‘Dancing’ a step in right direction

There can be a huge difference between the shows that are here in Las Vegas and the ones that should be. The shows you can bet people would pay to see, and the choices they are offered instead.

Why, for instance, did we have “Spirit of the Dance” and “Battle of the Dance” long before “Dancing with the Stars”?

I’ve come to understand at least half of it: rent-the-room deals that open the door to entrepreneurial magicians and singing impressionists. It’s been harder to say why the big fish — say, a live revue of “American Idol” alumni — are harder to land.

The 12-week spinoff of “Dancing with the Stars” that finally arrived at the Tropicana offered a chance to ask Richard Halliwell. He’s a brand manager for the show’s owner, BBC Worldwide, in charge of extending the TV hit to other platforms.

“The truth of it is, these things just take a lot of time to do. There are a lot of parties involved, a lot of people that have to get comfortable with a pretty complex commercial structure,” he says.

“When you’ve got a brand as big as ‘Dancing with the Stars’ … you don’t take risks in the same way.”

To hear Halliwell tell it, a lot of it boils down to finding a room. It’s ironic that Las Vegas has more than 100 shows but few general-use spaces, thanks to big players such as Cirque locking up dedicated venues for decades.

The Tropicana’s spacious stage and retro vibe “just feels right,” Halliwell explains of the three-year search. “It took awhile to find that place.”

The trend of doubling up titles as roommates can create problems too. Remember the family-friendly “America’s Got Talent” being paired with “Peepshow” at Planet Hollywood?

“Those opportunities were available to us as well,” Halliwell says. “Who do we want to share our brand with? We have to be really careful.”

“Dancing” had specific challenges as a live venture, trying to preserve the celebrity format while finding stars willing to commit to the rigors of a nightly show.

Once the stars lined up literally and figuratively, Tuesday’s results show was able to launch the live venture with an imbedded preview performance. While Cirque and Blue Man Group also have wiggled their way into prime-time guest appearances, Tuesday was “a completely natural extension of the TV show,” Halliwell notes.

There’s still a risk that the Trop venture won’t translate. There are no guarantees in showbiz. But however this one goes, you won’t hear me — or anyone else — asking, “Why didn’t they book ‘Battle of the Dance’ instead?”

Contact reporter Mike Weatherford at mweatherford@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0288.