Dance Chat With Kristyn Burtt: Episode 2

It's episode 2 of Dance Chat! It's such a big week in dance: SYTYCD just wrapped up, DWTS begins and the Primetime Emmys are next weekend. In addition to all of that, I will be participating in the Beat MS Dance Walk with Courtney Galiano and also covering Kristin McQuaid's dance performance with several SYTYCD alumni.  

Here is the breakdown on the episode

SYTYCD: 1:16

Primetime Emmys: 1:44

DWTS: 4:14

The question of the week: Do you like having Contemporary on the first week of DWTS or do you think it should be traditional ballroom?

Google Hangout: Let me know if you are interested in doing a Google Hangout about the Broadway documentary Every Little Step. If 10 or more people say "yes," then I will make that happen!

Links from the episode:

DONATE to Beat MS Dance Walk
Contact Me

AfterBuzz TV SYTYCD: Neil Haskell

Ahhh, the season is over. After a lackluster Season 9, I thought it was going to be difficult to get revved up for Season 10. Boy, was I wrong. This has been one of the most exciting seasons in a long time. While I have been in the Jasmine camp for a long time, I am still happy for Amy. The Top 10 contestants are all incredibly talented and I think we are going to see many of them working post-tour.

I want to thank all of the SYTYCD guests who joined us this season because they made our show extra-special. Besides our epic tWitch and Allison Holker episode, Spencer Liff continues to be one of my favorite guests. I am excited to watch his climb to success as he choreographs his first Broadway show Hedwig and the Angry Inch with Neil Patrick Harris.

Team AfterBuzz TV will also be supporting Courtney Galiano's Beat MS Dance Walk on Sept. 22. If you would like to support us, here is our donation page. A big thanks to Kaitlyn and Lois for their generous donations. We appreciate it!

Thanks for a great season! Let me know in the comments below who your favorite AfterBuzz TV guest was for Season 10.

AfterBuzz TV SYTYCD: Final Results Preview

I cannot believe we are down to the very last show of So You Think You Can Dance. Season 10 has been such a great ride for all of us on AfterBuzz TV. Before we bid goodbye and before Jake and I head off to Dancing With the Stars for Season 17, we have one final guest for you. It's another fantastic All-Star from Season 3, Neil Haskell. So get those final questions in for our last show.

If you missed the fan questions from tWitch and Allison Holker, click here.

Most importantly, who do you think will win this week? Fik-Shun or Aaron? Jasmine or Amy?

Also, the AfterBuzz TV crew is supporting Courtney Galiano's Beat MS Dance Walk on Sept. 22. If you would like to donate to the cause, you can find our team page here.

SYTYCD All-Stars tWitch & Allison Holker Answer Fan Questions

We didn't have time for the fan Q&A segment this week, so I've uploaded the audio recording we did with tWitch and Allison Holker after the show. They kindly stayed and answered every single one of your questions...that's how awesome they are!

Listen to the segment below:



Here is the piece that tWitch was talking about from Season 4, Top 4 with Courtney Galiano. Now that you have the inside scoop on what really happened, the ending is pretty funny. They did a great job of hiding their momentary confusion.



If you missed last week's SYTYCD AfterBuzz TV show, you can watch it here.

Also, the AfterBuzz TV crew is supporting Courtney Galiano's Beat MS Dance Walk on Sept. 22. If you would like to donate to the cause, you can find our team page here.

Dance Chat With Kristyn Burtt: Episode 1

It's such a big dance week, I couldn't resist! Let's talk DWTS, SYTYCD and Derek Hough! I hit a few hot topics on the two dance shows. Watch the whole show or drop in on your favorite segment. Here's how the show breaks down:

SYTYCD: 00:20
DWTS: 03:32
Derek Hough: 10:05

And the articles I refer to...here are the links:
Christina Milian Instagram ScreenCap: http://bit.ly/15oaAAX
Travis Wall Article: http://bit.ly/136WbLK
Sonya Tayeh Article: http://bit.ly/17vDyTw

Don't forget to join the chat and share your comments below. Let me know if you want me to do these regularly and what hot topics you want to discuss.

AfterBuzz TV SYTYCD: Courtney Galiano

It was ladies' night last night on SYTYCD on AfterBuzz TV. We were excited to have Courtney Galiano back on our show after joining us last season. It was really important that she talked about her MS diagnosis and her charity because she's really an inspiration to so many. Even with obstacles, she's getting out there and living her dream of dancing. 

