KEY POINTS:
Who gets more votes on Dancing with the Stars: the great dancers or the people who try hardest and make us laugh? M White, Waitakere
DWTS is primarily a dancing competition first and foremost - although it is proven that the public enjoy the entertainment factor. The result is decided 50-50 by the judges' scores and public voting, so the contestants who make it through are generally the better dancers.
Why do you think Dancing with the Stars is such a hit with TV audiences? Mrs P Marshall, Tauranga
DWTS is an international hit series and the NZ version is one of the favourites with the BBC team who created the show. This is due to our fantastic characters, and because we do it with such heart and soul. Our hosts are passionate about the show and Jason Gunn, an experienced and consummate television professional, writes the scripts with the producers. Candy Lane is a legend in the ballroom/Latin world, and brings so much dancing knowledge and information to the viewers. I also believe the show shows people, who viewers know and love, out of their comfort zone giving something new a go. Maybe it inspires people to not only try dancing but other things that may intimidate or make them nervous. Also the band and the variety style of the show is good entertainment for the whole family to enjoy. We have heard anecdotes of enrolments at dance schools around the country picking up in the wake of our Dancing with the Stars series, and the numbers staying high even when we are off-air.
Do all the people on the show get paid? Do the real dancers get as much as the "stars"? C Fisher, by email
Yes, the celebrity contestants and the professional dancers are paid - this information is commercially sensitive and a private matter between TVNZ and the individuals concerned. But the real motivation for everyone involved is to raise money for the couple's chosen charity. To date, we have raised nearly $1 million from the first two series.
Why not release voting figures? What possible harm could there be in knowing who's getting lots, and who's scraping through? Mary S, Avondale
Weekly voting figures are not released because this could compromise fairness to the celebrity contestants and the integrity of the show. We release the details of the money raised and the percentage of votes gained in the final by the finalists after the show is completed, the statistics are checked and the money collected from the telecommunications companies.
How do you pick your "stars"? Do you go through a long list before you get ones who agree? L Foreman, Albany
It is an ensemble cast - not a bunch of individuals - so much care is taken in putting together a right mix of celebrities. The producers and TVNZ decide on a list of people and, obviously, we look for household names, such as sportspeople, presenters, icons, politicians and actors. We aim to have "someone" in the group that everyone in our very broad audience will relate to and be inspired by. Availability plays a part, as does having the time and energy to put into training, rehearsals and the weekly show - practice sessions start at 10 hours a week and can go up to 60 hours a week for the couple who reach the final.
NEXT WEEK: Sue Kedgley
