ABC Matt James & Lindsay Arnold.
“Bachelor” star Matt James will hit the dance floor for the first time on national television on the Monday, September 20, 2021, premiere of “Dancing With the Stars.”
James will be taking lessons from his pro partner for the season, Lindsay Arnold, according to Cosmopolitan.
James is one of the tallest contestants on the new season of the popular show. He stands at 6-feet-5-inches tall — which is the same height as basketball star, Iman Shumpert. If you’re a fan of “The Bachelor,” you probably noticed that James towered over almost all of the women that he met on premiere night.
On “DWTS,” James’ height could become a slight disadvantage. You see, Arnold is 5-feet, 6-inches tall, making her nearly one whole foot shorter than James. There are a few ways that the two will be able to compensate for the height difference, however.
Here’s what you need to know:
Arnold’s High Heels Will Help
Fortunately, Arnold is used to dancing in high heels, which will help bridge the gap between her and James. If she wears four-inch heels, for example, she will only be about seven inches shorter than her partner.
According to the site Dance-Virtual, dancing with a partner who is significantly taller or shorter than you are can prove to be a challenge. James may have to be extra mindful of his moves — and his posture — to ensure that he’s getting things right.
The Dance-Virtual website suggests that both partners need to just understand that some moves may not be possible. That said, there may be more moves that the two can try, mainly because of James’ stature — long arms and long legs can be super beneficial for some of those tricky ballroom moves!
Additionally, James will need to focus on his moves and try not to worry about Arnold being so much shorter than he is. He will also need to “lower [his] reach” while turning and spinning with Arnold. Of course, Arnold is a professional and will undoubtedly be giving James all kinds of tips and tricks to make his experience a little bit easier.
James Isn’t the Tallest Dance Partner That Arnold Has Had on ‘DWTS’
Yes, James is tall — but Arnold has danced with someone even taller. Back in 2018, she was paired with legendary basketball star Kareem Abdul Jabbar. He stands at 7-feet, 2-inches, making him one of the tallest to ever compete on the show.
In fact, in an interview with TV Guide back in 2018, Arnold revealed that the height difference between her and Abdul Jabbar was the biggest that “DWTS” had ever seen. So, how’d she handle it?
“That’s definitely a challenge,” Arnold told the outlet. “When you dance, there’s a lot of dances where you have to be closer in height to do them, but we are getting creative. We’re making it work. It’s actually really exciting for me as a choreographer because I love pushing the boundaries and trying new things, and that’s something that we’re definitely going to do this season,” she added.
READ NEXT: Matt James Age & Height: How Old and How Tall Is ‘The Bachelor’ Star?