I know a lot of the fans were upset that Paul was voted off. I was, too. I sometimes feel like reality shows have a bit of producer manipulation behind the scenes and this was one of those times. Courtney feels like you should only be able to win in one country and I know she isn't alone. It will be interesting to see if they change the rules for next season. I loved Paul's journey on the season. The one thing we shouldn't be sad about is the fact that he will be working a lot. We will see him again soon.

With the Top 4 officially announced, who do you think will win? We haven't seen the final dances yet, but is Nigel right about Twitter popularity? What do you think?

Let me know in the comments below.

For more information on Courtney's MS Dance Walk on Sept. 22, click here.

AfterBuzz TV SYTYCD: Top 6 Preview

I think the cat is out of the bag and most of you know who are guest is this week. Yep, Courtney Galiano! She's returning to our show for the second time after making a visit last season. Courtney's story is amazing and she's an inspiration to us all. If you missed her All-Star appearance with Tucker on SYTYCD last week, make sure to watch it before our show on Wednesday.

Courtney recently has been a principal dancer on VH1's Hit the Floor and helped organize the upcoming 1st Annual The Beat MS Dance Walk on September 22. There's a lot to talk about! So get those questions in for Courtney at the comments below.

Watch us on Wednesday on AfterBuzz TV at 9pm PT right here.

SYTYCD on AfterBuzz TV: Top 8 Preview

I cannot believe we are down to the last four weeks on SYTYCD. This season flew by for me because I have really enjoyed the competition and the talent this year. As you know, I've talked a lot about our guests this season and how much they've added to our shows this year. So, I'm so excited to announce that this week's guest is Audrey Case.

She was a Top 10 contestant on Season 9 and you may have remember her for her routine with tWitch by Dave Scott or one of my favorites with her partner Matthew Kazmierczak by Travis Wall.  The "Unchained Melody" piece was picked for the finale and for the tour.

UPDATE: So I received a text from Audrey last night asking if she could bring a friend with her on the show.  This is who she is bringing...

Yep, Matthew Kazmierczak! Get those questions in for Matthew, too! It's going to be a great night on AfterBuzz TV.

So, get those questions in for Audrey and I will see you all on Wednesday on AfterBuzz TV at 9 p.m. PT. Watch here.

AfterBuzz TV SYTYCD: Lindsay Nelko

What a night! So much to talk about and so little time. I am thrilled that this season of SYTYCD has brought such incredible talent. These kids are going to work a lot once they are off the show and done with the tour.

Lindsay Nelko was a great addition to the show. I wish we could have done an after, after show where we talked about her mentors Brian Friedman and Desmond Richardson. It was actually Richardson who recommended her for the show, but it's Friedman's The Pulse tour that got her noticed. We also had a personal discussion about being a young artist in the business and honoring commitments including making sure you understand the business part as much as the creative part. It was fascinating.

I want to thank Shannon Mather for talking to me on the phone about how she felt about her piece and what she on the show this week. It really does seem that "Medicine" is a popular piece for choreographers this year. She and Travis Wall are fine, so it's not a controversy. I know she really wants to choreograph for the show, so let's support Shannon and Travis. I think we cleared everything up on her end for the viewers.

Shannon Mather's Piece
Kristin McQuaid Piece
Travis Wall Piece

Finally, we have some great guests for the rest of the season. I hope you join us through our last show on Sept. 11. I know Jake and I will be rolling right into Season 17 of DWTS which will begin on Sept. 17 at 8pm PT.

You can download the podcast here.

SYTYCD on AfterBuzz TV Top 10 Preview

These last few weeks of SYTYCD are going to be so exciting. We have our Top 10 and the talent is just incredible. All of our guests are booked through the finale, so stop by and take a look. You might like what you see, we have all worked really hard to get the best guests possible this season for AfterBuzz TV.

I am thrilled that we were able to book Lindsay Nelko because she is one of the new emerging choreographers from Season 10. It's exciting to see new talent and Lindsay had an impressive debut this season. If you didn't see the number she choreographed for Paul and Makenzie, watch it below. The number is just gorgeous and it's one of the reasons I have been shocked Makenzie has seen so many Bottom 3 placements this year.

