- 6 minutes ago
The 35th season of 'Dancing With The Stars' is here, and one pair of partners has us deep in our nostalgia feels. Hanson singer Taylor Hanson brings his years of success in music into the ballroom to meet Britt Stewart, who has gone from 'High School Musical' fame to pro status on the long-running reality dance show. They both recently joined Bru inside our Los Angeles studios to talk about the upcoming season, their instant connection, and if an “MMMBop” dance is in the works.
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00:02What's up guys? So nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. Thanks for being here. Again, I'm so excited
00:06to hear about the process, how everything's been going so far. We were talking about morning, evening people. How is
00:11it like waking up and doing these things first and then going to practice? Like there's so much layers to
00:16your day now.
00:17I mean, there's a ton of layers. We've had a couple of quick turnarounds, like late night rehearsals and waking
00:22up first thing in the morning. I mean, as a pro, I'm used to it. But I think every 15
00:28minutes I'm checking in with Taylor. Like, are you? You're very kind. Are you okay?
00:31Yeah. I mean, this is for one, very, very excited. It's been great. We've clicked right away. And I mean,
00:39the partnership is you got to go right after. I mean, you can't be like, well, you know, let's dance
00:44around the edges. Like day one, you're jumping in, you're learning, you're getting to know each other. You're figuring out
00:49how are we going to do this? She's figuring out how hard her job is about to be.
00:54But I have lived, I mean, the thing that I've benefited, I have benefited from is years and years of
01:01kind of being on that grind of traveling, touring, musician, performing. So I'm trying to pair as much of what
01:08I understand about that life, that like, it's all got to happen now. It's all got to happen yesterday. Sleep
01:13is not as much as you wish it was. Like all that stuff that goes with a big moment like
01:17this, where you have to show up.
01:19Like you have to show up not only mentally, but physically. So everything hurts a lot. But by the end
01:26of this, you know, I'm like, and we're going all the way kids. I'm like, I'm going to be like
01:31a Greek statue. If you're like mold me into like, she's like, move this, move this. Like I never even
01:36knew that muscle was there.
01:37Yeah. So let's go. Yeah, absolutely. How does it like transfer over? Because you're so right where you have that
01:45like work ethic. Obviously you have the schedule and everything that is working on different skills. But when it comes
01:50to the dancing, has it been like just a whole new challenge though?
01:52Oh, it's totally. Yeah. It's, it's, uh, it's deeper than you think for me. It's very, cause it's so personal
01:58to go like what I'm going to perform with is the body. Like it's not some, you can't like direct
02:04somebody else to like maximize like you, you alone, you know, with a partner, but your physicality is huge. But,
02:11um, it's storytelling too. Like we're having fun. Like this is a, it's to think about all the things you
02:16could be doing with your day. We were on a show. Everybody's incredibly supportive. I mean, see the other pros,
02:21you know, Hey,
02:22Hey, how are you guys doing? You know, they support each other. I mean, everybody obviously wants to take it
02:26all the way, but there's a sense of everybody understands that the fans of the show are, they're following, they're
02:33following stories. You know, they've got, everybody's got a different story and just to have fun with that. Right. I
02:39mean, that's how I think why it's been so successful over these, I mean, 35 seasons. It's pretty wild. I
02:45mean, I feel like each and every year the cast is so unique and each person that comes on to
02:51the show,
02:52brings like what Taylor was saying, a different story, a different essence, a different thing that our audience can connect
02:57to. And I think that's why, again, why dancing with the stars are so successful is you have people, you
03:02know, our fans range from like seven to 80, there is no, and you know, male, female, it just does
03:09not matter. And so the cast is so, you know, diverse in a way that anyone can connect to it.
03:17And it is, it's this beautiful, like community and family. We support each other.
03:21And I, each season, the celebrities also, you know, our partners, they all have their own connection too. It's like
03:27trauma bonding.
03:30Well, I love how serious everyone does take it. It feels like when you hear their stories, like everybody is
03:34showing up and doing the work and it's very rare that you see someone who's like, ah, I'm just like,
03:37and I jump into it.
03:39And that will not work because if you do, I mean, this is, this is a serious thing. And I
03:47think I have a huge respect for it. I mean, coming in, I was already trying to be in that
03:52mindset,
03:53but so much respect for the work of the art of dance and the art of performance. Um, and for
04:00like, I'm excited about the fact that we are in a room and there's life and live audience. Cause that
04:05brings in that you must do it now. Like you got a lot of these art. I mean, on the
04:10music side, you have this whole generation. I think it's true with creatives all over the world that almost unfairly
04:15have been guarded from criticism. Like as they're developing, you know, you can go on your YouTube channel and you
04:20can do your social media and look how great I am.
04:22And, and not look at the comments you don't want. But when you walk in front of an audience and
04:26they're there and they're looking at you, that's really where you are. You got to do it. Yeah. And so
04:30I think there's, I'm, I'm sort of, um, trying to prep my brain and my body for the, there's so
04:36much learning right now. But by the time we're in that moment, we're just like a week away. You know,
04:41it, it just having that shock to the system is like, okay, go time. Yeah. And maybe you have an
04:46edge because of performing, obviously in your past, but like transport. I'd like more of a handicap than an edge.
