*thanks to Disney for facilitating the trip in order for to write this article
While in Los Angeles for The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (thanks Disney!) I had the pleasure of visiting Gleb Savchenko and Elena Samodanova’s Pro Dance LA studio to learn a few moves (more on that later) and chat with “Dancing with the Stars” pros and “Dancing with the Stars: Juniors” mentors Brandon Armstrong, Alan Bersten and Gleb Savchenko.
I am not a dancer. I have never been a dancer and I never will be a dancer. I even joked with my friend Jana that I was going to fake an injury (joke’s on me, she injured her knee earlier, not me). But nevertheless I was still excited to meet with the men who dance on the hit show.
“Dancing with the Stars: Juniors” airs Sundays at 8|7c on The ABC Television Network or streaming or on the app. / “Dancing with the Stars” airs Mondays at 8|7c on The ABC Television Network or streaming or on the app.
For each dancer being on DWTS is a dream come true.
“Every day we learn something new and it’s a lot of fun. So, even though we’re professionals on the show we’re still learning a new style every time we get a new song, you know, we’re changing things up.”
-Alan Bersten, “Dancing with the Stars” pro dancer (paired with Alexis Ren) and “Dancing with the Stars: Juniors” mentor (#TeamAlan are star Sky Brown and dancer JT Church)
For “Dancing with the Stars” pro dancer and “Dancing with the Stars: Juniors” mentor (#TeamGleb are star Sage Rosen and dancer Mackenzie Ziegler) Gleb Savchenko it was a long road from ballroom to DWTS.
“Well I grew up in Russia, Moscow, and the mentality of everyone, if your kid do something, right, the parents go 100% in it. So, by the – by the age of nine, I was traveling across Russia doing all these different competitions and when I was 14, I started winning them. I started really enjoying it. And then I was like, that’s going to be my career. I’m going to be a dancer. And here I am.”
See Dancing With the Stars is coming to you LIVE! Get tour info: dwtstour.com #DWTSTour
Brandon Armstrong (“Dancing with the Stars” pro dancer (was paired with Tinashe) and “Dancing with the Stars: Juniors” mentor – #TeamBrandon are star Ariana Greenblatt and dancer Artyon Celestine) is having his first year as a pro on DWTS, but it’s not his first year on the show. In fact he was on Dancing with the Stars: Juniors at age 13.
“When I came onto the show, I was on troop for three seasons and I would just sit and watch and like, analyze and try to figure out, I’m still doing that.”
Being a mentor to kids has it’s pros and cons. One pro that they all agreed on is that kids are not as stiff as adults are when it comes to dancing. They will try anything, not caring about what they look like doing it. They take direction well.
“Dancing with the Stars: Juniors” airs Sundays at 8|7c on The ABC Television Network or streaming or on the app. / “Dancing with the Stars” airs Mondays at 8|7c on The ABC Television Network or streaming or on the app.
Since all three of my new dancer friends are still competing on DWTS: Juniors I highly suggest watching, it’s so entertaining! And be sure to cheer Alan and Alexis on during Monday night’s Dancing with the Stars episode. You don’t want to miss it!
