I had a “pinch me” moment when I found out I was getting a dance lesson and chat with Dancing with the Stars Pros/Juniors Alan Bersten, Brandon Armstrong and Gleb Savchenko during the trip to LA a few weeks ago.
We visited Pro Dance LA located at 744 N Fairfax, Los Angeles, CA 90046 that is owned and operated by DWTS Gleb Savchenko and his wife Elena Samodanova. When you walk inside the dance studio you will find trophies, sketches, figures and posters of him and his wife from their dancing career.
Photo Credit: Coralie Hughes Seright / LovebugsAndPostcards.com
During the chat with Dancing with the Stars Pros/Juniors Alan Bersten, Brandon Armstrong and Gleb Savchenko we talked about dancing, challenges, and their careers along with them teaching us a dance from the movie Nutcracker and the Four Realms which I’ll share later.
Photo Credit: ABC/Craig Sjodin
Q: What has been your favorite moment from the show?
BRANDON ARMSTRONG: “Okay, well, my favorite was this season, my first season as a pro.Tinashe was amazing. I think our favorite moment was when we did the Argentine tango, that was very much my style. It wasn’t traditional. It was to a different song, different type of vibe. So, that’s definitely like my style as a pro on the show.”
ALAN BERSTEN: “My best moment was joining the show. It was a dream of mine when I was younger. I was watching the show with my grandpa and it was so nice to think maybe one day I can be there. And then one day I got here and it’s honestly a dream come true. So, every moment on the show is my favorite moment as cliché as that sounds.”
Q: Who would be your dream dance partner?
ALAN BERSTEN: “JLo.”
GLEB SAVCHENKO: “Arianna Grande.”
Photo Credit: ABC/Craig Sjodin
Q: Is it more challenging mentoring adults or children?
ALAN BERSTEN: “Yes, but I think it was an experience that really enlightened all of us. When we’re on the show with adults there’s a lot of pressure because we’re in it with them. We’re going on this journey with them. With the kids, we’re able to kind of stand back and let the kids go on a journey and really help as much as we can without actually being in it.”
BRANDON ARMSTRONG: “I do have to admit, I think it was more rewarding for me, maybe this is just me but this is my first season, like I said, on the adult show. But I think it was more rewarding for me to watch my kids do well then it would be for myself to do well. So, I think for me, it was more rewarding. I think for most of us would agree that like to be able to sit back and watch your kids and like when they finally execute it well that is a million times more rewarding.”
GLEB SAVCHENKO: “But it’s definitely much more nerve-racking because you stand back and watch.”
Q: Do you have a go-to person, place or experience to get fresh ideas for new inspiration?
ALAN BERSTEN: “I mean I feel like we’re fairly new on the show. I feel like the songs and our partners inspire us. So, every season is different because what I’m doing with Alexis I couldn’t do with Mariah or Debbie. So, every season you get an inspiration from your partner.”
GLEB SAVCHENKO: “This is their journey and your learning a lot about them, where they’re from, what they do, and why they’re doing the show. And so, each week is telling a story about them in dance.”
ALAN BERSTEN: “There’s a lot that goes into that minute performance. And honestly, like Gleb said, it’s all about the celebrity.”
BRANDON ARMSTRONG: “Our job is to make them look good.”
ALAN BERSTEN: “I think what’s so great about this show is not necessarily comparing one dancer versus the next. But how high each person can jump, you know. They are capable of doing this and that. And then is this individual giving 100% of what they’re capable of. It’s not necessarily comparing straight across.”
GLEB SAVCHENKO: “It’s more about the growth and the journey they take us on.”
Photo Credit: Coralie Hughes Seright / LovebugsAndPostcards.com
Q: What is the style you need to learn more about?
BRANDON ARMSTRONG: “Ballroom.”
ALAN BERSTEN: “Hip-hop, contemporary, jazz.”
GLEB SAVCHENKO: “Ballroom.”
Photo Credit: ABC/Eric McCandless
Watch Dancing with the Stars on ABC Mondays 8/7c and Dancing with the Stars Juniors Sundays 8/7c.
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Dance Lessons with DWTS Brandon Armstrong, Alan Bersten & Gleb Savchenko - Everyday Shortcuts
January 25, 2019 at 5:33 pm[…] in November you may remember me talking about a Q&A with Dancing with the Stars Pros/Juniors Alan Bersten, Brandon Armstrong and Gleb Savchenko in Gleb’s Pro Dance LA studio. While we were there we also got a dance lesson on a piece from […]