Monique Coleman – Dancing With the Stars

Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on?

A) The main thing I am working on is “Dancing With The Stars.” It’s a seven day a week requirement. I perform live on Tuesday nights and our result shows are on Wednesday nights. In addition to that, I am also going to be coming back to do High School Musical 2 and we are going to begin filming in February.

Q) What made you want to be a part of “Dancing With The Stars?”

A) I think that it’s just a fantastic show. It’s so positive, fun and it’s another family show that everyone can watch and enjoy. Also, I love learning new things.  To be able to completely throw myself into something where I get to leave with a new skill I thought was really exciting.

Q) What have you been doing to prepare for the show?

A) I did six weeks of ballroom training with my partner Louie Van Amstel, who was Lisa Rinna’s partner last season. I trained five hours a day for five days a week. I also did pilates two to three times a week and watched different types of dance movies.

Q) Have you altered your diet or work out?

A) Five hours a day of dancing is exercise. I didn’t really do very much else. I worked out five hours a day doing the dancing and I did the pilates twice a week. I didn’t stop eating. I actually eat more now than I’ve ever eaten in my life. I make sure to increase my carb intake and really focus more on being healthy instead of the vanity of it. I am doing what a professional dancer would do, in terms of how much time I’m putting in to it. Doing that much, you really don’t need to adjust very much in other directions. You just have to make sure you can maintain your energy and keep your metabolism high.

Q) What is it like working with your partner Louie Van Amstel?

A) Louie is amazing! Honestly, I have to say, that I consider him a friend. He’s actually a dear friend of mine. We laughed when they said we had no chemistry because we completely didn’t think that was true. Yet, at the same time, we let it inspire us because it made us realize that we have to share our relationship (as opposed to having it in the rehearsal room.) It was very important for us to know that we had more work to do (in terms of making sure that other people knew that we mean a lot to one another) and put that in the dance because we were just up there dancing at the time. I think he’s an amazing dance teacher, he’s an amazing person and I think that a lot of things that have happened in our rehearsals and through the dancing that has taught me more about life than about dance.

Q) What has been your favorite moment from being on the show?

A) I think my favorite moment is to come. My mom is town and she is going to be in the front row when I am dancing. I think that there is absolutely nothing that can top having the person that is closest to you being able to share in your biggest moment.

Q) What has been your greatest challenge?

A) I think that overcoming fears and having a time crunch are big challenges. Having to learn a dance in four days is a miracle! I don’t know how I do it! The idea of having to instantaneously overcome whatever challenges you have in that moment is so difficult. The opening to our jive this week is really scary, but I had two hours to get over it or cut it. That’s all the time we had on the stage. That’s definitely the scariest thing I’ve done so far. The opening to our jive is to run and literally plunge off the top stair of the stage. It’s backwards, too!

Q) Who do you feel is your biggest competition?

A) Right now it is so hard to say, honestly. Moving into week three, we’ve already had two eliminations. I really feel it is anyone’s game. There are so many things that go into the competition, in addition to being a good dancer there is also people’s fan base. For me, I feel like everyone in this competition is a strong competitor. If I had to choose someone, I think the fiercest woman up there has to be Vivica A. Fox. The woman is a diva! She’s fantastic! I think that my biggest challenge is going to be the fact that because I am younger I have an amazing amount of energy, but she’s got a poise and a grace that comes with life experience. In terms of the men, the obvious choice are the former teen idols Mario Lopez or Joey Lawrence. I think that they are former heartthrobs and they definitely appear to be stiff competition, but at the same time you never know if people are going to pull through for Jerry or Emmitt. If I had to pick, it would be one of those three.

Q) What do you do in your spare time?

A) I don’t have any spare time! In the little bit of spare time, I try and pamper myself. I have a lot of muscle pain and I injured my toe the other day so I really try and take care of my body and spirit. I try to stay calm and that’s really all I have time for. I try to make sure I get a massage or a pedicure and keep going. It’s a really intense competition!

Q) What would you like to say to your fans and supporters?

A) I would like to say thank you so much for supporting me! I hope that through this competition you see that you can do absolutely anything you put your mind to!