Dance videos filmed at Davenport
One of the professional dancers on the hit ABC show “Dancing with the Stars” had already booked a ballroom in Los Angeles to begin filming a series of instructional DVDs; then his producer saw the Davenport Hotel’s Isabella Ballroom.
“I’d never been here and had no idea the Davenport was here,” said Kate Dalley, co-producer of the “Honey, Let’s Dance” series starring Louis vanAmstel and his Russian dance partner, Irina Boubnovskaia, from the show’s dance tour.
“Honey, Let’s Dance” is being shot and directed by Spokane-based Gibby Media Group.
For Lon Gibby, president and CEO, bringing the production to Spokane was important.
“I felt the Davenport would make a wonderful background for the video,” Gibby said.
Dalley said the details of the décor and the friendliness of the community prompted producers to change their minds about the filming location.
“It was unique and absolutely breathtaking,” she said.
One week after producers switched locations, the production crew and stars arrived in Spokane ready to shoot in the ballroom Thursday.
VanAmstel said he hopes the dance videos will be a way to inspire and educate people to start moving toward a healthier lifestyle; he plans to give part of the proceeds from sales of the videos to the American Heart Association.
The eight-part series will feature two instructional dances per disc, including the waltz, cha-cha, salsa, tango, swing and rumba.
“It’s not about steps, it’s about movement,” said vanAmstel, who was nominated for an Emmy Award for his dance choreography.
VanAmstel said contractually he couldn’t include any of the past celebrities featured in the ABC show in the filming of the video, but he was able to dance with Boubnovskaia because she had only participated in the show’s tour.
All the outfits worn on the videos will be from Lisa Rinna’s California-based boutique, Belle Gray.
“I have the most contact with her, we had so much fun together,” vanAmstel said of his celebrity dance partner in the show’s second season.
“Honey, Let’s Dance” is expected to be ready for sale by Sept. 1, and will be available online and in some stores. The videos likely will cost $18 to $20 per disc, with discounts for buying the set of eight.