‘DWTS’ puts on a Cirque dance marathon
Cirque is shining its sun on “Dancing With the Stars.”
The ABC dance-contest show is partnering with Cirque du Soleil for its upcoming show, “Dancing With the Stars: The Results” on Monday night. All 11 couples in the current season will perform numbers inspired by Cirque’s shows on the Strip, as well as the touring production “Kurios – A Cabinet of Curiosities,” “La Nouba” at Disney World in Orlando, Fla.; and “Paramour” on Broadway.
The bulk of these numbers will be staged in the “DWTS” studio ballroom in L.A. (the show is actually presented in the CBS Studios facilities), but pro dancer and choreographer Gleb Savchenko and country music artist Jana Kramer are rehearsing and performing at Love Theater at The Mirage.
The song plucked from the show “The Beatles Love” is “Here Comes the Sun.” The sun prop from the show is being employed in the number, though no Cirque artists will dance in the act.
“We’ll be doing a foxtrot to it, and it is a very happy song,” Savchenko said. “The song is chill, but the dance is fast, very happy and loving and matching the happiness of the song.”
Seated at Savchenko’s side and holding a bag of ice (though there are no serious maladies to report), Kramer said, “We’re going to enliven the song. We have to do something special. We would get zeroes if we just sat there.” She laughed and added, “Even though I would love to just sit there.”
The partnership is seeded in a conversation between “DWTS” reps and Cirque exec Jerry Nadal in the fall of 2014. That connection led to two couples — Nick Carter and Sharna Burgess, and Tamar Braxton and Valentin Chmerkovskiy — dancing to “Hey Jude” in November 2014.
This year, the two sides are going full-tilt with Cirque’s creative participation in Tuesday’s show, with many performances in L.A. invoking the troupe’s artists and stage effects. The couples and collaborating shows: Kenny “Babyface” Edmond and Allison Holker, “Love”; Marilu HennerandDerek Hough, “Ka”; Laurie HernandezandValentin Chmerkovskiy, “Michael Jackson One”; James HinchcliffeandSharna Burgess, “Paramour”; Calvin Johnson and Lindsay Arnold, “Kurious”; Terra Jolé and Sasha Farber, “O”; Ryan Lochte and Cheryl Burke, “O”; Maureen McCormick and Artem Chigvintsev, “Mystere”; Amber Rose and Maksim Chmerkovskiy, “Zumanity’: and Vanilla Ice and Witney Carson, “La Nouba.”
Savchenko has seen a few Cirque shows and said he has always been impressed with the artists’ choreography. Kramer has never seen Cirque, though she plans to see “Love” during her stay.
“I do know that it’s very bright and big, very cool and very creative,” Kramer said, then rose to venture to rehearsals, and her first Cirque experience – from the stage.
PROPPED UP
Calling it “the highlight of my career,” Carrot Top welcomed Jerry Lewis to the Topper’s show at Luxor on Thursday night. Lewis hung for a time afterward, and the two posed for a photo. “I love Jerry!” the red-headed comic texted me later. From the looks of the photo, the feeling was mutual.
SHINE ON, GOSSY ROOM
More entertainment is pouring into Cleopatra’s Barge, better known as the Gossy Room for the past 6½ years under the helm of Matt Goss. Debuting at 9 p.m. Sunday are the Moonshiners, the city-chic band hearkening to the Prohibition era but incorporating contemporary songs. The set list runs the gamut, from “Billie Jean” to “Minnie the Moocher” to the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.” There is no cover charge through October for the shows, which often run until midnight.
The lineup includes many column favorites: Vocalist Savannah Smith (“Vegas The Show” at V Theater at Miracle Mile Shops tops her characteristically busy schedule), keyboardist Kenny Davidsen (the Terror of Tuscany Suites), sax man Jon Celentano (Bee Gees Gold among his projects), bassist Trey Ordaz (a Berklee-trained musician who also works as a producer and sound man in Vegas) and drummer Darin Presley. Swinging for Smith on opening night will be Laura Wright (also currently cast in “Vegas The Show”).
David Perrico’s Pop Strings orchestra is also playing a month-long residency at the club. The room’s long-term fate is still unannounced, but we are expecting a new brand and partnership between the hotel, Goss and a famous club operator.
SLS GOES ’90s
A title to track: “Pretty Fly: 90s Show” running from Tuesday through Oct. 9 at Foxtail at SLS Las Vegas. The show is the first shot at a production show at SLS, and stars onetime “Pin Up” singer Autumn Belanger. The show is described as a rollout of ’90s hits, centered on a stardom-chasing teenager played by Belanger, who parries with the improv duo Frankie and Ronnie and a team of backing singers and dancers. Show times are 8 p.m.; tickets are $35 and $65.
John Katsilometes’ column runs Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday in the A section, and Fridays in Neon. He also hosts “Kats! On The Radio” Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on KUNV 91.5-FM and appears Wednesdays at 11 a.m. with Dayna Roselli on KTNV Channel 13. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
