Screencap Courtesy of ABC

Screencap Courtesy of ABC

During the last few months, we have posted lots of interviews here on the site, and many of you requested a central location where you could find them all. While not every interview is posted here, we have included many.  In Part 1,  you will find several of our interviews with Tristan, including the most recent from April 26, 2013.  Part 2 features several Q and As with Sasha Farber, Emma Slater, and Henry Byalikov, and Part 3 features rotating interviews with some of our favorites - this one is with Gina Carbone from Wetpaint Entertainment from June, 2012.  We hope you enjoy these, and we will be bringing you more very soon.


Our newest interviews:  
            Tristan (April 26, 2013) - see immediately below
          Emma Slater (April 27, 2013) - scroll down on this page to Part 2 for the full interview

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 PART 1 - OUR INTERVIEWS WITH TRISTAN

                                                April 26, 2013

No matter how busy he gets, Tristan always seems to find time for his fans. He has always answered all of our questions,  and this time was no exception. Enjoy this latest Q and A from Friday, April 26 with our favorite professional dancer.

It was great seeing you back on Dancing With the Stars during Week 5, and we especially loved your performance with Witney Carson during the results show. Tell us about that one – it looked incredibly intricate and difficult, yet you and Witney seemed to embrace the dance and let the story develop.

I loved dancing with Witney - she is so good and fun to be around, and Teddy Forance is unreal. I was a bit in two minds about doing the number.  I really wanted to work with those two but at the same time I wasn’t too sure about doing the contemporary as it’s not really my style but Teddy made it work for me which I was happy about.  He is very much a 'guy' dancer and let me do things I felt comfortable doing.  I really enjoyed working with them for sure.

Len’s side by side challenges were great fun from the fans’ point of view.  Would you share a little about working with Emma, Victor, and Lindsay for the Viennese Waltz and again with Chelsie, Peta, and Sean for the Quickstep? There must be some good stories to tell.

I always love working with Emma, and Vic and I hang out so rehearsals were fun.  I love Emma’s dancing so it was great to dance with her but also it is good to work with the guy celebrities as well - if nothing else just for a new perspective for them and to freshen things up even for a week.  We had great laughs there.  I always love hanging out with Peta as well.  She is one funny girl, and I was interested to get to know Sean.  He is cool, real down to earth, and a bit of a dry sense of humor which kept me entertained while working.
 
Every time you and Sean are on our tv screen at the same time, we can’t help but laugh.  You guys seemed to have a great time working together, and if nothing else, we were hugely entertained.   How did all the silliness begin?

Yeah, like I said Sean is a good guy - the show really pushed the bromance thing which gets a bit old, but we do genuinely get on with each other so most of the interaction was just us really making fun of the situation and at how bizarre the intent of the packages was.  Someone would start a ridiculous conversation, and we would just roll with it.  I wasn’t expecting the rose thing so we tried to make that as ridiculous as possible.  My language I guess was cut out of a lot of the footage.  Haha!

We got a huge kick out of “Dressing For Dance With Tristan MacManus” - the DanceJunkiesTV segment with Stuart Brazell and Rib Hillis. That must have been a lot of fun, and you guys had lots of laughs. Would you share some of that day with us?

Stuart and Rib are cool.  I didn’t actually know what to expect to be honest.  I had done Dance Junkies before so I thought I was just coming in to talk about the show but it turned into the dress up thing.  When I got there they told me Emma had done it the week before and had some sumo suit on so I didn’t know then what was gonna happen, and then when they showed me the costumes I was trying not to offend anyone, so I just gave them the clothes and left it to them.

You’ve been all over the place the last few weeks – the DanceJunkiesTV piece, the DWTS Week 5 Pre-Show,  the April 3 AfterBuzzTV segment and so much more. You seem so comfortable with all of it, and your sense of humor is always evident.   Have you ever thought about being on the other side of the camera and being the one asking the questions?  You seem like a natural.

Yeah, I’ve done a few of the talking things the last few weeks which I do really enjoy doing. It’s easy enough to just talk for me - being Irish I guess.  I like the idea of interviewing or just talking on shows but that’s out of my hands.  If I’m asked, I’ll do it.  Hopefully that is something I can get into. 

A couple of weeks ago, we all saw the photos of you and Anna with Mark Walberg, Marysol Castro, and Poncho De Anda. What's the occasion?  

I’m not too sure what I can and can’t say about that project to be honest but we worked with Poncho and Marysol for a few days.  I really just helped out on the project that Anna was working on, but I had a blast.  Marysol is so funny - I could work with her all day long.  Mark’s humor is very much like Tom’s as well so he is cool to be around.  Maybe I’ll keep schtum on that, and I’m sure it will come out when it needs to or maybe someone else involved will talk more about it if they can.

We’ve seen some notifications come in about your off-season appearances – the two Holland America cruises as well as a couple of appearances in Ballroom with A Twist.  Do you have any other definite plans right now?  Do you have any more DWTS performances or other appearances scheduled for the upcoming weeks?

I don’t have too many definite plans at the minute to be honest. There are a few irons in the fire but you never know with this industry until you are actually on the stage or behind the camera if things are going to happen or not. There are a few things I’m trying to put together and get involved in but until they are signed and sealed it’s hard to say.  It’s fair to say though if you don’t see me I’m busy working on something. I may be on the show over the next few weeks.  I always want to be involved but again it’s not my call.  We just have to wait and see what the producers want.

In our last Q and A, you explained some of the challenges of teaching the Jive.  What approach do you take when teaching Cha Cha? What particular challenges are there?

The challenges of each dance really depend on the person who is doing it but the rhythms can be difficult for people. At the same time it’s a dance that people I feel find more familiar. Everyone knows 'cha cha cha'. It’s a fun dance to do, and I think people feel that and enjoy learning that you just got to move in it.  Some find it hard to do when they stiffen up because of certain rotations but it’s great to do when you get it.

The pros and troupe members always seem to have great camaraderie and get along great. Tell us – who is the biggest prankster on the show?

Farbs!

Thanks, Tristan!

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                                                                                     March 30, 2013

We especially enjoy hearing about your work to support charitable organizations, and we read about your participation in LAFest2013 to benefit the Mia Hamm Foundation and Grassroot Soccer. Could you tell us about that experience?

LAFest was a great experience, but unfortunately I didn't get to spend as much time there as I would have liked. I have been working for Grassroots Soccer for over a year now, and their annual event date had been pushed many times due to scheduling and eventually they teamed up with Nomar and Mia’s foundation to have a joint event which fell on a Sunday - camera blocking day! Especially with the week we had with Dorothy, it became a scramble but it was definitely something I didn't want to miss out on so I managed to slip away for an hour or so while Dorothy was getting her therapy. I managed to get in a little under half the game and then had to run back in time for camera blocking and rehearsed for the remainder of the night. It’s something I love doing - playing football - and to meet the others and kick about with them was a blast. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to stick around and talk to them too much. It was down in The Home Depot Centre too where I go to watch LA Galaxy play so that was a bonus for me personally. I got to meet the pros from the Women’s National Team and some former Men’s National Team members and the hosts of FSC.

 It was obviously a tough week for you and Dorothy, and she had to make a very difficult decision, but like you said, it was the right one. How did things finally fall into place?

Well, I got a text from Dorothy early Tuesday morning saying she needed to talk with me so I called her, and I kind of had the feeling it was game over. I could see the pain Dorothy had been in for a few weeks, and I didn't think it was going to get better with the hours we had to put in. As the week was going on and it had got to Saturday and we hadn't started dancing yet so I knew it was a struggle to get things together for Monday but we worked overtime again on something than required rest. Dorothy had gotten treatments all week but until she had her MRI and got back the results and could actually see them it was something she felt she would work through - as all athletes do. To me that was the most impressive feat of the week - not to get through but to actually compete in the first place.  After the show was informed they decided which way they wanted to play the announcement out, and then we followed.

We truly loved watching your interaction with Dorothy – in interviews and on the dance floor. What was it like working with her?

Dorothy was amazing to work with. She is so hard working and committed.  It was difficult for her, I would imagine; the show wants to know how you feel every second of every rehearsal and wants everything verbalized which can be difficult when you are just used to putting your head down and learning quietly. She is exactly how she comes across – polite, gentle, and fun to be around. The live show is exactly the same for everyone; it’s hard to tell them what to expect. You just have to live it as it happens. You can prepare people for it but the moment takes over most the time so you have to soak it in instead of letting it intimidate you.

As fans, it will be difficult for us to find the same enjoyment this season without you and Dorothy bringing your own magic to the show, but we will be watching and supporting you in your appearances (hopefully many!) and the rest of the cast as well. Could you give us a brief comment on each of the remaining teams and/or what you perceive as their strengths?  Want to take a chance and predict a winner?

I can’t really pick a winner because you just never know what to base it on to be honest.  Sometimes people just can’t get over what they don’t like about some people and sometimes they can’t see past what they do like, you know.  It’s best to just watch it and enjoy it for what it is.  Everyone is genuine I feel this season.  D.L took a truck load on the first show so I want to see him do well. Andy has things he wants to overcome so I want to see him do well too. Zendaya, yes, she is young but people forget she still has to work super hard to be as good as she is.  If she slacks you can call her out but you can’t fault her for being young!! I really like Aly; she is funny so I hope she does well.  Victor is a really cool genuine guy, and Jacoby is hilarious. Kellie is amazing and those two [Kellie and Derek] together are great.  Lisa is a beast at the minute - she is great on the show and has so much going on outside as well that she deserves a medal already. I always push for Val and Peta because we came in together and l always love to see the new guys do well.  So far Gleb and Sharna are killing it and Lindsay is working like a boss. I like Ingo too - no drama, he just gets on with things and is happy doing it.  Wynonna too.

You mentioned something in one of your interviews on the press line this week about injuries and dancing while having injuries.  In your career, you’ve most likely danced with an injury, so would you share with us how that affected the performance (if at all) and what changes you’ve had to make as a result? 

Injuries always affect you in different ways. I don't take any sort of medications - never have - so I can’t just take pain killers when I'm hurt. I've had slipped discs in my back that I haven't had treated properly for different reasons, and when I was younger I used to break things all the time but kept playing football through it. When I knocked my knee cap out of place and tore my meniscus in the same knee I lost all pace I had and since then I tend to have a lot of hamstring strains and pulls which I tend to try dance through now. I hate missing out on things so you put yourself through these things that don't help you in the long run. I once cracked my ankle bone during a football game that I didn't want to quit, so I foolishly kept going but that's what we did and that's what we do. You hurt yourself and keep quiet because you don't want to miss out and then complain about it afterwards when you can’t do the things you used to be able to do! I have to be a lot more careful these days but I know exactly what it’s like to be going through something and be somewhat afraid to let anybody down or pull out so that's why you have to listen to your body and make the best decision for your health. If you can have a team who can support that, well then we are all doing what’s best for each other not for ourselves so nobody is ever being let down.

Do you have some more dances coming up on Dancing With the Stars? We already miss seeing you dance!

The appearances on the show come up week by week so I don't really know when I'm going to be on again - sometimes the show has to keep people involved or to promote new dancers so I really don't know just yet - we will have to wait and see. I was trying to put a dance together for one of the weeks but it didn't play out how I wanted it to so I decided to knock that on the head. Sometimes you get to choose; sometimes you don’t, but if I can’t do particular things the way I want them done, I don't want to do them. Maybe next time. I do have a pro number this week though with all the guys. I missed the last all guys number when my back went out the during the dress rehearsal so I’m looking forward to this one.

We have heard of a few cases where the DWTS pro has asked to have the music changed several days into the rehearsal because the music just didn’t seem to work.  Have you ever had to do that?  Also, did you choose “Tiny Dancer” and “Chantilly Lace” for this season’s music?  We loved both.

I like both songs, yes, but I didn’t choose either. That was the producers. I had different songs in mind when I heard we were doing contemporary, but I like the songs we ended up with. I do think the song has a big part to play in how the dance does and sometimes songs suit people more than the dance does so you just have to roll with it. Also I’m conscious that this is the only time my partner is going to realistically be on the show (bar all stars) so it has be more about their experience than mine. When people come to your house you make them feel as welcome as possible, and you get the enjoyment out of knowing that they want to come back! Sometimes my taste in music doesn't really work on the show on the particular week I want to dance to it, and in the end the whole show needs to run smoothly together. It's no good having 11 songs that fit together and then something Tristan wants to dance to - unfortunately. Haha!

One of the favorite dances for the people here on MacManiacs.org is the Jive, and we’ve had the opportunity to see you do it several times.  As a teacher, what is the most difficult or challenging part of teaching this particular dance to a student?

Jive is difficult enough to teach because people can be a bit cautious about it because it’s so fast. If you can’t move as fast as you like, sometimes you have to simplify the move to make it work. You gotta get high knees and keep your weight forward and kick and pick up your feet quickly. People don’t always like that – ha! It’s difficult, but everything is difficult when you don’t know how to do it. I don’t want to over dance anyone so I can take criticism on the chin because I know what I’m doing is the right thing to do.  I’ll never hold anyone back but I certainly won’t ever make anyone trail behind either. You dance as a team and the captain will take the heat if it comes our way.  You can’t compare apples to oranges; you can just make sure you shine brightest.

Well said, Tristan, and until next time...

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                                                   March 20, 2013


Obviously, Dorothy is a great partner with many strengths.  As her teacher, what do you see as those strengths and how can you use that to your advantage this season?

