As the 12th season of Dancing with the Stars ends this Friday, November 11, Planet takes you behind the scenes of this flagship TF1 show, which has been delighting viewers and dance enthusiasts for over ten years. For the occasion, the editorial staff has sent two of its journalists to live to make you live the show in the heart of studio 217 and reveal all these details that you do not see on television.

After the performances of all the stars and their dancers, and the elimination of the candidate of the week, the debrief takes place every week in the second part of the evening in the RedRoom at the top of the floor so that Camille Combal can gather the impressions of the dancers and hot jurors. Sometimes, when there are exceptional guests, it is also an opportunity to attend musical performances by former candidate singers. As was the case for Tayc, winner of the previous season, or this season for Bilal Hassani, now judge for the first time this year.

Last week, for the semi-final of the dance competition, Matt Pokora was the common thread guest of the show and we were there with my colleague Thomas. First winner of the show in 2011, the singer accompanied the couples all week during their rehearsals and in particular for their imposed figure, performed by Matt Pokora during his performances with his partner Katrina Patchett. He therefore wanted to perform the first single from his new album Épicentre on the set for the occasion. What you don’t know is that unlike what you saw on TV, the performance was not live as you were led to believe, but pre-recorded before the show started. around 7 p.m.

Indeed, the room driver told us that Matt Pokora was going to record his performance upstream. The public thus played the game by applauding the singer and his new title Who we are in a sublime setting, the singer seeming to float in the sky posed on a white staircase. The public will even be entitled to three consecutive performances. Indeed, after a first rehearsal, two takes were made. We could see that a teleprompter was also installed to scroll through the lyrics of the songs. After greeting the public, Matt Pokora left to change his outfit before the start of the show.

It was not until much later, when it was close to midnight during the debrief, that Camille Combal brought back the singer who was wearing the same camel corduroy suit he had on during his performance, pretending that the singer was going to perform his title “live”. A little trickery that we forgive given the late hour of the evening. The singer therefore pretended to go and sing while descending the stairs before the audience applauded and the pre-recorded tape was thrown to the spectators. He will wait before going back to RedRoom pretending to have just delivered his performance. A spectator of the public will launch besides on this subject. “We are being lied to on TV”.

This is not the only pre-recorded sequence since the short presentation videos of the candidates as well as the “coming-next” broadcast before the show just after the TF1 news to announce the arrival of the show are also recorded. before the show starts around 7:30 or 8 p.m. Meanwhile, the dancers rehearse…

The tension mounts on the floor of studio 217. As we sit in the audience with the other spectators, the dancers make their entrance to the cheers of the fans. A few minutes before their rehearsal, they join the center of the stage in their light suits. Under the watchful eye of Emmanuelle Berne, former dancer (seasons 6 to 10) who became choreographer director of DALS, the troupe warms up, stretches and prepares to rehearse the entry number.

For the opening of the semi-final: a medley of hits by Matt Pokora, the special guest of the evening. While he has just left the set to change backstage, producer Hakim Gorab plays his understudy for rehearsals. After instructions from the room manager, the public jumps up to clap their hands.

The dancers sway on the podium while their male counterparts pose on a large white structure. Then the dances follow one another before our eyes at breakneck speed while the camera scrolls in turn over the semi-finalist couples. Salsa, rumba and lifts, they really have rhythm in their skin. What make us want to sketch a few dance steps on the floor.

These moments of public rehearsals are also an opportunity for us to discover the rituals of the troupe. Like the round between the dancers, their little war cry to motivate themselves before the live and the big hugs between friends. A team spirit that has reigned since the start of the season. But, the success of Dancing with the Stars is also thanks to the shadow figures of the show. Technicians, hairdressers, stylists, costumers etc… All are invited to join the dancers and jurors for the big family photo, under the watchful eye of master of ceremonies Camille Combal.