04:51Right.
04:51Right. When you think to the announcements, like here is Taylor Hanson, Brit Stewart. Like, what do you expect to
04:56feel in your body when that countdown happens? I mean, you obviously, Brett, you've experienced it, but your first time
05:01week one.
05:02Yeah. I mean, for me, she, yeah, she's done it a bunch of times. I've walked on stages my whole
05:07life. Um, hopefully to just be joyful, happy, excited, you know, um, what we're really, I mean, we've had these
05:16days where we're doing, you know, hours and hours of rehearsal. And what you're trying to do is get past
05:20learning it and get to performing it. Right. It's about like, I'm not thinking about what's the next step, but
05:26I'm thinking about is how am I doing the next step? Like, am I, you know, she's getting on me.
05:30Like I have like serious worker face. Like we're going, Oh, she's like, smile.
05:34Like I promise I'll smile on the day.
05:37You better have fun.
05:39You better smile.
05:40Muscle memory.
05:40You know, but it's, it is, yeah, I think it's going to be exciting. Um, we get to share, you
05:45know, it's hilarious. We're talking about the broad reach of this thing. Um, you know, I'm from Oklahoma, you know,
05:49do these days. I'm halftime in LA, halftime in Oklahoma. Um, I have a, I have a horse in Oklahoma.
05:55And I was talking with my, uh, guy that runs the ranch that's keeping it. And he, he looked the
06:00most Oklahoma guy ever. He's incredible. He's like, just want you to know, we're rooting for you.
06:04I was like, we'll be coming in from the horses from the Cowboys to the, you know, to sunset Boulevard.
06:10It's like, I think we need these things that are just, and honestly, it's a big reason why I want
06:14to do the show is I love things that get people to come together.
06:17And there's so much noise. There's so much toxic, you know, reality in, in the world. And we see honestly
06:23too much information. Everybody's like divided. And it's like, these are the, this is one of the few things that
06:28people are sitting in their living room, sitting around their kitchen table, just going, it's positive. It's just, it's just
06:33kind of like a good story. And, uh, it's a fun thing to be part of.
06:38Yeah. Shout out to Oklahoma. I want to hear more about Oklahoma. But Britt, as we're getting started here, you
06:42know, it's also new. What do you look for in these first couple of weeks when you're just getting started
06:46with a new partner?
06:47Oh my goodness. I feel like whenever you meet a new partner, you're kind of, you're, I'm in observation mode.
06:54I'm assessing so much about this new person that is coming into, that's coming into my life. And, um, in
07:04so many ways, like I also, now that Taylor and I have known each other for like, what, two weeks?
07:10Two weeks.
07:11It doesn't even feel like two weeks.
07:12It feels like, yeah, we clicked very quickly.
07:15Quick, what's his middle name?
07:16Oh, Taylor.
07:17It's actually Taylor.
07:18What? Is that real? It's Taylor Taylor Hansen?
07:20No, wait, what's your first name?
07:21That would be interesting. Highly uncreative parents.
07:25You know what, just run it back.
07:26My first name's Jordan, and I've always gone by Taylor.
07:28There we go, you passed the test.
07:30So there we go, yes.
07:31Yay. Um, what's my middle name?
07:33I actually don't know your middle name.
07:34Oh, it's Benet.
07:36Wow, that's a good one.
07:36You do know it.
07:37Benet.
07:38Yes, yes, of course.
07:38Like, you do know it.
07:39Yes, I do know it.
07:40Quick, what's my middle name?
07:41I just failed that test.
07:42We go way back.
07:43But how much is figuring out, like, the dance skill early on versus developing that chemistry?
07:49Yeah.
07:50In our first meet, and it's all filmed, we do something that's called first steps.
07:53And you pick something, it usually has to do with our first dance style, which we can't share.
07:59Cannot reveal.
08:00Drama.
08:02But you will, I'll either do, like, a salsa step.
08:05Like, something very simple or easy to just assess where we're starting from.
08:12And even though it's for TV and it's produced and we're, like, first steps, it's also a moment for us
08:17pros to really start to get an idea of who our partner is.
08:21And Taylor is there, like, oh, my goodness.
08:26But from day one, what I really knew about Taylor was that you are really committed to this process.
08:35And his work ethic is unlike anything that I have seen.
08:40It's really refreshing to see.
08:42And I think Taylor and I, we're both very deep people.
08:49Like, I think many people come on to Dancing with the Stars and just say, oh, my goodness, this is
08:53going to be so fun.
08:54And da-da-da-da-da.
08:55And we're sitting here having these conversations.
08:58Like, so what is the deeper meaning of this connection?
09:00And why are you?
09:01What is this?
09:02Why do you dance?
09:04It's also, I mean, I think being aligned in, like, everything you do has, you know, everything you, we only
09:10get one life.
09:10We only get one run at this.
09:11And so, like, I never wanted to waste a day, let alone an hour, let alone, you know.
09:16And so that is very true.
09:18You come at this similarly.
09:20And so that makes this, you know, having a quick amount of time, we've got to just get right there
09:25with somebody.
09:25I am so glad that we're partners.
09:27Yeah.
09:28Because she's passionate about what she does.
09:30And that's who I want to learn from, you know.
