TVwithThinus spoke with Juanita de Villiers, who danced with the professional dancer Johan Dippenaar, as she shares about learning to say "no", feeling sexy in a slimmer body, bonding and making real friends with the dancers - and what unnerved her a bit when she arrived on Saturdays at the ballroom dancing set.
Is there anything you think you could have done
differently?
No, I think we worked really hard during the week to get the technique and the
dancing as well as we can. And then it depends on whether people liked it.
I think from side I'm so happy and so thankful for
what we've done and Johan was such an amazing teacher also. I couldn't ask for
more.
How do you feel about being voted out?
I'm disappointed for sure but I also know how it
works and I understand that it depends on voters and people who are engaged
with you and love you, so it's right to also get voted out. My dance wasn't
maybe good enough or they couldn't connect with me. It doesn't matter, you
know, as long as I've done my best, and I really feel last night was my best
performance in general, so I'm so, so happy.
What has the experience been like for you being
part of this show?
I think the whole experience – I’ve learnt that I'm
much stronger than what you think you are. You can handle a lot more stuff and
your body is such an amazing thing to have and to push.
I think the thing I've
learnt the most about myself and my personality is how much further I can push
myself. The whole experience was just amazing. I'm so unbelievable thankful for
this platform, for my career, but also personally. It also brought people
together, and my support system together and helping me and I just saw how
people loved me and that is beautiful.
What do you think of the judges?
The judges are great to be there because they must
help the people who don't know what the technique is supposed to be – that’s
their job.
And I'm glad that they're there and they've done what they've done.
I was a bit confused last night with the comments but I think I understand what
they tried to say is that if your technique is there but you don't
"perform" it more, it's not good enough but I feel that I really
performed. So, I understand that they must do what they must do and help the
people realise – they must give a guideline for people.
What was the hardest for you?
I think if I must be honest is on a Saturday when
you get to the stage for the first time and they play the song for the first
time and a live band – I think that was the hardest for me, listening to this
track that you are rehearsing, and then on a Saturday morning you get there,
and the music sounds totally different. That was the hardest for me, just to
get your ear to go "don't worry, don't panic, you know what you're doing,
you'll be fine".
How did your body change?
Ha ha ha. Wow, I feel like a million bucks! I've
lost so much weight and I think that's a very big plus point for me.
But ja, my
body changed in a very great way. Ha ha, I'm loving this body so I'm really
going to try and not eat too much and leave the chocolates alone now! Ja, I've
lost centimetres and I'm toned and I think that's what dancing does to you - it
develops muscles you've never had and you look pretty and sexy! Ha ha.
What did you not expect about this journey?
That, tjo. I think that I really just fell in love
with all the contestants – and even the professional dancers. I didn't think
that I would really get to know them, because you're only there the weekends
but you're under such pressure and you really get to know the people. And I
think that was such a lovely surprise for me also to really get to know people
and to get to love them - they're amazing and talented and such gifted people.
That was one unexpected thing for me.
What did you learn about yourself?
I think the most important thing for me was so say
what I feel.
You know, I'm very easy-going and can handle anything and
everything. But sometimes you need to say what you feel and believe in it and
speak to that. That's the biggest thing I've learn in this journey – it’s okay
sometimes to say "I'm not happy," or "I don't like this,"
and embrace that. You can sometimes say "No, I don't like it".
And
that was the nicest experience for me because I usually just let it go, and
with this journey I had a chance to say "No, I don't like this," or
"I don't want this," and that was great for me as a person.