So watch us LIVE on Wednesday night at 9 p.m. PT on AfterBuzzTV here.

If you have questions for Lindsay, please put them in the comments below. See you tomorrow!

Dizzy Feet Foundation Gala: The Interviews

I decided to try something new here on my site, so definitely give me your feedback and let me know if you like it. I'm going to be updating this page over the next few days with a couple of the interviews I did on the red carpet at the Dizzy Feet Foundation Gala. I think there are some fun soundbites for fans of SYTYCD.

First up, it's tWitch who gives his thoughts on his role in dance, being a judge during the audition rounds and the importance of the Dizzy Feet Foundation:





Come back to this page later, I will continue to update it for you. Up next, Travis Wall!

If you missed my Dizzy Feet Foundation Gala photos, click here.
This week's ABTV interview with Spencer Liff, click here.
Or take my quick survey on Dance in the Media, click here.

AfterBuzz TV SYTYCD: Spencer Liff

What a show! I think I learned more about SYTYCD dance in this hour than in the last two seasons of covering this show. Spencer Liff gave us a real insider's look at the pressures the choreographers and the contestants are under. It's a time crunch each and every week. Doesn't it make you admire the work everyone puts in even more?

I hope you all take note of Spencer's career because you are going to hear his name a lot outside of SYTYCD. It's really exciting to see choreographer's emerge from this show. It also makes me excited to have Lindsay Nelko on as a guest on Aug. 14. We will get the opportunity to talk to someone who is just breaking out.

I have also updated our guest list for August, it's a great line-up this month and I like the variety that we have.

Finally, it was definitely time for Alexis and Curtis to exit, but I think this is going to be a great stepping stone for them. They both said they wanted to head to New York to Disney's Newsies. I hope to see them on the Great White Way soon.

Watch the show below or you can download the show in iTunes here.

PHOTOS: Dizzy Feet Foundation Gala Red Carpet

 It's the annual Dizzy Feet Foundation Gala and I have to say it is a must for any So You Think You Can Dance or Dancing With the Stars fan. Next year, save up and come to LA for National Dance Day, you won't be disappointed. Another good note, the fans are able to watch the red carpet and grab photos of the dance stars as they went into the venue.

Here are a few of  my photos from the evening. My official article will be up on Press Pass LA next week, but I will give you some inside scoop from the red carpet.

So sit back, relax and enjoy!

 tWitch and Allison Holker are the King and Queen of dance. They stayed the longest on the red carpet and talked to EVERYONE. Total class. The dance world couldn't have better ambassadors. 

 NappyTabs!!!

 Look who they brought, little London, who was wheeled down the red carpet in his stroller. They talked about London loving music, so perhaps he's a future contestant on American Idol. 

 Alex Wong looked very handsome on the red carpet. He talked about the importance of influencing a future generation of Asian dancers. If you missed his ABTV appearance, watch it here. 

 Chehon is ready to be a huge face in the choreography/producing/directing world. He's determined and I believe him.  Watch his ABTV appearance here.

 How incredible does Mollee Gray look? We keep showing up at the same events lately, so I am sure I will have more scoop for you soon. Her red dress is by Ted Baker--gorgeous!

Watch her ABTV appearance here.

 Every time I interview Mary Murphy, I like her even more than I did the last time. She's so kind and thoughtful. She talked a lot about the format changes and how much she hated the first elimination.

 Allison being a good friend and fixing Mollee's hair.

 I love that we have such a strong generation of choreographers including Travis Wall. He was a fan favorite, people screamed for him in the crowd. 

 Jane Lynch looked beautiful. The Glee cast members did not answer any questions...totally understandable. They need their privacy.

 Honoree Chita Rivera. If you have never seen her work, watch this, she's a legend.

 Arthur Mitchell is the first black ballet dancer for New York City Ballet and the founder of the Dance Theatre of Harlem. He paved the way for so many other black dancers in the ballet world. Watch him in the Balanchine "Agon" piece. 

 Adam Shankman, Nigel Lythgoe and Christina Applegate conferring on the red carpet.

 Adam is thinking...

 What are they talking about?!! This is when I asked Nigel when he was going to make Christina a permanent judge. He said he's tried but they have massive scheduling problems. Christina then looked over at me and jokingly signaled she wanted a lot of money. Then, Adam chimed in..."Wait, that leaves me off the panel if she's a permanent judge." 

