Danielle With…Witney Carson

This is an "I Heart" podcast, Guaranteed Human. Hello and welcome to Danielle with a podcast that, if you're hip to industry lingo, recently flipped into my solo interview series Teen Beat. But since I, Danielle Fischel, director, podcaster, mom of two, and TV ready ballroom dancer, and about to go out on the road for the Dancing with the Stars live tour, I figured that I'd not only be updating you from all cities like Hershey, Pennsylvania, and Bang or Maine, I'd also prep a bit and return to talk to some of my favorite pros and contestants from the show. I'm hosting 28 live performances over three months, and since this is a safe space, I will admit one thing. I have no idea what to expect. Yet I am very excited to meet some of you live and in person at the shows, and if worse comes to worse, I will just use any free time I have on the bus to force Jenna Johnson to help me get abs. But today, I wouldn't just return to Danielle with for any meaningless reason. It would have to be for a guest of the utmost importance, a superstar even. And so for this week's special episode, I'm joined by the owner of not only one, but two mirror ball trophies, with her most recent victory capturing the nation by storm and forever changing the culture of the show moving forward. She first appeared on the ballroom floor as a member of the troop in seasons 16 and 17, then the following year was promoted to big league competitor and it only took two cycles to score her way into the winner's circle, partnered with Alfonso Rivera, who at the time was just a lowly celebrity contestant. But with her help, not only transformed into one of the most impressive winners in the show's history, he would later become the face of the process. Then over the next 13 seasons, she'd have eight top five finishes, including her turn with Milo Mannheim, whose second place showing is often referred to by dance experts as a total f-ing crime against rhythm. But in 2025, things began to look up. Or should I say down under when she paired with human Koala bear, Robert Irwin, and right out of the gate, the pair stole America's hearts, gliding into the finals and securing the Len Goodman trophy. It makes you wonder, how could she top it? What's next for this fellow mom of two adorable boys who seems to capture dance magic year after year? Well, I'll tell you what, she sitting with me to talk about her undeniable Hall of Fame career in the hallowed halls of dancing with the stars, and what I can expect on this tour. I'm wildly nervous about it. So please welcome to Danielle with the reigning champ, Miss Whitney Carson. Oh my gosh, what an intro. Oh my god, what an intro. Oh my god, I was like, two different times. This isn't great. Well, how do I put that, Danielle? I'm a monologue for myself. I will get it for you. We'll snip it. We'll send it in. It's actually a really a really great intro for my one of my first questions, which is I, when we had Alfonso on the show, talk about getting chills, the way he spoke about you and the love and the reverence and the respect he has for you. And the way he knows you and like really sees you, was so special. And one of the clips of him talking about you went pretty viral. Yes. What did you think when you first heard that? Oh my gosh, he is just such a gem of a human. I mean, you know him, you've known him for years, but he really is like an uncle of brother to me. And he really helped me kind of spread my wings in this Hollywood world, because I'm from American Forkita, a small town. I did not know what I was getting myself into. And at 18, like, you're still a kid. And so the fact that he was my partner was such divine intervention for us, because he really, he actually really taught me so much and kind of put me under his wing. And from then on, we've just had like this inseparable bond and something that I can't really explain. But it's a bond that's really traveled with us through adulthood and through my marriage. And he's always been a mentor to me. But that specific interview that he did with you, I he had never told me those feelings or thoughts before. And so I was hearing it for the first time on social media. And I immediately started crying because I he's he's one of these those he's that type of person that just knows you better than you know yourself. And he's that for me. And so I was like, you know what? That is so true. And it just resonated so much with me. And obviously it resonated with so many of you guys and people watching. And it just kind of took off. And I'm just so grateful that he's always been in my corner. And he's just been such a safe space for me in a world that can be so stressful and that you can kind of lose your way at times. And it's such a crazy wild ride within this industry. And especially with the show how stressful and how physically and mentally demanding it is for him to be there in the studio and mentoring me and just honestly just being there made it made me feel like I was so safe. Yeah. And so that's that's what he is for me. So that was really sweet to see that kind of go viral and people just love that because our bond is very special. Yes, that's very apparent. I am speaking to you the day before you leave for Australia with your family, we were just discussing before we started recording about how stressful the idea of a 16 hour flight is with two small children. How excited are you and how excited are the kids for this trip? We are so extremely excited. We honestly weren't planning on going to Australia this quickly. But it kind of just fell into place. And the kids are we actually surprised them on Christmas morning that we were going and so they were so excited. And my boys love animals. And we just can't stop talking about the koalas and they love Robert. So the fact that we get to combine all those Robert and animals in the zoo like we're just so so excited. So they this is actually the first trip with jet out of the country. So he's never been internationally. So I think it's going to be the trip is going to be crazy. But when we get there, it's going to be it's going to be amazing. And Robert and I have FaceTime and texted over what we're going to do in our plans. He's like, can I just go ahead and plan everything for you guys? And I'm like, please, I'm like, please, here take it. And so he's been very kind and sweet enough to he's got a whole plan for us. We're in Robert Erwin's hands for. Oh, man. Two wings. So you're in very good capable hands. So that's it at least a safe feeling. Yes, for sure. How once you touch down, how long are you there before you return home? So we're we fly to