09:33And she saw me, she assessed me and went, I'm glad you have a good work ethic because you've got
09:37a lot of work to do.
09:39Yeah.
09:39It's probably the best.
09:40You are going to have to work your off, you know.
09:44No, these first few weeks, it's kind of playtime, too.
09:47I'm just seeing what works, what doesn't.
09:49Oh, my gosh.
09:49And it's like a flooding of content.
09:51This is playtime?
09:52Oh, my God.
09:53Wait till we get started, buddy.
09:54I'm about to hear.
09:55You're in for it.
09:56But just, like, the absolute amount of, like, content that comes out of the show is insane.
10:00Is it a big adjustment for you, like, in making that space?
10:03And, Britt, you've obviously seen it from the past where the show has evolved into such a social media machine.
10:08But, yeah, how is that going?
10:09And how do you prep for it and plan these things?
10:13You just do it.
10:14I mean, yeah.
10:15I kind of feel bad.
10:15I'm like, Taylor, we're filming a TikTok.
10:17Yeah.
10:17Let's go.
10:18No, it's not really, it's not such an adjustment for me.
10:21I mean, I've spent, but it is the kind of content and the way in which we're sharing is, you
10:26know, really playing to the audience that speaks to Dancing with the Stars.
10:29Obviously, TikToks are huge.
10:31The visual, the sync between music, how people are sharing, how they're curious about it, you know, and the fact
10:36that you're a part of all these other personalities.
10:38So, that is a dynamic.
10:40Like, every day we're working, we're going, hey, have we shared kind of where we're at?
10:43Have we done a recap?
10:44Have we given, like, have we, part of it is having fun with it.
10:47I think the audience of the show, from what I've learned and become a fan of, is everybody is really,
10:55they're looking at the dance, but they're looking at who you are.
10:58They're looking at the personality.
10:59They're looking at, like, who do you want to root for?
11:01I mean, that's how we are with sports.
11:03I mean, people fall in love with a team.
11:05They fall in love with, like, why they want their, you know, guy or girl to go for it.
11:09So, it makes sense we've got to share our stories.
11:12And, yes, we would both prefer to do less of that, but that's part of the way you get people
11:18excited.
11:18And, I mean, for me, a huge shout-out to the Brit fans who are, like, adopting me, and to
11:26the people that have followed me, all the Hanson fans, and, like, they're getting fired up.
11:30So, it's kind of fun to watch that.
11:31You'd love to see them come together.
11:32Like, introduce, let's, we'd like to introduce you to one another.
11:35Now we need you on our side.
11:37Yeah.
11:37Absolutely.
11:38That's so fun.
11:40Gosh, I love that.
11:41I can't wait to see it.
11:42Even with the, like, crossover, too, I don't know how much that, I feel like once the season starts, maybe
11:46you guys are more, like, obviously focused in as a couple.
11:48But just having this whole cast together, it feels like everybody is, like, on that same page of, like, wanting
11:52to be collaborative and everything as it gets going.
11:55Oh, absolutely.
11:56I mean, again, it is really, it's silly, but it is a family.
12:02It's, we do come together for this short period of time, and we all support each other.
12:06And it's this collective energy that we're all feeling at the same time, and I think that comes through on
12:12socials.
12:13I hope so.
12:14I hope so.
12:15You know, I'm always, like, searching for how can I share someone's authentic self and authentic story and do that
12:22same for myself as well.
12:23On a TikTok with a trend aligned with.
12:25Yeah, exactly.
12:27Right.
12:27So many layers.
12:28By the way, do you, we have a team name yet?
12:30Did we figure that out?
12:31I guess we've been talking about it.
12:34Maybe we could say today.
12:34Yeah, yeah, yeah.
12:35I think I know what it is.
12:36There have been lots, some really awful ones.
12:39When people started asking that.
12:41From who?
12:41You guys are, like, from fans?
12:42Mostly from the world.
12:43Yeah.
12:44Yeah.
12:45There's a couple that are particularly funny, but coming from the music world, like, it's
12:49sort of bad luck to name yourself.
12:51Like, you have people that are like, this is my nickname.
12:54It's like, well, I know what I'm going to call you.
12:55Not that.
12:56No.
12:56You know, but it's, I think a name's got to be Snappy.
13:00You know, you've got to be able to remember it.
13:00So, the one that seems to be taking it, and I think is the one, is Britae.
13:06Britae.
13:07Britae.
13:07Wow.
13:08So, people call it, Taylor is my name.
13:09Tay is the shortening that gets picked up pretty much from people that start to know me.
13:14So, there it is.
13:15It makes it easy.
13:16It's Snappy.
13:17Let's go.
13:18Britae's taking it.
13:19Britae.
13:19I'm on board.
13:20You know me.
13:21Listen.
13:21Team Britae.
13:21Come on.
13:22See, we've got the little alliteration.
13:24Team Britae.
13:25Come on.
13:25I love that.
13:27Obviously, there is so much, Taylor, I've got to ask because of the music element here,
13:31being on the radio.
13:31But you are so, like, nostalgic for so many people as well.
13:35Just how does it feel to have so many, like, core memories attached to music you've made?
13:41Oh, well, I mean, I'm proud of it.
