7/29/2019 Melissa Rycroft on Dancing with the Stars

1/2

72 A Distinctive style . com

Cont

dancing with the Stars (DWTS) is one of ABCshighest-rated reality shows, and just wrapped

up its fifteenth season. What made this season

so special and fun was that fan favorite celebrities from

previous seasons were brought to strut their stuff on the

dance floor once againwith a professional partner.

After the glitz and glam subsided, in the end, Melissa

Rycrofta correspondent for Good Morning America

and Entertainment Tonightand her pro-dance partner

Tony Dovoloni emerged the winners of Dancing with the

Stars: All-Stars.

The duowho was also paired up when Rycroft first

competed in Season 8received DWTSs coveted

glimmer- ball trophy.

Just two days after her exciting November 2012 victory,the ever-cheerful Rycroft spoke with A Distinctive Style

once again from her Dallas home about the entire

experienceand how she went from feeling like an

underdog to a top cat!

Ive Grown

It just doesnt feel realI still have to tell myself I

won, she gushes. The first time I was on the show,

right after I was on The Bachelor Season 13, I was very

guarded. I sometimes feel when I watch clips from my

Season 8, I look like a little girl; my eyes are so big....

Her voice trails off, remembering. Its been three and a

half years since then. Now, I have a husband, a child.(Husband Tye Strickland is an insurance agent; the

couple has a young daughter, Ava) Ive grown up a lot

since then, and this time around, Tony (Dovoloni) and I

had more fun with it all. Plus, you have a different type

of freedom on DWTS. Unlike The Bachelor, cameras

arent with you twenty-four seven. Theyre there when

you practice, but you have your own life.

Rycroft and Dovoloni became close friend

whole experience. I credit my confidenc

around to Tony, says Rycroft. Tony said d

what you look like! Im my own worst enem

looked like the awkward girl, he always ma

like I was a great dancer. Hes been one

people who has been here from the begin

whole journey.

The dancing duo bonded over their childre

had so much more to relate to, we under

other when one of us said, Im not mentally

I need to talk to my kids, my husband...we go

the same priorities this time, which bonded Rycroft says she felt Americas support

week, as fans voted for their favorites to re

competition. I would think, we must be d

thing right and we dont even know what

thinking, Dont underestimate yourself.

pH

otocouRtEsYABc/ADAmtAYLoR

MARVELOUSmELissA

By rACheL sokoL

A Distinctive st

7/29/2019 Melissa Rycroft on Dancing with the Stars

2/2

A Distinctive sty

Friends till the end

What Rycroft will miss the mostbesides her

amazing abs, she jokesis the friendships she

formed on the show.

Shawn (Johnson, an Olympian and fellow

contestant) and I were just texting yesterday;

we got real close this season. Im going to miss

her. It was a really great environment. This time

around, it could have been uncomfortable andcompetitive, but Im so grateful it was the exact

opposite.

Fight or Flight

Although both Rycroft and Dovoloni were

sidetracked by injuries this season, she insists

her neck is doing much better. Not only did

she get back out on the dance floor after her

neck strain, but her co-stars used her as a

human jump rope in a group dance the very

next evening!

It must be an optical illusion, I promise my

neck didnt move, I looked more contorted

than I really was, she insists, adding that

doctors gave her the OK to dance again.

Its in my nature to say no when faced

with physical pain, but this circumstance

brought out the fight or flight in me. Its

kind of cool when youre a bit stronger

than you thought you were.

Rycroft looks forward to reclaiming

her full title as mom and wife now

that DWTS is over. This is the stuff

that makes me happyfamily,

she beams.

As for her 2013 career plans?

Shes got more tricks up her

sleeve, but remains mum on

them.

My worst case scenario

is that I live in Dallas,

and Im a wife and a

mom and thats not so

bad.

RYCROFT Continued

For more about Melissa

Rycroft, follow her

on her Twitter feed:

www.twitter.com/

MelissaRycroft

pHoto cREDit ABc/cRAig sJoDin

74 A Distinctive style . com

http://twitter.com/MelissaRycrofthttp://twitter.com/MelissaRycrofthttp://twitter.com/MelissaRycrofthttp://twitter.com/MelissaRycrofthttp://twitter.com/MelissaRycrofthttp://brownpalace.com/http://twitter.com/MelissaRycroft