ABC A DWTS frontrunner admits her body has been hurting ahead of the finale.
The “Dancing With the Stars” finale is set to air live on Monday, November 21, 2022, and the final four will compete to see who will take home the coveted Mirrorball Trophy for season 31.
Television host Wayne Brady and his partner Witney Carson, TikTok star Charli D’Amelio and her partner Mark Ballas, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alum Shangela and her partner Gleb Savchenko, and “Bachelorette” star Gabby Windey and her partner Val Chmerkovskiy will be hitting the ballroom for a variety of dances that will see one pair crowed the winner of the season.
It has been a very competitive season with several of the frontrunners sitting atop the leaderboard week over week and the finale is set to be one of the closest in the show’s history. Of course, the toll that rehearsals have taken on all of the dancers has been a challenge, perhaps for some more than others, and one fan-favorite is opening up about what she’s been experiencing as the season comes to a close.
Here’s what you need to know:
Windey Said It’s Tough to Get Out of Bed
In a recent interview, Windey was asked about how her body has been handling the competition. While the reality television star hasn’t had any serious injuries, she admitted that her body is definitely hurting.
On the November 18, 2022, episode of the “Chicks in the Office” podcast, Windey was asked how taxing the season has been on her body.
“I feel great,” Windey said with a laugh. “I’ll never admit it,” she joked. “No, I mean, I have to log roll out of bed in the morning, like, push myself up and, like, hope my feet catch me,” she added. Nevertheless, Windey said that the experience overall has been “amazing.”
“I found muscles I never knew I had,” she continued. “It’s an amazing workout. It’s physically grueling for sure.”
Windey has kept a great attitude throughout the competition, however, and her pro partner complimented her on her hard work — and her great personality.
“She works hard and doesn’t take things personally,” Chmerkovskiy said.
At the beginning of the season, Windey was already feeling it, especially in her feet.
“My dogs are already barkin,” she captioned her first Instagram feed post alongside Chmerkovskiy.
The Season Has Also Been Very Emotional for Windey
In addition to throwing her all into the competition, Windey has also been going through a lot off the dance floor. A couple of weeks into the competition, she and her fiance Erich Schwer — whom she got engaged to on the finale of “The Bachelorette” earlier this year — broke up.
Windey confirmed the split on the DWTS semi-finals. In an interview with People magazine following the big reveal, Windey explained how the show has actually been a form of “therapy” for her.
“Val speaks to this a lot, dance is — he says it’s a form of therapy just because you get to let your emotions really move through your body,” she told the outlet. “I think first, dance is a creative expression, and then second … And what is the word? Athletic. It’s a sport. It takes a lot of muscle, which is the part I hate. But I think there is a lot of therapeutic resolve in it,” she continued.
“‘m grateful for a friendship with Val and just a way to really express myself through dance. And for that, not as a distraction, but a way to help me process,” she added.
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