Lindsey Stirling

Acclaimed violinist Lindsey Stirling has been wowing audiences with her stunning skills as an entertainer and performer . . . but she put her skills to the test on Season 25 of DWTS! 

Lindsey joins Cheryl to talk about her time on DWTS, including doing the show while touring, Derek Hough's advice, what frustrated her about the experience, and a never-before-told story about a super awkward moment during rehearsal with Mark Ballas that was so embarrassing the cameraman deleted the footage!!

Plus, Lindsey opens up about her journey to success, including her highs and lows, not letting your failures define you, and her new music and tour kicking off in July! For tickets and info, visit: www.lindseystirling.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is Sex Lies and Sprayed Tands with Me Cheryl
Burke and iHeartRadio Podcast. Welcome back to Sex Lies and
Sprayed Tands, where the glitter of the ballroom meets the
real stories behind the steps. That's like poetry. Today, we
have a special guest whose electric violin strings have danced
across stages worldwide, intertwining classical music with modern dubstep, rock

(00:22):
and electronica. She captured hearts not just with her music,
but with her impressive footwork on season twenty five of
Dancing with the Stars, where she twirled her way into
the finals. Beyond her violin, she's a powerhouse performer and
a YouTube sensation, inspiring millions with her dynamic performances and
imaginative visuals. What I love most about our next guest

(00:43):
is not only is she obviously multi talented, but she
doesn't shy away from courageously telling her story behind all
of the fame, glitz and glamour. Please welcome the lovely
Lindsay Sterling to the podcast. Lindsay, I haven't seen you
in how long?

Speaker 2 (00:58):
Gosh? I mean have I seen? I know I've had
to have seen you at one of the Dancing with
the stars tapings for like two seconds to give you
a hug.

Speaker 1 (01:06):
Yeah for sure, like maybe two years ago, but I.

Speaker 2 (01:09):
Haven't like really talked to you since twenty seventeen.

Speaker 1 (01:12):
I mean, welcome to sex Licen Spray Chants. And this
is why I love this podcast because like even when
you were on the show, we still don't have an
hour just to chat, right, like or however long we're
going to chat for like, it really has made me
just first of all, reminist go down memory lane, but
also really get to know everyone like on another level.
So I'm so excited for this and thank you again

(01:33):
for doing it.

Speaker 2 (01:35):
Absolutely.

Speaker 1 (01:36):
So we're just going to get right into it. Lindsay,
Who is Lindsay behind the dancing Violinists?

Speaker 2 (01:47):
Oh man, you know sometimes you forget You're like, oh yeah,
I am a real person behind like this persona that
I you know, spend so much of my time investing in,
whether it's the talent part of it, or the like
practicing or the imagination or the all the different things,
you know, how you present yourself on social media. So
it is a funny question. It's like, oh right, what
am I You know, I really think that my artistry

(02:08):
is very much so just an exaggerated version of myself.
Like I've tried to portray that through social media that
I'm just kind of like a quirky, dorky, slightly goofy,
you know, gal that also loves like fantasy and like
a little bit extra over the top whimsicality. Like that's
what I am in my imagination, but in real life,

(02:28):
I'm just this kind of like we're just barely holding
the pieces together with duct type kind of a human totally.

Speaker 1 (02:35):
I feel you just tay you can get a second
by second literally, Yeah, how old were you when you
started to play the violin? Gosh?

Speaker 2 (02:43):
I was six years old?

Speaker 1 (02:44):
Okay, yeah, just.

Speaker 2 (02:45):
A little wee thing. But I will say I did
ask for lessons, like it was my idea. I begged
my parents and they, you know, for some reason, it's
six years old I was. I was really into the violin.

Speaker 1 (02:57):
What made you like? Was there someone that you like
a mentor that are someone you looked up to in
that world that inspired you?

Speaker 2 (03:04):
Do you know? My parents loved classical music, Like they
had this old record player and they would play like
you know, it was either the Beatles was like the
closest thing we had to like contemporary music. My dad
loved the Beatles or it was like the Shaherazad Suite
or like you know, Paganini. Like they just loved orchestra
music and so you know, and like I remember going

(03:25):
to some of the like communities orchestra concerts that were
like free, and like my parents I think, were like, oh,
this is free entertainment for the family, and so we
would go to those. And so yeah, I just always
noticed that the violins, they get all the fast notes,
they get all the solos. I was like, that's the star.
And so that's why I wanted to play.

Speaker 1 (03:43):
And how is your dynamic as a family. Do you
have any siblings? I do.

Speaker 2 (03:48):
I'm actually one of five and so pretty you know,
good sized family, but most actually growing up, I was
the middle of three. My parents adopted to kids when
I was eighteen, and so then I became one of five.
But yeah, so I kind of I resonate with the
middle child of you know, the middle child syndrome. I

(04:09):
think that's a big reason as to why I am
the way I am, because not that my parents didn't
give me love and attention adoration, but just middle children
kind of get lost in the you know, in the
scuffle of things.

Speaker 1 (04:20):
But right right, But yeah, no.

Speaker 2 (04:22):
I we grew up like on a you know, kind
of out in what we call the country, like we
had chickens and horse. You know, we had a horse.
I would help my neighbors milk their cow, like I
grew up country bumpkin. Yeah, for sure. Which I think
it's like a great work ethic. And I don't know,
there's just like I think about a bunch of my

(04:43):
free spirit news comes from the fact that I could
run around barefoot in like cornfields and like a little
wild child.

Speaker 1 (04:51):
I love that. Yeah, I have no not I am
definitely the opposite the way I don't. I can't even
dance barefoot, let alone run around in cornfields barefoot.

Speaker 2 (05:01):
Oh and in Arizona it's so hot that like the
roads get scalding. But like, I don't know the thought
of putting on shoes when you're like I could just
sprint across the street to get to my friend's house barefoot,
so like I don't know, I had like leather soles
on my feet. I was like a little mode child.

Speaker 1 (05:15):
Where So where do you get that work ethic from?
Who in your family? Was very like focused and determined.

Speaker 2 (05:23):
You know, I think part of it came from the
fact that I mean, in the grand scheme of things,
my family was did well, we were fine, but like
in the American scheme of things, we were, like we
didn't have a lot. And so if I wanted something
from a very young age, I knew that I had
to figure out a way to earn the money for
it myself. And it couldn't come from mom and dad,

(05:44):
like they couldn't afford to pay me to do the
extra chores that I wanted to do. And so I
remember when I was like I think like ten years old,
me and my friend across the street decided we would
hand out business cards through the neighborhood to like give
our services to paint your fan or like wash your
dog or like whatever. And I tell you, we also

(06:05):
weren't smart enough to like put a price on it.
It was like you would pay us whatever you think
is fair, and the amount of work we did for
like pennies, but you know, it worked really hard to
like buy that. Like if I wanted more than one
hundred dollars for like my back to school shopping everything,
like I'd to earn it myself, you know, so I

(06:25):
think that that work ethic came for one my parents
just instilling us like we can do this, we can
figure it out. They gave us ideas, they helped us
implement the ideas, and so yeah, I'm really grateful for
that situation because it taught me like that if it's
not there for you, you make it happen. You figure
it out.

Speaker 1 (06:42):
How did America's Got Talent come about?