Dorothy is great. I love working with her.  Her willingness to learn and perfect is admirable, and it's purely to better herself which is amazing. Her biggest asset besides her elegance, grace and humility is that she can perform under intense pressure, and when it matters most she shows that she can pull it out of the bag.

We were surprised when Contemporary was announced as your Week 1 dance, but the end product was brilliant.  How did you come up with the concept, and how did you go about teaching a basically unfamiliar dance style?

The concept came from just a story really in that we all find inspiration in our own ways from different things, and the thought that anyone can help anyone - a statue can inspire a down-and-out, a 'nobody' can help a 'hero” (statue worthy) - basically just the thought that we can all help and inspire each other whether we are trying to or not. I let the story be told, and I didn't think about it as a style.

This season is obviously very different than your seasons with Nancy, Gladys, and Pamela, but what do you see as the particular challenges facing you and Dorothy?

The main challenge I guess is the same for everyone to do your best and not be discouraged by comparisons, be it how your competitors did on the night or how your fellow athletes, tv stars, musicians, or comics did previously. Everyone has their own challenges without living up to someone else's as well.

You have the Jive coming up for Week 2.  How is that coming along?

Jive is taking its time alright but looking forward to it. It's a lively, fun dance so happy faces make a difference when it comes to nerves I think against a more straight-faced restricted ballroom hold dance. It's gonna be a lot faster than last week for sure so I can't wait to see what Dorothy can do.

There seem to be a lot of very strong contenders in Season 16.  How would you size up the cast?

The cast is strong personality wise, and it’s easy to write people off straight away but I'm sure another week of experience will be crucial, and the thick skin will bite back for a lot of people. 

Since you and Dorothy were announced as Season 16 partners, the outpouring of love and support for Team Hamill on this website, Twitter, Facebook, and the new @TeamHamill Twitter page has been extraordinary. From those in the skating world to those who saw your dance Monday and jumped on board, it has already been a great journey.  Any words you would like for us to share with your fans?

The support as usual has been immense, and we are very grateful.  Hopefully we can continue to justify a portion of it each week until we can give it all back. Thank you.  Keep being amazing and striving to be the best you can.


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                                                                                     February 2, 2013 

We know you have a lot going on between now and the rest of the DWTS off-season and that you have some upcoming performance dates for Ballroom With a Twist In Oregon and Dances With Stars in Toronto later this month. Anything else going on that we can let your supporters know?

Yeah I have a busy couple of months leading up to next season, which I’m happy about but at the same time I’m looking forward to a rest this week after Utah and so is my body!! In a couple of weeks I’m going to Portland with Ballroom With A Twist to dance with Anna again which I’m excited about, and I’ll also stay a few extra days to teach a bit there. Then the following week it’s Toronto again with Anna for 2SomeDance 5th year anniversary. At the moment they are the only shows I have planned. I’m sure I will do some more teaching but none confirmed as of now and also I’m aware of the need for a rest as the next season is fast approaching but I tend to get itchy feet when I sit down for too long. Tonight is the last night in Utah, and it was great to see Dmitry and Chelsie again and obviously all the cast of BWAT are super fun and talented.

We did a recent Q and A with Sasha and he confirmed that he was the culprit in the Atlantic City Burn the Floor ‘incident’ with the trousers getting tucked into the socks which you felt made you look like a farmer.  But he also teased us with a video that you and he made that is still floating around out there somewhere –  ‘MTV Cribs’ but Sasha and Tristan style.  Do you have any other stories for us?  You and Sasha sound like trouble, but all in a good way.

Ah yeah, I still haven’t seen that video to be honest. I think Damian has it - the three of us were rooming at the time on tour. There are loads of stories alright but it’s probably best that I keep them to myself.  I only remember the wild ones and they won’t leave my lips.  HaHa! There were some super crazy times but always fun.  A lot of my stories are stuff that is best keep between the people involved –haha. Sasha, I’m sure can remember the tame ones as well as the wild ones!

Dancing With the Stars has changed a lot since you began as a member of the Troupe in Season 12 and through your three seasons as a pro. What positive changes do you feel have been made?

Yeah, the show has changed a bit since I joined alright but nothing too drastic I think. One of the major things I guess is that I’m a little more known now but still untested I guess to a certain degree in people’s eyes- I’m still having fun though! I think the comparing has increased since I joined - - is he better than this person, is he nicer than him, funnier than him? I guess that’s the nature of the beast, haha. It’s funny, but I just like getting on with what I do. It doesn’t matter if we place first or last so the comparisons don’t faze me. As far as everything else, I think the show knows now how to really get more out of the troupe and use them a lot more than our first troupe, so that’s great to see.  There have been tweaks with certain pros swapping in and out so again most things have stayed the same.  I think production wise there have been a lot more changes than cast.

Many of us witnessed first-hand your ability to teach when we saw you in Princeton on January 26. Clearly you love to teach, and you do it incredibly well.  What is about teaching that draws you in? What is it that you love about teaching?

I like teaching because it makes me feel like I have some worth I guess, not in a negative way but I’m a giver and I like to help. I think everyone deserves a chance to better themselves at whatever they want to, and I like the thought of playing some part in that. I like to surround myself with positivity and there is nothing better than seeing a smile on somebody’s face when they achieve something they didn’t think they could or trying to convince somebody that they can do it however long it takes. I think it’s a great way to get to know people as well because you have to know somebody to a certain degree to know how to get the most of them so it gives me a chance to meet new people and try to help them achieve their goals. I’m like a lot of people in that when I was in school I didn’t really want to be there so I didn’t learn what I could have. Now I’m like a sponge and want to know everything I can about the things I like. When people come to dance it’s because they want to so it’s fun and not a chore, and if they get dragged along I like the challenge of trying to convince then that it s fun by relating it to something they do like doing!!

Speaking of that performance in Princeton, would you share with us how you came up with the concept for the Cha Cha to “Rolling in the Deep” and how you accomplished so much in such a short period of time?

To be honest there wasn’t too much of a concept bar - I wanted the girls to have fun and not feel like they had to stand around and wait their turn. It’s difficult to get up and put on a show in front of people when you have been doing something for a long time, let alone twenty odd minutes, so once you have put on your swimmers you don’t wanna sit around and wait - you wanna dive straight into the pool and make it an enjoyable time.  The girls did great and they had the support of me to partner them, the support of each other to do it together, and the support of everyone else there to keep them going. “Rolling In The Deep” was just a song that was there but its helps with my swimming analogy – haha - it came across well because the girls were so good at processing the information.

During your Question and Answer segment in Princeton you mentioned that you much prefer teaching to choreographing.  Is there a choreographer in the dance world today that you particularly respect and/or admire for their body of work?

I’m not too sure to be honest. When you look at stuff like So You Think You Can Dance, people come out of the blue and just blow your mind with stuff so for me I love the work a lot of people on that show do.  Mia Michaels and Travis Wall spring to mind but so many, many more are super talented.  I love Savion Glover’s stuff as well.  These guys and people like them have the ability (much like Derek as well) to make all of their ideas come to life, which makes them powerhouses, where sometimes my ability falls short of my idea. Choreography for me can be as simple as telling the story; the difficulty and trickery is irrelevant to me – it’s all about the delivery. 

How do you choose costumes for your celebrity partner?  Does your partner have much input into the process or do you have a plan in mind going in?

The costumes are generally chosen by the pros. I guess sometimes I just say, "Right, this is what I have in mind" but generally I leave it up to my partner. Chances are I will get to wear what I want at some stage but this is their first and only experience of it so they tell me what they want to wear and the wardrobe department will come up with the compromise of what they and the producers want. There are certain things that I never want to wear so once they steer clear of that I’m usually good to go. The Devil Went Down To Georgia was mine though. I wanted that voodoo look especially on Halloween - the costume not the make-up - that was all them!

You have danced to the music of many performers on Dancing With the Stars.  Which one stands out as a favorite, and is there any particular artist that you would love to see on DWTS so that you could have the opportunity to dance to their music?

I’ve been lucky enough to dance to a few acts on the show alright.  I guess I liked All the Right Moves because it was our first one. I liked the Kelly Clarkson one with Kym, Jackie Evancho with Karina, Katherine Jenkins with Peta - not so much for the songs or what not but just I liked dancing with the girls. I like Kiss but if I had to dance to them I couldn’t have watched them, same as The Script because obviously they are Irish but also because I really like the guys. I’d love to see someone like Mumford and Sons on DWTS, I think, or Jack White, I like Emeli Sandé too. I loved Lady Antebellum on the show now I think of it.

It’s interesting that through your Princeton fundraiser, you have developed a new group of fan support from the volunteers and local community that wasn’t even within the DWTS demographic before.  Any thoughts on this?

The fundraiser was great success. Yeah we managed to raise 2000 on the night I think which was superb and it’s always nice to know that people appreciate what you do but for me the main thing was to get the awareness across for the charity. I’m fully looking forward to working with a lot more charities this year.  I don’t think it’s all about just giving money to charity but just having awareness of the work that they do is the main thing and you can help in whatever way you choose.  I think it’s important though if I’m in a position to promote or to help an association that actually does give all their proceeds to the people we are raising the money for, I can’t neglect that responsibility. I appreciate all the support I get and I would never take advantage of people who work so hard at this all year round for the sake of getting people to vote for me. This work is much much bigger than the show I do.  It’s just raising awareness of a very real situation.

Your website, MacManiacs.org is very quickly moving ahead towards 300,000 forum views in just over a year. While we realize that you probably haven’t had time to look at it in a very long time, we are curious as to whether there is anything in particular you would like for us to do or include.  Currently we have a forum with more than 90 different topics, image gallery, video page, blog page, and interview page.  Is there anything else you would like to see?

 I think you are all doing a great job with the website. I have seen it a few times, yes, but I won’t lie - I don’t sit and google myself everyday and see what I am doing haha. I appreciate that you all put so much time into supporting me and I’m sure whatever you feel you like to add is alright by my judging by the views you are getting its working whatever it is you are doing, ha! I think it’s great that you guys interview other people on it too. Like I said it’s not a competition of who is the best person and I enjoy all the people you talk to so it’s great.  Sometimes I have to check the website to find out what I’m supposed to be doing that week - you guys usually know before I do!! Again just a huge thank you to everyone and anyone who shows interest in whatever it is I do and hopefully whatever it is you enjoy about whatever I say it sticks for long after I’m gone!! STAY POSITIVE STAY HAPPY

Thanks, Tristan!


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                                                                 November 19, 2012

Inquiring minds want to know.  Or at least we do.  We want to know the answers to burning questions like: What the heck was Tristan doing in England dancing with Katherine Jenkins? What was rehearsal really like with Kirstie and Maks? What pro dances are particularly challenging?  So we decided to ask the man himself. Tristan's responses were, as always, thorough and astute, but also wise and funny.  Enjoy his answers to our latest round of questions.

You’ve been keeping busy this season! We saw tweets from Katherine Jenkins when you were in London, and she mentioned that you were rehearsing the Argentine Tango with her. Would you tell us a bit about that?

London was a blast. I flew over to dance with Katherine for her Christmas special she is doing on an English tv station there to be aired in December where Kat sings and dances.  We did a reprise of her and Mark's Argentine Tango. We had to change a few things and the music was different but it was fun to dance with her again plus I got to see a lot of friends in London I hadn’t seen in a long long time. I also went home for a few days. I’m not sure when it airs yet but I’m sure you will hear about it through Kat when it does.

We were thrilled to see you back on the dance floor this season and we loved the fusion dance choreographed by Henry Byalikov. Tell us like about this dance with Kym, Anna, Louis, and the troupe and how it all came together.

Fusion week was cool enough. Yeah, I had just got back from London so I had missed the first couple of rehearsals, but I learned it on the Saturday and then performed it that week. It was a good number and it went down pretty well with everyone, so happy days! The troupe are getting to dance an awful lot more these last few seasons which is great. I don’t think they really knew what to do with us the first year round, and there is a lot more happening for the troupe now.

We knew we were all going to be in for a treat when you danced the Paso Trio with Kirstie and Maks.  What was it like working with them?

Maks and Kirstie are great! I was just like everybody else on the outside looking in wondering what it would be like all day, but it was fun. It’s difficult with the trios I think because everybody is different at teaching and behaves in different ways while at the same time trying to make an impact so you sometimes have to be weary of stepping on people’s toes and contradicting things to get your point across. I tried to make it clear at the start that I was just a partner and that Maks was always the teacher, but he also gives you freedom to put your points across and certainly isn’t as bullheaded as some might assume - HaHa. I think it gives everybody a fresh impetus and perspective just having another voice or ear in the room. I really enjoyed it and was very interested to see how another pro teaches and how others learn. The score wasn’t the best but the experience was great and helped me to get to know people better. What I found though was a happy, fun relationship and a nice balance between hard work and play and a very honest couple.

You have done so many pro dances in your seasons on Dancing With the Stars, and we have to admit that last week’s “Locomotion” dance choreographed by Sharna is one of our favorites. Is there any pro dance that you have found to be more challenging than the others?

Em… I don’t know if I find them more challenging or not. I enjoy doing most numbers - maybe not so much the different styles sometimes when they try do hip-hop numbers and things - it’s not really my thing. I love to watch them but don’t feel comfortable doing them to be honest so that can be challenging, and I’m not a handstand flip barrel turn kind of guy either - haha - so usually when they come along, I’ll puff the cheeks out and scratch my head. Most people have their style and moves that you see them do in a lot of numbers where you can say they are great at that or whatever but I’m low-key, you know. I don’t have specific moves; I just move to the songs I like!!