13:42I mean, this, you know, I started making music and touring and traveling since, you know,
13:47a long, long time, a lifetime ago.
13:50And the main thing is I'm proud of everything I've done.
13:52And I think that's what keeps you from losing your mind over years is continuing to not do
13:58things that you don't believe in.
14:00And, like, we're seeing with the audience, and we have gone through, I've gone through
14:04a lifetime with a lot of music fans, and they're not just in one corner.
14:08I've gotten to travel the world.
14:09I've gotten to see how music unites people and how it brings, you know, again, like this,
14:15it brings people together, you know, to get to be one of the greatest gifts of creating
14:19art or music and performance is you get to be sort of, like, the good news part of a
14:25lot of people's day and their life, like, the thing that you go to, you know, the song.
14:30And then particularly with music, and I now, I'm becoming such a fan of this very challenging
14:35craft I'm learning of dance because it's expression.
14:39There's so much, there's so much, like, you get messages from the way people move.
14:43We forget how much body language communicates without words, right?
14:47Yeah.
14:48So whenever we're doing these dances, I'm thinking, like, wow, tango is saying a lot.
14:51In fact, there's a whole generation that was probably born because tango was invented.
14:55But, like, these relationships that go back to how we talk to each other, right?
15:01So music is, like, everyone, I think everyone actually has a lot of music in them, but they
15:07don't think, oh, I'm not a singer.
15:08But you go to a show and everybody's singing along.
15:11It's like, we forget how innate this stuff is.
15:14So, yeah, a lifetime in making music, and it's very cool to see how people are, you know,
15:22they feel connected already, you know?
15:24Like, we're starting this little story, but there's a long story that's been running for,
15:28well, for me, for a few decades.
15:30Wow.
15:30Y'all are deep.
15:31This is great.
15:32Let's go.
15:32I love this.
15:34I'm feeling it.
15:35And it's like, again, it's going to tie in so long to the dance.
15:38The NPR hour is about to start.
15:39Oh, we're going to see some tear shed when he breaks out the salsa.
15:44Would you even, I know people have asked already, but would you even want to dance to Mbop?
15:47Or do you feel like you just want to leave that separate?
15:49Well, I mean, again, that's a song I wrote.
15:51It's a song I was nominated for Grammys.
15:52Like, it's, I mean, I've always been proud.
15:54I've never shied away from other eras of life.
15:58But it's also about forward.
15:59It's always about forward for me.
16:01And honestly, part of what our, I love, there was a post from a bunch of different people that
16:05followed me.
16:06They're like, hey, Dancing with the Stars.
16:07The fans, quote unquote, don't want to hear Mbop.
16:11They want to hear, they're the fans.
16:12They actually know it.
16:13But never been shy about that.
16:16I think it probably is destined to happen because it's such a connection point.
16:22But part of me doing this is I'm kind of for the first time ever planning to do some solo
16:28stuff.
16:28And it's just like the band kind of needs to take a little rest, take a step back,
16:33you know, see, leave room for other things to happen.
16:35And so I think this is a great kind of just stretching some different muscles that are
16:40more about, hey, where are we headed?
16:42Totally.
16:42Any tinted windows music?
16:44Oh, there you go.
16:45Deep cut.
16:45Tinted windows music would be really interesting to dance to.
16:48Yeah.
16:49It's probably a little ways off, but I'm hoping to do like an anniversary for that because
16:53we lost one of our band members to COVID and we're a couple years off of 20 years since
16:58that record.
16:59Wow.
16:59So maybe, you know, look down the line.
17:01Yeah.
17:02But yeah, I mean, there's so much music and dance obviously are intrinsically bonded.
17:07So every time we're talking about the dance, we're talking about the songs as much as
17:10that because we're figuring out how do we, you know, what's that moment going to feel
17:13like?
17:14Yeah.
17:15So I have to, I don't know how people do this that are not coming from me.
17:19It's like the music element is so key.
17:21Oh, yeah.
17:21And she's like, I've had dancers that don't, that don't count or don't think about the
17:25rhythm.
17:25I'm like, how would you do that?
17:27I don't understand how that's even possible.
17:29Man.
17:30And then how does it, how much of it-
17:32It's madness to me.
17:32I'm like, it's like a black hole.
17:34Okay.
17:34It's like dancing blindfolded.
17:36And how much like collaborative decision making comes with the music each week?
17:40Is it-
17:41Well, she just tells me where to show up and I do it.
17:43Yeah.
17:43Well, I mean, really, it depends on your partner.
17:47Some partners that I've had, they have a say or an opinion, but some people are like,
17:55you just go ahead and you pick whatever.
17:58Yeah.
17:58But what I'm really loving about, you know, our partnership so far is that Taylor really
18:03wants to be involved in the creative and what we're dancing to and how we're doing it.
18:11And I love that.
18:12I love having, you know, a creative partner in this.
18:16I'd love to do all I can to curate it, but ultimately, you know, this is his journey
18:26these next three months.
18:27And also, I feel super honored that I get to be on this ride with Taylor too in such
18:35like a significant time, you know, where you're like honoring all that you have been
18:40stepping into this new era.
18:42Like, yeah, that is incredible.
18:44And it like keeps me up at night.
18:46Like, I hope I like, you know, you know, bring it to justice.
