Suni Lee Reveals Why She Gets “So Nervous” on ‘Dancing With the Stars’
ABC/Christopher Willard Reading Time: 2 minutes
Suni Lee just won gold, silver, and bronze in the Tokyo Olympics women’s gymnastics competition. Over 13 million viewers tuned in to see her put her talents on display. The 18-year-old admitted that Dancing with the Stars makes her even more nervous than going for the gold. She sat down with Kelly Clarkson to discuss competing on Season 30 fresh off of her victories in Tokyo.
Lee became an early favorite on Dancing with the Stars this season right from the start. She and Sasha Farber have been able to incorporate gymnastics moves into their routines. They still do a good job of upholding the traditional ballroom standards. She is slowly coming out of her shell just in time for Grease Night. Clarkson wanted to know how dancing on the show compares to gymnastics.
Why ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Brings the Nerves Out of Suni Lee
“I sometimes on stage become like this super confident person, like I’m a confident person in life, but I feel like when you’re on stage and you’re like doing stuff you feel like, ‘I’m Jay-Z,'” Clarkson said.
The audience laughed at Clarkson’s comment. She was shocked when Lee shared that she gets “so nervous” whenever she performs on Dancing with the Stars.
“When I’m competing for gymnastics I’m completely fine, but this is like something I’ve never done before, so when I’m doing it I’m like, ‘Oh my god,’ and I’m shaking and stuff in the back,” she said. “I feel like I also just stress because I like don’t practice enough because gymnastics I’m used to practicing like seven hours. This is like three hours.”
Olympic gold medalist @SunisaLee_ may be one of the world's top gymnasts, but she still gets nervous competing on #DWTS! Find out how she shakes the nerves before performances today on Kelly! pic.twitter.com/dR5i1U1drn
— The Kelly Clarkson Show (@KellyClarksonTV) October 18, 2021
The Auburn University student also shared in a recent interview with Access Hollywood that she is “super shy.” She credited Farber’s outgoing personality for helping her blossom as a dancer. She admitted that she still sees comments that say she is “too stiff” on Dancing with the Stars. After only four weeks of dancing, she thinks she is doing a pretty good job at picking up the dances. Her fans would definitely agree.
Clarkson joked that Lee’s schedule “sounds like a workout.” It is clear that she has been putting in a ton of hard work and dedication into each routine. Her Viennese waltz to “I Put a Spell on You” earned a 35, her highest score so far in the competition. Her Charleston this week to “Born to Hand Jive” is already one of the most highly-anticipated routines of the night just hours ahead of showtime.