We’ve all noticed how much you travel, and you’ve been to many parts of the U.S. performing and teaching.  One of the questions that our site members keep asking is what parts of this country are your favorites, and is there a place you want to visit but never have?

I get to travel around America, yeah not as much as I’d like to, and there are still a lot of places that I haven’t been yet. When you are on tour like I was when visiting most of the places, it’s very hard to get to see them. You are usually just in the theatre and then on the plane or bus moving somewhere else so I’d love to do a lot of revisiting. I was always fascinated by Texas and the South in general. I loved the stories of music in New Orleans.  I’d still love to visit Louisiana.  I really like the East Coast too. Living in Boston was always fun, and I love NY. I love Canada so I’d love to get to Canada a bit more if possible at some stage this year, but I just love to travel so anywhere I go hopefully I get time to enjoy it. I’ve been to Chicago airport more times than most places but never got to Chicago, so I’ll work on that.

It's kind of obvious why Tristan is our favorite DWTS pro, isn't it?  We hope you enjoyed this Q and A with him. As always, he was gracious and willing to answer our questions.  Thanks, Tristan.
 

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     Tristan Talks the Cha Cha, Broadway, the Knee, and More (October 9, 2012)

Obviously your season with Pamela ended much sooner than you would have liked, but sometimes things happen for a reason. What is something that you have learned from this experience? 

There is a lot to be learned from every situation. What I take from this season is that sometimes your first story is your last, and you have to fully commit to what you are doing, and I think that is what we did. We had a particular angle that we wanted to go with our dance and although it may not have fit into this particular situation (the show), it was still something we wanted to do and something we wanted to tell. People have suggested that it was uncomfortable to watch at times, but again that is a situation that occurred for this particular person - it wasn’t nice, but it happened. A fake slap, a throw around, a rough interaction, a love-hate, sensitive yet volatile relationship. People say I didn’t look happy and was angry but that was the character that I played in that scenario. Opinions aren’t facts and that is why I respect people’s views on what we did; the performance didn’t suit the occasion but it was a story we wanted to tell regardless. If the competition and trophy were the goal, then we would have gone a different route but this was a story that Pam didn’t get to tell her first go around so that was what was most important. It still takes a lot of guts to perform something when you haven’t put the time in and technique was limited as was our time. We didn’t wanna leave but the experience will stay with me, and although the result was disappointing I still thoroughly enjoyed myself. My role, whether a week or ten weeks, was to help someone learn and enjoy themselves, and I can be proud that I tried.

Continuing along those same lines, we all loved your “You Know I’m No Good” Cha Cha and the very emotional story that you told so well. Is it difficult to find the balance between creating the story with appropriate choreography and just doing what you think everyone wants to see?

Definitely there is a balance in finding what people want to see and staying true to what you are doing. We had a story that didn’t play out how we wanted it to, but all you can do is try. We weren’t as good as everyone else but I enjoyed taking a different route, and I’m glad that we went a different route. Another week it may have been received differently, but it wasn’t to be this time around. As a whole it didn’t come across great, but Carrie Anne felt as a performance it told a lot and that’s what we wanted to do - not in relation to what anybody else did but to what we wanted. I’m sorry the experience didn’t last longer as we had a lot of ideas and stories that we will try tell in our own time.

In a week where teams on DWTS are choosing a previous performance to re-create, is there one dance that stands out in your mind that you would like to bring back and add your own spin to? 

There were a few songs that have been used before that I’d have liked to use but I think it’s difficult to compare to what it was before if that makes sense. These are new ideas that people are gonna try to do; if it’s a variation of what’s been done, what’s the point? I think all the performances are gonna be different than before so they need to be viewed as new dances and not compared to the previous ones because they are all new perspectives. If people were gonna do the same routines as before it’s easier to judge, but they aren’t, so to me it’s just like any other week that I’m looking forward to.

You have danced so many wonderful pro dances in your seasons on Dancing With the Stars. Do you have a personal favorite?

I don’t have any favourites to be honest. I enjoyed them all! I love dancing with Kym and Peta so those performances stand out a bit, and Karina when we did our waltz…. I’d have liked that to have been longer but I think those are my favourite dances - Waltzes and Rumbas. I like dancing to other people’s choreography because the dancers on the show are so talented and have different styles to what I’m used to so learning from them is great.

Similarly, in your seasons as a pro, you have choreographed some amazing dances with Nancy, Gladys, and Pamela that tell some incredible stories.  Of all the dances you have choreographed for your celebrity partners, do you have a few that stand out as favorites? 

I enjoyed my Tango with Nancy because she enjoyed it so much, and Gladys looked so happy doing her Cha Cha that it’s hard to not enjoy yourself. I loved the Rumba because it was so good to have the Temptations sing and the occasion itself for me was unreal. I got to sing in rehearsals with Gladys and Bubba that week so I’ll remember that one, and I really enjoyed how different our Cha Cha with Pamela was. The time spent with my partners has been the most enjoyable times for me!  

What do you see as some of the challenges of being a pro on Dancing With the Stars?

The most challenging part as a pro is the whole process of everything. There is so much that goes into the show and what you get judged on is the final product. It’s the way of the world; all your work is judged on the dance and the video packages which don’t always tell the full story. So once you can walk away and say that you met somebody and made them smile each day even once - that is the most rewarding part. The criticisms and strong opinions of others are just what you deal with. HaHa! Ideas sometimes need to be diluted to fit into what’s needed and that can be frustrating, but it’s a small price to pay for the enjoyment I get out of doing it.

I'm sure you have aspirations and goals beyond Dancing With the Stars, and you've mentioned Broadway a couple of times.  Do you have favorite Broadway shows that you especially enjoy, and are there any potential roles that intrigue you?

I love Broadway, yeah, and I would love to do something in the future. Jersey Boys is my favourite show and I love Once. I don’t necessarily see a role in them for me although I’d love to give it a go. I need to understand though that there are people who have dedicated all their lives to being in those and other Broadway shows, so it would be a disservice to those people to just waltz in and take a role because I may have had more coverage than them. I think theatre and film and tv are very tough to do, and I think we need to appreciate all the work that people go through to get that opportunity. There are so many talented people in every walk of life that don’t get to showcase their talents.  My interests come from things that intrigue people and things that people get enjoyment out of doing regardless of the reviews and accolades - those are the people who inspire me.

Music is a huge part of your life, and we hear that you love all kinds of music. What groups and/or performers are your favorites and what is on your current playlist?

I love traditional music- particularly Irish but I don’t know it all and get stumped when people sometimes ask me about artists who I probably should know but don’t - ha! I have a very eclectic taste in music. I like it all because I appreciate the art. I am super unco when it comes to instruments but I’d love to be able to play.  I just love to hear people play and can’t praise singer-songwriters enough. I love lyrics and songs more than musicians. No matter who your favourite singer or band is they will always have some song that you just don’t like for whatever reason, but it doesn’t make them any worse. It’s the same as us dancers - not everyone will enjoy what you do all the time.

What advice would you give to someone who is aspiring to be a professional dancer?

I’m not really one for giving advice to people, but no matter what it is you do, love it and give it your all. Don’t be afraid to try something new because it’s the people who aren’t afraid to try that get the rewards or sometimes it just inspires others to. Your mind is your best weapon so use it.

Do you have any interest in ever opening your own studio?  If so, where do you see it happening?

I’d like to own a studio, I guess at some stage. I enjoy teaching, but I want to experience and explore a lot of other things while I can. I’m not done moving around yet, but I’m lucky enough to get a chance to teach in other studios at the minute, so it works for me. 

You are involved with a wonderful charity, Grassroot Soccer, and your supporters have happily endorsed your work with DublinDown330 to help such a great cause.  How did you become involved with this charity, and what are your plans going forward?

I was approached to be a part of this great charity and enjoy giving as much as I can to it. I like to help where I can, and if I can raise money for people by doing something I enjoy then it’s a no brainer.  I can’t help with every charity but this was one that gave me an opportunity so I’m going with it. Giving a lesson here and there and setting up events to meet people and answer a few questions is very little to do for the donations that this cause collects and how much it helps

We are all very excited about your fund-raiser in New Jersey in January. Is there anything you would like to say to all of us who plan to attend (or thinking about attending)?

Well, just to the people who plan on attending, thank you. You are donating to a great cause and the people benefitting from it are very appreciative as am I.  All proceeds go to the charity so every little helps and remember that you are playing a big part in helping a lot of people.

Lots of people on the site ask about your knee.  How is the recovery going?

My knee is ok. I still have a lot of pain in it but I’m still working on getting better. It’s just part and parcel of being a dancer, I guess. There are people in a worse off situation then me so I’ll keep going. If I can walk, I can dance - ice goes along long way. HaHa!

What are your plans for the DWTS off-season?  Last spring and summer you were busy with DWTS Las Vegas along with many special appearances.  Should we expect more of the same this winter?

My plans change daily to be honest. I have a few projects I’m working on, and hopefully that will open doors for other things.  I have a few lessons to teach and a contest winner to go visit and teach, and then I look forward to going home for a wee bit and seeing my family and friends - hopefully fit in a holiday. I’m open to whatever may happen I live day to day and see what comes up.

Any words of wisdom for us?

Everyday is the start of something special. Every action causes a reaction so you have two choices.

                                          
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 Dancing, Pamela, the Food Channel, and...Trash Cans??? (September 17, 2012)

Now that you have had a couple of weeks of rehearsals with Pamela, what do you see as her strengths? 

Pam is great. We haven’t had as much practice as we would have liked. The first week Pam was away for half of it in Europe and then away for Rio, where finding time to rehearse was very tough. Now she is in Bulgaria for a few days. Her strengths are that she really wants to do the show and that she is great at retaining information. That’s so important when you have a lack of something - time in our case. When you get a second shot at the show you have something to base your experience on. You can decide what you didn’t do the last time that you want to do this time or mentally prepare yourself for performances.  Her biggest strength is that she is Pam before, during, and after.

One of the members of our website was curious about what a typical day of rehearsal is like.  Or is there a typical day? 

We don’t really have a typical day. We rehearse away from everybody else, generally early mornings for maybe five or six hours. The balancing act is I think what people find hard sometimes - it’s not just about finding the time to rehearse but it’s really being productive on your time.  You can rehearse intensely for three/four hours, physically just power through running the dance and working yourself into the ground, and you can take in huge amounts of information after information - which Pam is great at. You have to be careful that it’s not counter-productive. If you have done that, it’s impossible to stay in five six seven hours a day. What I always always get from Pam though is total and utter commitment and attention but also entertainment. We are fighting not just against finalists and champions but also against a large unforgiving population that no matter what she does will have a negative attitude towards her so to have the strength of character she has to want to better herself is very inspiring to me not just as a dancer and teacher but as a person.

You once said that you like to tell a story with every dance.  How is it that you are able to consistently weave a storyline into your choreography, and how do you even come up with the story you want to tell?

It can be difficult to tell your story all the time certainly to the degree that you want.  You can’t throw somebody around, lift them up high, or different things that go against the rules so you have to do some subtle things and hope that you can pull it off – ha!  It's difficult to come up with a routine before you start with your partner because you don’t know what they are capable of. Whether they have been on the show or not you just have to take the time to get to know your partner, figure out what they want from this experience, what stories they want to tell.  Either way I will dance whether it’s on tv or not. These people won’t so its fully their experience. I want to know what they want to tell and then I’ll try to make that happen. You are restricted in a way with how much you can do to portray certain things but you just gotta play the cards you are dealt.

Tell us what we can expect to see from you and Pamela this season or perhaps just from DWTS All-Stars in general.

I don’t know what you guys can expect - maybe just some honest people trying to have a good time. We will work as hard if not harder than anybody else without playing 'the games' that go along with a lot of this stuff. The trophy is a bonus but it’s not the goal - the goal is to push ourselves and try and inspire others to try something new, give something another chance, close a door on something, make a tough decision, take a break whatever it is you want to do and feel that choice is for everyone. Don’t fit in, stand out, be different- there is a place for everyone in everything.

During the DWTS season you have so many commitments that you probably rarely have time to relax.  Is there anything you like to do to relax when there are so many demands on your time?

There is a lot to do. I don’t find it too hard to relax.  I can shut off to a certain degree but I know sometimes as well that I dwell on things but that is purely the thought inside that I may not be doing enough to help my partners or giving them the right tools to fully express themselves. I’m comfortable being around friends all the time but sometimes I just need to be on my own doing nothing - watch the football, stuff my face with food - when I eat I think of nothing else – hahaha! That usually works - turn on the food channel and I’m good for a few hours!  Hahaha!

Do you ever get nervous before a performance, and if so, how do you calm your nerves?

I don’t get nervous anymore. I used to alright during stage shows and stuff.  I’d go missing for a bit and right as the music started I’d burst back in the room with a pale face and just run straight on stage . I don’t know what it was.  I think it was the adrenaline taking over or wanting to do so well that it got the best of me. With a show like this though I’m fine.  It’s my role to be the shoulder or the go-to guy so that calms me.  I spend time convincing my partners it’s a doddle what they are doing and that it will be fine.  The last thing they want to see is me walking in circles around the trash cans crying!!!

Finally, is there anything you want to say to the supporters of both you and Pamela as you get ready to begin Season 15?

Just want to say thanks for the incredible support you guys give us.  Some have already jumped on with thoughts that schedule is taking over and that there is a lack of commitment but I can tell you now it’s certainly not the case. We will do the best job we can.  We won’t complain.  We won’t look for excuses. If we are good enough we will stay around.  If not we will go but not before making some sort of impact. So thank you thank you. Enjoy the ride because we will.


