Dancing with the Stars 31 spoilers: EP talks new Disney+ format

The Dancing with the Stars 31 premiere is going to be coming on Disney+ in just a matter of days! The competition is almost here and with that, of course, comes a number of changes.

Now that it’s on the streaming service, for example, there are no commercial breaks! This means more time for performances, and it also may explain further why we have a whopping 16 competitors this time around. Does that also mean longer routines are coming? Well, not so much — at least at first. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, here is what returning showrunner Conrad Green had to say on that very subject:

There’s a limit to how long you can make the dances simply because it’s really hard to learn and do them. They’re physically very taxing, and these are amateurs doing it. Also, if you watch it and it goes on for too long, they tend to lose a bit of form and focus. There’s a sweet spot between about a minute and a minute and a half where they’re really entertaining. You see the beginning, middle and end. But as the show goes on, and there are fewer competitors in it, the dances can get a bit longer.

But, in the past, you always had to hit exactly two hours for the show. You don’t have to anymore now that we’re on the streamer. There’s not another show immediately following us. It’s not like there’s dead air if we’re a little bit under. The show can run at a slightly more natural pace. The first show is going to be busy. It’s going to be two hours absolutely packed full of people and stories and amazing performances. When we get into the later shows, we can let it breathe a little bit more, and we can bring back some of the elements that people have really liked, like group dances, team dances, or a dance marathon.

Green also noted that there are a few other things that will also be different this season. Disney Night is going to evolve into Disney+ night, which opens the door potentially for a lot of other routines. Meanwhile, the skybox is returning as a way for there to be interviews with the contestants after the routines; that will help give production time to clear the floor between routines. There’s also going to be a Michael Buble night, for those wondering!

The biggest change overall will of course be the presence of Alfonso Ribeiro as co-host, where he will join returning host Tyra Banks. Green coming back could be a return to a back-to-basics production, and we hope that it puts the focus more on the dances.

Related – Check out the full cast for Dancing with the Stars right now!

What do you most want to see when it comes to Dancing with the Stars 31 when it premieres?

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This article was written by Jessica BunBun. Be sure to follow her on Twitter.