My goodness.. I still can't believe I was at the Premiere of DTWS Season 22!!!
I figured I'd share my adventure with you .... b/c getting tickets to go... well it's like winning the lottery!!!
So I have watched DWTS for a few years now. I wasn't all that into it until a few years ago when one of my Daughter's favorite band members Riker Lynch of R5 was on! We got totally obsessed with the show then... watched it faithfully each week as well as voting for our favorites!! I figured, man it would be awesome if I could get tickets to go!! So..... I did some research and found out how to get tickets. I had to be put on a waiting list b/c the show is so popular that getting tickets is like winning the lottery!!
Sure enough, I had been on the waiting list for 2 years now!! FINALLY on Thursday Mar. 17th, 2016 I got the magical email that said.. CONGRATS... You have the opportunity for tickets! Now the thing of it is.. you gotta JUMP ON IT FAST!! They only offer very few tickets to go. Once they are gone, they are GONE! So.. I texted my Daughter who was in school at the time and asked her if she wanted to ditch work with me and go to DWTS on Monday?! She wasn't getting back to me as she was in school! I knew they would go fast and so I jumped right on it and reserved my tickets!! The max amount you can get is 4... so I got all 4. My Daughter got back to me... and of course said YES... and then I was able to respond... ok.. I GOT THEM!! :) I was at my office job at the time and was ready to BURST at the seams!! I FINALLY GOT THEM!!!! Wow.. after waiting 2 years, I was starting to wonder if I ever would be lucky enough to get them??
The date I picked worked out great since Monday March 21st was the 1st day of my Daughter's spring break and bonus... the PREMIERE!! !! She is trying for perfect attendance at school especially this year b/c they are giving away a 2016 Chevy car... so far so good.. she is now 1 out of 300 students in her whole school with perfect attendance for the school year. Fingers crossed!!
So with my 4 tickets I had 2 extras. I had to invite my Mom b/c she has been a fan way longer than I have. I ended up FaceTiming her to tell her the news b/c I wanted to see her face when I told her. I asked her, "So, What are you doing Monday, b/c if your busy... you will want to clear your schedule!" She asked "Why, what's going on?" I told her well... "I got tickets to DWTS and your invited to come with us!" She said.."Wait, What? Really!!" and started crying and said, "I Can't believe it!"
My Daughter had a friend in mind who is in her dance class and invited her. My Daughter is into dance. She has been dancing for a really long time... and it's her dream to someday be one of the professional dancers at DWTS... I know she will be someday... I tell her to keep pushing for it and not to give up!! So to have this experience meant the world to us!! It's cool that my Daughter followed in my footsteps with dance as I did dance when I was her age, she is WAY better than I ever was though!!
Fast Forward to Sunday March 20th. I ended up getting and email saying the first 35 people in line by 12:45 pm on Monday would be allowed in to their intimate dress rehearsal before the live show!! When I got that.. I started to worry about my original scheduled time of leaving in order to make it to call time at 3PM. With this new information I decided to change my time of leaving to much earlier b/c I figured a lot more people would be trying to make it there for this dress rehearsal opportunity! My original plan was to make it there by 1PM a few hours before our call time of 3PM. I ended up changing that and we made it there at 10:30AM instead! When we got there... the line of course had already started!! I wasn't sure how many people were actually in line... but I just honestly wanted to be insured we would make it in. After my research the night before reading other people's blogs... DWTS sometimes over books the amount of tickets they really have and depending on what number you are in line... you could be turned away as the tickets are not 100% guaranteed. So I went that early in hopes to make the cut off... but not betting my life or happiness on making it into the dress rehearsal.... at least we would be guaranteed a seat at the show if we were early in line.
Standing in line in outside the front of CBS Studios in Hollywood, CA
March 21st, 2016
We waiting in line from 10:30AM till about 1PM. During that time we made some friends with the people around us. Laughed our asses off at some of the security guards who were hot boxing in the car behind us... you know what I mean! ;) and just had a really good time hanging out.