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                                                An interview With Tristan (July 17, 2012)

When this site was established in late November, 2011, we knew, without a doubt, that Tristan’s supporters were a very special group. During the last eight months, we have refined this site, expanded our membership substantially, and constantly diversified to make it more user-friendly.  Tristan was kind enough to take the time to talk with us today (July 17, 2012) about Dancing With the Stars, dance in general, teaching, his experiences in dance, and give us his very unique perspective.  

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced since being on DWTS? (For example, is it the teaching, the schedule, the travel with Gladys, etc.)

I think the biggest challenge so far has probably been just the whole package if that makes sense. I enjoy it but trying to keep everybody happy is impossible. Ha! I always say that I want my partner, whether they are one of the other professionals or ladies competing on the show to feel as comfortable as possible, trying to take all the stress out of the situation and have as much fun as possible at the same time. That can sometimes conflict with what people want to see and 'expect' from us! Some want to see the chemistry and relationship and some just want to see great dancing so trying to find the balance has been difficult enough but I think you have to stick to your convictions and do whatever you feel is right for each situation. Any given season is that person’s only experience of the show outside of being a viewer and fan, so I want to make it as enjoyable as possible.

We know that you have performed all over the world in many different productions. Of all of those, do you have a favorite or is there one that is particularly memorable for you?

I’ve been lucky enough to do a few shows and they have all contributed to where I am now and what I am striving to achieve so in that sense I can’t really pick a favourite, but I have enjoyed each production I have been lucky enough to be part of. Burn The Floor  was the show that really opened my eyes to Latin and Ballroom dancing as we know it now and showed me another side of ballroom that I never knew of before then. Before that I did Simply Ballroom which was the first dance show I did when I decided to come back to dancing and if it wasn’t for that show I wouldn’t have been in Vegas at the same time as BTF which got me back in that show and touring the world. Dirty Dancing gave me a new role and also a chance to work on the West End and be in the environment which I love - theatre.  Another stint on BTF in London led to Dancing With The Stars. I try to take something positive from every situation I’m in, but just like everyone else sometimes I don’t see that until later on!

We all love your "it is what it is" approach. How did you manage to develop such a positive attitude in a career that could never have been easy?

It’s easy to stay positive about what I do because it’s what I love to do.  I have been in so many positions before where I couldn’t rub two pennies together. I was lucky to have a family supportive enough to 'bail me out' and also give me the ear full I needed to get straight.  I know that I can get by without being in the public eye because I have done it all along and it’s what the majority of people do every day so when you don’t crave that role, it’s easy.  What’s the worst that could happen? If something is wrong you have to ask yourself if you can do anything about it- if you can’t there is no point stressing about it.  If you can, well, then you change it.  It’s all about priorities for me.

When you are teaching someone who has little or no dance experience, how do you begin the teaching process? We know everyone is different, but how do you teach a beginner?  Is there a particular dance you might choose to teach someone who has never danced before?

Everybody is different so as far as teaching goes there isn’t a formula that I stick to, but with everybody I try to just be normal - ask them how they are, what they like, what they don’t like, and try to relate everything to what I need them to do.  It’s no different to me then meeting somebody new through a friend or on the street or anywhere in everyday life. You don’t try to make people your friend; you talk and then you relate and then you gain respect and start to work!  You are both there to help each other so you can’t forget that you have to teach but you also have to learn.  The term 'DANCE'  sometimes intimidates people so without starting any particular dance you just get movement going and try to get your partner to follow directions - walk forward, turn around, go over there, straighten your legs, don’t look down - those kind of things.

You have developed a large fan base very quickly and earned an enormous amount of respect as a dancer, teacher, and choreographer.  How does that make you feel, and how do you stay so kind and grounded when there is so much attention focused on you? (For instance, is it difficult dealing with all the demands on your time from so many different people?)

I have been surprised by the amount of attention I have been getting, but that’s a testament to how big the show is, and thanks goes to production and all the professionals before me for keeping the interest there. It’s very humbling and it is nice to give something back to my family for the support they have given me over the years and sacrifices they have made for me.  It can be difficult with the demands and unfortunately I can’t accommodate them all but I will try.  I make it easier for myself though because I know why I am part of the show and what I want from it... I don’t have to go to every premiere.  I don’t have to support anything I don’t have an interest in.  I don’t endorse things I don’t use so all I have to worry about is putting together dances and teaching them to my partner.  If somebody contacts me with something of interest and I have the time, I will try get involved but for the sake that I have a genuine interest in it and not to get more face time. I stay grounded because that’s who I am and that is who my family and friends like and love so to be anything else would be somebody else.

Is there anything you would like to say to your fans and supporters?

Just a big thank you for all the support.  I love to dance but I love even more to entertain and all the well wishes and notes of support are what inspire me to do it.  The negativity doesn’t faze me so I suggest it doesn’t you either – Ha! I don’t need to be compared to anybody else because that’s not what I am in it for.  I love what I do and if I entertain 1 or one million I’m happy because it only takes one person to make a difference, and if I can convince one person to follow what they love then they in turn can convince the next person and so on.  Thank you for all your efforts and I will continue to try my best to give you all what you deserve which is a great show and if not........what’s the worst that could happen????

Thank you, Tristan! 

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PART 2: OUR INTERVIEWS WITH SASHA FARBER, EMMA SLATER, AND HENRY BYALIKOV


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                            Interview With Emma Slater (April 27, 2013)


Both Sasha and Emma have been extremely busy this season – choreographing, performing, and winning our hearts with their excellence.  We asked both of them about this season, Tristan and Dorothy, the changes in the Troupe, and the new website that is in the works to help promote them both individually and jointly.  Sasha and Emma have been very good to all of us here at MacManiacs.org, and they have been very generous with their time in answering all the questions we send their way.  Count us among their fans!

Here are Emma’s answers to our most recent questions.  We will have some from Sasha very soon.

First of all, we loved tuning in to Good Morning America on the day of the cast reveal and getting to see you and Sasha dance.  Tell us how that happened and what it was like.  You guys lit up the place!

Sasha and I were both away actually. Sasha was in Australia and I was on the DWTS cruise in the Caribbean (which was amazing!), and it seems like the second we both got home to LA we were doing things we hadn’t planned for. I thought it was going to be a week off but we ended up shooting a promo video for Pitbull featuring the DWTS professional dancers and performing on Good Morning America when the celebrity cast was revealed. That was a 1:15am pick up from our house!! But it was great fun – we hadn’t seen any of the dancers since the season before so it was fab to see them.

It was difficult to see Dorothy and Tristan withdraw from the competition, but it was the only decision to make. What were emotions like on DWTS when this happened, and how did the cast and crew react to it?

Well, as you could all see emotions were high that day. A few tears were shed and everyone completely admired Dorothy for being so strong in her decision. It was the right thing to do, just felt like the show really missed out on not having Tristan & Dorothy perform each week. They both are missed. Sash and I were especially sad for Tristan as we are obviously close friends but he wasn’t sorry about the decision at all, and he only thought about Dorothy’s health and well-being. It was very sweet. We still get to see her at the show quite a bit and everyone loves that.

We would have loved to have seen you both have celebrity partners this season, but we also believe that things happen for a reason, and the end result will be worth the wait.  What are your goals as longstanding Troupe members in Season 16? What direction do you hope to see the Troupe take?

Now that we are halfway through the season I can see the Troupe have been involved in the show a whole lot more and in a different dynamic. I’m so thrilled about that. We have a great team spirit that connects all the pros and Troupe dancers. Almost all of the artist performances are choreographed by the Troupe, in particular by Sasha and myself. We’ve been really busy choreographing every week; I’ve adored it. Another addition to the show (which I loved being a part of) was in week 5, ‘Len’s side by side challenge’.  That was where each celebrity and their partner were paired with another pro couple who danced side by side with them for 30 seconds. It was very creative and the Troupe were a part of that too so I’m really grateful overall. It’s absolutely true that this has by far been my favorite season.

It has been great seeing you back on the DWTS stage so frequently this season.  We have enormous respect for your talent and artistry, and we never lose sight of what you both bring to the show.  Looking at all of the 12 celebrities that signed up to be part of the cast, if you could have any of them as your partner for just one dance, who would it be, and what type of dance would you choose?

I think I would pick Jacoby because his personality is bigger than he is! He’s got massive amounts of rhythm too, I could have just a spotlight on him in the middle of the floor and he would totally work it! I love that enthusiasm. It’s very important. He’s flexible, charismatic and energetic. His jive with Karina was so entertaining. I would like to do a Samba with him!

Which celebrity or celebrities have surprised you so far this season?

Ingo has surprised me. He’s one of those celebs that has week by week retained the information Kym has taught him and become a better dancer because of it. He has truly grown in knowledge and isn’t just getting by week by week.

What is a typical day like for the Troupe?  Obviously it depends a great deal on what dances you will be doing in an upcoming week, but how much time do you generally have to spend in rehearsal in a given day or perhaps in a week? How are you involved in the creative process for those dances, and how do the dances come together?

Sash and I choreograph a lot for the results shows. Every week we have choreographed, and that definitely adds more to the week as we need time to work out what we will teach in the rehearsal. On a normal day I will be in work anywhere from 4 to 12 hours. Tomorrow is a 12 hour day as it is Sunday and Sundays are our camera blocking days. We do get breaks off, sometimes hours at a time but I like to be busy anyway so it doesn’t bother me. There are generally no set hours; it’s a new schedule every week. In terms of creative process, as the choreographer you pitch the set ideas you would like for each performance and also can have an input on the costume designs and camera angle suggestions. It’s very exciting!

Since you came to DWTS, the Troupe has changed each season. Do these changes affect the troupe dynamic at all, and what kind of adjustments do you have to make (if any) as you go into a new season?

I think the most adjustment we have each season are the new Troupe members. It’s good to see that the show is bumping up members of the Troupe to become pros who get to dance with the celebs (like Tristan, Peta and Sharna). Hopefully one day I’ll get to see how that feels but for now this is great too! Sash and I live full time in LA now so we are always around during the off season, that means there’s no big ‘move’ before each season. It’s just getting to know the new members of the Troupe and pros!

Finally, we understand that a new website for you and Sasha will be launched soon. What are your expectations for it, and how do you see your involvement with it evolving?

Yay!! Well that’s really all thanks to you guys! How lucky are we??!  I’m so excited about the new website, and I want to be involved very much with the weekly updates and little blogs/photos etc. It sounds wonderful so far, and I can’t wait to see it. I’m hoping I will see a few of the MacManiacs on there - you all have been a blessing to us.  I’m very grateful to those who have spent time creating it for us and have put in so much effort. It doesn’t go unnoticed and I will cherish the website always!!! Yay!!

Thank you lovely people for all your support and kindness!! 

Speak to you all really soon, big love.    Emmaxxxx


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          "He Said - She Said" Part 3 With Sasha and Emma (February 9, 2013)

Hear what they have to say about those crazy fusion dances, embarrassing moments on stage, the use of props on DWTS, the dancers and choreographers that they admire and more.  (If you haven't read Parts 1 and 2 of this series with Sasha and Emma, just scroll down on this page to the section entitled "Part 2 - Interviews With Sasha Farber, Emma Slater, and Henry Byalikov).

Last season we saw the addition of fusion style dances to DWTS. If you were asked to choreograph such a dance (and you had full control of the dance), which two styles would you use and how would you envision the dance coming together?

Emma: I would love to dance a Tango/Rumba. I’m sure there are a few Latin & Ballroom dancers who would say that - it’s a winning combo. Both dances are very passionate, tend to be serious and can draw the same kind of emotions from the audience. I like the more passionate/fierce dances the best! I think I would want to theme it around jealousy or perhaps the girl would be a temptress and seduce a somewhat shy man. Of course you have to play to the strengths of your partner/celebrity too but if you can be so involved and committed in the dance, you’re halfway there! During the creation of the dance you have to think of set, lights and costume to fit the vision you are going for. As one of the pros on DWTS, you have to know exactly what you want and be able to get your point across.

Sasha: That’s a great question. I would love to see a mixture of things. The fusion dance is an awesome way to express and mix styles together. Cha Cha and Tango and Paso with slow motion progressive Samba would be my show dance. :) I know you asked for two dances, but let’s live life on the edge!

I love to take people on a journey when they see me dance or see my work, and using those dances all in one would be some much fun to create on a couple or on a group of people.

Many of our site members comment on the use of props in various performances. Sometimes it works very well and sometimes it seems to take away from the dance.  What is your opinion on props, and to what extent do you believe they should be used?

Emma: I think it varies in different circumstances. For instance, in Trio week, the Bollywood themed number in season 14 that Derek performed with Maria Menounos had these stunning tapestry drapes hanging from the ceiling, they were eye-catching enough and set the scene perfectly for their dance. Along with the warm lighting, you were hit with the Bollywood feel without actually overusing the props/set. I think there are also cases where props can be overused or surplus to requirement, in any dance performance. If you have a table as part of your set, but the idea is you are dancing a duo with your partner, you have to find a balance of maximizing the use of the table in the dance and overusing it. It is very similar to repeating the same move/trick over and over again. You don’t want to sacrifice the quality of the dance and effectiveness of your trick by putting it in the dance at every opportunity.

Sasha: Props are always great when used correctly, but it should never take away from the dance number. I love props and background material, I have been used a lot in props last season, which was always fun.

We know about your experiences with Burn the Floor and with other productions, but could you tell us how exactly each of you ended up on Dancing With the Stars?  The people on our site are very curious.

