Season 29 of Dancing With the Stars is formally underway!
Distractify caught up with reigning champ Alan Bernstein about competing for the Mirror Ball trophy alongside his celeb companion Skai Jackson. The skilled ballroom dancer instructed us completely in regards to the stress he feels to win (or a minimum of make it to the finale) once more, the brand new procedures carried out as a result of ongoing coronavirus pandemic (often known as COVID-19), and extra.
Try our Q&A beneath. (Editor’s notice: This interview has been edited and condensed for readability.)
Distractify: Because the reigning champ of DWTS, do you are feeling stress to win but once more or assist your companion make it to the finale?
Alan Bernstein: Completely! Now that I’ve gained I really feel like individuals are like, ‘Oh he should know the secrets and techniques.’ However there are not any secrets and techniques. It’s simply as onerous, if not more durable simply because there’s that added layer of expectation, however I really feel like Skai is doing such an amazing job. I really feel like we join on a very good stage.

What did you study out of your Week 2 stumble?
AB: I realized how decided and the way persistent Skai is. Truthfully, having a little bit stumble like that and getting proper again up exhibits how a lot work she put in. Although she was frazzled, and so was I, we had been in a position to decide it proper again up and never miss a beat. She works so onerous in rehearsals.
With the brand new procedures in place on this season on DWTS on account of COVID-19, what has that been like for you as a dancer and rehearsing together with your companion?
AB: It’s tough as a result of there is no such thing as a one round within the rehearsal rooms. We’re choreographing every part on their own, generally I like when the producers are right here and discuss with them and ask them, ‘Does this look good?’ since you want that outdoors perspective. Now we’ve to place up a telephone on a stand and report it and watch it again.
It’s simply an added step of creating certain that I like what we’re doing. However, I kinda like that. I like being within the room alone with Skai as a result of we’ve that goofy friendship the place we type of make enjoyable of one another and we simply have a number of enjoyable. Though there are a number of restrictions, the truth that we’re again on TV is outstanding.

With the restrictions, do you are feeling like that is the toughest season?
AB: I really feel like each season is tough in its personal approach and rewarding in its personal approach. It’s a very good query. I can’t reply that as a result of each season is tough in its personal approach. The optimistic about having no viewers is the celebrities are extra supportive of one another simply because there is no such thing as a one else clapping. Everybody’s actually supportive of one another and actually rooting for one another. It’s very nice.
With individuals continuously reacting to the present on social media, rumors circulating whereas filming, how do you keep centered on the week forward when competing and preserve the surface noise out?
AB: I believe it’s actually essential to deal with what’s essential for that week. Sure, social media is a giant side as a result of it’s a fan voted present. We’re so grateful for the followers that do assist us. Once we really feel like we did a very good job and the judges give us a decrease rating, the followers are so fast to type of agree with us and say ‘underscored.’
That type of helps us and makes us really feel a little bit higher. We’re going to make use of the positivity to inspire us and ignore the negativity. Everybody goes to have an opinion and I believe it’s essential to comply with and depend on these opinions that you just belief and that matter to you versus what the overall viewers says.
Dancing With the Stars airs Mondays at eight p.m. ET on ABC.
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