DWTS Diana Nyad Interviewed By TV Guide On The Switch Up Dance, Her Cha Cha, And More

TV Guide has interviewed Diana Nyad all about her first dance and how she felt about her scores. They also ask her about her new dance this week (the Cha Cha) and how she feels about the switch up dance coming up. I love how she says, “I don’t want to leave Henry. I would feel like my lifeline’s gone away.” Oh man, reading her words, makes me feel bad for the celebs. It’s one thing to go out there and dance every week and quite another to make them leave the partner they are use too. šŸ™ More below and at the link. Great interview!

So how do you feel about doing the cha-cha next week?
Nyad: The first day I met Henry, within five minutes of meeting him, he said, “Look, I’ve been told that for our first week we’re going to either have the foxtrot or the cha-cha.” And I said, “Oh please, let it be the cha-cha.” Because, not that I can tell you that I know anything about doing a professional cha-cha, but just with friends out at a club or something, I have a little feeling of Latin music. I’ve done a little social dancing, salsa, and can move the hips a little bit. The foxtrot was absolutely alien to me. Every single thing about it. It was difficult for me to find the joy in it. Whereas, I pretty much don’t care who you are, if you get out doing a cha-cha, a meringue, a salsa, you’re kind of feeling the Latin beat. You think you’re in the Caribbean. It’s easy to smile your way through that. So I’m not telling you I’m going to be great technique-wise, but I guarantee I’m going to be at a much higher comfort level when we go out.

The big twist this season is that the pairs will be switching partners at some point. How do you feel about that?
Nyad: I think it’s a great twist. … I’m more nervous about not being around anymore when that little twist comes. … I don’t want to leave Henry. I would feel like my lifeline’s gone away. And I’m sure everybody feels that way, no matter who their partner is. But for one week, if I’m still with the show, I’m sure I’d learn from and have a gas being with any of these people.

Have you given any thought to which pro you’d like to be partnered with?
Nyad: It’s probably not popular with Middle America, and I don’t even know if it would possible, given who’s eliminated and who’s left to choose from, but honestly ā€” it’s not even a gay thing ā€” I’d like to do a dance with Cheryl Burke. I just think it would be hot, like when you see those 1920s art salons in Paris. The women always got up. And in Cuba, they dance together. … I did talk to Cheryl about it. She said she’d love to do it. But I’m not sure it would be right for the show. Although, come on. They had Chaz Bono on already. Surely you couldn’t get more radical than that.