There you have it...they've tried to get her permanently, but can't.

 Stacey Tookey...she's dying to get her hands on Makenzie for choreography. 

 For those that were asking, Mark Ballas' new album is expected to drop early next year.

 Chris Scott wants to choreograph on Fikshun this season...

 Lindsay Arnold and Sharna Burgess looked incredible on the red carpet. I even met Sharna's mom who is here on holiday. So sweet! Watch Sharna and Lindsay's ABTV appearance.

 Yep, that's Cat Deeley running late and running down the red carpet as the show was beginning.

 And that's the elegant Cat having a wardrobe malfunction.

SYTYCD on AfterBuzz TV : Mollee Gray

I love Mollee Gray! She's so sweet and I think she gave us the best insight on the choreographers and how they work in the studio. Mollee talked quite a bit about Travis Wall and Dee Caspary's process in the studio. It was fascinating to hear more from that side of SYTYCD.

The one topic that keeps coming up is why Alexis is getting pushed through each week. I'm not sure I understand why or how. Her fans are clearly supportive, but we all seem a bit baffled by it. I have to say that I love this season because there are so many good contenders. While we all may think Fikshun and Amy are going to win, you can't count out Aaron, Jasmine, Paul or Makenzie at this juncture.

Finally, Carly Rae Jepsen was one of the worst judges ever on the show. She joins the list with Zooey Deschanel for me. I polled a few of you on Twitter and several of you also mentioned Megan Mullally, Carmen Electra, Katie Holmes and Rob Marshall as your least favorite guest judges. Did we miss anyone? Let me know in the comments below.

P.S. If you came here to find out if Mollee is dating Kent Boyd, the answer is "no." They are great friends, but they are not dating. I hope that clears up any confusion.

If you missed the show, you can watch it here or download it on iTunes here.

SYTYCD on AfterBuzz TV: Top 16 Preview

We are back! After a long week off, it's time to get back on the SYTYCD bandwagon. This week we have a really exciting guest with Season 6's Mollee Gray. Not only will she be bringing her SYTYCD expertise, we are going to ask her all about her role in Disney Channel's original movie Teen Beach Movie.

So, get those questions ready!  You know what to do...questions go in the comments below.

AJ is on vacation this week, so I will be leading the show alongside Chloe and Jake.

See you all on Wednesday at 9 p.m. PT on AfterBuzz TV.  Watch here. 

AfterBuzz TV SYTYCD: Sharna Burgess

This was such a fun show. I cannot tell you how much I love Sharna Burgess as a guest. She is honest, funny and forthcoming with her insight. I always appreciate it because I know we are getting the truth when she talks about a controversial issue. The best part of Sharna though....she's nice.  I just like the gal. So, you will see her again when DWTS starts up again in the fall. Thanks, Sharna!

In watching the show back today, there were two things I noticed:
1. Judges: With all of the excitement around Paula Abdul judging, we barely mentioned her. In fact, Erin Andrews received more mentions than Paula. While the honor of having Paula on the panel is a big deal, I am not sure her judging comments resonated that much with us.  What do you think?

See our pre-show Vine video >>

2. Comfort Fedoke: Yes, she was the one who was eliminated and was brought back to the show. We were thinking hard on the fly and couldn't come up with a name, but we knew it had happened before. The real question is: Why don't they bring back contestants anymore?

I'm bummed the show will be pre-empted by the MLB All-Star game. We want All-Stars, but the ones who dance, not hit a ball. I will miss you guys next week, but we will return on July 24 with Mollee Gray and Kent Boyd. They have exciting news to discuss with their Teen Beach Movie coming out on the Disney Channel. You can also stay up-to-date on our future guests by clicking here.

To see the Sean Cheesman side-by-side comparison of his jazz routine from SYTYCD Canada with the U.S version, click here.

I would love to hear your comments on the show, so hit me up in the comments section below:

AfterBuzz TV SYTYCD: Alex Wong

Oh, what a show!  I am loving this season of SYTYCD on AfterBuzz TV because none of us agree. We all hold some really different opinions...and I like it.  Lest you think we don't like each other, don't worry, we all get along off the air. After we finish the show each week, the four of us actually hang out at the AfterBuzz studios and chat about absolutely everything. It's so much fun working with this team!