Sydney and then Brisbane, and then we're going to go, I think the zoo's like an hour and a half away. And then we'll spend a whole week at their lodge, which they've so graciously hosted us for that. We're really excited about that though. I heard the food's amazing. And so we'll do that for a week. And then we'll be on the sunshine coast for the second week. So we want it a little bit of zoo, a little bit of like the beach town. So everything recommended by Robert. So I love it. I will let you guys know because I know you guys are going or we are. We are. We are. Yeah, we're going to book a trip. I don't know exactly when. But I think are you guys going to be there through the Australian open? I think so. Yep. Oh, man. Oh, I'm like, do I try and go? You should absolutely. Yeah, I that would actually be incredible. But we actually we decided not to bring any help. So I'm like, are kids allowed? Kids allowed there? I don't know. They are. You're allowed at your yeah, kids are allowed at 10. I mean, it's going to be, you know, if one of you will probably be up and down and up and down trying to keep, you know, you don't want them like loud. But yes, I think I think kids are allowed. Yeah, I mean, you can't be in Australia during the Australian open and not try to go. I know. Okay, we'll try and go. I know Carson will probably be all for it with the sports and exactly. I'm like, I'm sure Robert will want to go as well. So yes, yes, you guys should get to that. It'll be fun. I can't imagine when you started a career in ballroom dancing, you thought it would lead to, uh, zoo, zoo trips with the Irwin family. And no, never. And that's what's so beautiful about this show, those you get to meet so many different people and walks of life that you just would never expect to become friends with. I mean, I never had this career. I mean, I don't, you know, I wouldn't know Robert Irwin. And he's like one of the most special people in my life. So I'm very grateful to be on a show that allows that to happen and to create friendships and long lasting friendships forever. Um, no, I never thought that one of my good friends would be a zoo keeper. And it was so fine during rehearsals too. I would get, you know, towards the end, it'd be like, okay, come on, like you know this, like you know the step and he'd be like, remember Whitney, I am just a zoo keeper. I'm like, right, right. Yeah, you're not as much as it seems like it, you're not a fellow professional dancer. Right. Right. This, you've known this for a few weeks. Yeah, no, but he honestly, it's going to be hard to have another partner compared to Robert. I know. So amazing. I mean, you know how incredible he is. So he's truly incredible. I tell everybody every chance I get. Like exactly what he seems like is exactly what he is. I know. Literally. It's so funny. And I, I forget that he's 21 because he acts like a 40 year old. I know. And then sometimes you get little glimpses and you're like, oh right, okay, you're all right. Yes, exactly. But he's, yeah, no, he's amazing. So we're really excited to see him. Look good. I want to talk a little bit about young Whitney, kid Whitney. Your mom was a travel agent and your dad was in software developing. How did you gravitate toward dance? Well, you know what, my mom, she actually grew up very, very poor. She could not afford dance. And she really always wanted to be a dancer. And so I think she knew when I was her first. Okay. So I think what she knew that she could tell that I kind of like to dance. She was immediately like, okay, like she kind of lived a little bit bicariously through. Because she wanted to give me all the opportunities that she didn't have. And so that's, you know, I started dance very young. And I loved it, loved it, loved it. And then as I grew older, she actually became, she started a swimmer company. Okay. So she was an entrepreneur. I love that. I get, I remember her starting this business in our basement and just hustling. And I think that's where I get kind of my entrepreneur gene a little bit that little fire in me to, to be an entrepreneur because I saw her work so, so hard for something that she wanted so badly. So that was, she was an amazing example to me of hard work and being a mom and balancing it all. And it was really inspiring for me as a kid and a teen to watch her do that. And my dad, he was in software development. So he was obviously the techie guy. But they did, they did trade a lot for my dance training. Because you know, at times we couldn't afford it. And they wanted so badly for me to go after my dreams. And so I'm just so thankful that they were able to sacrifice so much for me to, I mean, that's what you do for your kids. And now having kids, I'm like, you would do anything for them to have their dreams and to go after their dreams. And so my dad did a little bit of the stage work. So he would actually take down sets for us and travel with us to competitions and set it up to trade for a lot of my dance training. Oh my gosh. So he did that as well as software development. And then once the, this one more company kind of took off, they kind of tag teamed that together. So a very, very hardworking parent came from. And creative to think like, okay, there's other ways of, you know, other than cold hard cash. There are other things we can do. And so even just thinking of that, like I can take down and put up sets. And they were just willing to do that for me. And it was, I'm just so thankful for that. And the example of hard work and perseverance through everything, I truly believe if you work hard enough, like you can do anything. And that's what, you know, I always tell my brothers and sisters who are adults now. And just, you know, I'm kind of living proof of that. Like you can do anything that you set your mind to. And, yeah, they, they, we had an amazing childhood and very grateful for that. Was the goal always to end up in Los Angeles? Like when you start dancing and you know, you're going to pursue a dance career. Is the goal like, let's get to LA? You know what? That actually, that wasn't really in my sight because I feel like it was so scary for me. Because, you know, I've always been, I've born and raised in that small town. And I just loved dance. I loved it so much that I didn't really have sites on TV or film. Or that was really, wasn't really in my head space. I actually had all of my classes set up for college. And I was on the dance team. I had auditioned for the dance team in college. And I was, I was kind of going that route. Like, okay, maybe dance can just be a passion of mine and, and not something that's really on TV or film. And