Emma: Well I ended up there because I was visiting Sash! We were on tour in South Africa, hadn’t long been together when they contacted him about joining on season 13. Through doing competitions internationally and shows like Burn the Floor, as a dancer you can get your name known within the industry as it’s is fairly intimate in the Ballroom and Latin performance world. I was thrilled for him. We spent the next three months apart while he was in LA with DWTS and I was finishing the tour with Burn the Floor. I had had a nice two year run with Burn the Floor so I decided after that contract I would go to visit Sash and open up some more doors in terms of work. I like to keep trying new things. I was in LA for two weeks and was a bit overwhelmed because Sash had told everyone about me! I had a camera interview with one of the producers and had a lovely time overall. Then both Sash and I went back to Australia to visit his family over the holidays. Early one morning I had a phone call from one of the producers, Ashley, at 5 a.m. Aussie time and I pretended to be totally awake and switched on. She told me they wanted me to come do the show for the next season along with Sash and I was over the moon with excitement and also pretty gob smacked. It was very unexpected and I only had a few days left to sort the visa out (I was an Englishwoman, in Australia, getting a US visa & my passport had half a page left in it!) But I rushed like a woman possessed and the Visa office lady was such a star to me, I ended up arriving to LA 20 minutes before Sasha did on another flight!

Sasha: Well I was a pro on the Australian DWTS, and then I was going to continue with it as I had so much fun, but it was decision time, because Burn the Floor needed me to join the show because they were putting on a new show to take to Broadway and needed me . But I loved the experience on DWTS in Australia and India and know I WANT to be a pro on the USA.

I think I have proved that I can be a pro after being on 3 season as a troupe member, so my fingers and toes are crossed, but I must say being in the troupe is so much fun and I’m very grateful for my job and how all this has turned out.

What do you like or enjoy the most about being on Dancing With the Stars?

Emma: There are so many things. I get to perform on the number one rated show in America every week and do one thing in the world I love to do - dance. Dance has given me such much experience and I’m so grateful for the opportunities it brings. And DWTS in particular has taken me to LA (which I love!) and allows me to be involved in a fast paced, high energy TV show that’s hugely popular. Entertaining is a massive part of it, and every week, all the dancers (and celebs) get to stand in front of the US audience and entertain their butts off! Dancing is art, so it’s like seeing your painting up at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. DWTS brings a lot of good people together and we have great time filming it with great friends too.

Sasha: Dancing and expressing yourself. It’s always good to pick characters when you dance, that you have always dreamed of being, and telling a story on live television. :)

And of course I love the fans. You guys are so good to me and I’m very grateful for everything you guys are doing for myself and Emma.  Everyone is so nice and it’s such a great atmosphere to be in.

There are so many different types of celebrities who appear on DWTS – athletes, musicians, television personalities, actors, etc.  Obviously everyone is different and has different strengths and weaknesses, but is there any one type of celebrity that you would like to dance with on DWTS at some point?  Why?

Emma:  Yes, I would like to see more comedians! They are the most entertaining to watch and I wouldn’t mind being partnered to one because who wouldn’t love that! It would be so enjoyable coming up with suitable dances and funny ideas. I grew up watching the old English classic comedies. Comedians give a different energy to the competition, they are often big personalities. Very refreshingly honest too. Kirstie Alley had me in stitches a number of times and was great in the show. The only possible down side to casting a lot of comedians is they are extremely likeable and popularity can sometimes take them further in the competition rather than the dancing. But really, that’s the same with any celebrity in the show! 

Sasha: I would love to dance with anyone who wants to learn, but if I could pick someone it would be one of the Olsen twins. That way we could even change it up and swap one each week.  The reason why I said them is I think they would be a lot of fun.

We asked Tristan this question once, and the response was hilarious.  Have either of you ever had any embarrassing moments while performing – such as a wardrobe malfunction, forgotten choreography, etc?  

Emma: Well it’s funny because this has been asked to me a few times now in the onstage questions during our recent shows with Tristan & Chelsie. In London, Tristan and I did a show called Dirty Dancing (the stage version of the famous film). During Act 2, my first appearance is as an 8 year old girl in a multi-colored dress. Myself and two other female dancers (also dressed as young girls) play a game of ‘Tug of War’ with a HUGE long rope and playing against us is the actor who is playing Neil in the show. Neil wins the game and all three of us girls fall to the ground. Only this time I fell to the floor as usual, but my dress got caught in the revolve (This is a mechanism that makes up the whole floor of the stage, allowing it to move in multiple different ways, in circles/up & down etc). For some reason when I fell and got caught, the stage started revolving in a circle when it wasn’t supposed to, taking me with it stuck on the floor. So the next scene begins with Baby & Neil and I’m going round face down on the floor behind them! That was pretty embarrassing!

Sasha: Every dancer forgets choreography at one point in their career, but my embarrassing moment was in Burn the Floor. As I was finishing one of my solos I danced of into the wing, but the only problem was it wasn’t a wing it had a fake curtain, so I panicked and I had to dance back onto the stage to  get off. I heard the audience giggle a little.

As a professional dancer, your career has probably been influenced by many teachers, choreographers, and performers.  Is there any one person that comes to mind that had a strong influence on your life as a dancer?

Emma: One of the reasons why I started is that my parents took me to a Latin demonstration when I was 10 at a local dance school’s annual party. I watched this stunning couple dance a Paso Doble (I remember one of the highlights she dropped into splits) as I adored it. I wanted to do that type of dancing from then on. It turns out that years later I would be competing and performing in shows like Strictly Ballroom and Burn the Floor and that same male dancer who I watched when I was 10 became one of my closest friends and he still is! His name is Gary Wright. In terms of influence, I think watching him dance was a big reason I started dancing Latin and Ballroom dancing when I did. 

Sasha: I would have to say Michael Jackson, and Ballroom dancers Michael and Joanna.

It’s hard to keep track of your very busy schedules!  Emma, we know you have the cruise coming up, and there have been tweets about more Ballroom With A Twist dates. We would love to keep our site members updated on where you will be, so it would be great if you could give us a rough idea of what you have planned for the next few weeks.  We’re happy to post it for you.

Emma: I’m very lucky to be heading off to the Caribbean for the Official DWTS cruise on board Holland-America Lines. Rehearsals begin on Monday and the cruise finishes on Feb 23rd.

After that Sasha and I will have more dates with @GrndProductions in late February. We will keep you posted with the dates and places. These are mainly demonstrations, master classes and performances. There is also the possibility of some more dates in early March with Ballroom with a Twist so we will let you know!

Hopefully with a few weeks we will hear from DWTS about season 16 and we will let you know as soon as we do! :)

In June and July we have scheduled three more DWTS cruises around Alaska and the Caribbean. July and August we have some show dates arranged but will confirm and post them at a later date. 

Thank you SO MUCH for your support! Sending you guys much love!! :) xx

Love Emma

@EmmaSlaterDance

Sasha:  I am visiting family at the moment in Australia and will be back on the 19th , so for me I will be waiting for the call from DWTS.

But as soon as we book stuff I will let you know. We really appreciate all your work into this. Thank you so much.

Sasha

@SashaFarber

Sasha and Emma have earned a special place in the hearts of all of us here at MacManiacs.org with their kindness and unbelievable generosity with their time. Thanks to both of them!


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              "He Said - She Said" Part 2 with Sasha and Emma (January 26, 2013)

Do you remember our “He Said – She Said” with Sasha Farber and Emma Slater from December? You guys were fascinated by their answers and then Sasha followed it up with more fun responses to those questions that we just keep thinking of.  You sent us even more questions and both Sasha and Emma readily agreed to answer whatever we sent them.  A big thank you goes out to two very lovely people who have not only enriched the DWTS performance stage but continue to give so freely to their fans.  Thanks, Emma and Sasha!

What is your teaching approach?  How do you evaluate your partner’s strengths and weakness and move forward?

Sasha: That’s an interesting question. A lot of it depends on how much they want to learn. I think everyone can dance if they want to. Put a song on and see if the person has rhythm first, and their ability to listen to music and trust. If  your partner doesn’t trust you, then you’re  in trouble.

Musicality is a great advantage and you can see that straight away in a person when he starts to dance. When teaching students I always choreograph  to the strengths - if the couple has great speed, I tend to mix that up with slow steps, so that when it's time to show speed they look extra fast and slick so its not boring to watch.

You can tell a dancer’s strengths and weaknesses from just watching them do basics - it all comes from having a good foundation.

Emma: The more you get to know a person, the easier it is to work out what makes them ‘tick’ and what kind of learning process they favor; Some people connect to words and having something described to them, others to physically being shown the movement and observing it first hand. When you find their method of learning, you can stick to that and it will help them more. And ultimately enjoy it more too! Dancing is a fun thing to participate in, and my number one goal for myself when I teach is to make it enjoyable for my partner/pupil. I can be quite cheeky because it usually works!

Is there a favorite style of dance you would prefer to use for a beginner? 

Sasha: I always take them through a journey of where the dance came from, so they have an idea of the character of the dance - basics on how to move your body in the right way and using basic life examples so it is more clear for the dancer. Dancing is very basic and you can’t learn to run before you can walk.

Emma: I like to ask them about it first, what their preference is and what type of music they like. Everyone is different and enjoys different music and styles. Its always best to get to know what kind of dances they like best so you can try to teach them exactly what they are after. And they will be happy when you realize they can dance that style! Everyone… EVERYONE can dance.  :)

The dances I’ve found most people like to learn the most are Cha Cha, Rumba or Salsa.

As a dancer, you’ve been exposed to all kinds of music and performers.  What type of music do you personally enjoy and who are some of your favorite recording artists?

Sasha:  Well, performing alongside KISS, choreographing and dancing to Taylor Swift, Kelly Clarkson, Smokey Robinson, Santana, Kylie Minogue, and more, It's hard to say which music type I love. I love all music  and everything about it.  But there is something a little different to real live Latin music that I love!

I could just sit there all day watching a live Cuban band play!

Some of my favorites are
*Guy Sebastian
*Bruno Mars
*Olly Murs

Emma: I honestly like everything. Music is essential in my life. It does wonders for my state of mind, much the same as writing actually. I enjoy a lot of 80’s classics, probably thanks to my parents for playing a lot of it when we grew up. Queen is one of the bands I grew up to love. A few that I like now are Coldplay, Adele, Neyo & Paolo Nutini. I do appreciate some good dance tunes too, oddly enough I seem to like songs with violins in them! Good lyrics will always get me too.

The piña colada song (Rupert Holmes – Escape) should be in everyone playlist! And Ordinary World by Duran Duran.  :)

If you could be in any Broadway show, past or present, which one would it be?

Sasha:  I performed on Broadway for 7 months and loved every second of it. I cherished every moment and will definitely be one of my highlights, but one show on Broadway I would love to be in is West Side Story!

Emma: Well I was very lucky to have done a few popular musicals. I did Broadway in 2009 with a phenomenal show called Burn the Floor and I have also done 6 West End shows during my career and appeared in Mamma Mia the movie.  I wouldn’t hesitate to go back and perform again in either Broadway or West End (London, UK). Best Stages in the world. My favorite one to watch was always Guy and Dolls. I just adored the era, the music, the comedy behind it. I loved that one. There is also a feisty Havana Dancer in the musical for a scene or two so I’d like to do that! I would have said Dirty Dancing but I had the pleasure of doing that show already and it was one of my favorites. :)  But to be honest (and I’m sure everyone says this!) I plan to get more involved in straight acting, I’m very passionate about it. I would give a whole lot to be involved in a black comedy play. I love the art of comedy acting!

Let’s talk the Trio Dance.  That happens to be one of our favorite, and we hope it comes back in Season 16.  If you could choose your Trio Dance, which other pro/troupe member would you like to work with and what style of dance would you like to do?

Sasha: Well, I loved working with Karina she is so much fun, working with her was a dream come true.

I would love to do a trio dance and dance a Cha cha cha, I think that would be so much fun and would love to dance a trio with my baby Emma Slater.

Emma: I would kind of like to do an Argentine Tango/Rumba. Either one of those or a mix of the two. I live for drama in performances, you can make it very powerful. Like a love triangle between three people. I would love to work with Derek on a Trio dance. His ideas and ability to transform a piece of music into live artwork full of flavor is amazing. He has a great skill for showing the audience exactly what he wants them to see. The piece as he sees it in his mind, is exactly what he creates in front of the camera and that is a difficult thing to master. So he hits the nail on the head every time. I like that kind of 100% commitment to the piece thing! Karina performs and choreographs very much the same, and I loved watching and support her, Apollo and Sash last season in their trio!

Okay, Sasha and Emma.  You have danced together many times.  Which of those is your favorite performance? (DWTS, Burn the Floor, Ballroom With A Twist, or any other performance)

Sasha:  I think my Favorite is ALL OF THEM, whichever one I’m doing at the time, I give 100% and enjoy every second I’m on stage or TV. :)

Emma:  There was this one solo piece of swing that opened a number in Burn the Floor during Act 1 called Sway. Sash probably wouldn’t have put this! But it was slightly like a dance-off between the guy and the girl who were dancing together (Sasha and I). The music was purely drum beats and a few symbols from the percussion behind us and I remember having so much fun making that connection onstage very real. You could almost egg each other on in middle of it, and make it really fun for the audience. The cheekier it got, the better reception we had so we went to town! It wouldn’t have been the same it I was dancing with any other than Sash. We were pretty much the same onstage as we were offstage!

