BWW Exclusive Interview: Suzanne Somers & Redfoo Talk Competing on New Season of DANCING WITH THE STARS

The 20th Anniversary season of ABC's DANCING WITH THE STARS kicks off on Monday, March 16, at 8/7c. Today, celebrity hoofers Suzanne Somers (partnered with dance pro Tony Dovolani) and Redfoo (partnered with dance pro Emma Slater) speak exclusively with BWW about taking on what is arguably the biggest challenge of their careers!

Thanks for speaking with us today. Why did you both decide to take on this challenge?

Redfoo: I think because of the very nature that it is a challenge. And I've done a lot of things in my life and I find that the more I live and the more I experience, I want that challenge, I want the thing that I want to do, dancing is something I want to do, and I recognize that it's very challenging for me to do ballroom dance, to do anything with a technique, a certain way. I just want to become a great dancer so I said, you know what, let's do the pressure, let's do it in front of people, this is exciting. So it's the very nature that it is a challenge is what excites me.

That's awesome. And Suzanne, what about you?

Somers: I think for me, I welcome the challenge. I was ready for it this year. I have written a lot of books about a new way to age without drugs and that age is just a number and it's all about your energy. And what I'm loving is that I have energy. I'm not running out of energy. I wondered where my cardio was, you know, sometimes when I run up the hill at my house and feel that burning in my heart. Well, I'm not feeling the burning in my heart now (laughing), I'm just feeling passion burning in my heart.

Redfoo: Woo hoo!

Somers: So it's a challenge for me, it's the hardest thing I've ever done, but I also like the subliminal message of what you eat, what you think, the way you take care of your body, the way you respect your body, there's a pay off for it and I'm starting to feel that it really is working out because of the energy I have doing these numbers. But it's not easy.

Redfoo: It's not easy and every day you learn something new, if you're giving 100%, as I believe we both are. And when you have that breakthrough, and you've been working on a certain step and a certain technique and you get that breakthrough, that feeling that you get, because you're so proud of yourself. Like I am proud that yesterday I had a major, major breakthrough and it was the straight leg. I had heard straight leg and I finally felt the feeling of my leg being straight and it was the best. And now I'm walking around the house with the straight leg and it's sounds crazy if you don't know dancing. And I never understood anything about technique, or straight leg or shoulders back or looking to the gods, as my partner says. And the reason why ballroom is the way it is, we're learning about the history. The reason why runway models look beautiful is because it's like ballroom dancing, the way their posture is and now I'm watching the way Michael Jackson dances, and I'm saying, 'hey, that's the Cha-Cha, that looks like Michael Jackson!' You know pop culture is probably created from this classical dance and the partnership. So this is changing my life as we speak, and I have never been more upbeat, more happy and I'm finally learning how to dance!

Suzanne, I understand that you are concurrently rehearsing for your upcoming Vegas residency. Do you think that is going to help you, hurt you and how are you going to manage it all?

Somers: I try to keep them both separate. Before I started rehearsals I had laid out my whole opening Vegas show and then I turned that over to my team, because there's a lot of technical stuff, video and things like that, and now I'm really trying to not think about the Vegas thing at all and just focus on this. You only have room in your mind for ballroom dancing when you're doing ballroom dancing. And you can't mess around with it. If you're supposed to bend your leg in this one spot and keep it straight in another one, they keep saying, 'that's what they're going to look at, they're going to look at your feet!" We both coincidently are going to be doing the Cha-Cha as our opening number, and when I heard that I thought, "woo hoo, cha-cha, that's easy! I can do that after one tequila on the dance floor and I look great!" But when you break down the Cha-Cha, it's extremely technical and that straight leg comes into it all the time and really doing that locked step and swiveling your hips, and there's so much to think about.

Redfoo, last year you served as a guest judge on the show. How does that experience compare with being an actual contestant?

