INTERVIEW. Actress Juanita de Villiers exits M-Net's Dancing with the Stars South Africa: 'I just saw how people loved me and that is beautiful'.

On Sunday night the actress Juanita de Villiers became the 6th celebrity contestant to be voted out of Dancing with the Stars SA on M-Net (DStv 101), saying it was an amazing experience "and I just saw how people loved me and that is beautiful".

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.

MultiChoice and M-Net roll out the first local South African film, the Afrikaans romantic movie Droomdag, directly to DStv BoxOffice.

MultiChoice and M-Net is rolling out the first local South African film, the Afrikaans romantic movie Droomdag [Dreamday], directly to DStv BoxOffice.

Droomdag, produced by Westel Films under the kykNET banner, is not going to the South African cinema circuit but is made available directly, and first, straight to DStv subscribers through the MultiChoice's DStv BoxOffice service from today, Monday 24 April.

In this sense Droomdag, now available on DStv's movie rental service, is making history as the first-ever exclusive release of a local South African film directly on DStv BoxOffice not following the normal distribution path from cinema to video rental to TV.

DStv subscribers can rent and watch Droomdag either online or through their PVRs. Droomdag was produced by Westel Films, the production company of Willie and Pieter Esterhuizen, with the assistance of M-Net and kykNET Films.  

"We're honoured to premiere Droomdag exclusively on our BoxOffice service," says Aletta Alberts, MultiChoice general manager for content.

"In the past year Afrikaans local films have performed exceptionally well on our DStv BoxOffice service and the overwhelming number of rentals of films such as Vir Altyd, Vir die Voëls and As Jy Sing indicate that our customers love romantic dramas and comedy with a strong South African flavour."

Lani Lombard, M-Net's head of publicity, said people who were crucial to the making of Droomdag and getting it on DStv BoxOffice were Jan du Plessis, director of M-Net channels she called "Mister Movies of South Africa" and Karen Meiring, director of kykNET channels "who support local films".

"We are extremely excited about this film produced by legends in the industry. It's a very special film, I had some tears in my eyes at the end, so beware. We hope that people will enjoy it."

"We think Droomdag will do very well on DStv BoxOffice. Romantic comedies and romantic dramas are the stuff that BoxOffice is made of and especially Afrikaans romantic films as well - there's a very dedicated audience," said Lani Lombard.

Droomdag is a romantic film aimed at a female audience. It tells the story of Tanya Stark, played by Juanita de Villiers, a young woman who finally finds true love - with an unexpected and tragic twist.

Also in Droomdag are actresses Natania van Heerden and Sharleen Surtie-Richards, as well as Greta Keet, Maki Mokitli, Keyuri Naidoo, Adriana Faling and Leandry Smith.  

Soapie star Marcus Miller from Egoli and Villa Rosa fame is the guy who sweeps Droomdag’s heroine off her feet. Other actors include Kaz McFadden, Thiart Li (also known as former Idols SA contestant Shenay) as well as Neels Clasen and Dambuza Nqumashe.