By Shea Zephir . Photos & Video Courtesy of ABC
Hailing from Moscow, newcomer Gleb Savchenko is the latest professional to be added to the 16th season of Dancing With The Stars on ABC paired with Lisa Vanderpump of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills fame. Stepping in for dancer Maks Chmerkovskiy, the former National Professional Latin-American Champion of 2011-2012, started dancing at the tender age of 7. Gleb joined the US version of ‘DWTS’ from the Australian cast and revealed how happy he was to be joining saying, “It feels simply amazing. I am super excited, but at the same time I am feeling kind of scared, as I have to prove myself to the American audiences who don’t know me and are loyal DWTS fans. I want to prove that I am worth it. I am super excited about the show and can’t wait to get out on the ballroom”. The choreographer revealed more of his thoughts about what he expects for the new seasons.
What is a typical 24 hour day for the life of a dancer such as yourself.
I wake up; have some breakfast, off to rehearsals at the studio with Lisa. We warm up and stretch for the first 30 minutes, which is so important for Lisa and myself. We dance none stop, throughout the day, take a few breaks and laugh with the other cast mates. We take a lunch break; we do interviews with media that come to visit the rehearsals. Sometimes we have to go to wardrobe fittings; sometimes we have to do extra interviews for the show. We go over and over the steps, with the music, without the music, honing in on what we can improve until we get it right. I like to try to go to the gym, I try to live a healthy life, but I am so busy practicing and dancing and coaching, sometimes it is hard to get to the gym, but I do think about it! I will then go home, have a bite to eat with some friends and make sure to sleep and try to relax.
Did you know who your partner Lisa Vanderpump was prior to the show competition?
I had watched 1 episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and what’s funny about it is that she was the one, out of the whole cast that I had remembered from watching that 1 episode! The first time I met her, I remember thinking this lady has such a wonderful and amazing sense of humor, she is so funny. We just laugh all the time, she is so great. From the first meeting, I really think we felt such a great friendly connection and we have not stopped laughing since (and practicing)!
Is Lisa Vanderpump really as bad of a dancer as she says she is?
Lisa doesn’t have much dance experience at all, she has never danced with a partner before, but she is quite talented. I think she is a very talented dancer and I couldn’t be more proud to be her partner. She is such a successful business woman; I really believe she will bring that success to the dance floor! She has such a great eye for detail which she will also bring to the dance floor. I am more confident in her than she is in herself, she will do great.
The 12 stars along for the Season 16 ride include Olympic champions (Aly Raisman and Dorothy Hamill), comedians (Andy Dick and D.L. Hughley), country star (Wynonna Judd), American Idol alum (Kellie Pickler), The Bachelor’s (Sean Lowe) and the show’s youngest contestant ever, 16-year-old Shake It Up star Zendaya Coleman. In addition to Gleb there are two other new “Pros” this season, So You Think You Can Dance‘s Lindsay Arnold, and “Dancing with the Stars Australia, Sharna Burgess. It’s the most new pros the DWTS has added since Season 13; new blood is so important as they approach their 300th episode in their eight year run. This season will incorporate two new styles this season, contemporary, which will be introduced the first week, and jazz — the first additions since Season 9.
Dancing With The Stars premieres at 8 p.m. EST on Monday, March 18 on ABC. The first results show elimination airs at 9 p.m. on March 26. We will be watching to see Gleb take home that Mirror Ball trophy!
Check out Gleb Savchenko & Lisa Vanderpump’s first dance rehearsal for Dancing With The Stars!