then that I remember, so you think you, you can dance, came to Salt Lake City. And my mom, the two nights before was like, mom's intuition. I'm, yeah, is so good. But she was like, I really just feel like you need to try. You need to try an audition for this and just see what happens. And you know, don't, don't get upset or, you know, determine, but just, just go for it. And so two nights before, I grabbed my partner and we last minute got a routine together. And I was just like, okay, let's go for it. And that just really skyrocketed my career into TV and film. And so you think you dance. And then dancing with the stars found me on that show. Okay. The kind of the rest is history from that. But my mom's intuition, she knows. She knew for sure. So that was around 2012 that you were on. So you think you can dance. You finished in the top six. And in that first season, you were partnered with Steven Twitch Boss, a dancer that I, as a fan, admired very much from afar. What are your memories of, of working with him? Oh my gosh. That was one of the most influential times in my career was with Steven. And he was, he's such, he was such a beautiful person, a beautiful dancer. Obviously, everyone who watched him dance just felt an instant connection. Yes. Soul to soul. It was the kind of indescribable. But um, and working with him, he was so sweet because I was a ballroom dancer. So I wasn't like completely comfortable with hip hop. And although we cross-trained a lot, it, I mean, this was hip hop, hip hop. So I was very much intimidated, but he made it so fun. He made it so comfortable. And um, uh, who was our choreographer, um, Luther, Luther choreographer and they, they had known each other for a while. So I just remember coming into the studio and feeling like so welcomed. And we had, we just had so much fun. And that was one of the most memorable routines that I ever did on the show. So, um, again, I'm just, I'm so grateful that I was able to have that opportunity with him. That was fun. That was very fun. So fun. You were there for two seasons. And then in 2013, you made the jump over to dancing with the stars as a member of the troupe, right? It was a little bit of a hot button issue this season because some were critical of pros who don't start in that like quasi apprentice position. Do you think it should be mandatory to ease into the come, the competition by starting on troupe? I mean, you know what's hard is so they took away the troupe for a while. And so I think like that transition kind of changed the way the producers thought about the troupe and getting promoted to being a professional. I do think that it helps a lot because the piece of the show is something unlike anything. I mean, you can't, you can't be prepared for a show like this no matter how much training in the studio that you do. So being on the troupe, um, it helps you see kind of how it works, how the beast of the show works and how to teach, because you can be the best dancer in the entire world. But if you don't know how to teach, then, you know, that it can become very hard for you. And, you know, you do have to be, I think it's, it's helpful if you are a little bit cross-trained because now, now we're seeing, you know, the free styles and we're seeing, um, you know, obviously there's jazz and contemporary styles that get judged. And so it is really nice to have a little bit of everything. And also just to get a little bit more information and education under your belt before you get promoted as a pro. And I did feel a little bit bad for Yon that he wasn't able. I mean, he had never been involved in the show. I mean, it's, it's nice when you can kind of see it firsthand before you step into that role. Yeah. And so I think you would just be helpful. I don't know if it needs to be mandatory, but I think that it would help the pros. Yeah. Benefits the pros. Benefits the pros, honestly. Like, if I, if I had to choose, I would say put me on troupe first. Mm-hmm. Before I get promoted to a pro, but, um, yeah, I think it was very helpful. And then obviously each season that you do is a professional is still so much that you learn. I mean, my first season to this season is dramatically different. You know, each, you learn more and you get better at teaching, you get better at choreographing, you get better about how you plan everything. And so now, like within the last even few years, I feel like I've gotten a grip on that. Yeah. I feel like, you know, I've watched back some of the routines that I did with Von Miller. And I'm like, oh my gosh, well, it was like, you know, which I think everybody does that in at some point is their work. Correct. But, you know, it, it definitely each season teaches you and and makes you grow in ways that you didn't expect. And as we talked about, then in your second season, you were paired with the incomparable Alfonso Rivera, and you take home the Miraball trophy with him. Did that partnership feel special just right from the start? Yes. And I remember actually our first meeting. And I knew exactly who he was. They didn't, they used to just surprise us. And it got, it got a lot of people. Yeah, because sometimes people didn't know who they were. No, Glenn, you're like nice to meet you. I don't know who you are. But they surprised me on this one, because I think they knew I would know who he was. I mean, I watched Fresh Prince all growing up. Like I was. So of course, I was instantly excited what I met him. And then we started to get into, I remember it was just simple, cha-cha-locks across the floor. And he got it like that. And I was like, oh, okay, this is going to be really good. And I could just feel it. I could just feel how different it was. And he was so good in the fact that like, okay, so it's my second season, right? I'm still very much competitive. Like I'm still trying to prove myself in a way. Because, you know, the first season, I was with Cody Simpson and I got, we got eliminated. I think like the fourth or fifth week. Okay. Fairly early. So I still had something to prove. And I was very competitive and very hard, very hard on him. And he was just so patient and kind with me. And he was exactly what I needed to be like, okay, it's okay. It's about, it's about making the celebrity better. And I think all, once you get into a group, you understand that. But at the beginning, you're really focused on, you know, I've got to prove myself. I have something to prove. And I want to win. And you're very much competitive in that way. So he was really good to kind of like balance out the mental part of everything and the emotional part of everything. So that part