Last week, Elaine Hendrix and her pro partner, Alan Bersten, left her injuries behind them as they earned their first 10 (from guest judge Flavor Flav) on Dancing With the Stars. They also scored a trio of 9s from the show’s regular panel of judges for their Viennese waltz to “What the World Needs Now Is Love” by Dionne Warwick.
TV Insider chatted with the pair about how Hendrix’s continued recovery after injuring her rib and not being able to compete during the live Halloween show on October 28. Hendrix also gave an update on how she’s feeling as they head into the show’s 20th Anniversary Celebration episode on Tuesday, November 11.
“I’m feeling ready,” Hendrix enthused. She and Bersten will be hitting the dance floor with a salsa to “It Takes Two” by Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock. Then, during the dance relay, she’ll be joined by former DWTS champion Rashad Jennings on the dance floor.
“There was nothing permanent and no real serious damage [to my ribs], so now, it’s just about managing the pain, and that we can do,” Hendrix reported. “It’s dancing through the pain with an eye on the prize!”
Hendrix worked her way back into last week’s dance and group dance slowly as a precaution. “I spent a lot focus on healing and getting better,” she said. “The ironic thing is that I feel so strong. I certainly feel stronger now than I did at the beginning of the season. [The injury] was more like, ‘Oh, this is a bummer. This is weird.’ Now, I’m focusing on the strength that I’m feeling!”
Bersten is not surprised that Hendrix has made a remarkable comeback. “I’ve known this all along,” the Mirrorball champion said of his partner’s potential. “She’s so resilient. At the end of the day, she loves this so much. I don’t want to speak for her, but I can see the joy that she has while she’s dancing. I can guarantee that’s what’s keeping her here – the joy. We’re making sure that every moment counts.”
Flavor Flav wasn’t afraid to go rogue with his scoring last week, and while Bersten and Hendrix said the rapper’s 10 was “amazing,” Bersten also pointed out, “It’s also amazing getting 9s from the other three judges because we’re improving and that’s what it’s all about, right?”
Hendrix and Bersten indeed have been improving throughout the competition. On Wicked Night in Week 6, the paired danced to “Defying Gravity” by Cynthia Erivo featuring Ariana Grande. They earned four 9s, including one from guest judge Jon M. Chu, the director of Wicked.
“That was pure ascension,” Chu commented. “You are amazing. It’s not about control — it’s about surrender to your own power. I felt that.”
“Darling! You went into orbit tonight,” raved judge Bruno Tonioli. “The way you inhabited the character was completely true. Fearless! Total trust into your partner. What you did, as always, total commitment! You killed it!”
Hendrix says that the productions that viewers see on-air come together piece by piece, and getting a song approved, like the one on Wicked Night, is just one of the first steps.
“Just because we request a song doesn’t mean we’re going to get it,” Hendrix explained. “So much happens behind the scenes. We didn’t know that I was going to go up on a lift and wear the hat and the broom. All of it was epic. The whole week was emotional.”
While Hendrix appeared to be in total command throughout her dance, including when she was raised by the platform, she revealed she was “legitimately scared.” She shared, “I have actual limitations that Alan would not let me quit. He would not let me quit myself and we pushed through it and it was worth it.”
What helped Hendrix get back on her feet were all the positive vibes being sent her way by the DWTS company, including the people who’ve been voting for her and Bersten. “I was definitely feeling it,” she said with a smile. “There are no words to describe how much I felt all the love and support. It just blows my mind.”
Dancing With the Stars, Season 34, Tuesdays, 8/7c, ABC
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