Speaker 2 (06:45):
It came about, you know, way back in the day,
I'm talking two thousand and seven. I put a video
on YouTube, like and I didn't understand what YouTube was yet,
no one really did. But I put a video on
YouTube and it went quote unquote viral for the time,
and you know, it got circulated around enough, and America's
Got Talent has talent scouts that like will reach out

(07:06):
and like contact people if they think that, hey, this
is interesting, and they'll like kind of recruit you almost
to go and do the audition. And several years after
I posted this video, I'd accumulated enough us that America's
Got Talent reached out and I went and well, I
remember first calling my mom and being like Mom, like like,
can I do this I'm terrified, like affording a plane
ticket to la you know, like it was just a

(07:27):
lot for like I was paying my way through college,
and you know, I'd have to take off work. And
I remember my mom just being like, yeah, you should
do it, and I'm going to meet you there. And
so my mom drove and picked me up from the airport.
She drove from Arizona. I flew in from Utah, and
she picked me up from the airport. She like went
to the audition with me, you know, sat outside the
room like while I audition, Like my mom has been

(07:50):
my both my parents were incredibly supportive, like more than
I could ever like hope for. I just sometimes don't understand. Also,
how scary that would be as a parent, knowing that
your daughter's heart probably is going to get be broken
in this moment, you know, probably like the likelihood of
success is so low in our industry, and especially going

(08:11):
on like a TV show like that, It's like chances
are she's going to get ripped apart. But I'm so
grateful that my mom and my parents were like like, yeah, definitely,
you don't want to wonder what would happen, Like we
have to go and so yeah, that was kind of
the beginning of a trail of events, you know, even
though that didn't know as I hoped it would, it
was a catalyst for sure, and many.

Speaker 1 (08:32):
For sure, and thank god in a way, like, first
of all, they were so rude, the judges were so rude.
I love that you use their voices in your Is
it your last music video that you released or was it?
It is brilliant, like it gave me chill. I was crying, Oh,
thank you, so beautiful. It was so beautiful, and I
just love that, you know, you're not trying to numb

(08:53):
that part of your life because it is such a
huge I would say, turning point. I don't know. I
don't want to put words in your mouth, but.

Speaker 2 (09:00):
Yeah, I mean, it wasn't in all the ways that
I didn't expect it to be. Like I thought this
would be my make or break in terms of like
suddenly the world would see me for my talent and
what I am and it would like explode my you know,
my scope across the world, and like I just thought
it would be changing in that way, but in a
more profound way, it impacted me because it taught me, like, hey,
in this industry, you're gonna get pushed down, You're not

(09:22):
everybody's gonna believe in you, and you're gonna have to
be strong enough to pick yourself back up. And are
you strong enough to do that? And the amount of
times have had to do that since I mean, you know,
it happens all the time that people don't believe in you,
or you feel like you're a you're a joke or whatever.
You know, I don't fit in the industry or whatever.
And the amount of times I've like looked back on
that experience subconsciously even just being like, well, you know,

(09:45):
I got it from that, I can get it from this.
I don't have to believe what everybody says about me,
and one person's opinion isn't everything, but also growth, Like
back when I was on America's Got Talent, Like the
whole point of that music video wasn't to prove like
I I showed you guys and like screw you, you
were so wrong about me. It was more to prove that,
like one moment of your life, like where you are

(10:07):
today doesn't determine who you're going to be later. It's
all about what you're willing to put in and I
wasn't ready yet. I really didn't do well and America's
got talent. But I decided that, like I'm just not
good enough and I added the word yet to what
they said exactly, you know I can get there, I
can work hard. And I had this really distinctive like
moment where I like had this thought. They just was

(10:28):
so strong. I think of it as God, but it
was like I wanted to quit. I wanted to give up.
I was so embarrassed, but this voice was just like,
you are not done yet. There is more for you here,
like do not you know? There is more? And if
I could have had a visual to what I like
a strong feeling I felt, it would have been like
that music video. It would have been like seeing all
that stuff, even though I didn't see any of that,

(10:49):
but it was this very profound like I know that,
I know that I need to keep.

Speaker 1 (10:53):
Going, And what is that so for any aspiring musicians
or any person that wants to be a part of
this entertainment world. I think what I guess made you
not want to just throw in the gloves, like because
it's so easy to do that as well, or just
to believe in what people say, especially the outside noise.
There's so much of it now with social media. Thank

(11:13):
god that well, there was no social media back then.
I'm assuming, thank yeah, thank you. Yeah no, because that
was when I started Dancing with the Stars, was two
thousand and six, and I was like, it was just
those crazy message boards. But like, you know, thank god,
but now it's so different. So how how do you
stay focused and stay believing in yourself? I guess, you know, I.

Speaker 2 (11:35):
Think it's like a It's a muscle you have to
constantly work on. And I think whether you're like a
kid in high school, or whether you're you know, a
dancing violinist or you know, like whatever, I think we
all have to just continuously remind ourselves that I'm more
than what that person thinks I am in this moment,
you know, or I'm I have more worth than this

(11:56):
tiny thing that happened, you know, Like I'm so much
bigger than that. My life is like a much bigger
scope than like every single moment or one person's opinion,
and so being able to like truly look inward. And
I'm a big believer that we have like multiple voices
that happen inside of us. There's like our mind and
there's our heart. And I think our mind is always
so much louder, it's so much more chatty, and it's

(12:19):
trying to protect us. It's trying to keep us safe.
It doesn't want us to take risks. Like our mind
like weighs the pros and cons and very logically it's like,
that's a bad idea because that hurt and that was embarrassing.
You don't want to do it again. And that person
says you're not enough. You probably are, Like your mind
will chatter, chatter, chatter, and it's like, yeah, yeah, you'll
believe it. But if you like sink a little deeper.
And I'm a huge fan of like meditation and breath

(12:41):
work and it, you know, and prayer, like all those
things they allow you to like think a little deeper
than the chatter of your mind and quiet it which
I think is called anxiety. And so to this place
in your heart where you can actually be like, Okay, no,
I don't believe all these these lies running through my
head that are all made up stories of what I
think they think of me, Like what does my heart say?

(13:03):
And I feel like that is the compass that will
never lead you astray. That is the compass you will
never regret listening to and.

Speaker 1 (13:10):
And I feel like everyone has it.

Speaker 2 (13:12):
Feel it, everybody has it. And I think the more
you tap into it, the more you learn to trust it,
and the louder it gets.

Speaker 1 (13:18):
That's so beautiful. Yeah, I am very heavy into well,
I've been really shitty at it lately, but to be
quite honest, but yes, I do transit do meditation, and
ever since I've started doing that, and I've been taking
a really deep dive into just self, right, like working
on myself and just super curious. Right, So, like whenever
I sit in silence, I can't stop my thoughts from

(13:39):
thinking because I think when people when you say meditation,
people like I just can't get my mind to stop.
It's like, that's not the goal. The goal is just
to sit, to have your body just separate yourself, like
you said, like the body sits still, let the thoughts go.
They're like ways of the ocean, right, so it's like
they come and go ebb and flow constantly, But that
doesn't define the reality of what the situation. And I

(14:00):
think if we can start separating that and stepping back
and understanding that we're the observer of our thoughts. It's
a freaking' it's a it's like it's a whole new
world mind you. It's why I know that intellectually, I
just need to think that when I'm in reaction mode
instead of responding, you know.

Speaker 2 (14:16):
Absolutely, And again it's just a practice of being like, oh, yeah,
I know the truer answer, I know a better way.
Let's let's go there. Because like automatic reactions are so
that's that takes years to change, you know, the automatic response.

Speaker 1 (14:28):
Oh my god, I'm still so bad at it. But yes,
it's definitely same. It's really about being present, right, Like
you just have to be present and then understand, like
it's just a feeling, this too shall pass, like it
will in like a few minutes.

Speaker 2 (14:43):
Yes, Honestly, that's become one of my favorite like mantras
over the last year as I've ridden these like ups
and downs that were pretty extreme in the last year,
realizing that, you know, in the thought kept coming to me, yeah,
maybe I'm not okay right now, but I know I
will be. I know this will pass. And sometimes that
meant like it was going to be a few months.
Sometimes it meant it was going to be like a

(15:04):
day too. Maybe I'm having like a little depression spell
or something. I'm really disappointed. That's that's going to take
a day or two and I'll be okay. Right now,
I'm pretty pretty bummed, you know, but yeah, or even
the bigger things, just knowing like I've been through heartbreak,
I've been through like you know, disappointment, I've been through humiliation,
and in all those moments you feel like the world
is over. Yeah, then life goes on and you realize that,

(15:27):
like it will be okay, and same with the beautiful
good times. It's this amazing thought also to think that, like,
oh I feel so happy and joyce. This is so great,
But I know this won't last forever. So I'm really
going to like relish in it for this moment as
long as I have it, because it's not always going
to be here, like everything's.