18:50Absolutely.
18:51No, you're doing amazing.
18:52And, and it, yeah, it is really cool.
18:54I mean, it's, I kind of think I'm immediately starting this process for me.
18:59I think maybe it's, I don't know if it's deep or not deep, but the, the idea is maybe
19:05part of what people need to see with the show is also as much about partnership, you
19:10know, I mean, like there's a massive trust immediately, like we're going to do this together.
19:15Right.
19:15And people see humans like kind of not do that all the time, like not let you in kind
19:22of put up walls, you know, and to just have to go like, Hey, nice to meet you.
19:26I respect you.
19:27And like, let's do this.
19:28That's a huge thing.
19:29And everybody has to do that.
19:31Um, and I don't know, like maybe that's, what's fascinating.
19:35Most fascinating to me about this is like, what two humans that just like decided to
19:40go after this crazy thing, didn't even know each other.
19:43How are they going to quickly get to this precision performance?
19:48I wouldn't want to have to do it on music, honestly.
19:50Oh, wow.
19:50Nice to meet you.
19:51You've never made music.
19:52Let's write and perform a song.
19:53Let's go perform it at the, you know, Grammy's tomorrow.
19:56It's such a cool thing to see a click too.
19:57You know, when you guys like, you find your flow and everything.
20:00And it's also something that only how many people have experienced this.
20:03Like it's such a unique experience that, you know, yeah, of course you're going to be
20:06bonded by it and we get to see it, which is amazing.
20:09Um, last thing real quick, if you had to arrange it somehow, what is the best dance to go with
20:14that?
20:14Like, or I guess you could, it depends on how it is arranged musically.
20:17I guess you could tweak it for other things, but what dance comes to mind?
20:21I mean, in its original format, it's a cha-cha, I believe.
20:26Cha-cha, there you go.
20:26Um, no, actually it's a foxtrot.
20:29Foxtrot.
20:30Wow.
20:34I'm singing it.
20:35One of the things about Umbuff that people forget and they don't necessarily, people that
20:39have followed me really understand this, but our root is in like in gospel, R&B, early
20:47rock and roll, rhythm and blues, right?
20:48It's, it's, it's pocket based and it's soul records, right?
20:53Then it became because of the world, like they put like pop rock was the term that they
20:57would reference of a band.
20:58Cause it's, you know, guys that look like we do and that sound and that have a guitar and
21:02have drums in a garage band.
21:03And so it's going to be pop rock, but it's really like, it's way more like rhythm based.
21:10And so a lot of people underestimate with that song.
21:12That song is like, is groovy.
21:15You know, and, and the groove is, but, and so, um, I can imagine, I mean, there's a lot
21:21of room to dance to that song for sure.
21:23Um, it's not as straight ahead as people think it's, it's, it's swung.
21:27Yeah.
21:30So, um, you know, I guess that is, it would be a cha-cha.
21:34Foxtrot.
21:34It would be a foxtrot, yeah.
21:35And if it was cha-cha, it'd be a slow cha-cha.
21:37Right.
21:37Okay.
21:38I love that.
21:38It's so interesting hearing about that too, because you're right.
21:40It was such a genre thing back in the nineties where it's like, you got to be labeled one
21:44thing.
21:44And nowadays it's labeled, you know, I mean, that's true across the board.
21:47It feels more fluid now where like, you don't have to per se, uh, go down a lane
21:51or anything.
21:51The styles have, the styles have smashed together because you have, I remember meeting
21:54Ed Sheeran years before he became the superstar.
21:57He was opening for Taylor Swift and he was in our hometown and found out that he had like,
22:02he's like, Hey, I like your band, blah, blah, blah.
22:04We, and we were, end up sitting in the studio at his, at our, and him playing songs.
22:08And that sounded like a name drop.
22:10That was not meant to be that.
22:11My buddy Ed.
22:11Particularly was generationally.
22:12He's incredible.
22:13Right.
22:13I mean, brilliant, brilliant dude.
22:15Wonderful human.
22:15And I realized he was as influenced as James with, by James Taylor as Jay-Z, like because
22:20of his age and where he came up.
22:23And so like all the genres have sort of changed.
22:26Yeah.
22:27You know, all the bedroom pop generation that's like building stuff on their laptops.
22:31It's where the lines are.
22:33You know how you can consume it, right?
22:34Like it's not like you buy the full album and I'm going to listen to the whole thing
22:36and you can just fall into that genre.
22:38They're curating music differently.
22:39We're playing Ella Langley on the pop stations.
22:40Right.
22:40It's like choosing Texas is huge.
22:42I could see that on the show this year.
22:43I don't know.
22:43And country music has merged with, with, with hip hop and hip hop.
22:46It's all just smashed together, which I think is great.
22:48Um, people respond to rhythm period, like they can't help it.
22:52Yeah.
22:53You know, so that's always going to be true.
22:54We're talking about like, uh, the, the work you want to put in into new stuff.
22:59What is the area you want to experience in music?
23:02Um, I'm doing lots of things.
23:03Yeah.
23:03I've, I've started to just drop, you know, little breadcrumbs of different, different
23:06things.
23:07I mean, I sold things that, that allow you to really connect.
23:12I mean, music is connection.
23:13Music is like, I'm not alone.
