The Season 34 contestants of “Dancing With the Stars” haven’t been shy about the grueling training they’ve been doing to master their dances. While Alix Earle has detailed her injuries, which include losing a toenail and bruised collarbones, fellow contestant Danielle Fishel revealed a painful hamstring injury.
The former “Boy Meets World” star has no intention of giving up, though. She even brought acclaimed choreographer Mandy Moore on her new podcast, “Danielle with The Stars.” She consulted the Taylor Swift “The Eras Tour” choreographer about the best way to succeed on the show. However, in the process of getting advice, she made some realizations on her own.
Disney/Eric McCandless‘Go Big or Go Home’: Danielle Fishel Unlocks the Art of Ballroom Dancing
“So much of my acting experience has helped me,” Danielle said on “Danielle with The Stars.” “But also, so much is hurting me because actors like to be a little more subtle.”
“It’s insane. Sometimes I’ll watch myself in the mirror and be like, ‘I look like a maniac,” she explained. “And then I watch them dance, like the pros dance, and I’m, ‘Oh no, I don’t look like a maniac, they look like a maniac!’ That’s what I need to be doing.”
They discussed how the goal of ballroom dancing is to be overly elaborate. Mandy referred to the dancers as “peacock unicorns,” noting that, while the moves would look ostentatious in any other setting, they’re perfectly at home in the ballroom.
“That is part of the presentation of the art form,” Mandy said, telling Danielle that she should embrace it, but she needs to be genuine about it.
“The best analogy I can think of is the way theater stage makeup is so pronounced, and you’re like, ‘Wow, who did your makeup?” Danielle said. “And then when they’re on stage, they look totally normal to the people in the back room, in the audience. It’s very similar. The camera is diluting, and the space is diluting a lot of what you’re doing.”
So it has to be ‘Go big or go home,’ but from a truly authentic place,” she concluded.
Danielle Fishel Reached Out to Derek Hough for a Deeper Dance Critique
Danielle definitely got many of the answers she was looking for from Mandy. However, she also admitted that she is determined to get a more thorough critique from Derek Hough. Danielle was unsatisfied with his one-word answer of ‘good’ in reference to her dancing. She admitted that she sent him a direct message on Instagram, hoping to get more info.
“I need more, I am going to need more, I’m going into week 3, I know on the show you were limited to one word,” she said, half speaking to Derek. “But anything you’re willing to share with me. So, Derek, if you see this, I sent you a DM.”