Speaker 1 (15:44):
Going to glow.

Speaker 2 (15:45):
So it's kind of a beautiful spot.

Speaker 1 (15:47):
Yeah, and like time heals, like in general, right, it
really does.

Speaker 2 (15:51):
Absolutely.

Speaker 1 (16:00):
I love Lindsay how open you are with your mental
health and you talk openly about body dysmorphia and something
that I go through still to this day. I heard
your interview with my embiolic and you talked a lot
about which was an amazing interview. I know that was
a couple of years ago, but can you tell my
listeners what body dysmorphia is and how and I guess

(16:24):
what anorexia is just for people to understand if they don't.

Speaker 2 (16:28):
Yeah, I mean, it's so crazy that it's a disease
that takes over your body and it's connected to your body,
but it really all exists in your mind. Like that's
the wildest part about it. It's it's a mind disease,
and it's you know the fact that you can, like
it's so crazy to think you can look in the
mirror and people told me so many times that what
you see isn't real, and like to be told that

(16:49):
over and over again, but it's true that like you're
seeing this like this different version of yourself that your
mind is creating, and it's not really what is being seen.
And then I think the anarec as just this being
absolutely consumed by this control of trying to control your
body and make it something else. And by being controlled
by this, you stop eating, you start over exercising, you

(17:13):
and the thing that's so scary about anarexia. Are all
of these things is they happen slowly and because they're
in your mind. I don't know. I don't know how
your mind works. I don't know how you think. I
don't know anybody else thinks. All I know is how
I think. And so it's really hard to realize you
have a huge, massive problem. And I just remember opening
up to my mom finally about the fact that I

(17:33):
was like debilitatingly depressed and I didn't care about anything anymore,
and I didn't I'd become the shallowish human and it
had happened slowly. I didn't know who I was, and
like finally one day I was I was talking to
her about this and expressing it, and I said, and
I think about food all the time, like all I do.
All I do is think about calories and food and
what to avoid. And she just said, that's not normal.

(17:55):
And it was the first time that I really realized that, like,
I have a problem. And I all I can say
is that the amount of freedom that finally came from
saying the words like I think I'm innarexiic, like it
was like this huge weight was lifted off my shoulders
because finally, like I know how to solve a problem.
I know how to work on something that I know
what it is. It's but it's you don't know how

(18:16):
to solve something that's a mystery. And so when I
finally realized I was anorexic, it was like, okay, like
this is terrifying, but I'm gonna I'm gonna figure this out.
I'm gonna get help. I'm gonna now that I know
what the problem is and and I don't know. Being
able to separate myself from the disease took years of
work to be like, you're not me anirexia, You're a problem.

(18:38):
And even still to this day, it was really funny.
I was talking to a friend I went to like,
I do sculpt yoga and I love it. And I
remember one day I was just feeling particularly like whatever
we call it, bloated or like, you know, I try
not to use certain words anymore, so I felt bloated,
and I looked in the mirror and even thought like, oh,
I don't look good, you know, And my little yoga
outfit fifteen minutes into the class, when my body is

(19:00):
like pumping and like my I'm sweating and I'm feeling
like my body activate. I looked in the mirror and
I felt fine, And it's just to show you that
it's all in your brain.

Speaker 1 (19:11):
It's all in your brain, and it's a little funny
to catch it.

Speaker 2 (19:14):
Now. It's like, I know you're It's like I can
look in the mirror, but I know you're lying to
me because five ten minutes ago, I felt horrible about
my body and now you look great. No, I caught
you in your lie. This is ridiculous. And so it's
almost like a game I play with my It's like
a dysfunctional relationship, and I get to just be like,
you're lying to me and I know it, and I

(19:35):
refuse to believe those thoughts.

Speaker 1 (19:36):
Anymore because we're not our thoughts.

Speaker 2 (19:39):
We are not our thoughts. They are They come, they go,
and it's up to us to determine which ones we
let stay. But they're not they're not who I am.

Speaker 1 (19:47):
Yeah you know, Oh my gosh. I feel like I
relate to everything you just said. Now I also heard
you say because I am currently going through this. So,
like you mentioned during them, I am be all like
interview that you did this with sleep in a way, Okay,
I am doing this and I've been doing this since

(20:07):
I've been separated or divorced, right, so like or since
I've been sober. I've been sober now for six years.
So like literally it's almost thank you. Literally, it's almost
like I am it's not self I wouldn't say it's
self sabotage, right, Like, I don't think that's what it is.
I don't know. Maybe it's my addict brain. I don't know,
but like I currently only go off of like sometimes
three to five sometimes one and a half to five hours.

Speaker 2 (20:30):
So for me, what I realized is the same way
some people are addicts to, like, you know, substances. Yes,
anarexia has an addictive mindset. It's just it's an addiction
to like like self depreciation and like what is it like.

Speaker 1 (20:44):
Lack self sabotage, self sabotage.

Speaker 2 (20:48):
But also like I so if I heard that the
average human my size is supposed to eat two thousand calories,
there was an automatic thought my brain of like I
can survive on seventeen hundred, and then you're like, actually
I could survive on fifteen hundred, you know, and then
it's like oh, actually, well and they do that, and
then you like you know, you get it down, down, down,
So like that's the mindset or of like this is

(21:08):
supposed to be the average weight, well then I better be, like.

Speaker 1 (21:11):
You want to beat the odds in a way, it's
a weird competitive.

Speaker 2 (21:13):
It's a weird competitive, like I don't need like I
can overdo. I can be And so when you hear like, oh,
the average person needs eight hours asleep, it's like.

Speaker 1 (21:23):
Whoa this bullshit?

Speaker 2 (21:24):
I can I can work harder if I get sleepless,
and yeah, I can get more done. And so therefore,
like if the average human needs that much, am I
I can? I can do better, I can work harder.

Speaker 1 (21:33):
Like, well, it's und quieter. I don't have people emailing
me or texting me like I mean, of course, I'm
going to find every excuse in the book. But it's
a problem.

Speaker 2 (21:40):
It's a problem, and I haven't quite cracked the code yet.
But I know it's connected to the same mindset.

Speaker 1 (21:45):
It's control. I think it's just control.

Speaker 2 (21:46):
Right, Well, yeah, it's like, oh I can do this,
I can outbeat my body my body. You know, I
don't know, it's weird.

Speaker 1 (21:51):
What made you want to be so open about it?

Speaker 2 (21:54):
Honestly, I think it was the desire to like give
people the information I didn't have, you know, and especially
like I don't know. I remember when I first entertained
the thought that maybe I hadn't eating disorder. I was like, no,
that's for crazy people, like people that are institutionalized have
eating disorders, you know. And actually I worked at a

(22:15):
rehab center for troubled teenage girls, and like so I
was just like, oh my gosh, you know, like these
girls were were, you know, demanded by the state to
go into these facilities, and so I was just like, no,
like I am a functioning human, Like I am normal.
Like that's the thing though, functioning normal humans, we all

(22:35):
go through it. And so I just wanted to kind
of like share my story so that maybe somebody who
doesn't know why they're extremely depressed and they can't think
about anything in life, you know, and they can't foster
any relationships or anything. Maybe it's because your mind is
completely consumed and taken up by the fact that it's
trying to control you know, your body, and that your
neurons don't have enough nutrition to fire properly, you know.

(22:57):
So it's like I don't know. I just was like
made I wish I'd heard this from someone else.

Speaker 1 (23:02):
Did you go to therapy or is this all like
you just really being so in tune with your body? Oh?

Speaker 2 (23:08):
I went to therapy for sure. I went to like
an individual therapist. I was in college. I found a
group like this, like secret group for like tenericsit girls
that could meet. So I did like group therapy through
the college. I went to a nutritionist to learn how
to like put meals together that would actually sustain my body.

