‘DWTS’ Star Jesse Metcalfe Admits Having A Dance Partner Is Like ‘Being In A New Relationship’
Jesse Metcalfe and Sharna Burgess had the most ‘passionate’ performance of the ‘DWTS’ premiere. The pair spoke EXCLUSIVELY with HL about working together, the physicality of ballroom dancing, and more.
Jesse Metcalfe, 41, and Sharna Burgess, 35, turned up the heat during the Dancing With the Stars season 29 premiere with their romantic quickstep. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba told the pair that their performance as the “most passionate” quickstep she’d seen. It’s clear that Jesse and Sharna already have such great chemistry. HollywoodLife talked EXCLUSIVELY with Jesse and Sharna about how they’ve gotten to know each other in such a small amount of time.
“We don’t really establish that connection right off the bat, you know what I mean? It was super dope to see Jesse come in and very unexpected,” Sharna told HollywoodLife. “I was definitely a fan of Passions, which I admitted and now he knows, and it was a bit awkward when I told him, to be honest. But it’s over getting to know each other and working with each other and that triumph and adversity and all those sorts of things that will give you chemistry, that learning to know and trust each other and having to get this dance ready in such a short space of time.”
Jesse added: “It’s kind of like being in a new relationship. I mean, it really is because dancing is so intimate, and you’re spending so much time together.” However, he did note that “there’s growing pains to forming a relationship with your dance partner” as they work on the dances week to week.
The actor admitted that he felt he was a little too serious during his performance. He revealed the one thing he wants to improve on as he heads into next week. “I didn’t bring a lot of the charm to the performance that I know I can bring,” Jesse said. “That’s like what I do as an actor, but for some reason, there was a bit of a disconnect with that tonight. So I’m definitely going to improve upon that for next week. I’m gonna actually smile. I don’t think I smiled once the entire performance.”
Sharna sees “so much potential in him.” While he’s had no formal dance experience, she revealed that we’ll see “so much improvement” in the weeks to come because she knows his “work ethic.”
The physicality of ballroom dancing is something that Jesse is all about. He revealed that DWTS is already transforming his body. “I absolutely love it,” he said about the physical aspect of DWTS. “I mean, I’m a very physical guy. I’ve been told by a lot of directors and other actors that I’ve worked with that I’m a very physical actor. So the physicality of it I love, and I’m embracing a different way of training my body. A lot more stretching and a lot more therapy after long practice sessions at the studio. So that aspect I love and, honestly, it’s transforming my body really quickly.” Dancing With the Stars airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.