Ariana Madix has been giving it her all on this season of Dancing With the Stars, routinely showing off her skillful footwork and stage presence while impressing the judges with her moves. As she moves into the third week, Madix is reflecting on the support she’s gotten along her dancing journey.
Madix and her pro partner, Pasha Pashkov, spoke with ET’s Brice Sander while rehearsing for the forthcoming DWTS Motown Night, and the Vanderpump Rules star shared how her experience has been, and how her boyfriend, Daniel Wai, has been supporting and helping her along the way.
“It’s really awesome,” Madix shared of seeing her friends and castmates in the audience during her dances. “You know, part of me, I still think when I see them, how’s it making me more nervous, but ultimately, the familiar faces give me an extra boost.”
“I was talking about how nervous I was to do the samba, and my friends were like, ‘Girl, you could roll around on your tummy, we’d cheered for you.’ So I feel like that kind of energy makes me feel really good,” she added. “It makes me feel like I can just go out there and be myself and slay.”
As for Wai, “He’s a personal trainer, so there’s been times when he’s been in town and I’m like sore, in pain, and he’s like, ‘OK, you just sit here,'” Madix recalled. “[He’ll] make sure I’m just sitting there, eating, makes me ice my feet, makes me do all those things.”
Madix’ support network has gone a long way toward fostering her appreciation for the experience, and the reality star says she’s really gotten into the art and science of dancing.
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“I’m obsessed with it and whenever I have other things to do during the day, outside of just coming to rehearsal, I get kind of mad about it,” Madix said.
“Oh, she’s the best student,” Pashkov chimed in. “I feel like it’s on her mind 24/7. Ariana told me that she doesn’t really sleep well because, through the night, she keeps repeating the routine, you know, in her head.”
“Which is great for me, you know, because I think this is why she learns it so quickly,” he added. “Then we have time to improve it and deliver it in the performance on Tuesday.”
As for this coming week, the theme is Motown Night, and the pair are performing a quickstep set to “I Want You Back” by the Jackson 5.
“We have a quick step this week, and I really like it,” Madix teased. “It might be my favorite dance so far. Like I’m really into it.”
Fans will get a chance to see Madix and Pashkov perform their routine when Dancing With the Stars airs Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
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