(23:29):
And then on top of that, the most helpful thing
aside from all that was reading lots of books. I
like studied it.

Speaker 1 (23:34):
That's awesome. I think, Yeah, knowledge is power in that sense.
Did Dancing with the Stars bring up any of anything
for you as far as, like, you know, eating disorders
or anything like that.

Speaker 2 (23:46):
No, not at all. Actually, because I was working out
so much that it didn't have a chance, Like i'd
actually accidentally lost weight, and I remember sing I remember
actually being really kind of like frustrated upset that I had.
You know, my fans, I've been very open about my past,
but because you know, you get so thin on that
show when you know you're not used to dancing and

(24:07):
working out like that, and so I lost a decent
amount of weight, and I remember fans and people talking
about like, I think she's sick again, and it really
upset me that I don't know, I just don't think
it's ever appropriate to comment on anybody else's body ever.
And everybody knows that fat saming is bad, but it's
really bad to also talk about anybody's body in any

(24:28):
shape or form, and especially to come to tie it
up to somebody's mental health and brain. And like, I
don't know, I know it came from a good place.
People were like, we're just worried about you, but you know, anyways,
I just remember being really hurt by that after all
the work I've done to be like because I'm losing anyways,
you know, I just know I just have realized that
I'm never for good or worse. I actually don't like

(24:50):
to even give compliments to people about their bodies. I
don't think it's healthy. I don't think like, even if
you know you don't.

Speaker 1 (24:56):
Know what that person's going through, Like what if you
say I'm doing you look fabulous? And what have I've
been starving myself for the past literally eight weeks.

Speaker 2 (25:05):
Yeah, or like someone's like sick and you're like, you know,
or they're so depressed that they haven't been eating and
they're like you look.

Speaker 1 (25:12):
Amazing, or you know, have some weight like good on you?

Speaker 2 (25:15):
Like you. Yeah. I never ever comment on anybody's body,
and I never really thought about it until I read
this amazing book called More Than a Body. Everybody should
read this book. It is okay, superb, and you know,
and they they talk about the body as an instrument
rather than an ornament, and they go so deep into
it that you realize how deep the psychological wiring in

(25:37):
our brain is from society. And we all know this,
but way we raised yeah, everything, This book is so
good More Than a Body, and it just ever since
I read that book, I've never commented on somebody's body.

Speaker 1 (25:49):
Yes, that is actually I'm going to start doing that too,
because like I you know, like I'm not even present
when I'm like, oh my god, you look great, like
we just don't know, because I remember when I was
being complimented. I was definitely not healthy, right, there was
no way same.

Speaker 2 (26:02):
And it was like the best compliment when someone would
be like, oh my gosh, you're so thin, A big
thank you.

Speaker 1 (26:06):
Like you'll just continue to starve, Like what's the starving?

Speaker 2 (26:09):
Like I've been eating carrots for like the last week.
It's fine.

Speaker 1 (26:12):
Have you read the book Body Keeps the Score?

Speaker 2 (26:15):
Yes, I have read that book. That's a great book too.
I love all those books that tie the mind to
the body, like you know that one. It's like ED
was changing for me, you know.

Speaker 1 (26:27):
Okay, so you're gonna have to text me all these
books because I haven't heard of the first the last
two you mentioned, so I need some new reading material.
Dancing with the Stars done, Okay. How did your initial
reading go with the executives? Like, were you a fan

(26:47):
of the show? Yes?

Speaker 3 (26:50):
I had actually performed on it, I think twice before,
so I'd come in as like a guest that I
had performed, but we had results shows, yes, And so
I remember I had like told my management, my publicist,
I was like, I want to I want to do
this someday.

Speaker 2 (27:05):
And so like I remember, you know, meeting Dina and
like introducing myself and like trying to do all the
things like do you bring me back? Because I mean
it's just crazy. I remember being in college and watching
one of the very early seasons when Julianne Huff and like, okay,
the at Antonio it was the speed Skater an Apollo.

Speaker 1 (27:31):
Season like five or something.

Speaker 2 (27:32):
Yeah, I remember watching their season. I was the first
when I saw and I just was like, this would
be so cool. But the time, I was just a
college student, so I was like, well, I'm not a
dancer and I'm definitely not a star, so like I
would never be on this show, but how fun? That
looks so fun? And so years later to be like
asked then by Dina, you know, and the team to
be on the show, I was just so excited. And

(27:53):
I remember my meeting with them. They said, you know,
like these are the dates. And I was like, oh,
I'm going on tour. There's a huge overlap. And I
was like, but it's okay, I'll do it anyway. And
they literally looked at me and they were like, I
don't think you understand. This is so hard.

Speaker 1 (28:06):
So they said that too, They said that it's hard,
like it's considered.

Speaker 2 (28:10):
They almost like they're like, is there any way you
can change your tour dates? And I was like, now
they're already like uh, you know, they're they're already like
tickets are sold and and then I Blake asked him.
I was like, well, could you bring me back next year?
And they were very honest, like, you know, we never
know like what's going to be the thing, and like
what role will be shown by what personality. So they're
very honest that, like, you know, will definitely consider, but

(28:32):
we don't know. And so I decided to do it anyway.
And it was so tiring.

Speaker 1 (28:40):
I sure, that's an understatement, I.

Speaker 2 (28:44):
Mark and I. Well, it's funny because Mark tells me
still to this day that my season, he's never been
more tired because we were flying back and forth and touring,
and he was also opening for me on tour, so
he was performing every night as well. And I was
doing meet and greets everyday day, you know, like on tour.
But I think the hardest part was learning the tour.

(29:05):
So I was going to Dancing with the Stars rehearsals
all day and then in the evenings I would go
and learn choreography with my dancers show. So I was
like it was a brand new show. I'd never done
a Christmas tour before, and so I was doing double
rehearsals and then when we went on tour, just the
exhaustion of being like sleeping on a bus and you know, like,
but yeah, performing, we cut the tour down. We only

(29:26):
did I think we only did four shows a week
because then we also had to like come back for anyways,
so it was a lot.

Speaker 1 (29:33):
So the choreography changed every night on tour or no,
it was just learning a new show. Basically, yeah, I
was just.

Speaker 2 (29:38):
Learning the new show. So once we got on tour,
at least it was like I just have to do
this every night. But learning it was so hard. You
were lapping schedules, and I remember like when like but
at the same time it was so like dancing with
the stars was so fun, but at the same time
it was so freaking stress when I was so tired.
So I remember when we finished our last dance, I

(30:00):
like literally started crying because one I was like, this
was so magical and like I will never get I
will never get to experience anything like that again, and
it was so cool and such a dream come true.
I'd always wanted to like actually learn to dance. But
also I cried because I was like I did it,
and like I didn't make a fool of myself, Like
I never disappointed my partner. I never like fell on

(30:22):
my face. I never really loved on the dance floor.

Speaker 1 (30:24):
You know.

Speaker 2 (30:25):
I was like, I did it, and it was, oh,
we're done.

Speaker 1 (30:28):
Did you have any dance experience whatsoever? Before?

Speaker 2 (30:32):
I mean I had like moved like I'd done choreography so,
you know, on tours before. But it was much more
like you know, like flick my leg over here, step step,
you know. It was it was not like dancing. I'd
never danced without a violin before, for sure.

Speaker 1 (30:47):
And I must have felt naked. You must have felt
so naked, so.

Speaker 2 (30:50):
Naked, it was weird for sure. I always was like, no, like,
don't do anything open brain, like hold ma arm like.

Speaker 1 (30:56):
You made such a huge impact especially for me. Like honest,
every time I watched your guys' routines, chills like down
my body like and anything that you do. Lindsay, did
you request Mark Ballas as your partner?

