Parade interviewed Dancing With The Stars Carrie Ann Inaba on the best routines and more on Dancing With The Stars. She also chats on her cats and the importance of pet health.
Tell us a little bit about your fur babies.
They make life amazing! I have three cats. Mimi is my oldest, sheās about 12 years old. Sheās a rescue, and sheās a black cat. We call her Mimi Vader because sheās got some chronic health conditions, so she snorts when she breathes. Thereās Reb, who is just over a year now. He was a feral kitty, and heās shy around people, so he requires a little bit more care. I spent the first three months making sure I spent quality time with him every day. Now he loves to be petted, and heās the most social cat. Then, we have Sophie, whoās the kitten. Sheās a Russian Blue and about five months old. She was found on the streets. A friend of mine dropped her off to me because Iām that lady. I was going to take her to a shelter, but they were so filled up. Reb walked over to her and pulled her in and started to clean her, and they have been inseparable ever since.
Letās talk about Dancing With the Stars. What has been your experience as a judge on the show?
Itās so much fun. When I was 18 and figuring out what I wanted to do with my life, I never wouldāve said, I want to be judge on a ballroom dance show. It was not anything I ever wanted or thought about. Now that Iāve been doing it for 25 seasons, I feel really lucky. Dancing With the Stars is more than just a dance competition show. Itās people getting out there, trying something new, which is so important in life. Itās inspiring, and I get to take that home with me every time Iām there.
What are some of the best routines youāve seen on the show?
Thereās been so many! I will say that Gilles Marini, when he danced with Cheryl Burkeāthatās one of those outstanding partnerships. Thatās the definition of Dancing With the Stars. The passion they had was incredible. Nicole Scherzinger and Derek Hough were also one of those couples that was hard to beat. They were fantastic. This past season, Normani (Kordei) and Val (Chmerkovskiy) had something spectacular.
I want to say that this year, one of the best partnerships was Rashad (Jennings) and Emma (Slater) because there was something really profound about their journey, and I think everybody at home tapped into it. What I love about our show is that people vote with their heartāthey donāt have to vote for the best dancing.
Great interview. Be sure to read the interview in full at Parade.