23:14Like this is cool.
23:15Like somebody out there has my thought or feeling.
23:17So I go towards, towards, you know, soulful melodies and, you know, early R and B is still
23:24like, that's what I am drawn to, but I'm working on a project that's extremely folky and kind
23:29of like atmospheric.
23:31Um, I'm working on, I just did a couple of tunes, uh, with brilliant Michael Bearden,
23:34who, uh, worked as Michael Jackson and Madonna and many, many others.
23:38And, um, just all over the place.
23:40It's like one of the greatest joys ever is to walk into a blank slate and be like, what
23:46am I going to make?
23:47I mean, and it's also frightening, but that's part of the excitement of it.
23:51It's like, there's nothing like, let's make like, what are we going to build?
23:54Yeah.
23:54You know, like two weeks ago I had a, you know, a string quartet working on a pop song,
23:59pop song as in like a hooky pop song, not like, uh, not production wise, but like, this
24:04is a song you could play at a piano, but we had a string quartet and then the week before
24:09that I was working with, um, something that was really, really, really like earthy and
24:12organic and one acoustic guitar.
24:14And, and that's, that's what I'm in for, you know, just building stuff.
24:18The walls are coming down.
24:19It feels like a perfect show for you too, because that's what you're doing every day
24:21at these practices.
24:21You're just building it up.
24:23And then I was dancing after that.
24:25Your creative juices are flowing.
24:27Oh yeah.
24:27Oh my God.
24:28Yeah.
24:28My thighs.
24:30Britt, we talked about nostalgia on his end.
24:32And I got to ask you about just the era of the high school musical.
24:36I have to do it.
24:37And teen beach movie.
24:38What are you, what are your memories from that time?
24:40Like what, what is the first thing you think of when you look back on this?
24:42Cause you're like the, uh, the life and soul of it.
24:45You know, the dance was so powerful in those movies.
24:47Oh my goodness.
24:48It brings so much back.
24:49What was wild was I was 15 in the first high school musical.
24:53So I was in high school doing high school musical.
24:56And yeah, it was incredible.
24:58And it was, you know, I owe so much to those, um,
25:02to those movies, all three of them, especially the third one.
25:05That's really when I, I always instinctively knew that I was going to dance and I would
25:11be an entertainer and, you know, an artist and all these things.
25:15But the third one was really, it was a pivotal point in my career where I, you know, had a
25:21moment with myself and I was like, this is what I'm going to do.
25:23I'm going to dance.
25:24This is what I want to do with my life.
25:26Um, and you know, so many beautiful relationships and opportunities also came from that time
25:33as well.
25:34And it's wild to think, you know, my dance career started with Disney and like, here
25:39I am year, you know, how old am I?
25:43A couple of years later.
25:43Yeah.
25:44Just a couple.
25:44Yeah.
25:44Just a few.
25:45Yeah.
25:45That was five years ago.
25:46You know, you know, like a couple of decades later, still working for Disney and just
25:51seeing this beautiful, like, I just feel so blessed and grateful that dance has provided
25:56so much in my life.
25:58I mean, it is so, it's so in just my entire life, my DNA, my blood.
26:05It's just like, it is what it is.
26:07Um, and then it's just really also, it's just really cool.
26:13Yeah.
26:13I feel like high school musical is what brought dance back into film and TV.
26:18Um, we see dance really go through these like ebbs and flows in, in Hollywood and in TV
26:25and film, you know, you have the era of like Jean Kelly and Fred Astaire and that, and dance
26:30was just immersed into entertainment.
26:33And then it kind of takes a seat back for a bit.
26:36And during that era of high school musical, it came back with a force.
26:40Oh yeah.
26:40And then you were seeing musicals everywhere, like La La Land.
26:43I mean, dance was just in everything.
26:47And, um, and now I feel like dance, you know, outside of Dancing with the Stars, it's kind
26:51of in that moment where it's taking a bit of a step back again in TV and film, but, um,
26:57dance will never go anywhere.
26:58It's, you know, Taylor has said it, but like music, it's just part of life.
27:02It's part of our, um, innate, you know, beings.
27:07It's just what we do.
27:09Um, and then, yeah, and then you also mentioned Teen Beach Movie.
27:12I mean, I'm all the classics.
27:14Oh yeah.
27:15I mean, let's just talk about Disney Channel movies.
27:17I probably.
27:18You guys are both my childhood.
27:18This is wild to see.
27:20Um, it's wild.
27:21Teen Beach Movie was amazing.
27:23It, I don't know if people know this.
27:24It was filmed in Puerto Rico.
27:25No, I had no idea.
27:26So it was just, we would, we would just look at each other on set and we're like,
27:30Look at us.
27:30This is work.
27:31What is, what is this?
27:34Yeah.
27:35I think we were there for about two months.
27:37We had a month of rehearsals here in LA and then, um, we went to Puerto Rico for two
27:41months for the first one.
27:42So I'm just going to keep gassing you up though.
27:44You also did the Super Bowl halftime show dancing as well.
27:46Yeah.
27:47Oh my gosh.
27:48Does it feel as large as it is when you're like practicing for something like that?
27:51Like does it feel different?
27:52Oh yeah.