Speaker 2 (31:09):
I did. I did request Mark why, you know, Actually
I didn't really know Mark before the season. I had
reached out to Derek Huff and I was like, hey,
I got asked you dancing with the Stars, you know,
and I kind.

Speaker 1 (31:23):
Of asked him, how do you guys know each other.
First then, so I met.

Speaker 2 (31:28):
Him at an event years ago and he mentioned to me,
he's like, hey, if you ever need dancing in any
one of your videos, like bathroom dancing, let me know.
And like I was like, I'm gonna take you up
on that. So anyways I did. He came and we
shot music video together and we became like you know that.
Back then, it was just kind of like a oh,
we're kind of friends, and he's asked me. Since then,
we've collaborated on so many projects together and he's become

(31:50):
one of my.

Speaker 1 (31:50):
Like, dear, dear, craz great, you guys are so amazing together.

Speaker 2 (31:54):
Oh he's he's such a good friend and it's been
there for me in so many ways. But yeah, so
I called him up and was it like you know,
I know, I know you don't do the show anymore,
but like, what advice do you have for me? And
he first off was like, you need to call Dina
Kats and ask for Mark Ballast. He's like him your partner.
He's like you and Mark would you guys would drive together?
And so glad he did. Like I I don't know,

(32:16):
Mark and I are kind of the same person, you
know what. I mean, and our energy matched so well,
and I think I would have stayed sane through that
extremely rigorous process of like everything we were doing if
I hadn't had a partner that I could like laugh with,
like fall on the floor laughing.

Speaker 1 (32:33):
When you're English accents.

Speaker 2 (32:34):
When he gets mad, Yeah, when he gets frustrated and
they starts to come out and he started to say
funny words and but yeah, just forever, well, just love Mark.
She was the best.

Speaker 1 (32:46):
When you did most Memorable night, you dedicated it to
your father? Correct if I remember? That was so beautiful
and so touching? Is there was there another like story?
Because you know sometimes when you say when they asked,
because they ask you ahead of time, like what's your
most memorable? And if two people have someone who passed,
and maybe they'll say, can you do think of another one?

(33:08):
Is it? Did you have multiple like? So?

Speaker 2 (33:11):
Did your story of passing is more touching?

Speaker 1 (33:13):
So did you have to pitch multiple stories? Or no?

Speaker 2 (33:17):
I did? I did pitch two stories. They were both with.

Speaker 1 (33:20):
Death, of course, imber of the death card, Yeah, yeah card, Yeah,
she's got two.

Speaker 2 (33:28):
So but they were both very different experiences with like loss,
and one of them I ended up choosing my dad
because it was actually more recent. But the other one,
I like realized I was like, I don't think I'm
ready to talk about this one. Yeah, and so I
remember just thinking, Yeah, we're going to do We're going
to talk about my dad, which, like I said, was
only a few months you know, happened a few months earlier,

(33:50):
I think like seven months earlier. Wow. So yeah, that's
that's the one I went with. And I've always loved
that song that I chose.

Speaker 1 (33:57):
It was so memorable. Honestly, it was definitely something I
look back and I'm like, yeah, that was the most
memorable on most memorable night.

Speaker 2 (34:06):
Oh yes, a nice thank you.

Speaker 1 (34:08):
Did you feel like they portrayed you the way that
you truly are behind it all? Like, because I also
think it's so powerful when they show the struggle.

Speaker 2 (34:19):
Yeah, with anyone, I feel like I felt like they
showed my personality really well, like they you know, they
they made it so that I was like a likable character,
which you know, you hope that they would. But I
do remember being very frustrated that they never would ever
say anything about the fact that I did not know

(34:41):
how to dance. Oh So, like the other contestants would
sometimes call out me and you know on their packages
and be like, well, I'm not a dancer like Lindsay,
you know, or Jordan Fisher, who are trained and and
I would always be like, that's not fair. Like I
just would get so frustrated because the amount of work.
I mean, everybody works hard, but maybe I'm biased, but

(35:03):
I don't think anyone worked harder our season than me
and Mark, Like I spent I was always the last
out of every you know, because I just wanted so well,
we are traveling, but like you know, I don't know,
so doing these challenging routines, it was like really difficult. It.
I mean it's difficult for everybody, so I don't need
to make.

Speaker 1 (35:21):
But your routines were professional routines. I just want to
be clear, Well thank you.

Speaker 2 (35:25):
Yeah, they were really hard, and so then to be
called out as like a professional dancer on the show,
I was like, oh so, I would always get really frustrated.
I was like, can they just share that, Like, I've
never been trained before and I'm working my Why do.

Speaker 1 (35:37):
They think you were trained because you did a music
video with Derek?

Speaker 2 (35:40):
I think so? Well, I think because I dance in
my videos and I'd dance on stage, but it was
more like I would like spin around and i'd lean and.

Speaker 1 (35:48):
Also too, it's like, yeah, I'm a fantastic editor.

Speaker 2 (35:53):
I in my own music videos, and I was like
if you saw like my bumbling around, and I've gotten
so much better, actually much thanks to the confidence that
you know, the training and the confidence the show gave
me and since like training afterwards. But back then, like
it was, it was all editing that made those videos
look beautiful, and so people just assumed I was this
dancer and I'm like, I'm not, Like I don't. I'm

(36:14):
having a hard time not falling over every night.

Speaker 1 (36:16):
Like take me through a week of the process of
Dancing with the Stars, like your schedule from how you learn.
Let's say, you know, he's like, Okay, this week we've
got the Rieni's waltz, Like how long did it take
you to really learn the choreography and the steps and
all of it.

Speaker 2 (36:32):
I mean, I feel like I I feel like I
would really enjoy the process until like Thursday, you know,
like Monday through Thursday.

Speaker 1 (36:41):
Wait, when was are the live shows for you?

Speaker 2 (36:43):
Mondays?

Speaker 1 (36:44):
Okay?

Speaker 2 (36:44):
So yeah, Monday, So I guess it was Friday. It
was like Tuesday for Friday was kind of fun because
you're just like, oh, you're like excited about it, and
the music is fun and you're learning all these steps
and all of a sudden it gets real and like,
you know, shit shit in the fan because you're like,
oh my gosh, I have to do it on TV.
I will say I think my quality on the show
dipped dramatically once we were flying from the East coast.

(37:07):
You know, it's like those last few weeks. I just
you know, you can almost like see like the told
taking of like the flying and the traveling and the
lack of sleep. It like really started to show those
last few weeks.

Speaker 1 (37:16):
When I'm like within you, though not within us, like
I you just got better.

Speaker 2 (37:22):
Oh thank you. It's nice to look that way from
the outside. Inside, I think we both felt like shells
of humans. One time we were on a plane flying
back to camera blocking and we were you know, I
was like I think the week of the finale, and
Mark kind of woke up as a woman was standing
over us taking our picture as we're sleeping on the plane.
Like he got so mad. I've never seen him white

(37:45):
this mad. I mean he wasn't like he was just like, hey,
give me that phone. He deleted it and he was like,
don't be rude.

Speaker 1 (37:52):
Good for him, Good for him. And Derek get so
mad at that stuff. They really do, and by the way,
as they should.

Speaker 2 (38:00):
That's really well, especially because they're so sweet. They'll take
a picture with anybody just as like if anybody asks
and is polite. But to disrespect and like be like
kind of weird and like creepy about it, it's like, no, no.

Speaker 1 (38:10):
No, how involved were you in the collaboration of like
the creative and all of it.

Speaker 2 (38:24):
I mean, Mark is a genius and that was his world.
Like normally in my stuff, I'm like, I'm like the motor,
I'm the you know, I think of all the ideas
for the music video, do a tour and stuff. But
in this arena, like I gave ideas and we used
some of them. But like it was really fun for
once to kind of like, I don't know, take a
little bit of a backseat in that spot, okay. And

(38:46):
also I was planning my own tour. Oh and I
had an album that came out during that time, so
I was like I kind of was creatively like, so
I was like, I was like, you plan and his
ideas were always so good, so so yeah, I mean
I think we really collaborated hard on the freestyle obviously,
but yeah, most of the ideas I have to give

(39:07):
credit to Mark.

