After Fox interns drove former American Idol judge Paula Abdul out to the countryside and turned her loose, you’d be forgiven for thinking she’d simply spent the intervening year and change wandering the wilderness, attempting to fashion star-shaped jewelry out of twigs, and offering vaguely encouraging platitudes to whatever birds and voles she encountered. (“Don’t let other people tell you you’re a mouse, sweetie. You have to burrow into you.”) But as this promo for CBS’ new Live To Dance promises, on January 4 you’ll finally “find out what Paula’s been up to”—namely, teetering precariously behind yet another dais inside a specially constructed giant geodesic dome, offering smiles and slurred support to dancers of various ages.
That Live To Dance welcomes anyone from small, faux-hawked children to ancient, tap-dancing grandmothers in sequined tuxedoes is what sets it apart from all those other dance competition shows, except America’s Got Talent, but what provides the comforting throughline is the familiar presence of Paula herself, who remains adept as ever at crafting inspirational bon mots like, “I want amazing people to live in their unique ability,” which apparently made the cut for this promo. Also: “You are exactly what makes people live to dance.” (She said it! She said the name of the show!)