So... 1PM rolled around and they started taking people in for the dress rehearsal. They would put a count at the top of your ticket so they knew how many people number wise they were letting in. We got up to the lady collecting and numbering the tickets and by the way... at this time... the line was pretty darn long!! I just about died b/c we were numbers 34, 35, 36, 37!!! No fucking way... WE MADE IT IN TO THE DRESS REHEARSAL!!!! Really?! Is this really happening??? WOW!!! BOUNUS!!! We were shocked and very very happy... b/c we weren't counting on making it in for that!! So YIPPIE!!!!!
Can you tell my Mom is soooooo super excited... Well I was too if you can't tell!!! :)
We are inside the CBS compound!
Inkerbella, Kelsey, Alyssa and My Mom
FINALLY inside the CBS Compound getting ready to go thru security!
Ticket #34,35,36 and 37 READY to see the Dress Rehearsal!
Kelsey and Alyssa super duper excited to make it into the DWTS Dress Rehearsal!!
Let me just tell you... I feel so super lucky to have had the opportunity to be at the dress rehearsal!! We got to sit in the VIP seating which is the seating you see the celebs family sitting in. We were sitting in Doug Flutie's family row for the rehearsal. It was so cool to see Tom Bergeron live and in front of us. He was dressed all casually... and was busting jokes left and right while running his lines like you won't believe!! He was so funny and kind, came over and said Hi to us! During the rehearsal we got to see the stars and their professional dance partners run their dances as if it was the real thing. We got to see about 1/2 of them perform for us. Now, my favorite celeb on the show right now is Jodie Sweetin!! I have been watching her since the late 80's in Full House and LOVE that show. I shared my love of the show with My Daughter of course, and she fell in love as well!! So... we are HUGE fans of hers! We recently watched the whole season of Fuller House and just enjoyed it so very much! Well... SHE was one of the dances we got to see in rehearsal! So.... right before she went to do her dance, she was standing right across from us on the dance floor.... I got the chills and just couldn't contain myself any longer and yelled out " GO JODIE!! " and then Kelsey went "Wahooo!" and guess what?... Jodie smiled super BIG at us and waved, and we returned the wave and smiles too! BEST MOMENT of the experience hands down!! I wished so very badly we could have kept our phones.. oh yea.. they make you turn in your phones before going into the studio. So.. sadly I only have pictures from before we got into the studio and after... nothing while we were inside!! But hey... I have memories in planted in my mind that will last, hopefully a life time!
Jodie Sweetin performing on DWTS Premier
Jodie and Keo
Other highlights from the dress rehearsal... Erin Andrews came out and offered us goldfish crackers as she was getting ready to run up to the stairs to the sky box interview area. They had us learn a dance or sway our arms anyways for Doug Flutie's dance to the song "Sweet Caroline". They filmed us doing it.. I wish I could find the rehearsal of it somehow. They had us sway our arms and then do an air punch while singing along!
We were in the top balcony the camera zooms past us really fast!
It was fun being apart of it!
They had Whitney and Von Miller practice their dance.. it was a crack up to the 37 of us at the rehearsal. Let me explain why... So the crew came over and was setting up CO2 canisters and said... everyone Watch your ears, this is going to be loud! So they tested it and it was a bit on the loud side, but not that bad. So then the crew told us.. it's going to make our hairs stand up and I was like, What? Whatever.. I thought honestly he was telling a joke or something. Nope!! Turns out the CO2 cans put off a lot of electricity... which in turn really does make your hairs stand up!! So sure enough.. as they were practicing... Whitney's hair started to stand up.... which made us all laugh.. then we started to notice ALL of us had our hair standing up!! So the whole time they practiced their dance we were all busting up !! During the rehearsal, they have stand-in judges who actually critique the dances and give them a score... Erin kept saying these are your FAKE scores! Which indeed they were.. and luckily so, the stand-in judges gave only 4's and 5's.