would be hard because, you know, the celebrities on the show are not usually trying to leave their with a new career as a professional dancer. Like that's, you know, we go into it for different, everyone comes into it for different reasons. But like, best case scenario, you're getting somebody there who just wants to learn and wants to improve week after week and wants to have fun doing it and wants to be out of their comfort zone and wants to, you know, see how far they can take this. And is competing with themselves week after week. But for you guys, especially when this is what you've trained for your whole lives, like this is your career, this is your reputation. This is, so it's hard to separate between me, Whitney Carson wanting to put on my best performance and show people what I'm capable of. But also, oh, yeah, it's called dancing with the stars. And I need to make my star look good. And so yeah, that would be real. Like that's a, that's a, that's a learning curve that you have to go through between finding the balance of showcasing what you're capable of and making your star shine. Yeah. And I think that it takes honestly years to do that. I mean, like I said, I didn't really quite figure that out fully until the last maybe five years. And with some celebrities, it's just so different. Like I, I know for me, some celebrities, I don't, I don't dance like my full ability. Like I don't, like I, I'm able to, I almost dance like a notch down just in case something happens and they fall off timing. And so if they're off timing, I watch them and I go off timing. So it looks like they're on timing. So we find little tricks that kind of allow them to shine, which in turn, honestly, makes, makes you like look better as well. Because you know, it's a win-win when you, when you do it that way and you really think about their journey and their, and what makes them shine and finding those moments to really make them stand out. Yeah. What do you think made him such a perfect contestant for the show? If you know Alfonso, he is good at everything. And that mentality, it takes a certain personality, takes a certain person, whether it was, it was something in their childhood or their career or whatever they, that made them that way. But Alfonso is that like if he wants to golf, he's the best at golf. If he is trying to do tennis, he's the best at that. Like he will go, go, go until he is, he's mastered it. And so that's how he came into the dance of the stars. He wasn't like, okay, I'm here to have fun. Obviously, I'm sure that's, that comes with it. But he was like, I'm going to give this everything in my, like, like everything that I have. And I think that was the same with Robert too. And you have those few personalities where you're like, okay, like this, I know, I know he's going to do amazing because he's got, he's got what it takes to really go there. And on a show like this, you have to do that. You have to put your whole soul and heart and everything into it. And that's just his personality. And I think that he's been in TV for very, for so long. So he's comfortable on camera. And that really helped. He was very mature in the way that he handled the producers in, in the studio and with me. And very much like calm and collected. And he was, I think that he was just such a, just a special person for people to watch too. They just connected to us so much because we connected obviously and people root for the connections and the partnerships too. Yeah, we made, we made the talk shows quite a bit from our little banter, which was really funny. That's so cute. People still tell me they're like, my favorite thing you ever said to them is when you hit hit them in the crotch and you said, do you need a snack? It's like it's a good line. I still do that nowadays too. I'm like, I hit people. Do you need some food food? Do you want some chips? We'll make it better. But yeah, I think just his personality and his drive and the way that we connected, I think what is what made us successful. And now he's like such a big part of the show. He's such a, yeah. He's the heart of it, you know, opinion. So I think that it all worked out for the best. Absolutely. He's such an incredible host. I know everyone who's ever seen the show with him knows that. He is spectacular to watch and everybody talks about everybody just watches him and then every now and then someone will just look at each other and go, wow, he's good. He's really good. He's really good. I love that he is so invested in each of the celebrities too. Yeah. Don't you feel like he gave you like some good advice and he was very much like just he wants everyone to genuinely do well. It takes his job seriously. So it's like if he knows that you're struggling with something in the week, he'll help maybe bring that up or he just really can, he really puts everything he has into everything that he does. He really does. He's everyone's safe space. I mean, really that he is, he gives everyone that feeling of like as long as I'm here and I'm with him, I know I'm in a safe place. Yeah. Exactly. Oh, I love that. How did you feel like your last your last week? Like, did you feel like, did you feel like you got out what you wanted from this experience or like, well, how was your mental space coming into it? Like, did you just want to have fun or did you want to win? Like, what was your mentality? I'm curious. When I first started before we even started, once I knew I was doing the show. So like sometime at the beginning of August, when I knew, okay, I'm doing the show, I was like, I'm gonna win. I want to win. I'm very competitive, but I'm also like competitive and a realist. And so once we actually started and I saw all the other dancers and you know going into it, obviously, I was a fan of the show. So I knew there was going to be a lot more involved in winning than just dance ability. It's likeability and personality and who connects with the audience. And you don't know, like, those are all factors kind of completely out of your control. And I remember then like on pretty much the first week being like, oh, wow, this is a stacked season on all of those fronts, like different different like abilities, different rivalries, different partnerships that people are going to root for. Lots of prior dance experience. And I similar to Robert had no prior dance experience. Wow. So, you know, I'd never even taken a dance class. So I was like, I didn't know that. Yeah, I've never I'd never danced. And so then I kind of was like, okay, well, maybe I'm not going to win, which is fine. Maybe there's a win in a different way. And that is then I was like, the