Taking the Lead: Lessons From a Life in Motion (23 page)

Kellie Pickler was always a lot stronger than she thought.

If I don’t know how I’m going to choreograph a dance, I break it down piece by piece until it takes shape. Here, I’m studying a rotating room for a gravity-defying “Macy’s Stars of Dance” number.

Nothing’s going to stop Jules! Not even an injured foot on the first day of rehearsal for our Move tour.

Hanging out with Julianne. She’s more than just my sister—she’s one of my best friends.

Five, count ‘em, five Mirror Balls. Sometimes the light from the window hits them just right and my office turns into Studio 54.

Oh yeah! We are the champions!!

Winning my first Mirror Ball—Mom couldn’t help crying. Loved that moment.

As a kid, water terrified me. Today doing something that scares me reminds me that I’m alive.

As a kid, I hated ballet and used to cut classes all the time. But Misty Copeland changed my opinion when I choreographed her. She’s so strong that she makes me look like a wimp!

The quiet before the show.

Sometimes you just have to stop everything, take it all in, and let your mind rest. Here I am, hiking with my dog, Romie, and checking out the view of Runyon Canyon.

Who, me? An Emmy winner? One of the proudest and most exciting moments of my career.

Q&A

P
EOPLE ARE ALWAYS
asking me questions. I get tons on Facebook and Twitter, and people even stop me on the street. The questions are not just about dance; I get everything from “How do I lose 50 pounds?” to “You’re great at getting your partners to listen to you. How do I get my husband to do the same?” So when I put out the word that I was seeking questions for my book, I was flooded with tons of great ones. I couldn’t possibly answer them all, but I did my best to give you a good assortment.

DANCING

Are there ever times when you feel like you don’t love (or even like) dancing? If so, what do you do to regain your joy for it?

There are definitely times—not that I don’t like dancing—but when I reach a point when I don’t feel challenged by it. The steps are overly simple, or the music is boring, and I definitely get into a place of not enjoying it. These are the times when dancing feels more like a job than something I love. When that happens, I have to step away from it. If I’m getting tired of dancing or choreographing, I’ll go to a concert and rock out, or jump on a wakeboard. I take myself as far away from it as I can. Then when I come back to it, it’s like dancing for the first time.

Can you recommend a dance style for beginners with two left feet?

A good place to start is a cha-cha. It’s got a very defined rhythm—you can’t go wrong with it. But here’s the thing: you’re going to pick up the dances you enjoy quicker. So try lots of different styles and see what feels right to you. What kind of music do you like? Motivate yourself!

If you could dance with anyone on the planet—living or dead—who would you choose to do a duet with and why?

Honestly, I think it’s evolved for me. When I was younger, Michael Jackson would have been the ultimate duet. He blew me away. Now, after seeing so many movies, I have to say I would like a trio: Fred Astaire on the drums, Gene Kelly on the taps, and me filling in the gaps.

What would you share with a dance student to help her get rid of self-doubt or performance anxiety?