Dancing with the Stars recently aired a two-night premiere for Season 35, during which two contestants were eliminated — Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Conner Leavitt and Love Thy Nader star Sarah Jane Nader. The two reality stars spoke out about their eliminations after the show.
Conner Leavitt Speaks Out on DWTS Elimination
During Tuesday night’s male-focused DWTS episode, Connor Leavitt danced a salsa with his partner, The Next Pro winner Adele Zaikman. The following night, in an episode focused on the female celebrities, Sarah Jane Nader and her partner, new pro Hailey Bills, danced a jive. Both stars were eliminated at the end of their respective episodes.
After Wednesday’s episode, Season 34 Mirrorball champion Robert Irwin hosted an “After Party,” during which Leavitt and Nader discussed their eliminations. According to Entertainment Weekly, Leavitt said he was “feeling everything” after being sent home in the first week of the competition.
“You know, you go out there, you leave it all on the dance floor, you put in all the work, you say I’m going to be vulnerable, and I’m going to dance our dance,” Leavitt said. “Then sometimes you feel like you crush it, and then you start getting some feedback that can be hard to hear sometimes.”
Ultimately, however, Leavitt said he had “come to terms” with his elimination and shared that he was still “really happy” with his performance. He also said it was “very endearing” to receive so much support from his wife Whitney Leavitt, who competed on Season 34 last year.
Sarah Jane Nader said that she and her partner Hailey Bills were “obviously sad” about their elimination from DWTS, adding that the pair “had so many ideas and costumes” planned for future dance routines. However, she emphasized that she “had so much fun out there.”
Nader, whose sister Brooks competed on Season 33 of DWTS, said her time on the show was “one of the best experiences of my career.” She also shared her hope that the “impact” of a same-sex partnership on the show “isn’t diminished” due to their elimination.
“As much as I am competitive, I was a huge fan of Dancing With the Stars growing up, and I never ever saw queer people on my screen, whether it was scripted TV, unscripted, so being that for my younger self and young girls in Louisiana or young boys in whatever state, I think it’s just so important,” Nader explained. “And I was so honored and blown away that I got the opportunity to do this.”
What do you think about Conner Leavitt and Sarah Jane Nader’s elimination from DWTS? Let us know in the comments below.
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Jill O'Rourke Jill O’Rourke is a contributor at Talent Recap, writing news stories and recaps for shows like ‘AGT,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘American Idol.’ She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and Film Studies, and has been writing about pop culture since 2012, with previous bylines at Crushable and A Plus. Jill spends her free time binge-watching sitcoms and daydreaming about life as a hobbit
