Aly Raisman discusses Week 2 on ‘Dancing With the Stars’

The Times is pleased to have gymnast Aly Raisman, a two-time Olympic gold medalist at the London Games, guest-blogging for us while she competes on “Dancing With the Stars.” Each week while she competes on the show, Raisman will answer a few questions from Sports Now editor Houston Mitchell and give some insight into the competition. Here are Raisman’s thoughts about Week 2, which she offered via email.

Q. Have your Olympic teammates been giving you feedback after the dances?

My teammates have been so supportive and so excited for me. I love reading the text messages and tweets they send me after each night of the show. We are usually so exhausted, so it’s a nice motivation and refuel for the next day. I feel so, so, so lucky to have solid good friends in my life.

Q. The quickstep looks like a lot of fun, but one mistake and you could trip each other up. How long did it take for you to feel comfortable with that dance?

It takes a good few days to feel comfortable! It’s a lot to take in and think about. I’m worried about being on beat, understanding the song, remembering choreography, and trying not to step on Mark’s feet! We had a couple of falls because I would do the wrong step so we’d both end up falling! This dance is so technical and so easy to botch the footwork. Mark’s choreography is amazing so I am going to do my best to rise to the occasion.

Q. What is the one thing about being on the show that has surprised you the most so far?

I honestly didn’t realize I love performing so much. I am really enjoying putting myself out there each week. On show days, I do get nervous, but once I think my years of competing help me get through that part. Once I am out there I just enjoy it and have a blast. I am looking forward to the next dance.

Q. It must have been tough to see Dorothy Hamill go home because of an injury. How stressful is the results show in general?

Yes, watching Dorothy go was heartbreaking. We all got a little choked up because she is an amazing person and a definite favorite among the dancers and contestants. I was really looking forward to getting to know her more but I know we will keep in touch. I wish her all the best and hope she recovers well. The result show was way more stressful then I realized! When that huge spotlight shines down on us it is terrifying ... totally unexpected! A wave of relief and happiness washes over you when you hear the words “You are safe!” I remember feeling like there was a rock in my stomach while waiting to find out if I had made the Olympic team. Being in that position of not knowing if we were going on to next week gave me that same feeling.

You can follow Aly Raisman on Twitter at @aly_raisman.

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