Ariana Madix has a goal for her time on “Dancing With the Stars” — and it’s not just winning the mirrorball trophy.
The “Vanderpump Rules” star, 38, was the first celebrity announced for the 32nd season of the celebrity ballroom competition, and she recently revealed that she hopes that by the end of her run in the competition she will be able to perform a move that her Bravo co-star Scheana Shay is known for.
While speaking on the August 25, 2023 episode of the “Scheananigins With Scheana Shay” podcast, Madix told Shay, “I’m determined to get a split by the end of my, however long I make it on the show.”
Bravo fans caught Shay’s split last fall at BravoCon when Real Housewives stars such as Candiace Dillard and Melissa Gorga performed a musical medley of their pop hits. Shay topped them all by doing a perfect split during her performance of her song “Good as Gold.”
Ariana Madix Revealed What She’s Doing to Prepare for ‘Dancing with the Stars’
On Shay’s podcast, Madix gave other updates on DWTS, which is set to premiere on ABC in September 2023. The former SUR bartender revealed that she does not yet know who her pro partner will be.
When Shay asked her if she has taken any dance classes or is doing “extra stretches” to prep for the celebrity ballroom show, she revealed that she has been doing exercises at a stretch studio.
“I’ve been going to Stretch Lab a lot,” Madix said. “I’ve been doing a lot of stretching. I’ve been doing a lot of like strength training and stuff, more like cardio endurance. I haven’t done like dance classes, but yeah, I just like I’m really excited to just like get going and just like dive into that and like be able to just focus on that.”
In August 2023, Madix was spotted leaving the Stretch Lab location in Studio City, California.
Madix does have some previous, non-ballroom dance experience. According to her official website, she won two national dance championships in the past.
Ariana Madix’s Ex Thinks he Has a Good Chance to Win ‘Dancing with the Stars’
Madix’s personal life became from page news in March 2023 when her ex-boyfriend Tom Sandoval’s cheating scandal with their co-star Raquel Leviss was discovered. While Madix no longer speaks to Sandoval, he did say he thinks she has a good shot at winning “Dancing With the Stars.”
When stopped by TMZ, Sandoval said of Madix, “I mean I, would say — I don’t want to jinx her so I will just say a nine [out of 10 chance of winning DWTS]. I don’t want to say a 10, but I think she’s got a really good shot, I would definitely say a 9, a 9.5.”
There was buzz about Madix’s casting on DWTS came almost immediately after the “Scandoval” news broke in March. By April, Page Six reported that Madix was in talks to join the cast of DWTS and that she had “already received all of the approvals and sign-offs” from Bravo’s parent company, NBC Universal.
In July 2023, DWTS judge Derek Hough appeared with Madix to confirm that her casting was a done deal. “This season on ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ we are going absolutely mad — mad for Madix!” Hough announced on Good Morning America. “Say goodbye to the drama and hello to the dance floor!” he added.
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Ariana Madix Reveals What She’s ‘Determined’ to Do on DWTS