27:53So that was, um, it was actually right before I joined Dancing with the Stars, which was 10
27:58years ago, which was time flies.
27:59Wow.
28:00It, yeah, time flies.
28:01It's insane.
28:02It's like, I blinked my eyes and all of a sudden it's a decade later.
28:05Um, but I was a backup dancer for Katy Perry for three years.
28:09Um, and part of that time it was her prismatic world tour.
28:13And part of that time she did the Super Bowl halftime show in 2015.
28:17And you know, that, that show was pretty iconic.
28:21You had like Left Shark.
28:22Oh my God.
28:23Left Shark.
28:24Massive production.
28:25What's she up to today?
28:26Massive.
28:26Yeah.
28:26What is, I mean.
28:27You ever find out who that was?
28:28Yeah.
28:28Yeah.
28:28I actually know who that was.
28:29Oh wow.
28:30It could have been you.
28:31You were right.
28:32That's for another show.
28:33Exactly.
28:33Secrets.
28:34If you keep it anonymous, but.
28:36But yeah, it was wild.
28:37I've, I've had moments where I actually, I mean, this sounds like, I mean, you were joking,
28:43like, oh, we're going to start crying during the salsa.
28:45Oh yeah.
28:46I had a moment.
28:47I finished the Super Bowl halftime show and I just was like overcome and I started to cry,
28:53but it was like all through, it wasn't, it was very happy, joyful, like gratitude, um,
28:58um, filled tears and just like as a dancer, you just, you know, dances sometimes at the
29:03bottom, you were at the bottom of the totem pool, um, and the entertainment industry.
29:08And I just had this moment like looking out into the crowd, you know, finished, the adrenaline
29:12is running high.
29:13I'm like, wow, this is, this might be the most people that I've, that I will perform
29:18for.
29:19And not only just physically, but every, you know, everyone that's looking at it at home,
29:24you know, later on YouTube, all these things, just millions and millions of people.
29:27So yeah, it's pretty cool.
29:29No, I feel very, I feel very grateful.
29:31Oh my gosh.
29:31An incredible bucket list, uh, thing to get to do.
29:33And then dancing with the stars happens right after that.
29:35Like it's been an incredible run and such a fun story to see like everything you've done.
29:39It's so impressive.
29:40So again, I'm, I'm just, I'm so team Britae.
29:44Say it again.
29:46We're starting it.
29:47A couple of last things.
29:48I know you guys got to get to practice, but, um, Taylor was so many accomplishments.
29:51Like one of my favorites and it's so cool to say is you're in the Oklahoma hall of fame.
29:55Yeah.
29:56That's, that's pretty cool.
29:57I mean, your state's hall of fame.
29:58No, it is very cool.
29:59It's very old school.
30:01Shout out to hall of fame.
30:02Yeah.
30:02It's, I mean, any club that you get to be in where you look around and most people are
30:06twice your age.
30:07Like that's really what the, you know, I mean the coolest people, like it, people that
30:11have built businesses and built nonprofits.
30:14And I mean, so yeah, huge honor.
30:15How has, um, how has being from Oklahoma, like really shaped who you are today?
30:20Oh, hugely.
30:20I mean, Oklahoma, look, America is an incredible place, right?
30:23We are a melting pot of crazy stories.
30:26Everybody's come from somewhere.
30:27But the thing that I'm really grateful for Oklahoma is, you know, it's work ethic.
30:31I mean, if you grew up in Oklahoma, there's no mountains, there's no ocean, you build it.
30:36And, and that spirit, you see it in a lot of, I mean, some of my early heroes, um, were
30:41people like Will Rogers, who was like early legend of, of Hollywood.
30:45But he was an Oklahoma cowboy that became a comedian that put on shows that became a writer
30:50that became a, I mean, he did all the things, right.
30:52But he did the same thing I, I did, you know, the journey out West, the chase in the dreams.
30:57So, um, very proud of Oklahoma always, always will be.
31:00And, um, it's also that, you know, I like to say that Oklahoma, when you're there, we
31:05have sort of short trees, we have big sky and it's that feeling of you really can,
31:10what are you going to build?
31:11You know, it's all, it's all possible.
31:13And I, I see that in, you know, how I've raised my kids and, you know, the sense of
31:19you show up with certain gifts, right?
31:20You have certain talents, you have innate things that you can build because you were
31:23given something from your grandparents, but it's what you do with that really, that
31:28makes the difference.
31:28It is really how you show up.
31:31And do you bring in, do you, do you leave a little on the side and be like, I'm saving
31:35that for later?
31:36Or do you put it all in?
31:38And, um, that sort of mentality of like, leave it all on the, you know, dance floor,
31:43leave it all on the field.
31:43Put that in the ballroom.
31:45That's it.
31:45That's the quote.
31:46That's it.
31:47I mean, that's a, that's a, that's a very oaky thing.
31:49I think, I think actually the Oklahoma motto is labor conquers all.
31:55It literally is that.
31:57And I didn't know that until much later.
31:58I was like, God, I guess it's just in the bloodstreams, but, um, yeah, it's love Oklahoma
32:03and, and frankly, love this, love California.
32:06I mean, I've also seen, you know, this is a town of chasing your crazy dreams.
32:11That's still true.
32:12Yeah.
