"Dancing With Stars" Dances with Truth

DWTSSo you think all those performances on "Dancing with the Stars" are arranged by the professional dancers, like Cheryl Burke? Think again, people.

Our spies -- and they're unimpeachable -- tell us many of the routines are arranged by outside choreographers, especially when it comes to the "younger, less experienced" professional dancers, like Burke, Kym Johnson, Derek Hough, and his sis, Julianne.

The show makes it appear as if the professional partners create all the moves for the celeb contestants -- but that's just not the case. All that rehearsal video is a little deceptive -- we're just sayin'.

One source says, "Cheryl Burke is the worst" when it comes to arranging her own material. She relies heavily on outside help.

BTdubs, we shot video of Cheryl Burke with one of the professional choreographers -- Wendy Johnson -- outside an L.A. restaurant. We're told Wendy worked on the dance that won Drew Lachey the cheesy trophy.

For the record, Cheryl's rep says any insinuation that she gets outside help is a "blatant lie," adding that Wendy Johnson is a good friend of Cheryl's -- she's known her since she was 11 or 12-years-old. Also, the rep says, Cheryl "spends Tuesday night choreographing her routines in her apartment."

An ABC source says it's not against the rules for the dancers to use outside help.

Check out stars falling!

Filed under: Dancing with the Stars

Reader Comments

(Page 3 of 5)Previous 15 Comments | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

31. Who cares! I'm sure they have choreographers and most of the season are pre-planned. It;s crazy to think they make up routines and design costumes in a week...
LAME INFO TMZ!

Posted at 3:27PM on Mar 26th 2008 by Lisa

32. Who cares? It's called entertainment!!

Posted at 3:43PM on Mar 26th 2008 by over it

33. I worked as a professional ballroom dance instructor in the 80's. Believe me when I say that any instructor who has made it into the national dance competitions (as have all of the ones on DWTS), is quite capable of doing their own choreography. Their age does not matter, either. The pros normally put in 60-plus hours per week on the job, and routinely choreograph numbers for their students who participate in competitions and exhibitions. The instructors receive ongoing training and are constantly learning new steps and brushing up on old ones. It is a grueling schedule, but most in the business love it so much that they will dance until their bodies give out.

Posted at 3:54PM on Mar 26th 2008 by A Former Ballroom Pro

34. whatever, did you actually think they came up with those dances themselves... who cares they still have to learn it...they still rock the dance floor... i can barely walk straight let alone dance the way they do.

Posted at 3:56PM on Mar 26th 2008 by drsileria33

35. For the professionals on Dancing With The Stars to have somebody comming in and helping out do not make sense to me. They have a week to learn their routine, and away from dancing they have to learn to trust each other. Would you like someone to trow you around, if you did not trust them to catch you.?It take time to get that trust in someone.I think all the professionals are VERY good,and I enjoy very much to watch them all.And lots of luck to all. Quite some work, you all are doing.

Posted at 4:04PM on Mar 26th 2008 by E.Karlsen

36. Guys, You're great, but this is a NON-STORY!! NON, I tell you. Aborpt, abort!! If it isn't against their contracts, who cares? If someone thinks the pro is SUPER, hires him/her, (s)he isn't....what??cry me a river! Let the buyer beware!

TMZ comment on 'fake' rehearsal tapes? Ha. The only iffy thing there is that they didn't show 50 per contestant!! PLUS the private help THEY get on the side; IF they're allowed to. Now...THAT might be something! Bummer. Write-guy-gal has never tried those dances. Would have known!

But what do I know? I still use aol. Ya know? Smile. Where's MAXIM? THAT we want to know! Cheers, Dudes

Posted at 4:13PM on Mar 26th 2008 by Mill Pill

37. wow, what a surprise! of course they get outside help. i've never doubted for a minute that they didn't (every last one of them). but that doesn't change anything for me. the professional dancers are still amazing to watch and incredibly talented. and why's everyone picking on cheryl burke? it's rather suspect to me that a source told you that cheryl is the worst. please. she's one of the most talented and is so fun to watch.

Posted at 4:15PM on Mar 26th 2008 by lex

38. Oh by the way Tmz, if you watched dwts last night, you would of seen Annas mother helping out with the Gute. Her mother is a dancer. Last season Julianne had 3 famous dancers helping out with Helio. Your big scoop isn't so big.

Posted at 4:21PM on Mar 26th 2008 by SydC

39. Your comments about the Dancing With The Stars professional dancers not knowing what they are doing and needing outside help from outside choreographers just sounds like another one of your stupid claims just trying to bring issues and problems to make the show look bad. To say that Cheryl Burke is the worst is the worst comment out of everything your stupid company has ever listed. She is the best of the best and works very hard at what she does. If she does ask a friend for an idea on a dance there is nothing wrong with doing that. That is done in just about every job throughout the world. I am sure your company has had to ask for help on everything you do, does that mean you are the worst at what you do. Your company makes nothing but false claims all the time and diffently needs to ask for more help from others.

CHERYL BURKE IS THE BEST PROFESSIONAL DANCER AND CHOREOGRAHER!!!!!!!!

Posted at 4:29PM on Mar 26th 2008 by Aaron

40. That's sort of like saying Harvey writes everything on TMZ - what? No? You mean there are other writers on TMZ?! Say it isn't so!!

*groan*

Get on with more juicy gossip please.

Posted at 4:49PM on Mar 26th 2008 by MoMinKY

41. My granddaughters are professional dancers at 14 and 15 yrs of age. They have danced all of their lives and are very competent at choreographing dance routines for themselves and team members. These dancers are very talented ,hard working and skilled. And THAT is the truth.

Posted at 5:14PM on Mar 26th 2008 by Judy

42. DWTS is one of the most entertaining shows on TV. Would you rather watch people eat slugs?!? The whole family gets involved; we already have picked our top 3 for the finale. Every week we pick who we think will leave - and usually feel badly for them. We look forward to our Monday and Tuesday TV. (Can't say much for the other nights.) The dancers are all working hard - and who cares if there is a choreographer or not - try to make up one of those dances and teach someone to learn that dance in a week yourself! It is just light, fun, sometimes funny tv (loved Teller's "trip" up the stairs! The look on Tom Berggeron's face was priceless. Oh no, not another fainting! Priceless). I am so sick of the media looking to find something negative all the time; lighten up...

Posted at 5:21PM on Mar 26th 2008 by djt

43. Don't I remember DWTS showing us a few seasons back a segment about the help they get on costumes? I would imagine they have some costumes already since they are professional dancers and with a little help from costume designers on the set they could come up with a few changes and look as gorgeous as they all do. I am sure they can also make up routines quickly as they have been doing this for years; even if some are only 19. They showed us pictures of those adorable Hough kids dancing very, very young. And Cheryl Burke and and every other dancer on the show deserves better. TMZ, pay closer attention and better yet, get a life!

By the way folks, where is Maxsim? He was awesome and I miss him...

Posted at 5:22PM on Mar 26th 2008 by djt

44. I couldn't care less about who choreographs the dances. The finished product is what keeps me watching that show with a smile on my face. Luvs it!!!!

Posted at 5:25PM on Mar 26th 2008 by BellaY

45. I have another even bigger scandal for TMZ to investigate: Actors on tv shows apparently don't write their own lines! The horror. Anonymous sources say they get outside help (code-named "writers").

Posted at 6:30PM on Mar 26th 2008 by jwoolman

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