Speaker 1 (39:09):
Wow.

Speaker 2 (39:09):
I think the reason usually I'm so like I need
to be the creative drive of everything is because I
usually like my ideas the best. But when Mark would
tell me an idea, I was like, that is so fun. Okay,
we're gonna be in pajamas and we're going to start
on a bend that looks like we're laying down. That's brilliant.
I'm like, you win, like take it, and I'm never
too proud to be like that. You know, like that's

(39:31):
a better idea than maybe what I had. But it's
like I said, I wanted to dance in pajamas for
the Guilty Pleasure Week. So it's like I would be
involved with like some of the ideas, but then you
know he would take them and make that.

Speaker 1 (39:41):
I totally remember that. It's so memorable, so clever. Did
you ever feel like, I guess, at a crossroads with
the judges at all? Did they ever like, did they
give you constructive criticism or like, how how was your
experience with them?

Speaker 2 (39:55):
You know, I was like the judges like I think
they you know, sometimes I said things I was like
I disagree with or you know, I'm trying to remember.
There was just certain weeks what was it? Oh, I mean,
it wasn't my best dance, but they hated my samba
and I was like, I was like, it wasn't that bad,

(40:15):
Like you know, Frankie couldn't have been better, and you
love kids like you know, I'm just kidding love, So
they're just like sometimes I felt like they were a
little extra hard on me again because I just think
they looked at me like I was a dancer and
not like I'm like struggling back here, you know, to
like get this together. So I just felt like they

(40:37):
held me to a different caliber, which you know, I'm
honored that they you know, kind of put me up there.
But yeah, because they were very very specific and pretty
like you know, they was like you, we know you
can do better, and I'd be like, I don't know
if I can.

Speaker 1 (40:51):
But how come? So did you were you able to
express this in your master interviews like say or did
they just not use it? Yeah, I did.

Speaker 2 (40:57):
I said it every week and like because you know,
they asked the questions and I remember I'd try to
slide in there, you know, because I'm not a dancer.
I've never I've never taken dance training ever, and they
would just never put it in.

Speaker 1 (41:09):
That is so frustrating. I totally get it. Like it's
also frustrating. I can relate in a different way when
there's like one little tiny argument during rehearsal and they're
like that's all they use, Like it took two minutes
out of all of the footage that you have for rehearsal.
I mean even back this was like back in season four,
they were like, can you reenact you leaving the can
you go out again? I'm like, you guys, you want

(41:33):
to storm out? So you want to you want to
slam the door again? Or like can't you guys do this?
Or like it's it's I mean, it's also television, right,
like so at the end of the day, but like
Jordan was a dancer, Oh he was.

Speaker 2 (41:49):
That was another frustrating thing is because they would put
me in Jordan in the same category.

Speaker 1 (41:53):
I think the results would have changed if they if
they just told your story, you know, but conspiracy theories,
conspiracy theories.

Speaker 2 (42:03):
Yeah, so I was just, you know, I'm of course,
it was like I was really bummed that I didn't win.
I wanted it so badly too, because it was so
it was going to be his last season. I think
he went back for another shot because he's like, I
really wanted to end on top. Now I have to
go back, so, you know, for him, I was like,
I really wanted to win. But also all that work

(42:24):
you put in, you forget that anything else exists. Like
my managers were literally like lindsay, don't like, I know
this is important too, but you have a tour that
you have to get ready for, you know. And I
was like, right right, that's my career. This is not okay,
Like you.

Speaker 1 (42:38):
Get so consumed into it and consumed by it.

Speaker 2 (42:42):
So yeah, of course I really wanted to win. Was
very disappointed, but I kept reminding myself that, hey, you
know what, more than anything, I wanted to have the
full experience. I wanted to make it all the way
to the end. I didn't want to get cut early.
And I was like, I didn't get cut from anything,
Like I got the whole and I got to experience
it on such a magical level, and like the only

(43:04):
thing that would have been different if I want is
that I'd have a mirror ball somewhere in my house.
That's the only thing that would be different.

Speaker 1 (43:09):
And so I was like, you can buy it on eBay.
I promise, actually I might.

Speaker 2 (43:13):
I might go find one.

Speaker 1 (43:15):
When you say it was so hard for you, what
do you like? What was so hard for you to
learn ballroom? Exactly? Like what was the process like for you?

Speaker 2 (43:23):
I mean, it's the intense amount of memory that you
have to have and body coordination, which I had learned
some choreography before, so it was like it would start
to happen naturally. But then through the week as you're
realizing this is, you know, ninety seconds of really fast movements,
you know, so trying to crammel that into your brain.
I think also just it was the finesse. It was

(43:45):
one thing to like step through the movements. But like,
because I'm not a dancer, Mark had to tell me,
like the things you were talking about that you just
would like you'd rather feel and express rather than just
like every hand. He would be like, turn it like this,
but like that's the shape.

Speaker 1 (44:00):
The devils in the detail, yes, yes.

Speaker 2 (44:03):
You know, or like my leg he was constantly like,
turn out that foot and then we'd practice, like me
kicking my leg up with the foot turned out, you know,
Like we'd practice like those things that should be muscle memory,
and they are to me now because I've I learned
and I was like, I'm going to keep this with me,
and I've now like really finessed a lot of it.
But like especially the arms stuff, I was like, I
everything had to be taught of, like what angle, where

(44:27):
to like put your head out, all of it. It
was not natural at all.

Speaker 1 (44:31):
But yeah, did you ever feel insecure during a live
show or did you always know your stuff?

Speaker 2 (44:36):
I think one of the things that makes Dancing with
the Star is so cool is that it takes people
who are very secure in their craft or their art
or their profession, Like these are professionals that are competent,
and you throw them in ballroom shoes and it automatically,
you know, it is just going to make you insecure.
And I think that's what makes people so raw and
real and vulnerable in that show, And that's why people
connect with these humans, is because not only is the

(44:58):
dancing fun, you get to see in progress, but you get
to see someone who's like find it terrified that normally,
in most of their life isn't terrified, you know, like
they're very used to being good at their thing. And
so I think that, yeah, I was usually insecure as
I walked out there. But at the same time, I'm
also a performer, and even if I wasn't a dancer,
I know how to like have stage prisons. I know

(45:20):
how to like turn on that little like light inside
that's like all right, time to shine. And I think
being a musician too, you connect with music. And so
as long as I could connect with the song, you know,
it's like I could, I could be expressive.

Speaker 1 (45:32):
Did Shirley and Quirky help at all?

Speaker 2 (45:36):
Yes, surely. Well, actually both of them like stopped in
a few times and like said hi. The first time
I met Shirley Ballas, it was so funny. She walks in,
and she walks up to me, and she sticks her
hand out and introduces herself. I'm Shirley Ballast and and I,
you know, took her hand to shake it, and she
didn't let go. She like then leaned back, looked me
up and oh my god, leans forward, and she goes, well,

(46:00):
we're little pigeon toed, but we could work.

Speaker 1 (46:02):
Oh my goodness, typical Shirley Vallas. You got a lover,
doesn't hold back. But you weren't even dancing. You were
just you were shaking her hand.

Speaker 2 (46:12):
I was just standing, you know, but I guess my
feet were slightly turned in. So she's like, oh, we're
a little pigeon toed, but it's okay, we'll work with that.
And I had like just met Mark, so I didn't
even have him to like fall back on to be
like is this okay? Like it was just like.

Speaker 1 (46:28):
Did she I know, you do a great impression? Did uh? So?
Did she like r teach you drumble walks or what
was the first thing that she taught you?

Speaker 2 (46:36):
Yeah, she just kind of she told Mark like you
just go, just go. And she just like worked with
me on like some Latin type stuff like helping me
kind of know how to like, yeah, rumble walks and
like my.

