21:56.880 --> 0:21:59.439 you looking forward to what inspiration are you taking? 0:22:00.720 --> 0:22:03.199 Well, you know, it was he also had such a 0:22:03.280 --> 0:22:07.040 strong looked as like looks of we just really associate 0:22:07.200 --> 0:22:10.520