DWTS' Heidi D'Amelio details pressure and wanting to walk out ahead of first dance
Dancing with the Stars may hold a lot of glitz and glamor for its viewers and fans, but for the contestants, it's an extreme amount of hard work.
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The pressure often gets to them, causing them to suffer when it comes to their performances, and it was a feeling that one of the stars on the season premiere definitely felt.
VIDEO: Dancing with the Stars season 31 cast
During the landmark but divisive 31st season premiere show, TikTok star Heidi D'Amelio admitted after her dance that she was on the verge of walking out.
In her introductory package, while she was shown as being excited to dance, she revealed a good deal of frustration and difficulty as well.
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When asked by co-host Alfonso Ribeiro after her performance with professional partner Artem Chigvintsev what she perceived her biggest obstacle to be, she responded: "My own self.
"I get in my own way, I get in my head. On Wednesday, I thought I was gonna walk away because I was not feeling good and I was very frustrated."
Heidi's strong performance almost never happened
However, she detailed that the one thing that kept her going was her partner and his motivation, adding: "But Artem was very good about pushing me gently.
"And it took a couple days to get through it, but then I was feeling good," she ended to a round of applause and encouragement.
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Heidi and Artem danced the cha-cha-cha to Lady Marmalade and received mostly positive responses from the judges.
They commended her for her raw talent and flair while asking her to bring more confidence and projection, eventually scoring a 24 out of 40, placing them squarely in the middle of the pack.
Her daughter Charli was the night's top performer
On the other end, however, was her daughter, Charli D'Amelio, paired with Mark Ballas, who not only supported her mom, but also delivered the night's top scoring routine.
Charli and Mark received rave reviews from the judges after their own cha-cha-cha, securing a 32 to establish themselves as early frontrunners.
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