Dancing With The Stars Aly Raisman On The Hardest Part Of Dancing So Far And More

Aly Raisman says people are going to see a whole other side to her when they see her dance on Dancing With The Stars. It’s out of her comfort zone, but, she’s having fun and plans to work hard. Below is a take from TV Guide where she talks about the hardest part of dancing so far, what Shawn Johnson thinks, and more. Be sure to read the full interview at the link.

Has that been the hardest part of dancing so far?
Raisman: Actually no. I’m actually not shy at all in rehearsals, which is good. I’m very goofy and we have a lot of fun. I’m a lot more comfortable shaking my hips and doing all that stuff, but it’s the basic stuff that’s hard for me. [Laughs] Mark says he teaches 5-year-old kids the basic stuff that I can’t get, but literally when he asks me to shimmy or shake my hips, I can do it. He thought I’d have a harder time with that.

It’s usually the opposite.
Raisman: Yeah, I know. We’ve been sending videos to Shawn and she’s like, “Oh my God!” She was impressed so that makes me feel good. But I didn’t think I’d be so comfortable with shimmying. I can do it all day long! … At the Olympics, I was so serious and intense, so I’m glad people will be able to see my personality and see me have fun and go crazy here. The [cha-cha] is really fun and energetic, so I’m excited for people to see it. It’s a totally different side that people don’t know exists.

What’s the basic stuff that you don’t get? Counting steps?
Raisman: Yeah, they’re literally the easiest steps in the world. It’s so embarrassing. Sometimes I get really frustrated and Mark’s like, “You’re not at the Olympics. Stop getting frustrated.” I have to remember to relax and not be so hard on myself if I can’t get it right in 30 minutes. I feel bad because I don’t want to disappoint him, but he doesn’t get mad at me. I know I’m not going to get everything right away. … But I think the more I learn choreography, the easier it will be. The Kellogg’s Tour really helped me. You’re used to performing in front of crowds and audiences, but this is hard because I have absolutely no idea what the next dance is going to be. I have no idea the technique you need. I think the most important thing is to be positive and keep an open mind. Obviously there’ll be some things that will go easier and everyone has different strengths and weaknesses.