DWTS: Who picks the music?

[KOB]

Atrocious music, doesn't even match the dance styles. That, plus the
constant shilling of ABC's lineup is getting old.
Instead of always praising the band, someone should yell to play the
appropriate music for each dance!

[Matthew Lybanon]

In article <biAMm.211221$Xw3.1...@en-nntp-04.dc1.easynews.com>,
KOB <K...@invalid.net> wrote:

I both agree with you and understand why it is as it is. Much of the
music is terrible. You can imagine that the show's producers have an
idea that they need to prove to audiences that ballroom music can be
danced to music written later than 40 years ago--ideally, to today's
popular music. And they have a point. Is ballroom dancing nothing but
a relic of an earlier era, of no interest to most people except as
entertainment (and as a background for TV commercials)? But there are
some good choices they can make, and they actually do sometimes--just
not often enough. One would hope that the pros have some say-so ("There
is no way I can dance a Rumba to this crap!")

As for the shilling of ABC's lineup, you're just going to have to put up
with it. DWTS is a show on commercial television, and ABC hates to pass
up a good opportunity to push its shows. They (and the other networks)
do it during other shows, at least by running banners at the bottom of
the screen. What's the matter; don't you like capitalism?

[SwingCha]

On Nov 17, 8:36 am, KOB <K...@invalid.net> wrote:
> Atrocious music, doesn't even match the dance styles.

That's why my comments, under the Subject: DWTS: Autumn 2009 in this
forum, include notes about the music.

You should also read Bob Wheatley's Subject: DWTS 2ST MYASS in this
forum.

I don't buy Matthew's thesis about why the music is so inappropriate.
There's plenty of music being written today, performed this week, and
recorded this month to suit any and every dance imaginable.

During the past few weeks, we twice danced to a lovely Waltz, for
example, written and performed by Joe Bagale, 26, from Rochester who
lives in San Francisco. It's probably on his recently-released
recording. I think the tune's title is “Love”.

[SwingCha]

On September 25, 2006 at 15:51, under the Subject: Dancing with the
Stars (U.S. season 3) on ABC, Tues 9/12, the following:

trish_conn...@hotmail.com
Icono Clast wrote:
> That question as asked in the program's forum:
> «Who is the idiot that picks the songs for the Dances.»
> One of the answers:
> «That's an easy question to answer as it's so obvious:
> That idiot is a tone-deaf ignoramus, a non-dancing clod who has no
> sense of rhythm or timing, an IQ lower than a champion's golf score,
> arrogance second only to that of the idiot in the White House, and an
> ego that surpasses that of anyone you've ever met.

Well, Bush Bashing aside, I think it's interesting that all three of
the judges chastised Mario Lopez and his Pro last week for not doing
enough quickstep when, if it's true that the show's PTB's (powers that
be) are indeed selecting the music, the songs the dancers are given
are NOT always representational of the dance.

[RickH]

In the past seasons TWTS music was refreshingly good. Something
happened to the show this year where the music went to shit. It's a
good band but they have them playing and singing pop tripe that
typically has nothing more than a 4 bar jingle-like melody. Its all
part of the usual dumbing down that occurs on American TV after the
marketing departments decide they are now going to get "creative
control" over the show, in an effort to increase the bottom line
revenue. They may gain a few new viewers, but the loyal base will
decrease, as I have turned it off several times this year because of
the shitty music. Also notice that the routines are way shorter than
before, to fit in more commercials of course.

[Christine Elowitt]

Couldn't disagree more. To my ears, the musical selections have always
been dubious. Way back in season 2, dance pro Anna Trebunskaya won my
respect when she was the first (and to date, only) pro to object to
the judges criticism of the lack of appropriate feel of the dance by
pointing out that they were assigned a Blondie song (hardly evocative
of proper tango). I know that many in the new group have also objected
to the musical selections all along, since we have had several
conversations about it, one of which was quoted for you by "SwingCha."

Christine Elowitt

[trish_...@hotmail.com]

On Nov 22, 9:20 pm, Christine Elowitt <creativediscover...@gmail.com>
wrote:

>
> Couldn't disagree more. To my ears, the musical selections have always
> been dubious. Way back in season 2, dance pro Anna Trebunskaya won my
> respect when she was the first (and to date, only) pro to object to
> the judges criticism of the lack of appropriate feel of the dance by
> pointing out that they were assigned a Blondie song (hardly evocative
> of proper tango). I know that many in the new group have also objected
> to the musical selections all along, since we have had several
> conversations about it, one of which was quoted for you by "SwingCha."

I agree, Christine... I have many times questioned the appropriateness
of the musical selections in past seasons, although I do admit it does
seem worse this season. And despite Rick's assertation, I don't think
it has anything to do with the band - I doubt they decide what to
play, rather they are told what to play, what edit, how fast, etc.
(how else would you explain a so-called Vienese Waltz played at
snail's pace??).

And, I was under the impression that the routines were shortened to
make it easier for the celebs and hopefully limit injury??

JMO..

All that aside I'm looking forward to watching tonight...