Speaker 1 (46:46):
Fingers, Yeah, all the all those things. Good times. Okay,
rapid fire girl, I know you're so busy. Okay, there's
two different little sections here. We're gonna just do a
regular dancing with the stars. One. Then we're doing a

(47:06):
Derek Huff versus Mark Ballast edition. Okay, this is all fun,
it's all fun. No, it's not crazy, I promise. Okay,
who falls in love first? The celebrity or the dancer?

Speaker 2 (47:15):
Oh? The celebrity?

Speaker 1 (47:17):
What's something viewers would be surprised to learn that happens
off camera on dancing?

Speaker 2 (47:23):
I think the insane amount of interviews. How often you
get stopped to talk about something that you're like exhausted,
Like really, really you're gonna maybe talk about this?

Speaker 1 (47:33):
Yeah, and the spray tans? Right, that's definitely not on camera.
I miss that. I know you should see my bottom
half it is. I've never I didn't even realize I
could be this white anyway. Who was the biggest prankster
backstage during your season?

Speaker 2 (47:45):
Oh, Sasha Favor.

Speaker 1 (47:47):
What was your go to snack during long rehearsal days?

Speaker 2 (47:51):
Ooh honestly peanut butter?

Speaker 1 (47:54):
Yeuh yes, for sure. It gave you energy.

Speaker 2 (47:57):
Peanut butter with me, love it.

Speaker 1 (48:01):
How did the cast unwine after a live show.

Speaker 2 (48:05):
Disperse? It was like it was gone, like the right
the show ends, and people were just like it was
like ants if the like light comps or cockroaches if
the light comes.

Speaker 1 (48:14):
Yes, yes, oh yeah, because I think for me at least,
I was gone to the studio to try and choreograph
if we made it through the next round. It's crazy.
Was there a moment you felt like the cameras missed
that you wish that they had captured? I think you
mentioned that already. What's the most unexpected thing a camera
microphone caught you saying or doing during rehearsals.

Speaker 2 (48:34):
This is longer than a rapid fire.

Speaker 1 (48:36):
Okay, if you want it, yes, Okay.

Speaker 2 (48:38):
I've never told this story because they deleted the tape.

Speaker 1 (48:42):
Huh what happened, lindsay, Oh my gosh, Okay, the producers
deleted it.

Speaker 2 (48:51):
Camera guy, okay, deleted it.

Speaker 1 (48:54):
Tell me because it was so embarrassed.

Speaker 2 (48:58):
But it's fine. I can talk about it now. But
at the moment, okay, rehearsing, and it was rehearsing for
our finale. And I started on Mark's shoulders in the finale,
and then I would like, he'd like kind of spin
me and I literally like wrap my legs around and
slide down his body and then we'd go into the routine.
And so anyways, dude, we did that we made it
through the whole routine, and then I like turn and

(49:19):
look at him, and he starts talking through like, Okay,
we need to tighten up this, we need to tighten
up that. And I just my eyes got so wide
as I looked at him, and I realized that I
I was on my period and I had completely bled
through and across his shoulder and across his body was

(49:42):
a smear of And I didn't want to say what
and I just said, I have to go, and I
ran out of that room and ran into the bathroom
and like, because you know, the rehearsals are so long,
you're so sweaty, I had lost track of time. Of
course anyway, so then after i'd like kind of cleaned

(50:05):
myself up and I'd been in there for a while
to do, so I come back in and like, just
like I almost left, I was like, could I just go?
And I was like, no, I can't wait.

Speaker 1 (50:13):
Didn't know.

Speaker 2 (50:14):
Oh, well, so by the time I walk back in,
there's mirrors everywhere, so they'd figured it out obviously, and
Mark's wearing a different shirts change. Oh. I looked at
him and I was like, I'm so sorry. And then
I look at the camera guy and he's like, I
deleted the tape.

Speaker 1 (50:34):
Oh that's so nice of him, So nice of him, because.

Speaker 2 (50:38):
I'm you never know how far somebody's gonna go on
a day.

Speaker 1 (50:43):
In the editing room where you're right, you're right.

Speaker 2 (50:45):
Your package is boring, and they're like, well this.

Speaker 1 (50:47):
Is well I don't I don't think that Dizzy would
allow for this, but like I don't think, so you
never know. Sometimes I sometimes wonder, like these people are
like some of these costumes. I'm like, wait a second,
what yeah, Mark, Oh no, Mark for sure, Like Mark,
first of all, I've never heard this story. So like,

(51:08):
you know, Mark's like he's he loves you, you know,
he would never.

Speaker 2 (51:12):
Well he even said, he's like, Lindsey, I don't care.
He's like, I've been pete on, I've been spit on,
I've been He's like it's like everything. He's like, I
don't care, it's fine. And I was like, oh, practically crying.
I was so fine. Oh my god, looking back at
it now, it's just funny. It's actually the best period
story I've ever heard.

Speaker 1 (51:28):
Thank you for sharing. I'm going to snap it out
with you for snapping it out. Thank you so much
for being so vulnerable. Oh my goodness, what a great
story though, seriously, like a great story. All realms like okay, okay,
how would you and Mark resolve disagreements during practice or
did you ever disagree? Oh?

Speaker 2 (51:46):
We did for sure, I mean not a ton. But
of course you're gonna.

Speaker 1 (51:51):
Well you must have been tired too, like you must
have just been like over it.

Speaker 2 (51:55):
Get tired, and well, a lot of times it was
like I think it's fine and he's like it's not.
It needs to be better, or you know, like this
isn't like this move isn't working. But I'm like, well,
I've already learned it, so we're going to keep it,
you know, and he's like, well it's not working. It
doesn't look good.

Speaker 1 (52:11):
And you know, and that's in his English accent, right,
you know, by.

Speaker 2 (52:14):
This time he's full British. Those were Those were usually
what it was when it was like I can't relearn
that section, I can't do a new one, and he's
like we have to fake, we have to fix it.
You know.

Speaker 1 (52:24):
That was usually on Sunday Camp because I know that
him and Derek Jans a lot. Oh yeah, I could
never do this.

Speaker 2 (52:30):
It's like on Sunday night and you're like, I've spent
a week, like you have no idea like visualizing, practicing,
like sleeping it Like like if you change it, I
just might not get it.

Speaker 1 (52:41):
Yeah, I see that. I don't. I mean, obviously it
works for them, but like I wouldn't. I could never
do that to my partner, especially even in ones with
maybe a little dancings. Right. Still, it's like you're risking,
but I guess you know, no risk, no reward. You
know they're really good at what they do. Yeah, what
was the first impression you had of Mark Ballace versus
Derek Huff.

Speaker 2 (52:59):
Well, Derek was in a situation where, like, you know,
it wasn't Dancing with the Stars, your my new partner.
So I remember just being very like kind of that's
Derek Huff And it was an event where there was
music and he grabbed my hand and started like spinning
me and dancing, and I was just like terrified. I
was like I don't know what to do. So yeah,
I was much more like like stiff and awkward when

(53:19):
I met Derek than when I met Mark. It was like,
You're gonna be my new best friend.

Speaker 1 (53:23):
Love it? Can you describe a typical rehearsal day with
Mark compared to one with Derek.

Speaker 2 (53:29):
You know they are so similar. I will say I
laughed so much with Mark. We just had the same
sense of humor and he's so funny. Where uh With Derek?
I love watching how fast his brain works, so fast
that his mouth can't keep up, you know what I mean.
He'll have an idea and he just starts says like
like almost stutter because he can't keep up with his mind,

(53:51):
is or anything so fast?

Speaker 1 (53:53):
What's one word you would use to describe Mark's teaching
style and same for Derek? What's Mark's teaching style? Like
in one word?

Speaker 2 (54:00):
I feel like balance is a great word for Mark.
I feel like he's so good at balancing being like
tough but also being very like loving and kind and
supportive and like you know, and making sure it's fun.
So like I think Mark is so balanced.