I have some other favorites too, I enjoyed being Red Riding Hood last season on DWTS for a rumba (which I was going to be dancing with Tristan but it didn’t end up happening!) I really loved playing Lisa Houseman in Dirty Dancing for a short term, and I vividly remember my last dance on Broadway. But dancing in the finals of the British nationals when I was 16 and competing was a really brilliant time too. Every performance could be my favorite really.

Several people from the site saw your recent performances in Ballroom With A Twist and loved the show’s energy and arttistry.  Of these performance so far, do you have a special memory?  What city has been a personal favorite so far?  Is there some city you would like to see more of?

Sasha:  Well we just performed in Calgary in Canada, where we danced along side a 80 piece symphony which was an amazing feeling  - dancing to live music which is made right behind you  is a feeling I can’t explain. 

Emma: I only did three places so far with the show! This was my first stint with the show and I honestly enjoyed every second. All the dancers on the show work so hard and are so talented. They made me feel very welcome and I guess the good nights hanging out after the show would be my favorite memories so far. It’s a bit too soon to comment on favorite cities with BWAT just yet but I have been to many US cities and towns in the past with previous tours. A few of my favorite cities would be Chicago & San Fran. I also fell for Seattle. But I could name so many, San Diego is stunning and I really enjoyed Dallas too. I’m from a smaller town in England though so I appreciate the country side and smaller towns too.

 That’s it for now! As long as you’re willing to answer, we will keep sending the questions. Thanks for being so fan friendly. It really is appreciated.

Sasha:   No problem I love these questions. :)  Thank you all for your support.

       --Sasha Farber

Emma: Thank you for your questions, Glad to answer anymore you guys have!!

Love Emma x
@EmmaSlaterDance


Thanks, Emma and Sasha!  Please continue to send us your questions at macmaniacs.org@gmail.com and we will forward them along to these two lovely pros.  Be sure to follow them on Twitter:  @SashaFarber and @EmmaSlaterDance


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                     Sasha Answers Your Questions - (January 1, 2013)


When Sasha answered questions for our "He Said - She Said" Q and A with Emma Slater, he offered to answer any other questions that we wanted to send along.   Here are his answers.

How have things changed on Dancing With the stars since you joined the cast in Season 13?

Since I have joined in Season 13, it has been the most exciting part of my life. I never thought I would have so much support so quickly, and I’m so grateful for every single comment I get, and I will keep trying my hardest to make everyone happy!

DWTS grows every season, with production and dancers and choreography. It’s such an amazing feeling to be part of it, and I think having the all stars was a great idea.  It was the best of the best , shame we didn’t see Tristan in as much as we wanted to, but I know he will fire back this season. I love that this show grows every season, and as a dancer you have to be on your game every time!

In one of Tristan’s video Q and As with members of MacManiacs.org, he told the story of a time from Burn the Floor in Atlantic City when you and Damian were in the same number as Tristan and tucked his trousers into his socks – which says made him look like a farmer for the rest of the dance.  Do you remember that?  And do you have any Tristan stories to share with us?

LOL, LOL, Yes I remember that very well as it was me who tucked his pants in.

I’m known for a bit of a joker, I love to play pranks on people and have fun! :)

Tristan and I have been friends for a long time - more than 10 years, and I’m sure we have done a lot of pranks together. There was once this time when we decided to film an MTV CRIBS in our hotel room - there is a video going round somewhere that is a must see - lol!

How do you think your experiences from Burn the Floor prepared you for a show like Dancing With the Stars?

I was in Burn the Floor for 11 years and have learned a lot from it.  I was one of the original cast members that put the show together, and I was also one of the main dancers on Broadway and West End!

And while on Burn the Floor I was the Australian champion and repetitive to the world championships where I was placed 8th in Latvia Riga!

Burn the Floor is a great show and I also worked very hard.  I was also a pro on the Australian version and Indian version for DWTS . But there is nothing better then being on a live tv show, and on one of the biggest in America. :) But I do get more nervous on DWTS then Burn the Floor. It’s live and if you make a mistake then that’s it.  In saying that, I have never made a big mistake yet. (Knock wood )

Ballroom With A Twist is an amazing show. Could you tell us how it is different from other productions that you have been involved with?

Yes Ballroom With a Twist is a great show and  fun to watch and all the dancers are amazing in what they do , also including the singers. We always have such a great time , and I love performing in that show. It’s a high energy show and the audience always leaves wanting more!

What do you see as the biggest challenge for a pro on Dancing With the Stars?

I don’t see a challenge, I see a journey. It is such an amazing thing to watch because the celebrity transforms right in front of your eyes into this amazing dancer by the time you are finished with her!

I love to teach and dance so this is the perfect equation for me. It is a lot of hard work I must admit, but I wouldn’t even call it work because it’s what I love to do!

I think it would be a dream come true If I got to be a pro on the USA version!  I watch all the pros in all the season and how passionate they are in their work and I love it!

But in answering your question about what I see the biggest challenge for a pro is – it’s coming up with all the different dancers because each dance has to  take the viewers on a rollercoaster, and I always say that each dance you do has to be amazing and each time the viewers hear the same song all they can think of is our dance!

Thank you all for these questions,

I loved them and I hope you all have a great New Year with lots of success and fortune and happiness, and let’s make sure Tristan takes home this mirror ball this season!

---Sasha

   
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        "He Said - With Sasha Farber and Emma Slater"  - (December 21, 2012)


Sasha and Emma are two of the kindest, most fan-friendly people we could ever hope to meet, and they very kindly agreed to a special “he said, she said” interview with us.  We asked both Sasha and Emma the same questions, and here you get to see another side to the extraordinary performers, choreographers, and artists that we see each week on Dancing With the Stars.  Be sure to follow them both on Twitter:  @SashaFarber @EmmaSlaterDance

It is the DWTS off-season and we miss seeing you dance! Tell us a little of what you have planned for the next couple of months.

Sasha:  Well, we are going to spend Christmas and New Year here in Los Angeles and relax and unwind. And in January, we start touring the USA doing demonstrations and shows.

Emma:  It’s really panned out well over the next few months as Sasha and I have a solid few months of dancing. After the show finished it was kind of a mad rush to be honest! (We moved house 2 days after the season then flew to England to see my family which was fab.) We will spend the Christmas/New Year period here in LA where we start rehearsals for a show called Ballroom with a Twist which is touring the US constantly. We have dates with them all through January and February so I’m really excited about doing that because I adore performing onstage. Also in this break, we are also performing our own demonstrations in a series of shows involving some more of the DWTS pros over 4 weekends in Jan. It’s always fun working in a group of people from the show and I get to see a little more of the US. Also in February for me is the official ‘Dancing with the Stars Cruise’ in the Caribbean! I was over the moon when they told me! I’ve never been so I’m very happy about that one, plus I have a lot of good friends from DWTS Live in Las Vegas who are also doing the cruise.

Season 15 was a season of All Stars, but it was also a season with a new judging system, new dances, and new themes.  What are your favorite memories from the All-Stars?

Sasha:  Season 15 was amazing. There were so many great memories; one of mine was doing the trio with Apolo and Karina. Working with those two was so much fun, and Karina is such an amazing dancer and character. It was a dream come true. And another memorable moment was choreographing with Emma Slater to Taylor Swift.  Really had to pinch myself for that one. :)

Emma:  The Allstars seemed to me like it had no limits in terms of production. I was pretty amazed at the effort involved in creating unique looks and concepts for every single dance. I think my favorite week in general was the week where the celebrities choose the theme, concepts and ideas for the dance. Gilles got to fly, Maks drove a Union Jack Mini Cooper into the studio (I was very jealous) and Emmitt and Cheryl had a donkey in their number! That was a super interesting week. So I have to congratulate DWTS for pushing the boat out even further than last season. There are often some good moments in the show that sadly you won’t see because they are in the dress rehearsals. One of the moments I remember was when 4 of the couples did a group dance to “Call Me Maybe” for the first time, in week 5. In the dress run when we first saw it, Sabrina got stuck in the prop locker towards the end of the dance and she didn’t come out at all until the whole thing finished. It was quite funny! I have to add though that Joey Fatone in general was one of the best things about the Allstars, he was priceless.

Sasha, tell us about working with Tristan and Pamela in their finale dance.  We hope you had as much fun dancing as we had watching!

It’s always a pleasure working with Tristan, he is such a talented dancers and his idea really came across on TV. He always does a great job and our rehearsals were fun. What can I say working in the same room as Pamela Anderson, can’t be all that bad can it!  That number that Tristan did was a lot of fun, and everyone loved it, Pamela did an awesome job,  and I would have loved to see them more in the competition.

Emma, tell us about the intro to Apolo and Karina’s Foxtrot - The makeup, the positioning, everything! How did it happen and how did the concept even originate?

I think it may have been Apolos’s idea! Karina was a Roman statue also, only she said there’s no way we’d get a paint brush near her so we gave up on that! Plus she would have got it all over his suit when they danced too. But Oksana and I were dressed in special roman toga costumes with thick rubber head caps made to look like statue hair. There was so much work involved in that it was the longest time I’ve ever been in the make-up trailer for sure. They coated Oksana and I once and it wasn’t white enough on camera. So someone had to go out of the studios and buy a thick white paint make-up. Then after another 2 coats it still wasn’t totally white so they got the spray gun out! … I was still finding it in my ears 2 days after! And it really sticks to your eyebrows and eye lashes. The next week I told them I wanted 4 coats of spray tan on! But I was so happy doing it because I love being a character and having a specific idea behind each performance, no matter what I’m portraying. I loved figuring out my statue poses, it’s the actress in me trying to get out!

Here is our “I wish” question.  If you had been partnered with a celebrity in Season 15, which of the celebrities would you have liked to have as your partner?  Why?  Looking ahead, who is your “dream celebrity partner”?

Sasha:  I would of loved to dance with Shawn.  She is a great character and such a nice person. That girl has so much heart and determination it really is great to watch her dance. I guess my dream partner would be someone who wants to learn. That's all I need.  :) 

Emma:  I’m going to say Apolo. Karina got into some really advanced technique with him, and you could see him constantly processing the information. And if not for the fact that he tried his absolute best all the time then probably because I would be hanging around backstage with Karina and him a lot and we would always end up having a laugh. They had a good relationship with each together and I adore people who can have fun and look on the bright side of things.

My dream celebrity partner?? RYAN GOSLING!!!! :P I would love to become a professional on the show, it’s a goal of mine. I would like to add an English injection in there! I will have to keep pestering DWTS, and I’ll put in my request for Ryan Gosling!!

Of all the themes you’ve seen on DWTS during your seasons on the show, which would you most like to choreograph and use in a performance?

Sasha: My favorite so far was the Michael Jackson theme I have always looked up to him and he is a dance Icon.

Emma:  Well I loved the screen idea that Ricki Lake & Derek used in their Tango for Season 14. I’ve wanted to use that one since! But I love pretty much most of his stuff, he’s super at choreography. There are a couple of ideas I’ve thought up recently but I if could recycle other ideas used in previous seasons one of them would probably be when Maks and Kirstie Alley did a Charleston and Kirstie came out of a big cake! I think Maks was a chef! I loved that idea and it really suited the Charleston. I also really liked Cheryl’s trio dance from season 14 when she danced with William Levy. She had Paso Doble. Tony Dovolani and William played bad guy and good guy trying to win the girl and it came off really well. The music was perfect.

You were in many dances in Season 15.  What is your favorite? Thinking back further, what is your favorite performance overall since you’ve been on DWTS?

Sasha: My favorites were the Sugarland performance in season 14, where I danced with all the girls  :) and the trio with Apolo and Karina.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBTPykkVVZk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-QtTGj-g8I

Emma: I really adored being Little Red Riding Hood in Episode 2 of the Allstars season. It was a fairy tale classy rumba piece, with lots of red fabric! Rumba is one of my favorites. I think that would have to be my favourite. Another number I really enjoyed was the one in fusion week. The number was to the song We Run the Night and it totally appealed to me because it had a crazy fierce energy to it and I like dancing powerful, dynamic type dances. Kind of sexy!

Speaking as a choreographer, what is the most difficult number you’ve ever created?  Similarly, as a dancer, what is the most difficult number you’ve ever performed?  (either on DWTS or elsewhere)

Sasha: I can’t say that there was a difficult number yet, because it is what I love to do and there have been so many. Finding a story of something that can’t be done in real life, something that is a fantasy, being someone or something and portraying it through the art of dance, telling a story through dance - dance is the worldwide language that is spoken around the world. So it’s about making the story clear for the viewers and taking them on a ride they will never forget, making sure that every time the viewers hear the same song all they can think of is my choreography.

Emma: I assisted in the choreography for Usher’s performance of Scream at the American Billboard Awards this year and although that wasn’t too difficult, we had to choreograph it without either Usher or his female partner being there. Plus he had to sing live so the duet couldn’t hinder his singing either. But I was very glad to do it. The most difficult number I’ve performed was actually a number on Burn the Floor, a Ballroom and Latin show previously on Broadway. There’s a number in the show where a girl gets blindfolded and dances rumba with 6 men. It’s very real though, and you honestly can’t see a thing. I had to rely solely on the men leading me and taking me carefully. It’s sometimes very scary as the connections differ from boy to boy. You have to adjust super fast.

Both of you have built up quite the fan base and an amazing support system since you’ve been on Dancing With the Stars and you both have many ardent supporters even within our website. Here’s your chance to say a little something to your fans!