32:12That's still, it's still one of the places in the world where, you know, you're not,
32:16you may be like poked at because you haven't gotten there, but you're not laughed at when
32:20you have the crazy idea.
32:21Everyone's here with their crazy idea of, of the world they want to build and the movie
32:25they want to make, the dance they want to do, the song they want to.
32:27And I think that's really like, that's something that we need to not lose, you know, as a,
32:33as a country, as a community, like to go for that crazy thing.
32:36So I, I really like, I like the two sides together.
32:40You know, that's, that's what it's about.
32:41I think California's love conquers all.
32:43And then Oklahoma labor conquers all.
32:45You get together.
32:46Yeah.
32:46Let's go.
32:47That's a recipe for wins on dancing in the stars.
32:49I could talk to you guys for so long about just behind the scenes and everything.
32:52I'm sure we'll catch up as the season goes on.
32:54One last thing for you before you go, if you could pick a theme night, I don't know how
32:57this works.
32:58If you guys get to vote on them or whatever, but if you had your own personal theme night
33:01for an episode of dancing with the stars, what would you pick?
33:04A theme night.
33:04I don't.
33:05You have one.
33:06Oh, foot on the move.
33:07Yes.
33:08She's like trying to team me up.
33:09Well, so one of the things I have, we both have a real passion for, I don't want to call
33:13it
33:13giving back.
33:13It's just like making a difference, like impacting the world, make it a little bit better.
33:17And I founded a nonprofit focused on food insecurity about back in 2014.
33:21And it's something that we're really working on transforming food deserts, bringing fresh
33:26produce to families.
33:27And it's led us to some incredible work and it's really, really needed.
33:30It's something that all over the country needs to happen.
33:32And so I've already thrown out there, you know, we should do a night that's about highlighting
33:38each group or, you know, star or whatever team and the things we care about and help
33:44bring attention to the causes that we're passionate about.
33:47Because I think, I think talk about, you know, peace and love and how this is such a positive
33:51show.
33:52I think that would be amazing.
33:53That would be.
33:53And not, you know, not just, obviously I want to be able to talk about what I care.
33:57I know we're, we're feeding families like, and we're trying to get farmers back on their
34:00feet and we're trying to help like there'd be better food for, for people.
34:04But, you know, Brit's passion for dance and creating access to dance for, for people
34:08that maybe never had a dance studio in their neighborhood and like, and how that transforms
34:11people's lives.
34:12I mean, um, yeah, good job.
34:15That's a good one.
34:15That would tee it up.
34:16I teed you up.
34:18There's a lot of other more lighter themes, but that would be great.
34:21You know, Marvel.
34:22I don't know.
34:22There you go.
34:23Marvel would be great.
34:24Oh, and Hollywood.
34:24I like Disney.
34:25Or just an Italian night.
34:27I could just go with it.
34:27Oh, man.
34:28As long as we could just do Italian night.
34:29Just making pasta backstage and the whole thing.
34:32That sounds great.
34:32That's, that wouldn't really maybe result in great dance, but it would, everyone would
34:36be happy.
34:37Everyone would just be full.
34:38It'd just be wine and pasta.
34:41It turns into just like the audience just kind of moves into the front and it's a party.
34:46Basically.
34:47I love that.
34:48Oh my gosh.
34:49So if you guys go all the way here.
34:50Dance party.
34:50Now we're talking.
34:51No, we need more of that.
34:53Yes.
34:53If you go all the way here until the end, how much time commitment is that going to
34:58be?
34:58Like from now to the last episode, basically.
35:01Oh, geez.
35:02That's a lot of time.
35:03Yeah.
35:03I mean, we should start like, we should start recording the hours.
35:06So by the end, we can just say, oh, this is how many hours that we put into it.
35:11Like what it go to?
35:12Is it like, I can't even remember how long the show goes to.
35:14It's the, the finale is the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.
35:17So I think like November 22nd or something.
35:18Okay.
35:19So you guys got like a couple months, at least a few months ahead of you.
35:22Oh yeah.
35:22I'm just reminding him, like, you're stuck with me for a bit.
35:25Oh yeah.
35:25Not a sprint.
35:26No, no, we're, I'm in.
35:28Look, I mean, truly the first job is somebody asked us the day one.
35:32They're like, who are you guys?
35:33You think your biggest competition is?
35:34And I'm like, my competition is dance.
35:36Like we need to do this.
35:38Like this is an insane, crazy, fun, but challenging thing.
35:42But absolutely.
35:42We're, we're in it to take it all the way.
35:44I mean, that's, that's the whole spirit of it.
35:47And yeah, that's, you know, start writing down the days, start writing down the hours.
35:51Checking them off.
35:52Let's go.
35:52I love that.
35:53Taylor, Brett, so nice to meet you.
35:55Good luck.
35:55Can't wait to follow along and see it.
35:57These next two weeks are going to be, I know, intense, but I can't wait to see it all come
36:00together on opening night and everything.
36:02So good luck.
36:03And again, so nice to meet you in person.
36:04Thanks for having us.
36:05Perfect.
36:06Perfect.
36:07Perfect.
36:07Perfect.
36:10Perfect.
36:12Perfect.
36:12Perfect.
36:13Perfect.
36:13Perfect.
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