It's totally different. When I was judging, I was basing it on my skill set, which is passion, and energy and being committed, that's what I was judging on, and I left the technical stuff up to Len and the other judges because I had no business talking about that. So that's what I'm going to bring to the table is my work ethic and passion and commitment and it's the technical side that I am now learning. And I don't think there's really an advantage or a disadvantage to having been a guest judge. The only thing that I'm concerned about is that the other judges will try to show that they're not showing favoritism to me since we're now friends and might actually over-criticize me to show the world that 'hey, hey we're being fair here and we're going to judge Redfoo just as hard"

Somers: Harder, harder!

Redfoo: Yes, or even harder! So I'm just saying, it's okay to be nice on the first week.

Somers: Yeah the first week, they should be nice - on their best behavior.

Redfoo: That's right!

How is the chemistry going with your respective professional dance partners?

Somers: I love Tony. I so respect him, I have such respect for dancers, I've always respected them because they're all so good, but I've never, never understood how magnificent this form is, and he moves so beautifully. I envy it, and I don't think envy is a bad thing, it's something to ASPiRE to. I love watching the way he moves with such grace, and such ease and such style. So I'm really enjoying working with him and like him very, very much.

Redfoo: Yeah, I am loving Emma as well. She's upbeat, she's funny,she's the best dancer I've ever been around. She moves elegantly, like a swan and she's really my teacher, and she's teaching me about ballroom dancing and it's helping me with my life. And she's keeping me focused and she's been as nice as she can be and as tough as she has to be to get me to the level of really competing in this season of Dancing With the Stars.

About DANCING WITH THE STARS:

"Dancing with the Stars" is back with an all-new celebrity cast who are ready to hit the ballroom for the special 10th Anniversary season. The competition begins with the live two-hour season premiere, MONDAY, MARCH 16 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. The premiere episode will kick off with a spectacular opening number featuring the entire celebrity cast, choreographed by Emmy nominated, Mandy Moore. Each couple will then perform a Cha Cha, Foxtrot or Jive, vying for America's vote. One couple will be eliminated on Monday, March 23.

About Suzanne Somers:

A trusted health advocate, very successful entrepreneur, and star of two hit TV series, Suzanne Somers has written 25 books, including 13 New York Times bestsellers, five of which were #1 New York Times bestsellers. Her last book, I'm Too Young for This!: The Natural Hormone Solution to Enjoy Menopause was an instant New York Times bestseller. Her new book, TOX-SICK: From Toxic to Not Sick, will be published by Harmony in April 2015. There are currently more than 25 million copies of Suzanne's books in print. Her sizzling, sexy, sophisticated show "SUZANNE'S NIGHTCLUB" and her residency at the Westgate Hotel Las Vegas begins May 23, 2015. She received an Emmy nomination as Outstanding Host for "The SUZANNE Show," her weekly series of one-hour health specials on Lifetime. She is a founder of ForeverHealth.com, an online resource to connect patients with doctors specializing in natural hormone therapy. Suzanne is partnered with Tony Dovolani.

Follow Suzanne @suzannesomers

Follow Tony @TonyDovolani

About Redfoo:

The man beneath the famous fro is more than just a charismatic character on the airwaves, he is a formidable entertainment force; performer, producer, actor, host, judge, innovator and fashionista. Bursting onto the world stage as one half of LMFAO, and scoring a swag of #1's in more than 30 countries, his sound reflected a new movement in music, catapulting him into high demand amongst his musical alumni, collaborating with the likes of Kanye West, Pitbull, Will.i.am, fellow DJ's David Guetta and Steve Aoki and performing along side Madonna in the 2012 Super Bowl half time show. His fresh, fun and fluro flavour has earned him countless nominations, honors and accolades from both his peers and party rockin' fans including the American Music Awards, MTV EMA's, MTV VMA's, Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards and 2 of France's most prestigious NRJ Awards. 30 million single sales later, 1.7 billion views on YouTube and Redfoo is just getting the party started. After a stint on the Australian X Factor judging panel, he is back in the U.S and ready to unleash his new smash hit, Juicy Wiggle. Redfoo is the first ever DWTS guest judge to appear as a contestant on the show. Redfoo is partnered with Emma Slater.

Follow Redfoo @Redfoo

Follow Emma @EmmaSlaterDance

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