Sasha: I am just so happy and over whelmed with all the support I have been getting, and I will continue to make all my fans proud and never ever stop learning. Thank you so much for all the support and comments I read and appreciate every single one of them. And if there are any question you want me to answer please send them to macmaniacs.org@gmail.com [we will forward your questions to Sasha], and I will answer them for you.  I hope all my fans have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year and I hope I can make you all proud next season, if DWTS WILL HAVE ME BACK! :)

Happy holidays everyone

Follow me on twitter @sashafarber

Love
Sasha Farber

Emma: I want to thank everyone who has ever supported me and my career, it makes a huge difference to me. I appreciate it so much. I enjoy going on Twitter because of you! I feel very lucky; without the following and support of you lovely people, there would be no way for performers like myself to progress in an industry that relies so much on fanbase. So thank you sooooooooo much! And I would just like to add that I was lucky enough to do an interview for Macmaniacs.org during the last season of DWTS and I was overwhelmed with the amount of lovely responses I received. So particularly to Macmaniacs.org, thank you!

Hope you all enjoy the Holidays and a Happy New Year! xxxxx

Thanks to Sasha and Emma for taking time during their holidays to answer these questions. They are truly lovely, generous people, and DWTS is fortunate to have them!


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                An Interview With Emma Slater - (September 12, 2012)

First of all, we were amazed at your recent performance with DWTS India.  How did you and Sasha end up working and performing there?  Would you tell us a little bit about that experience?

BBC Worldwide produces many of the ‘Dancing with the Stars’ series for different countries all around the world so we actually got invited to go through the BBC (a lovely producer called Richard!). I was so excited to go; travel is one of my favorite things to do. And India was on my list! Sash and I both had very popular celebrities on the show who were such beautiful people too. Actually everyone in India was so friendly and polite. The country itself was very beautiful and I wish I could have had more time to go explore (Although it was monsoon weather!) Working on ‘Jhalak Dikhla Jaa’, the Indian DWTS, was a wonderful experience. 

We know you began dance training at a very young age.  We would love to hear more about that training and how you knew that your career path was going to include dance.

I actually wanted to be an actress all my life! It wasn’t till the age of 12 when I realized I couldn’t give up dancing and it had to be my career because I loved it more than anything else and I was so passionate about it. At a young age I took Ballet and Jazz at a local dance school and joined a couple of theatre groups for children. I remember seeing a demonstration of Latin and Ballroom dancing and I was in complete amazement of how electric it was. I joined a Latin and Ballroom dance school a few months later, and it quickly escalated to competitions. A year or two later, I was completely decided that dance was going to be my career and I would somehow make it work.

We’ve read about your amazing range of experience, including the George Michael music video, the film Mamma Mia, Burn the Floor, and so much more.  You have an incredible resumé for someone so young and have performed all over the world. Is there a particular performance that has special meaning for you on a personal or professional level?

I was recently chosen by R&B Singer Usher to perform a duet dance with him to his new song ‘Scream’ at the American Billboard Awards in Las Vegas. I was over the moon when I got a call from my agent. I’m a huge fan of Usher’s music. Unfortunately the day of the awards turned out to be camera blocking day for the Finale of Season 14 DWTS in the US so I couldn’t do the Billboard Awards. But I did get to choreograph the duet for Usher along with Sasha who helped me! That’s the difficulty with being a performer in the TV industry. The contracts are often short or bitty so you have to try and co-ordinate your work life so that you can go from job to job as seamlessly as possible.

On a personal level, my favorite job would have to be Burn the Floor because of the life long friends and MASSIVE amounts of fun memories I made whilst on that show.  Broadway was a magical part of that whole experience too but by far the best thing to come of it was finding Sasha. Cheesy I know! But true. :)

Would you tell us about your experiences in Burn the Floor?  How long were you in this amazing show and how did you ultimately end up on Dancing With the Stars?

I was in Burn the Floor for two years. Burn the Floor fueled my love of travel; the show goes everywhere. My first tour was China and I think we did around 10-12 cities in 16 days! Then the show went to Broadway, then Australia, Japan, South Korea, Canada, New Zealand, London’s West End, USA, Holland, Belgium, South Africa and that was when I left to go visit Sash when he was doing his first season of DWTS. Burn the Floor doesn’t do anything by halves. The show is wild to put it mildly! I’m very passionate about the dancing in it and the choreography; it’s high energy and totally mesmerizing. All the dancers work 110% and we’re totally knocked out at the end of the show! 

Sash had left to do DWTS and towards the end of his first season I flew out to visit him. I ended up having an interview with the producers and it must have gone fairly well because they contacted me just before the next season asking me to be in the Troupe! To say I was mad with excitement was an understatement; as soon as I had my visa I got on a plane two hours later!! 

We have already seen you in so many wonderful dances on DWTS.  If you had the opportunity to dance with any pro (past or present), who would it be?  Why?

Well I always love to have a whip around the floor with Tristan! (I’m sure many people would agree with me there!) I love his expressions when he dances especially with his celebrity partners. It’s like a cheeky grin just between them! Derek is also a wonderful dancer and he’s so passionate about it. Every step he choreographs has a thought process behind it and he’s intense when he dances. I’d like to dance a fierce Paso or Tango with him. 

Do you have a particular favorite ballroom or Latin dance? Or do you have a particular performance from over the years that is a special favorite?

My favorite dance changes all the time and I think for me it’s more about what performance best reflects and expresses the way I’m feeling at that moment in my life. It’s so easy to put your absolute all into a dance if the mood and intensity reflect your exact emotions at that point. Because dancing is all about expressing yourself, when I dance, I’m emotionally attached to what I’m doing and it becomes very real. That’s the part I loved about dancing. You don’t need words. I can’t pick a favorite dance although I do tend to favour the extremes. For example I’d love dancing a rocky and fierce sexy Cha Cha just as much as a very vulnerable, delicate and meaningful Waltz.

Along those same lines, what is your favorite performance so far on DWTS, and what do you like most about being on DWTS?

My favorite performance on DWTS so far would be either the rumba Sasha and I did to Smokey Robinson for Motown Week or dancing a snappy Cha Cha to Santana for Latin week. I really liked that one because it had a strong Latin flavor to it and Santana was amazing! You get to meet and work with some incredible people on DWTS from the Macy’s Dancers who are unbelievably talented to the crew and production team. They are always so busy and still have time to treat us really well and have a laugh. I love everyone who works at DWTS, it’s just so easy to work there! So that twinned with getting to perform on America’s biggest TV show every week is the best thing about working on DWTS. I also love being here in LA too. It means Sash and I can both work together in a great city and we don’t have to choose between England and Australia! 

Just from what we’ve seen and heard on Twitter and on our own website, you have developed an enormous fan base, and you’ve proven to be very responsive to the fans.  How is it that you stay so grounded with all of the attention focused on you?

I love what I do and I’m very happy to be able to say that. It’s even more wonderful when people see my performances and want to show me support with lovely comments and messages. I’m honestly flattered. So I like to let all those people know how much I appreciate their support just because I honestly do. It just takes a few seconds to post a thank you reply! 

What was your experience like in DWTS: Live In Las Vegas?

I can’t even describe how much I enjoyed my time on that show! Vegas is such a party town, but I actually didn’t go out all that often. It was more about the day to day coming into work and laughing with all my friends on the show. To be fair, I ran into some obstacles at the start of the contract. I got strep throat after 4 days of being there, and then a week in I sliced the back of my hand cutting some watermelon in the green room! Then I had a knee problem so I was convinced that Vegas was bad for me! But I got over all that and by the end I was super sad to leave. The show was great too and we played to really packed and loud audiences most nights so it always felt like a fun atmosphere.

You have traveled and worked all over the world.  Do you have a city or country that you’ve visited or lived that has special meaning for you?

I have a few favorite cities. My first one would have to be New York. To go there for a holiday would be amazing but for me to wake up on my first day there not knowing anyone or anything about the city, I was captivated. I walked around for so long before I had to be in for work, just looking at the buildings. So different. But I have a love of European cities, I just think the history, culture and flavor that very European city has is so unique compared with the rest of the world; it’s unmistakable. Other cities I think are beautiful would include Vancouver and Sydney. I will always love what I consider to be my city though, London. Everyone must go there.

Please tell us a little about what you like to do when you’re not dancing on DWTS.  We would love to get to know you better.

I’m always changing my mind! I have a few consistent hobbies though. Cooking is a major one. It really makes me happy whipping something up in the kitchen, I especially like to cook with a lot of color so lots of veg and greens. I also love coffee and tea and would quite happily walk from café to café if I could! I love to walk and am generally quite healthy. I write a fair bit too though not as much as I used to. I used to write everyday, just journal bits and bobs. I do think the only downfall to being a performer is you don’t always have to exercise the old brain cells! Sound so harsh, but kind of true. I sometimes miss having a non-physical work project to manage. Maybe I’ll do something with that in the future. I also love to obsess about the home I haven’t yet got! I can be quite domestic.

Is there anything you would like to say to your supporters?

There are a million things I want to say to my supporters! Each and everyone nice comment I receive is truly felt by me and I would love to thank everyone who has ever shown me support in anyway, it really goes a long way in this business. Without touching on the ‘Hippy’ side of things, I believe in the kindness of people and it really makes a difference. So thank you again to anyone who has taken the time to support me. I’m very very happy to entertain people. :)

Thanks to Emma for her kindness and for taking time out of her schedule to answer our questions.  I think all of us here at MacManiacs.org have a new appreciation for not only Emma but our entire DWTS Troupe. Please remember to follow Emma on Twitter.  @EmmaSlaterDance


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                         An Interview with Henry Byalikov - (May 9, 2012)             
   
We all know you were a huge hit in Burn the Floor, but how did you actually end up on DWTS and as part of the troupe?

It’s actually kinda funny, I got here in a very unique way. As part of the San Francisco tour in 2009, selected members of the cast were asked to perform in a demonstration on DWTS. I was so excited to be on the show, I remember walking into the CBS studios which is where the live/pre-recorded filming takes place and thinking how much of an honour it was to be performing for the show and how much I wanted to be on the show.

We performed our number in dress rehearsals before the show, and I vividly remember all the Pro dancers were sitting watching…It was very intimidating but exciting all at the same time.

After our dress rehearsals finished a few of us were requested to interview for potential Pro positions. Those few were myself, Peta, Sharna, Sasha and Damian if my memory serves me correctly.

Following the exceptional reception we received for the demo, I got a call later in 2009, from an executive producer regarding a position as a Pro in 2010. I was beyond ecstatic! Unfortunately, the celebrity I was to be paired with had contractual complications that prevented her from participating and as a result my hopes to become a Pro were dashed. I'm sure you can imagine the feeling. So close yet so far!

Nevertheless, in the beginning of this year I received none other than a ‘facebook’ inbox message from another of the executive team, asking if I would like to be a part of season 14. It took me about .0005 of a second to reply.

At the time, I didn’t know what position I’d get to perform on the show, or if I’d even secured anything. Considering past experience I was hoping for the best but expecting the worst.

Literally 2 weeks or less, before the show was to go to air I got the green flag as a Pro Troupe member, so I then proceeded to book flights, accommodation and a car, and here I am!!!

Thank goodness for social media right?

Some of us are familiar with your choreography, but others may not be. Can you tell us what dances you have choreographed on DWTS (or elsewhere if you prefer), and do you have a personal favorite?

I have been fortunate so far, to have choreographed 2 numbers for the Pro Troupe, the first during Rock week for KISS with Mark Ballas, Chelsie Hightower and Oksana Dmetryenko. My second was for Motown week with Kiki Nyemchek, Oksana and Sharna Burgess. It was an honour to be asked so early in the season to choreograph and that was made even better when I got asked to choreograph again for Motown week.

In all honesty I have choreographed quite a lot, so picking a favourite is always difficult. I loved all my work with my Australian DWTS partner Toni Pearen, she was an amazing student and talent, so I was able to really push the boundaries. Everything we did on the show is on Youtube actually, got to love that! I’ve also choreographed a number of stage shows that I, myself perform in, and have enjoyed every number. But if I have to pick one I’m going to pick the one that puts a huge smile on my face and has a significant meaning to me.

It was when I was on SYTYCDAU (So You Think You Can Dance Australia) in Top 12 week. It was the first time I choreographed a number since I decided to come back to dance. Let me give you a quick background so that you can understand the meaning it had to me.

Previous to my appearance as a contestant on SYTYCDAU in 2008, I had decided to give up dancing and make moves into the corporate world, as a result of disillusionment caused by my experiences in competitive ballroom dancing. I stopped competitive dancing in 2005 at the age of 19, so I could focus on my Bachelor of Economics and Finance university degree. After 3 and half long years and an internship with finance and accounting firm KPMG, I was depressed and lost with what I wanted to do. I was teaching dancing at the time, mostly for the fun of it because I loved it, and heard about SYTYCDAU. I was somewhat intimidated to step back into a competitive world especially one as diverse and competitive as SYTYCD is. Somehow, owing to my stubborn ambitiousness I decided on the spur of the moment to audition, I found a partner to audition with and was on my way. Every obstacle that stood in the way was more difficult than the previous but with my strong determination and focus I seemed to plough through. The only thing I was worried about was choreography, as it was so foreign to me. In top 100 week I choreographed a little piece to a Michael Jackson song for our group of 5 and seemed to sit well with the audience and judges. Nevertheless, I thought it was just luck…

As the weeks went by it came to top 12 week and all couples were challenged with creating our own number to 1 out of 3 songs selected by SYTYCD for us to choose.

In the end I decided to theme it as a ‘Teacher and Goofy Student’ routine. I was so nervous about it going right, because the Aussie version of SYTYCD didn’t have a ballroom judge on the panel. The audience reaction was incredible and the performance was so much fun. It was definitely the moment that defined what I wanted to do for the rest of my life!