During the filming of Dancing with the Stars, the dancers are available to their fans. And, nothing is too good to please them. Even before the start of the prime, as I lost myself in the maze of studios to find my colleague Thomas, I came face to face with two of my favorite dancers, Anthony Colette and Jordan Mouillerac. In the excitement after having my selfie with them, I wish them luck. “You know that we are no longer in the competition”, retorts one of them with humor. I respond tit for tat. “Yes, but as soon as there is an injury, Jordan comes back every two days”. We laugh heartily!

© Sarah UGOLINI / Planet.fr

During a publicity break, Pierre Mauduy, the partner of singer Carla Lazzari, multiplies the photos of our side of the public. Fan favorite you say? Maybe. But, to hear the cries of the spectators seated behind us, it is the actor Thomas Da Costa and his partner Elsa Bois who win the votes. Rest assured, our ears suffered less when the results were announced.

© Sarah UGOLINI / Planet.fr

At the end of the evening, our beautiful star smiled at us again. Christophe Licata waits in front of the studio exit. Neither one nor two, I strike a pose with the dancer, the time for my accomplice Thomas to immortalize this meeting between southerners in a photo. He too had a special moment with one of the jurors.

© Thomas LOUISY / Planet.fr

The Dancing with the Stars jury knows how to keep busy during the filming of the show. Between two pages of advertising, the judges do not hesitate to redo the match by debriefing the dances of the couples. However, they also have their rituals to wait before the resumption of live.

Among the judges, Chris Marques is the one who stays connected on his smartphone. The flagship judge of DALS, once renowned for his extravagant jackets, takes a liking to revealing behind the scenes. “I admit, we have time to do a lot of stuff,” he wrote in the caption of his publication. On set, we saw the dancer and choreographer shoot some videos for his social media.

Singer Bilal Hassani is also connected to the web. Between make-up and hair touch-ups, the new judge and season 11 finalist shares behind-the-scenes footage with his fans. In a 100% white style signed Balmain, the singer multiplies very caricatural poses on the set by playing with his long ponytail and sulky pouts, under the eye of his team and his mother Amina Frühauf seen on the set.

More discreet, Marie-Agnès Gillot does interviews with the members of the jury during the break. The star dancer also meets the audience, sometimes goes backstage and returns to the set. Time to sip some water or an energy drink (which gives you wings) before filming resumes.

While the couples rehearse or settle on the set, François Alu is very much in demand by the fans. Children and adults approach the famous dancer of the Opera, willingly lending themselves to the game of selfies and autographs. My colleague Thomas takes the opportunity to exchange a few words with him. Available and friendly, he even agrees to make a video message for a friend, a big fan of the star dancer of the Paris Opera. Time for us to return to our seats as filming is about to resume, orchestrated by the tireless Camille Combal.

Camille Combal is undoubtedly THE revelation of TF1. The former TPMP columnist has come a long way and is now the star host of the channel, embodying with humor and charisma a new version of Dancing with the Stars since season 9. A lover of puns and always ready to improvise, he knew give a lot of lightness to the competition.

A humor he shows between off-air takes. Indeed, during the filming of the “coming-next”, a small pre-recorded sequence which announces the start of the show and which is broadcast after the TF1 newscast, the host did not fail to interact with the public. . “If we do a one shot, I’ll offer you all a Spritz (Editor’s note, cocktail), the whole public”, he notably launched to the public. A source of motivation that worked since the sequence was recorded in one go.

Despite the challenge and the strong audiences, the host and young dad keeps a total relaxation. With only seconds to go on air and the start of the semi-final broadcast, he was still asking an assistant to bring him “something to drink” because his throat was dry while we threw at him: “We don’t have time, it’s shooting in 30 seconds!”.

During the launch of the magneto on Fauve Hautot and Billy Crawford, Camille Combal does not hesitate to joke with the public either. “He dances well, this Billy, huh?” He asks me about this season’s big favorite. “Yeah, it’s not bad”, I replied with irony to the host who retorted with a lot of humor: “He just has to work on the supports anyway”. A memorable filming evening and to quote former juror Jean-Marc Généreux: “And, that, I buy!”