win is competing with myself and getting better every week and feeling like, you know, the language of dance is both in my body and in my brain. And I feel like I just understand it more. And I definitely feel like I got all of that out of it. What I will say is that if I wasn't if I didn't have small kids, I probably would have and I don't know if it really would have made that much of a difference because I don't look back on my experience on the show and say, I didn't work hard enough. Like we busted our butts. But when I left the studio, I then did have to come home and and be a mom. And I had to put my kids to bed. And I had to, you know, there were things I had to do that I wanted to do in order to not feel like I just a bit truly abandoned my family. There was enough feeling like you do that anyway. And then it meant like I had 15 to 20 minutes at night to review tape. And right before I would fall asleep. And if I were younger and or did not have children, there probably would have been more I would have I would have been able to do than just that. So I don't know so if it would have made a difference, I wouldn't change anything about my experience. That's so I'm so glad I just was curious about that. I um I feel the exact same way because I have two little ones as well. But I think that's what makes us have such a unique perspective when we do get get out on stage. When we do dance and when we do emote like like I feel like I connected to you so much because you are a mom and like your heart and your passion and your like the way that you emoted on stage like made that so personal like so so I feel like it was all it was all meant to be. I mean is this your balance like we balance so much as a mom like I know it was crazy like towards the end like Carson my husband was like just go for it. He's like I got the kids. So they didn't have a mom honestly for probably the last like four weeks of comfortable. Like I left before they got up and then I came home when they after they went to bed like they don't have a mom. I was like so sorry I will see you in four weeks. And there was no other way around it had I made it had I made it that far that would have been the exact same situation for me too. Exactly. And it's just it's just so hard when you are balancing so many different things. Yes. And then you feel so guilty too. Because you're like they don't understand. They have no idea. And my son my son did have a meltdown. I told you about my my oldest son's meltdown. He was like I hate this job. I did not hear that. Oh my god. Yeah. He said to me. Why did you even take this job? You don't have time for me and Keaton anymore. All you do is dance dance dance. Oh my gosh. Shattered. Shattered. Literally kill me. I'm feeling okay. I'm quitting. I know I was like it's not going to last forever. It's I swear. But if I make it to the finals we've only got four more weeks Adler and he was like he was very upset. Oh my gosh. Oh that's hard. The mom girl is so real. Yes it really is. Once you win your first Miraball trophy. Does the pressure lessen or do you have like a taste for blood now and you just want to keep winning another one? Oh goodness. I got to think back to when I first won. I feel like you can kind of take a deep breath a little bit. You can kind of be like okay. I feel like I've proven myself a little bit. I can win and now it's just kind of I think I was interesting what you said to take the wins in different ways. Like and I think that that is the mentality you have to have because not everyone can win. It's not really about the pros winning anyway. So it's not really about us winning. Our wins like I feel like with Danny last season not Daniela but with my Danny and Madeline. It was more about like no the viral stuff like on social media and like that was like our in our own way like our win. You know like that's what we were trying to really push because we knew like there were some crazy good dancers. So we are we're not going to win. So let's let's do our thing. Let's try and win in different ways. And I think that's how you have to think on this show. But after I won the first time I feel like that was kind of the mentality. So each entity after that was like well how can I make him look good and how can I make us go as far as we can. And I think at the beginning you can kind of tell if you have a winner or not. Like you can tell you can be like maybe not a winner but you can tell if you're going to make it to the finals. And then obviously that dark horse where people don't really know. But I think every season I have a pretty good intuition. So I mean with Milo I thought really we had it. Yeah. That was the only one where my intuition was not right. Did you were you just as shocked by that finale as everyone else. Yes. Yeah. But at the same time looking back looking back at the time. No, but looking back at you know Milo was so young and we did not have TikTok. So we did not have that that younger viewership that we have now. Right. I do believe if we had that younger viewership we probably would have won. Yeah. But because Bobby was so popular with that demographic. But that I mean it makes sense looking back now. Right. Yeah, you're right. That younger demographic you don't think about that. But like before the age of social media and really getting to get this younger generation hooked on the show. That wasn't his youth which would be such an asset now was actually a detriment back then. Right. Like if I think if I you know if he did the show right now I think a hands down he would he would win he would take it. And I just the timing of it all. But honestly we talked about it all the time Milo and I it actually did us good it went because now it's so so talked about which you know we'll take it we'll take it. Yeah. I mean it really is finding wins in other ways that like that really was the win. You know the win was in that situation that everyone for years since has been like talk about a robbery talk about a robbery exactly yes and I remember the first who was it that I do you remember Chelsea high tower yes the first pros yes I remember her telling me celebrate in the small successes so like every if they point their toe on a certain count that celebrate celebrate that right so like I kind of had that mentality throughout the years of just like celebrating those moments yes well that's a perfect transition into our buddy Robert Irwin I remember after week one a dance that I think goes down in the shows Hall of Fame for week ones I saw you at rehearsal and I told you guys how how much I just how magical I thought it was and you mentioned how hard