If you could dance with any of the pros on DWTS, who would it be and why?

I have to say I'm so lucky because I got the opportunity to dance with one of the Pros this week, whom I’ve respected since I first saw him on the show. Derek Hough.

Derek’s choreography is always so well structured and detailed that when you watch you can’t help but love his routines. Working with him for our Trio with Maria, is a dream come true.

I was nervous going into it, but once I settled in the whole experience has been awesome. He was worried about the song choice we got and was not altogether sure as to the theme/story/flow of the choreography/costuming I can totally relate, since it’s week 8 and he’s done SO much already. It’s really difficult to choose the theme for the piece each week. I find it’s like a trickle down effect; once you choose it then the choreography begins to flow, the costumes become obvious and the performance takes shape.

What are your personal favorite ballroom and Latin dance styles? (feel free to explain!)

Short answer they are all my favourites! I think Maks put it well when he said something to the effect of ‘the dance styles are like children, you can’t like one more than the other cause those are your children’. I like to put it like this: I love to express myself through my performance and I love it when people enjoy my expression. Each dance allows me to take on a different shade of myself, thereby allowing me to paint different pictures. Just as a painter might love his paintings in all their diversity, I love each style, not just ballroom and Latin, because of the different emotions, feelings and expressions.

For example, I think of each dance in Latin as a relationship. Cha is the first time you meet someone, you’re all bubbly, happy, nervous and flirtatious. Samba is sort of like the dating period, when you’ve already chosen your partner in whatever capacity makes sense to you, and is the pursuit of lust. Rumba is the dance of lust, the pursuit is over… Paso Doble is the first argument that may or may not end in death or a passionate display of domination. Jive is the make up after the argument, because we all like a happy ending. hehe..

That’s my take and that’s why, the more the better for me!

Tell us about your dance training, and how dance became such an important part of your life?

I think I would be repeating myself if I were to go into details so, I would refer you to look at Q2 for the snapshot of the journey I’ve had.

In a nutshell, my training started when I was 10 years old, as a result of my mum finding out that I was faking being sick to get out of having to dance at the Russian restaurants my friends and family would frequent. This was when I was around 9 and a half. I was born in Australia and have a strong Russian background, as both my parents were born there. This means the Russian restaurant outings are as frequent & important as, for example, going to your favourite baseball team’s game, it’s just the way we roll…lol

This particular Russian restaurant outing was for my then best friend’s birthday party, This time I had no excuse to be sitting down, I had to dance. I remember being frozen with nerves and embarrassing thoughts of my friends laughing at me so I sat, and my best friend's mother came to me and asked why I wasn’t dancing. To which my reply was “I have a headache”. I got home thinking I had gotten away with it, but my mum’s first line of questioning in her typical fashion was “What’s wrong with you? Are you sick? Why have you got a headache!?” My reply was short and to the point, “I don’t want to get up and look like an idiot.” No later than a week, I was in my first dance class and never looked back…

Very quickly you have developed a large fan base and earned an enormous amount of respect both as a dancer and choreographer.  How does that make you feel, and how do you stay so grounded?

Firstly, I can’t believe it! I am so blessed and humbled that people have taken to me this fast. It’s always so nerve racking performing to a brand new audience, constantly thinking what their reaction is going to be! Are they going to like what they’re going to see? But my first performance of this season left me with a throbbing headache as a result of my nerves. By nature I am actually quite reserved, almost to the point of being shy.

An important aspect of my life, that I learnt quite early on, was that there was no way that I could do anything for a living without passion. Not just conceptualized passion, but true, pure passion. I love what I do and that’s the only way I can live. If I am doing something because I think it’s the right thing to do, I will, owing to experience, be destined for unhappiness. The fact that I have found what I love and am living it is fantastic, but to pursue my passion in front of such a massive audience and to have had such an amazing response from the audience is incredible. I appreciate it so much to know that I can connect with viewers and bring joy to people in the way I have. I am lucky that my passion has that effect on others.

What do you like most about being on DWTS?

I love performing to audiences, and I love to know that I can connect with them. The larger the audience, the more people you can connect with, and it’s really as simple as that!

The reason I love DWTS in the US, is that, in my opinion, the US is the focus of some of the best talent in the world. That’s not to say other countries don’t have amazing talent, there is just a historic trend that talent finds its way to the US at least from Australia. Truly I love strong competition, because it brings out the best. The stakes here on DWTS US are as high as they can possibly be! When you’re asked to choreograph a number to one of the world’s most famous rock bands, not to mention one of your own favourite rock bands, it’s not something you take lightly. In addition, the Pros on the show have left quite big footsteps to follow in and are truly an inspiration.

 Is there anything you would like to say to your fans and supporters?

I would like for each and every fan and supporter, to know how humbled and grateful I am to have the unique opportunity to perform and connect with each and every one of you. This is my life’s passion and I am honored I get to share it with you, it means a hell of a lot! I appreciate their support immensely…you give the show life and therefore you keep my dreams alive. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I wish you and your families all the very best. God bless you all and stay tuned!! 
  
 Thank you, Henry!


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PART 3: MORE INTERVIEWS


              An Interview With Gina Carbone of Wetpaint - (June 20, 2012)


Gina Carbone from Wetpaint was kind enough to answer some of our very nosy questions, and as always, we are treated to her delicious sense of humor! Enjoy.

Would you tell us a little bit about your background? How old were you when you started writing? Did you study journalism?

I kept diaries when I was little, like a lot of kids, but on March 14, 1991 I made a point to write in my journal every single night, no matter how boring my day. (I just happened to pick that day, but the very next month my parents split and my journal turned out to be very helpful therapy.) I was 14 back then and it was probably the best thing I could’ve done to get into the habit of writing. Over the years my posts evolved from “I woke up...” to something more akin to real stories. 

I originally studied Anthropology at Hamilton College in upstate New York and that’s where I started writing film reviews. I decided to switch to Communications/Radio & TV at Northeastern University in Boston and wrote a few reviews for that school newspaper as well. I studied abroad at Curtin University in Western Australia and that was my first paid writing gig — film reviews for the school paper. Never thought they’d actually pay! 

After graduating from Northeastern, I got a job as a news clerk/librarian at the Portsmouth Herald in Portsmouth, N.H. After the first month I approached the news editor with a story idea and after that I slowly moved up to features writer, film critic, special sections editor and, ultimately, features editor. I had a “year abroad” where I was a copy editor at the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle in Cheyenne, W.Y., but I eventually decided to go into freelance writing since it offers more flexibility. Doesn’t pay as well, there are no benefits and I could be canned from a project at any time, but it gives me independence and lets me often work outside by the water. To me, that’s worth it.

How does your approach differ when writing about shows other than Dancing With the Stars?  When you cover The Bachelorette, for instance, it’s fairly obvious you still go for humor, but how do you get inspired to write from a particular angle?

The audiences are a little different. With Bachelorette I feel like I can poke fun at the show a bit more, since longtime fans are pretty aware of all the editing and manipulation and how so many contestants there for the “right reasons” to find love are really just trying to get their faces on TV. I love the show but I roll my eyes at it too. And since it’s supposedly about romance and chemistry, I don’t mind getting really silly about the guys’ bodies and other shallow stuff. I do that for DWTS too — obviously I’m in love with Tristan! — but I have to sometimes rein myself in because it’s not just a dating show. The people on DWTS are usually famous for more than just showing up on TV and there’s so much more to the pros, especially, than just their bodies. (Although I never complain when they want to show off their bodies!) 

How long have you been covering DWTS for Wetpaint, and has your approach changed over the seasons? Where do you get your ideas?

DWTS is the first show I started covering for Wetpaint as a freelancer … I think it was around March of 2010. The site was pretty new and at the time the editors wanted a lot more content than they do now. They’ve scaled back a lot of the features, whereas it used to be recaps, quotes, OMG moments, costume hits & misses and a lot more. I think it’s good to keep it relatively simple or things just get lost out there and you end up flooding people’s Facebook pages with so much content that it’s overwhelming. 

Wetpaint breaks things down into news stories and features and for news stories there’s a lot of aggregating. I go to various sites and see if, say, People.com has a story about a DWTS pro or contestant, then send intel to my editor to see if she wants something written up. She’ll either say yes or pass. During the show season I’ll come up with some top 5 or whatever ideas for features and my editors will also suggest some ideas. While the shows are literally airing Monday nights, stuff will often come up naturally and I’ll ask my editor if she wants something on, say, what Maks just said to the judges. If a story or particular topic does well, we’ll do more on it. My editor has access to the database that says what works and what doesn’t, so sometimes she’ll pass on stuff if people aren’t responding to that topic. Usually stuff on the pros does pretty well, especially Maks and Tristan. So if you see a lot of stories on a particular subject, it’s not always because I’m obsessed, it’s more often because the readers are responding with page views!

Obviously, we’re a little partial to the appeal of Tristan MacManus, but do you have a favorite pro (or pros) on DWTS that you have found particularly brilliant – either in terms of performing or choreography?  Along those same lines, do you have a favorite season of Dancing With the Stars? (or perhaps a least favorite season)

I’m a huge fan of Derek Hough’s choreography. It’s a crime that he hasn’t won an Emmy. He was my favorite pro before Tristan, but Tristan definitely won me over with his humility, charm, looks, accent and dance talent. I only put talent last on the list because he always puts his partners first. He’s not a LOOK AT ME dancer, which I find very endearing. Kym Johnson is my favorite lady pro — Edyta was my favorite before she left — so I’m thrilled Tristan and Kym seem to be so … close. 

Favorite season? I loved the cast on Season 10. Even hating on Kate Gosselin was pretty fun since it seemed to bond all the viewers. There was a lot of drama but also a lot of great dancing. Some people diss Nicole Scherzinger for being too good right off the bat, but that’s the producers’ fault for casting a “ringer.” She and Derek were like two pros out there. That 1950s Paso Doble? Classic. Loved Erin Andrews with Maks. Loved Buzz Aldrin, even though he couldn’t dance. Loved the immediate shock of Shannen Doherty leaving. Loved wondering what the hell Jake Pavelka was doing there.  Great season, even if the winner was predictable.

What is your personal favorite of the different pieces you’ve written?

Oh wow. I don’t have one. I’d be afraid to name one, ‘cause then someone would point out there’s a huge typo in the first line.

As a writer, you probably also love to read.  Do you have a particular favorite author or book?

I don’t even have HBO right now but I’m insanely obsessed with the actual “Game of Thrones” books and I’m currently I’m re-reading everything in the “A Song of Ice and Fire” series. I never thought I’d be a fantasy geek, but I was assigned a news story on the new “Harry Potter” book back when the fourth one was just coming out, and the little girl I interviewed convinced me to give the series a try. I got hooked on all things Harry Potter, then read “The Lord of the Rings” series and now GoT. In high school I was a big fan of Russian literature, especially Dostoevsky, but since then I’ve slowly gone mainstream. Now when a Stephen King book comes out I’m all over it. 

What type of writing do you most enjoy? Do you write in other genres?

If I could come up with a good topic for a novel I’d try to write one. Anyone have a topic that might work? I’m already 50,000 words into the world’s worst novel — thanks to a National Novel Writing Month experience maybe 10 years ago — but it’s crap and I can’t make it un-crap. 

What question have you always wanted to be asked? How might you answer that particular question?

Tristan: “Gina, will you let me take you on a tour of Ireland, fall in love with me and be me wife?”

Gina: “Why, yes. Yes, I will.”

Now to the fun stuff.  What do you really think about Tristan MacManus, and what do you really think about MacManiacs?  By the way, we gave full credit to you for the term ‘MacManiacs’, even from the inaugural days of our website back in late November, 2011.

Oh I don’t think I deserve credit for the MacManiacs term, although I don’t know the source myself. It descended from the heavens on its own! I think the MacManiacs are a blast. It’s always fun to find a group of people who share the same interest, especially when those people are nice and don’t take everything too seriously. We’re not saving lives, we’re just making each other smile. And to me, if you’re going to like someone, why not go all-in and indulge in it? It’s not like Tristan is sitting across the room as we write about him (if only!), giving us embarrassed looks. If he ever said “Listen, you guys need to chill ‘cause you’re making me uncomfortable,” I think we’d all back off and keep our lovin’ to ourselves. But he knows it’s just harmless fun. He has great fans because he’s earned the affection and respect of other kind people.

When did you realize that you wanted Tristan to be your fake boyfriend?  (okay, you can leave this one out if you want).

I totally missed him as part of the pro troupe. I don’t know what my brain was doing back on Season 12, but I didn’t really feel the full power of our Lucky Charm until he was announced as a competing pro and he started his whole Bickersons relationship with Nancy Grace. I think I got hypnotized by his tattoos.

There has been tons of discussion about the DWTS All-Star Season coming up in the fall. If you could cast the show, which pros and celebrities would you bring back, and how would you pair them up?

I think I covered that one here a while back, although I could probably update it: 

http://www.wetpaint.com/dancing-with-the-stars/articles/gilles-sabrina-carson-our-dream-picks-for-dwts-all-stars

I partnered Tristan with Brandy because she’s someone a lot of folks feel was “robbed” of a place in the Season 11 Finals (certainly over Bristol Palin). I would prefer to see Maks dancing with either Erin Andrews or Mel B and I’d like to see Brandy with a completely different pro personality. Maks and Tristan are about as different to me as two men get, never mind two pros, and I would just be curious to see how Tris and Brandy would work together.

A very special thank you to the amazing Gina Carbone for taking time out of her schedule to answer our questions.