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Chris O’Donnell was on set at “NCIS: Los Angeles,” checking his emails, when co-star LL Neat J begun hunting above his shoulder. O’Donnell took place to be looking at about a actuality Television idea that his buddy Reinout Oerlemans experienced just pitched.
The idea is what would turn into “Come Dance With Me,” a new relatives-oriented dance competition that premieres April 15 on CBS. But at that second, O’Donnell was not quite confident he was up for functioning on a levels of competition display.
“[LL] claims, ‘What are you seeking at?’” O’Donnell recalled. “I explained to him it was my friend’s plan for a new clearly show. He goes, ‘I believe that thing’s very hot! You really should do it. This is up your alley.’ And then he was like, ‘I’ll do it if you do it!’”
O’Donnell replied to Oerlemans: “So very good news, not only will I do it, but my buddy Todd will do it way too!”
Which is the swift explainer on how the two stars of “NCIS: LA” wound up partnering with 3 Ball Productions to build “Come Dance With Me,” which follows talented youthful dancers who associate with an untrained spouse and children member to carry out with each other and contend for a prize.
Groups will master distinct dance routines, including hip hop, ballroom, up to date and theatrical, and obtain scores from the judges that determine regardless of whether they’ll continue. Each and every episode finishes with the two most affordable-scoring teams in a freestyle dance-off, with a person of people two teams removed. Dad and mom partnering with their dance children consist of a preschool teacher, a medical doctor, a social worker, an engineer… and the drummer for Limp Bizkit.
“I preferred the idea of families receiving collectively and the new music,” LL Cool J stated. “This concept of young children finding with the guardian, the grownup in their existence who’s meaningful to them, and likely on a exhibit and having their dreams occur genuine — primarily with what we have been going via around these earlier pair of several years.”
O’Donnell mentioned that the increase of TikTok dance problems, specifically with family members during COVID, is an advantage to following month’s “Come Dance With Me” launch.
“Watching my daughter teach my sons how to do these TikTok dances, things just form of lined up to where the minute was correct for a little something like this,” he said. “And when you convey in the psychological aspect of these kids, who are all skilled dancers, bringing in somebody in their lifetime with a significant relationship, who may well not be seasoned, it is not just about the dancing. It is far more about the particular journey that these men and women have been on.”
“Come Dance With Me” provides one more layer of a partnership involving LL Great J and O’Donnell that has now spanned 13 decades — again to the start of “NCIS: Los Angeles” in 2009.
“Every day, even though there are administrators and individuals all around, he and I constantly have a different discussion concerning the two of us that only the two of us are privy to,” O’Donnell explained. “Whether it be about the real scene we’re functioning on, or things which is coming down the pike or our professions in general and own daily life. I really feel like we’ve been in manufacturing on our life for the previous 13 several years. And this is just one more major conversation topic that we’re going as a result of. There’s a shorthand that has developed over 13 several years and a rely on, which goes a extensive way.”
LL Great J is not a stranger to actuality competitions, acquiring hosted “Lip Sync Struggle.” And O’Donnell is a enthusiast of dancing competitions courting again to 1980s syndicated traditional “Dance Fever.”
“I grew up on it,” he claimed. “It was like, 5:30 on Saturday evenings. You’d arrive house and Deney Terrio would be on.” O’Donnell stated he admired how the show’s judges would however obtain a way to compliment poor dancers prior to providing them a low rating: “They’d say, ‘I desire I experienced that significantly confidence when I dance. And I appreciate your costumes.’ And then give them a 58. It was fantastic.”
Grammy-winning songwriter Philip Lawrence hosts “Come Dance with Me,” which functions judges such as dancer/actor Jenna Dewan, dancer Dexter Mayfield and hip-hop choreographer Tricia Miranda. LL Neat J and O’Donnell will keep driving the scenes for Season 1.
“Honestly, it is not usually about us in entrance of the digicam,” LL Neat J stated. “I believe it’s cool to just produce some thing and put some thing out there for men and women to appreciate. I really don’t usually have to be in entrance of the digital camera for it to be prosperous or for it to be significant to me. So I’m great with a history position in this 1.”
It also was a logistical challenge: Really do not ignore, LL Cool J and O’Donnell however have their “NCIS: LA” day work. “We weren’t capable to go even if we desired to be on digicam, mainly because of all the quarantines,” O’Donnell reported. “If the clearly show continues to go and the viewers receives it, perhaps you are going to see us at some position. But for proper now, we’re energized about what we have carried out. And searching ahead to audiences obtaining to consider a peek at it. We all know what a crapshoot these issues are. The finest intentions, the greatest product, that does not usually suggest eyeballs are heading to tune in. We each have been all-around the block long more than enough to recognize that, and when a thing is effective, it is pretty fortuitous. We really feel like we’ve put out a fantastic solution, we hope persons tune in, I think people are going to really love it.”
O’Donnell and LL Cool J are creators and executive producers of “Come Dance with Me,” together with 3 Ball Productions, component of 3BMG, in association with CBS Studios. Oerlemans, Ross Weintraub and Jeff Altrock are EPs for 3 Ball Jeff Thacker, Nick Florez and RJ Durell also are govt producers.
But just for the reason that they’re now fact dancing Television producers doesn’t necessarily mean LL Awesome J or O’Donnell have any strategies to try out their stuff on “Dancing With the Stars.”
“My moves are pretty limited,” stated O’Donnell. “I assume I peaked in about eighth grade.” Added LL Neat J: “That may not go ideal for me. That could be a terrible glimpse for me, if I do not have a mic in my hand, and I’m not rapping a tune. I really don’t know if you want to see me on ‘Dancing With the Stars.’ But you in no way know, suitable?”