it was going to be to continue that trajectory were you nervous coming off a dance that Derek said might be the best week one performance ever yes I was very nervous I mean I think we were the thing about that week one and I think about the thing about Robert Irwin coming in after Bindi Bindi was so beloved and she obviously won and now her brother coming in and the Irwin family is just oh yes yes they are there are royal family they are they're not even American but there are somehow there are royal family yep and they they deserve all of it but it was a lot of pressure for us because that first week so we were like my mentality was like just do the absolute best that you can do like I'm not holding anything back I'm just gonna push push push and you know normally I feel like I would maybe hold some things back week one maybe I wouldn't you know go as strong as I did but because we had this pressure my mentality and we had so much time that it kind of just that's kind of just what it was so we just we pull that all the stops on that week one and I think Derek saying that it was the best he's ever seen was great but it also hindered us just a little bit because after that people had an expectation every single week so of course we had that pressure and but I think that's what makes the show so beautiful and our journey so beautiful is it kind of did this yeah people love to root for that people love to root for you when you do go down and they they need you know a hero story they need an arc so like if we stayed there the whole time I don't know if the you know our journey would be the same and the same outcome you know so I think that it all played out to how it was supposed to but lots of pressure definitely but I love what Robert always says is pressure is a privilege so that's our mentality we were like this is a privilege to match that try and match that and obviously each I mean you know because you've done it each style is different you have weaknesses and strengths within each style and Robert's strength was dry like he is the drive king so anything after that was it was a big challenge and what you what everyone saw on the live show was hours and hours and hours of of you know training and I really realized that after we did the team dance did you we're at the team dance right you did your other team uh-huh but I realized that really it was very apparent when we did the team dance because I was watching Alex Earl and Robert side by side learned the same things yeah and her hit the position immediately yeah and with Robert it took a long time to get there yeah and I think that's the difference when you have dance experience versus when you don't yeah and you don't so I mean it took and I was with next to Whitney Levitt exactly exactly you got it so I was like oh oh okay yeah you have to you have to work that much harder and which I wish people would have seen in the packages a little bit more the grind like it's a grind like if you don't know how to put your hip to the left and put your arm straight like immediately like it takes some time it takes some time and you look like a baby deer yeah just you're like and so the fact that where you start on day one and sometimes even in the middle of day two compared to like oh my gosh only a week later here we are with what we put out in front of millions of people live you don't if you're only there a small period of time or you're not really committing it's not going to look great but it but with the hours and hours and hours and hours and the grind yeah then that's what people see and and that's the other thing too with the week one we had three weeks to prepare versus five yep yep that was also I mean if we had three weeks for every dance like we got it like unbelievable exactly I know and I remember those first three weeks because I know there were a lot of people that had already then learned their second week during those three weeks and and we we talked about what we were going to do we did like a little bit of it but I think you know posh didn't know me well enough at that point and I think he was worried that if we learned too much of that second week things for this first week we're going to fall out and also like you don't really know what your celebrity's going to be like at that first live show until you have your first live show you can do run-throughs and you can do show and tells but like the night of that live show is all you can't prepare for it no you can't and I think the the pros are just as nervous as the celebrities on that one because like you said the like what do you crack under pressure do you I wonder pressure like we don't know we're going to forget everything that we did last three weeks yeah so it was very telling when Robert came alive yep he comes alive like with when the cameras are on and so that for me I was like okay I can take a deep breath now like he's he's good with pressure which you don't get that a lot yeah yeah what was your connection to him like right from the beginning so many people felt like they saw you guys as like a big sister little brother relationship did it feel like that at day one it honestly really did like it it honestly really did he I met him when he was 11 when Bindi did the show so it felt very much like someone that I already knew and obviously I didn't have a chance to really get to know him when he was there with Bindi just because you know we were all in our own worlds but when he showed up and he walked in he was just so excited I could tell he was really nervous yeah I mean he Robert doesn't really get nervous but the energy I just felt like a little bit more nervous energy and I felt instantly like I wanted to like shield him and like yeah and I think because because I am a mom now and like him being so young and you know I have two boys and I immediately wanted to just protect him and be like it's fine you're good I've got you yeah we got this like we're so and it was just the energy was so infectious and it was I just felt really warm and it felt really really good and then I started doing a few like kicks and flex with him because I knew our first dance was drive so it's like okay we were gonna test this out a little bit and I was like what have you been doing for three months because you got announced yeah now are you taking dance where you taking dance lessons this whole time and he had done none of it I'm like why wouldn't you do some hello anyway so we were starting from ground zero but he learned so quickly that I was like okay that's a really good sign that his his agility was really good he was very athletic and he was able to learn quickly