As I approach the stage my heart pounds like it’s going to rip right out of my chest. The room seems huge at first, but starts to get smaller as I walk down the stairs. My heart pumps faster, I can almost taste it … just then I hear my dad’s voice, ”Just drink a Red Bull and smile.” I definitely do not need a Red Bull at this moment. But I do need to smile and remember to have fun. Even though this is an elimination show, I have already won. The worst thing that can happen after you get eliminated is you go to Jimmy Kimmel — not such a bad consolation prize if you think about it. But I’m not planning on going home anytime soon … I hope! I hear our introduction and the music starts. Everything you’ve learned with regard to technique and counting has to go out the door. It is now time to trust in your weeks of hard work, and have fun.
Show & Tell: Pillow Talk with Ashley Hamilton
by Tracy Phillips
Sep 17th, 2009 | 11:40 AM0 0
Lots of perks come with being the ‘Dancing’ queen, er, ‘expert’ for Fancast.
I’ve been twirled in the ballroom by Tony Dovolani. I got the infamous wink from Warren Sapp. And I’ve been charmed on many occasions by the Bad Boy of the Dance Floor.
Now I have a new coup to add to the list. I got a ‘Star’ in bed.
Okay, not really! But Ashley Hamilton did call me from bed. The 35-year-old actor/comedian/songwriter/celebrity son/starlet ex-husband can now add dancer to that string of identifiers.
Those of you who wonder what Ashley is doing ‘Dancing’ might just be surprised after getting to know the wickedly funny multi-hyphenate celeb. And when you have a dad as dapper as George Hamilton, how can some of that not rub off?
Before he stumbled out of bed for another grueling round of early morning rehearsals for Season 9 of ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ Hamilton gave me a ring and we talked ‘Dancing’ dreams and reality nightmares.
First observation: Sleepy celebs give funnier answers.
Why did you want to do ‘Dancing with the Stars’?
“Because it pays better than ‘Celebrity Rehab.’”
It’s cute that you’re paired with Edyta Sliwinska, who danced with your father George Hamilton in Season 2.
“Edyta’s pretty great…she drags me around the floor. And after about the first two hours I black out anyway, so I don’t know what we are rehearsing for at this point.”
Did your dad give you any advice?
“Just smile and drink a Red Bull and you’ll be fine.”
Hello my friends,
I hope you all had a great week … we are only days away from the premiere of the show. I am extremely excited and nervous.
For the last month, I’ve been getting up early every day and studying some of the greats like Fred Astaire, Michael Jackson, and Steve-O.
At first I thought, how hard can this be? Edyta drags me around, the judges vote, I make a joke about how tan my dad is … and then I go back and cry in my dressing room. I have realized it is much more than that. Dancing is an expression of life, and I am living it to the fullest through this experience. It is challenging on all three levels, physically, mentally, and emotionally.
The true challenge lies in how fast we have to learn how to dance. It takes humongous discipline to stay out of your head and in your dance shoes … remembering it is a process that is one step at a time. Sometimes Edyta reminds me of that school teacher or parent who would make you sit there for hours and finish your project even though you didn’t think it was possible.