The controversy about the eliminations is going to continue. I don't think Nigel is going to change the format because it has us all talking: fans, the media and former contestants. It makes for good TV even if we don't agree with Nigel and how cruel the elimination seems.  Nigel isn't really a warm and fuzzy guy. He wants to produce a show with ratings.

We have been discussing possible solutions over in the YouTube comments. "WhatFC" came up with a great idea:  Reveal the Top 3 at the beginning of the show and then have the dancers perform their partnered routines for the save. Get rid of the "Dance for your Life" solos and make that night's dances truly count. What do you guys think of that idea?  Let me know in the comments below.

Alex Wong was another great guest who offered some honest comments about the show and how unfair the eliminations are this year. We are excited to see him back as an All-Star later in the season.

Finally, I saw this moment in the show and I could not stop giggling. Did we bore you, Chloe?  Awesome screen cap! It's at the 16:18 mark when we talked about criteria for eliminations. Chloe knows Nigel doesn't care, so why should she? ;)

If you missed the show you can watch it below or download it in iTunes here. Remember, we have a list of upcoming guests for this season, so get excited!  Season 10 is going to be epic.

AfterBuzz TV SYTYCD: First Eliminated Contestants Preview

Who do you think will be the first two to go home this week on SYTYCD? There were a few that struggled including Nico and Alexis with Christopher Scott's hip hop routine. I personally was not a fan of Malece's work last week, but I know she can give more if she sticks around.

My predictions to go home this week?
Girls: Alexis (I have really enjoyed her tap routines, but I don't think she is dynamic enough to stick around.)
Boys: Jade (While I think he has more to give, I don't think Nico is going to be penalized for a lousy routine last week. He has a lot of girls who think he is really cute. They are going to push him through.)

Also, we have guests lined up for most of July for AfterBuzz TV.  Get excited because it's going to be a hot show all summer long! (To see a sneak peek of us upcoming guests, click here.)

This week's guest is a returnee from last season. We are so happy to have him back. It's Season 7's Alex Wong! He probably has one of the most frustrating SYTYCD stories ever with being injured at the worst time. However, he's been an All-Star and it's always a treat to see him dance.

If you have questions for Alex, please place them in the comments below. (and let me know who you think is going home tomorrow!)

Watch us LIVE on Wednesday at 9pm on AfterBuzz TV here.

AfterBuzz TV SYTYCD: Vegas

We finally made it to Vegas! I am so excited for the season to start because I think the Top 20 is going to be the strongest cast we have seen in a few seasons.  We will also start bringing in guests next week, so stay tuned to see who will be our first guest on AfterBuzz TV.

Alas, we found out Jake's fate on the show as well. I'm sad he won't continue on, but we are all so proud of him for making it to Vegas. It's such a big accomplishment. Congrats, Jake....we love you!

Finally, I have a few choice words for Nigel Lythgoe. I have a problem when he starts setting up scenarios on the show to create drama like #TheBattle. Viewers can see right through this staged moment and it created a fraudulent moment on a show that has so much heart when it just lets the drama unfold naturally.  So, stop tinkering with the show, Nigel!

Let me know who your favorites are for the Top 20 in the comments below. It will be interesting to see if your predictions are right!

AfterBuzz TV SYTYCD: Boston Auditions

The whole gang is back together this week as we talk about the Boston auditions. It's my hometown and the dance scene is fierce in that town. It's a city that really supports the arts and it shows! I think it's the best set of auditions we have seen in awhile on SYTYCD.

Many of you have asked when our guests will be coming on. We will start with guests once we hit the Top 20. It makes the most sense since we want our guests to be talking about the true contenders for the title. From everything I am hearing, there is only going to be one winner this season. I am happy with that change from the two winner-result last season.

We have had a ton of requests for specific guests. I keep hearing Witney Carson and Lindsay Arnold requested over and over. We will try our best to get both of them, but one caveat: Lindsay is not living in LA this summer. I will try and coordinate with her schedule if she happens to be in town, but that is where we stand with her situation. Finally, Anna Trebunskaya promised to come in. As many of you know, she was a great addition to our DWTS show.

If you missed the show, you can view it below or listen to the podcast. Thanks for making it the #10 most downloaded show on AfterBuzz TV last week!

And a big thanks to Kaitlyn for calling in to discuss the Boston auditions!