is exactly what I was looking for so I'm like even if you don't have dance experience if you can learn pretty quickly and keep it retained yep that's going to be really important so that's what I was kind of looking for with that one but immediate connection immediate like protectiveness at one point you jokingly wanted to play matchmaker for Robert the planet's most eligible bachelor and then your inbox was attacked with DMs can you give me a little bit of the vibe of maybe some of the messages you were receiving oh my god what started out as like a really big joke it started becoming very real for every girl in america and i'll tell you so somehow my my email was getting leaked and I'm getting emails of applications I was getting DMs I was getting text messages people really did their detective work with my email oh my gosh but the some of them were really sweet and like amazing like some of these girls really just want to meet Robert and like I don't blame them I don't blame them at all for shooting their shot yeah but a lot of them were just a full explanation that they love animals and they're really good I mean they're they're great girls but it just became so overwhelming for me that I was like guys I can't focus on trying to win a competition like I can't play matchmaker right now Robert you're on your own and bindi was like yeah thank thank goodness I have someone to help me with this because I'm sure that happens to her too yes so we've kind of split the load there but I'm like Robert you're on your own now I'm gonna let you handle that well another big discussion this past season involved the online discourse a lot of very passionate fandoms were participating and social media played a much bigger role on the show than it ever has before yeah the word toxic was thrown around quite a lot did it affect you and Robert at all not really I feel like Robert and I are very much in the same person as far as like comments online and feeding into the negativity we're just not by nature we're not negative people and so we don't like that energy at all so anything negative it kind of bounced right off of us and we kind of focused on what we were doing I mean we're all human and obviously sometimes I would read it and it would hurt my feelings a little bit but I wouldn't let it affect me if anything my personality being a dancer I'm getting critiqued so much that's that was my whole life it was getting critiqued it was fix your head fix your fix fix fix fix so for me critiques constructive criticism I love and I actually take that and it motivates me if it's just nasty and mean I don't really care I don't really care they kind of bounces right off of me but I know a lot of people I mean I feel like Robert and I were lucky enough to not get as much as some of the other couples did like I feel Whitney and Martha a lot yep and that would be very very hard to deal with it but I was getting that every single day and she is a tough she's a tough woman like that's that's very hard to do and when you're getting you know such negative hateful comments every single day and I think people need to realize that we're all human we're all trying to do you know the best that we can so I do feel bad for some of the the couples that really got it yeah badly but I didn't we definitely didn't feed into it and we would definitely if there was anything negative we would just swipe or we would just not read it or you know yeah kind of protect our peace I think because it's mentally challenging already enough as it is you know yes absolutely I I feel very much the same way I'm also just not a negative person and so yeah if there is some of it out there I really try to just go oh okay did you feel did you feel like you got any at all um no not nothing nothing that was just straight up nasty people being you know people saying whether or not they thought I could dance or critical or whatever sure yeah but like people just being nasty to me no I really was spared and and like you said some people were not spared that and um and and that would be that would be very hard but very hard looking back on your partners Milo excluded is there someone that sticks out as a competitor who deserved a longer run hmm kind of thing packed all my partners I've had so many deserved a longer run um trying to think I feel like all of the partners that I feel like had potential all made it to the finale okay um I do feel like um with Von Miller I feel like those that's one season that I kind of look back at and wish I would have tried a lot harder and not that I didn't and not that I didn't put my best effort forward I just wish I would have had him in the last like few years to to really give it you know I know a lot more I'm yeah I'm a lot more experienced and I feel like I could really because he was so strong and so athletic um I do feel like I could give it a better a better season if I had him in the last few years for sure yeah so that's kind of one season that I'm I go I I regret a little bit right you wish you knew then what you know now exactly and that's that's hard right like everyone kind of does that but I think that's one specific because he just had come from the Super Bowl he was MVP Super Bowl champ and there were a lot of expectations on us and I and I really I had just gotten married yeah so I feel like I was very much in this marriage bubble yeah um and you know it's hard it's hard to balance all of that but I really feel like I wish I would have given it um a little bit more I totally get that you are a mom of two as we've mentioned and you look absolutely incredible I think a lot of listeners including myself want your tips and tricks so let's talk about finesse tell me about it tell me about your app why did you create it I want to know everything oh you're so sweet thank you I it's actually been a passion project to find for many years um as like I grew up I really realized that like a lot of dancers don't have the accessibility of really good mentors and trainers and people either can't afford it or they don't have teachers close by or they don't have studios close by and so this was kind of a project for us that can be accessible and affordable to anyone that wants to learn volume dance and wants to learn from me specifically and have and learn choreography that I do on the show and also we have some workouts on there as well so if you're looking to dance and and get some cardio and move your body there's workouts in there and then if you're wanting to learn just for the basics and choreography there's also a lot of options on there as well so it really started as like a passion project that