Speaker 1 (54:16):
Derek Derek.

Speaker 2 (54:17):
I'm like, I didn't ever train with Derek, only like.

Speaker 1 (54:20):
Music video, So how long would it take for you
guys to figure that? Because, like I mean, it's there's
so many different layers right to the music video. How
right I mean you did train with him? I thought
I saw this like how to I stalk to you
for the last few weeks. I thought, I saw this
like come with me to get ready for this video.
Then you and Derek did train in dance studios and stuff.
You said, right, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 (54:41):
So usually it's like the way I would work with Derek.
Because it was a music video, it was much more
like let's do something like this, so we're here and.

Speaker 1 (54:48):
Then we'll cut and then you know, so it was okay.

Speaker 2 (54:50):
It was so much more like it was way less
stressful because it's like then we'll cut, then we'll do
this that you could never actually get to from that place,
but we know that we're going to have a It's
not like, yeah, it's not live. So that's another thing
when people are like, well, you've worked with Derek before
Mike with an edit, like with a highly curated like
we would do one move and then we'd do the
next move. So working with Derek was very casual.

Speaker 1 (55:13):
You know, like, what did you learn the most from
each of them? I guess one thing.

Speaker 2 (55:18):
I don't know. It's just it was so inspiring to
see someone who has made their own paths so specifically,
and it was like I was kind of in the
middle of that process myself of making a very specific
niche path. I'm a violinist of dances and you know,
perform shows, and that's very not traditional. And so to
see like a ballroom dancer who's like really carved his

(55:40):
own path and he's been so creative with it and
made multiple paths through his career, it was just really
inspiring to like see that in him and be like, Okay,
like you know, I'm not alone in this crazy world.
And also he's doing it really well. I'm going to
take a page on the book and Mark. Oh gosh,
I learned so much from Mark. Mark is just one
of like the kindest people, like I know. And I'm

(56:03):
maybe that maybe he wouldn't be flattered by that answer
because it's not as like sparkly as maybe some other
answers I could give. But like, I don't know. I
just think that when you're in such a harsh environment
as like a live TV show, and there's so much
at stake, and his reputation is at stake, and to
like constantly end everything with kindness, and you know, on
top of his incredible talent and like vision, he's so creative.

(56:26):
I don't think I'd ever worked with anybody that gave
me a run for my money creatively, Like I felt
created in the same not like I'm a most creative
person in the world, but just that could you know
have the say you're pretty crazive? Oh well, thank you.
But I just was like, wow, like, I feel like
I've found someone who can keep up with me creatively.
But I think more than anything, I just he's so

(56:47):
kind and yeah, always always made me feel no matter
how discouraged I was, that like that I was good
enough to get out there.

Speaker 1 (56:54):
When is one thing that you learned from the show?
One takeaway?

Speaker 2 (56:58):
Oh from the show? I think the biggest take away
is like, in a very real sense, keep going when
you don't think you can go anymore. Yeah, you know,
like I've never been that tired. Like I also, I
just placed a rib on the show, Like, yeah, halfway
through the season and I'm pasta dobly.

Speaker 1 (57:16):
Did you rib?

Speaker 2 (57:17):
They did talk about that one, Okay, yeah they got that,
And but for the rest of the season, I was
in a lot of pain and I was just that
that thought of like, yep, you got to you gotta
get up and know you're tired, but you got to
get up and you know, and like, sometimes it's amazing
to look back on moments like that, especially because that
was like a three month long moment of like I'm
so tired, but I gotta get up. It's like those

(57:39):
moments that you can like look back on and be
like I did that. I can get up right now,
I can get up and do it. You know, I
can keep going. So I'm very grateful for that experience.

Speaker 1 (57:48):
What's next for you? You're going on another tour? I see, Yes,
going on another tour.

Speaker 2 (57:53):
Super excited. I'm so grateful that I'm still excited about
touring because.

Speaker 1 (57:56):
I don't have to come see you because you're a
North American tour right, Yes.

Speaker 2 (58:01):
Please come, We're coming. We're playing at the Greek in September,
so yeah, we'll hook you up, will Yeah. I'm so
grateful that I'm still excited. Like I've toured for so
long and yet I still get really excited about the
like the creative process and we're starting to like we're
going to rehearse soon and I've been planning it for

(58:22):
months and like you know, doing all the things, and
it's it's so fun to do it, and I'm just
grateful that I still love it and also have an
album coming out in June.

Speaker 1 (58:30):
So, and how's your personal life?

Speaker 2 (58:32):
You know, my personal life. It's funny, it's it's not
where I ever would have thought it would be at
this point in my life. Like, you know, I had
this thought recently where I was like, oh my gosh,
like twenty year old Lindsay, like I went to college
to get married. I wanted to meet the man of
my dreams. And that's pretty much why I was motivated
to go to college. And it was always what I

(58:54):
thought was like the most important thing was to get
married and have be chosen, like have a part, you know,
and have a family, like that's what you do. That's
and so I think if twenty year old me could
see the future and I realize that I am still
not married and I'm thirty seven, I would have been
like like that would would have been my worst fear.

(59:15):
And it's a really beautiful thing that I'm here and
I'm very single right now for the better. You know,
I was in a really came out of a not
good situation last year and I've done all the work
and I'm I feel great about myself and I love
myself truly most of the time, you know, And I

(59:37):
and I'm like, wow, I'm living very gracefully what was
once my worst fear and I face it every day
and I know that I'm still worth something just because
you know, even though someone didn't choose me, Like that's
that's not what's most point. So it's been a process
to get to this point. But honestly, only in the
last like year have I truly gotten to a point

(59:58):
where I'm like, of course I still want that, but
I honestly I don't need it, and I actually believe
that for the first time.

Speaker 1 (01:00:05):
You really don't. And girl, I am with you. I'm
turning forty, I am single, I am alone, not lonely,
and I freaking love myself like and I'm learning to
not always but like we are just like a work
in progress, and I'm so much less drama i've been married.
You know what, We have to change the vocabulary. It's
not about someone choosing us. It's like, who are we

(01:00:26):
choosing ourselves?

Speaker 2 (01:00:28):
Right?

Speaker 1 (01:00:29):
It's like for real, like for me, I need to
retrain my brain and be a better chooser or picker
because like this ain't work in my pattern was not working.

Speaker 2 (01:00:38):
Yeah, same, same. I love that. And also, I like
you're saying, I want to change the narrative that women
feel that they're supposed to be because we only believe
that because society for you know, centuries. Yes, it used
to be because we had to survive. Like literally, you
wanted a partner because that was how you survived. We
don't need that anymore.

Speaker 1 (01:00:58):
We died and we get out of renaissance days, like,
let's move on. Yeah, yeah go, we'll power too. I'm
so proud of you and I'm so happy you got
out of whatever you were in, and I'm just like,
let's keep in touch. I love you. Thank you for
being and doing this and just for being you soly.
Where can people find you?

Speaker 2 (01:01:17):
You can find me all places people can be found, you.

Speaker 1 (01:01:19):
Know, on Instagram, it's just in YouTube. What's your YouTube handle?
It's all just Lindsay Sterling at Lindsay Sterling. Okay, I
love you so much, Thank you, bye La. Thank you
so much to Lindsay for coming on the podcast, for
being so open and vulnerable. Make sure you guys check
out her website. We'll put the information below if you
want to check her out when she's on tour. And

(01:01:41):
I just want to thank you guys for listening. And
you know, since you guys have been loving the podcast
so much, especially when I do recaps of past seasons,
we decided to make it a series, So make sure
to not only listen every Mondays for the interview portion,
but now you can look forward to listening to an
all new rewatch recap series here on Sex, Size and
spray Tands every single Onnesday, along with another weekly episode

(01:02:02):
of Headlines and Hot Topics. That's three full episodes of sex,
slizes and spray tanks that drop every single week, So
make sure to listen so you can get your fix
of all things DWTS related, rate review, all the things,
Love you guys so much, and until next time,