Gleb Savchenko isn’t done with Dancing With the Stars quite yet.
When asked how he would describe his time away from the ballroom, he exclusively told Us, “I’ll probably say a little break, a little hiatus, a little reset.”
The pro, 43, opened up to Us at The Blue Jacket Fashion Show presented by Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday, September 29, noting that he’s been doing the show since 2013 and it’s been “such a big part” of his life.
He added with a laugh, “I’m not retired from Dancing With the Stars. I’m coming back as a celebrity to win it.”
“I don’t even remember how many seasons I’ve done nonstop and the tours,” he explained while wearing fashion from Bloomingdale’s for the annual runway show that supports Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. “So this year is actually a good thing to take a break. You know, watch the show. And it’s such a cool experience when you watch it from the side, and when you’re not there, you see how amazing it is and how cheesy it is and how fun it is.”
While watching, he thought to himself, “‘You guys look ridiculous! Oh my god, I actually did that for like what, 12 years?!’ But it’s fun, you know. It’s fun. It’s good vibes. I just love it.”
As for who he thinks fans should keep an eye on, Savchenko said Tyler Cameron and Sharna Buress might be the “underdog” of season 35. “I think he’s a great dancer. I think he’s this big body and being so tall and large, the way he moves and the amount of potential he has, I think he’s gonna kill it.” He’s also rooting for Ezra Frech and pro Daniella Karagach, as well as Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Dewan.
This season, Shum Jr., 44, and Dewan, 45, who is paired with Val Chmerkovskiy, are both facing criticism for having background knowledge in dance. Savchenko, however, doesn’t see it as an advantage.
“I agree with people that when they say ballroom is completely different because it’s a partner dance, and in order to learn the routine, to deliver the routine, to perform the routine with a partner, you have to create a connection, and to create a connection, if we go into technical terms, it’s a push and pull,” he explained. “To find that connection and balance is extremely hard. It’s really really hard.”
He continued, “So for people like Jenna and Val, I mean, look, yes, she’s a professional dancer. She might learn steps and choreography, but will she be able to do a foxtrot? Stretched neck, beautiful lines. That’s a challenge, right?”
Savchenko also got candid with Us about what he thinks about how judges Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli have been scoring the competitors.
“I wish there could be some twos,” he said. “Throw a two. Throw a f***ing one. Like, come on. I don’t think they’re hard enough.” He went on to say that while some fans “boo” Inaba, 58, over her critiques, he actually doesn’t think of any of the judges as “harsh.”
“I mean, [casting director] Deena Katz, you gotta put me as a guest judge already,” he added. “Come on, between Bruno and Derek, I’ll be a great judge. I’ll be a really good judge because I know what I’m talking about. There’s no bulls***.”