really anybody can access and um it's been really well received and we're so so excited about it and um it's been really fun it's been really fun to kind of give back to a dance community that's given me so much and I you know I'm so grateful for my childhood and having great mentors so I just really wanted to make sure that everybody had that accessibility I love that I'm gonna I'm gonna join by the way yes you need to it so yes I will all right let's get to the chase after something like season 34 basically winning the show's Super Bowl do you plan on returning to the show and defending the title it's oh my goodness it's hitting me with the hard hard hitting questions I know everyone's not everyone but you know people are asking me they're like please don't retire and I'm like it's it's a hard it's a hard decision right because it's a show that I love very much and it's been so much a part of me and I've mentioned that so many times and it's had kind of a resurgence and it's beautiful that people are giving dancers a platform and us this opportunity to share what we love so much um TBD TBD I mean how could you top Robert that's the hardest part that's that's the hardest part that's the hardest part but like you said it's it's not every season about winning yep the Miraball right like it's not that's not necessarily what it's about you can find your own experience and your own growth and your own successes without winning the Miraball so and you know I don't I don't expect to win again um but actually Dina just text me the other day she's like you're not pregnant right and I'm like I'm gonna so we're kind of we're kind of tossing it up because you know my youngest is two and we want for children and you know unfortunately it's kind of the timing of it all so it's like do we have a baby yeah go back to the show so we're kind of okay doing that so TBD TBD honestly my honest honest response to that okay I appreciate the honesty I am about to embark on a wild adventure I'm doing the dancing with the stars live tour you have participated in the past and you'll be coming for some special dates with Robert on this live tour as well what should I expect what the fact that we have to do our own hair and makeup is traumatizing me it's actually it's actually great because you have you get to explore some amazing cities in the country and you know what we don't get to do on camera or on the show is to really meet the fans who have voted for a week after week after week and that's the best part that's the best part leading the fans and being able to give them something that you know that that they want and that they love and that is performing and spreading joy and like you know then they're so excited and it's just it's an amazing full circle moment where you're like okay this is why I do what I do you know I really feel the love and the energy in each theater and I love that they do theaters now because it used to the arenas and it was just it wasn't intimate so this is a great intimate and you have you ever done live performances like on Broadway or anything or never have done Broadway but for we've done a podcast live tour and you know okay so you you know how that feels and you're gonna you're gonna be way more lax because no one's judging you they love you for you and for what you can offer and and that's that's amazing to them so they're they're gonna be so excited it's gonna be chill I mean nobody's gonna be judging you honestly you could go out just like that like I would just do virtual makeup and just have my hair like this and do the costumes and okay fun it's so fun you're gonna don't stress about it honestly it's it's it's a blast okay I'm really looking forward to it how do you pack to be gone for so long like do you just bring warm sweatsuits I'm gone through the winter I'm doing all the January February dates okay are you gonna be on the east coast then yes yes yeah I mean I would just plan on loungy where okay a few things that you can explore the city because it's really fun to go do that and do kind of the touristy things in the city and then if you perform then you go to bed and you hang out with everyone and it's it's really so how many dates are you doing 20 I'm doing 28 shows oh my gosh so exciting yeah no I would just pack light because okay talking lugging that suitcase in and out of the bus and into the venue make sure you have like a little carry on so you have like your makeup your toilet stuff and your shower stuff so that you can just take that little carry on into the venue great I mean so just like do that so you don't have to get your whole big suitcase out okay just a little carry on and then just have fun I'm jealous you're doing that many dates like I would love to do that how are your boys staying home they're staying home but my husband is gonna bring them out for about a week so I'm gonna be gone for two weeks then they're gonna come out and join me for a week then when they go home I'll only have one week left perfect see that's perfect yeah my my kids are coming we're doing an RV so we're renting RV so great and they're just doing city to city with me because I yeah and and like we've done the whole bus thing before I actually had like contract the last time I did tour that Carson had a bunk great actually had his own bunk with me and so that was really fun but you'll have a blast you'll have you'll have so much fun I'm looking forward to it and I'm gonna have to pick one of your and Robert states I want to come and watch when you guys are there so yeah I swear we do LA but yeah you do you're you're you're more of the local ones I think also you Vegas too okay and will you be at the Irwin Gala on September on May 3rd yes me too I'm so excited okay good yes okay great I'm really looking forward to it Whitney thank you so much for spending your time with me have the best time in Australia I'm gonna want all the details I'm gonna make sure you have my phone number so we can text but when you get back I want to know everything about it I want to hear all the details I want to see family pictures I adore you and just loved my time with you this past season and thank you so much for spreading your light and sharing it with all of us here today um you are the best thank you for having me love you love you bye okay bye Danielle with the stars produced and hosted by Danielle Fischel executive producers Jensen Carp and Amy Sugarman executive and charge of production Danielle Romo producer editor and engineer Tara Sudbach theme song by Justin Siegel follow us on Instagram at Danielle with stars and vote for me this is an iHeart podcast guaranteed human