Whitney and Von
Can you see her hair... Well now you know why it looks like that!! :)
During our time at the rehearsal.... they had all 37 of us get up and come out on the dance floor for Val and Ginger Zee's practice performance. Again... Wish I had my camera or a way to find the behind the scenes rehearsal videos for this... it was awesome!! We got to go up and we were on the actual dance floor and yelled and screamed for Val and Ginger!! It was a blast to be there and get to see these things before everyone else!! We def. felt special and very VIP! In fact, we were 1st in line to get back in for the actual live show!! We were in rehearsal from 1-3PM. As soon as we were done we came out and they got us back in the front of the line with all the other people who had been waiting!!
Val and Ginger
The ballroom was so pretty... so many lights and sparkle and the biggest disco mirror ball I've ever seen!!! So much glitter and sparkle.. I was in heaven!! The ballroom floor is a lot smaller than I thought it would be... it's amazing how the angles they film at give it a much larger appearance... it was still a pretty good sized floor and set up! When they loaded us in around 4PM we were sent up the the balcony. Our seats were great!! Right next to skybox and the all access spot... so... we could see when they did the interviews right after they performed (where they run up the stairs to) and to the left of us we saw them doing the Live Chat interviews too (All Access) ! It was cool, action all around. When you go to these things you see how many crew members it takes to run a show like this... It's was amazing.. honestly, they had big props they had to set up all during the commercial breaks! This show runs like a well oiled machine and it's b/c they are all so good at their job. Not to mention the live band was on point too! The whole time we were live.... you had to stand! The only time we were allowed to sit was when it was commercial breaks which was anywhere from 2-4 mins. I would have to guess about 150-200 (not counting the VIP floor seats) of us actually made it in to the live performance. The people that didn't make it were held outside for seat fillers!
DWTS Season 22
March 21st, 2016
All the Amazing Celebs and Dancers!!
Best of luck this season!!
GO JODIE!!
This was an awesome experience we will NEVER forget!!! :) I had a blast and look forward to continuing to watch this season!! Best of luck to all the contestants! We are rooting for Jodie to win!!
Where we spent our day.. CBS Studios in Hollywood!
The end of our day at CBS studios and the taping of DWTS Season 22 Premiere!
Kelsey and I CBS Studios filming premier of DWTS Season 22
We had so much fun!!
Pretty sunset over CBS studios to end our day!!
I spy... Kelsey and Alyssa!!! I was sitting to Kelsey's left....
can't see me, but I'm there! We had great seats!!
If your ever lucky enough to get tickets... I'm going to break down my advice of a few things I wish I knew before going, or learned while I was there!! :)
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SO YOU GOT TICKETS??? CONGRATS!!!
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN GOING TO DWTS!!
1. WEAR COMFY SHOES (No one will see your feet) You will be standing and walking A LOT!
2. DRESS NICELY!! Everyone there is dressed to impress, it was the nicest dressed audience I've ever been apart of!
3. BRING YOUR CREDIT CARD! Parking at the Grove is $24 for the day and they only take Credit Cards!!
4. BRING WATER! They sell water & soda when you wait in line, they do allow you to bring water into the studio. I wish I would have known that!
5. BRING SNACKS! You won't have time to get food! We were there from 10:30AM and didn't leave until 7:30PM, That's a long time to go with out any snacks! They won't let you eat inside the studio, but you have time while you wait in line.
6. LEAVE YOUR CELL PHONES IN THE CAR! They will make you turn in your cell phones if you bring them along. We knew of this rule as I read all the fine print! We only checked my phone in and left the others in the car. Believe me, the line to get your cell phone at the end is longer than the restroom line.... however, they did get it back to you pretty quickly I'd say at least a 10 min wait in line.
7. BE READY TO SMILE, CLAP AND STAND! Yep.. you do a ton of standing (you only sit during the commercial breaks) See the comfy shoes thing comes in handy here too! You will be clapping a lot and usually to the beat of the music.... and smiling a ton!! You never know when the camera will catch you!
8. GET THERE EARLY! If you want to be guaranteed entrance into the show... the earlier you get there the better!
9. AGES 14+ONLY! If your under 14. or look under 14 don't bother coming!
10. BRING YOUR ID! CBS security will NOT let you in unless you show your ID!
Hope these tips help!! Have fun!! :)
HUGS
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