JoJo Siwa is heading into Dancing With The Stars Disney Week without having ever watched their classic fairytale, Cinderella. The teen pop sensation has been killing it on the ABC dancing competition series ever since she first made show history becoming the first contestant in 30 seasons to have a same-sex partner. It all began when producers emailed the Nickelodeon star asking which gender partner she preferred. once JoJo realized she could bend the rules and show her young fans that they can live their full truth despite societal norms, she immediately asked for a female pro. As the anticipation for her debut on the show grew, JoJo told her fans she hope that she could be paired with either Jenna Johnson, Britt Stewart or Lindsay Arnold. Ultimately, JoJo’s wishes came true when Jenna signed up to make a lasting impact alongside her.
Since then, the dancing duo have found their way towards the top of the leader board in the first two weeks of competition. So far, Jenna and JoJo have danced the quickstep, the cha-cha-cha and the Argentine tango and have an average score of 30.7, which is tied for first place with The Talk co-host Amanda Kloots and her dancing pro Alan Bersten. In order to make the show more entertaining week after week, producers often mix in themed dance nights. While viewers enjoyed this week’s theme of Britney night, which honored the musical creations of the pop singer amid the #FreeBritney movement, they’re looking forward to the return of Disney night with back to back episodes. On Monday, October 11, each pair will inspire their routines based on a Disney hero, only to quickly switch things up by competing as a Disney villain the following night. In years past, couples have danced to music from The Little Mermaid, Moana and Beauty and the Beast.
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In a post show interview with Buzz, Jenna and JoJo revealed they will be channeling their inner Cinderella for the first part of the two night special. “Ours is a classic through and through. It’s a timeless hero in a sense I guess,” Jenna said. “We’re Cinderella. We’re going to be inspired by Cinderella.” After the big character reveal, JoJo had an even bigger bomb to drop on her partner a week before their performance. “I’ve actually not broken this to yet, but I’ve never watched Cinderella,” JoJo said. In complete and utter shock, Jenna declared the duo now has a lot of homework, which will include a movie night consisting of the original animated classic and the new adaptation staring Camila Cabello in order for JoJo to truly embrace her surprise character.
Looking back on Britney night, both JoJo and Jenna were huge fans of the pop star. Like Britney, JoJo found comfort in following her footsteps as a child star, and opened about why she decided to share her personal hardships of growing up in the spotlight with the Dancing With The Stars viewers. “I’m an open book,” JoJo said. “There’s nothing you can ask me that will scare me, there’s nothing that you can ask me that I won’t want to answer because I like to learn by other people, so I know there’s other people that would like to learn by me. I think being honest, being open, and being a good human is what matters and what’s important.” JoJo also noted that she’s not the first, nor will she be the last child star that will experience similar situations to herself and Britney, but hopes that their stories can now help the next generation of kids who are thrown into Hollywood.
Furthermore, JoJo was excited that the night’s theme allowed her to break out of her shell and showcase a more mature side of her personality through her performance. “She’s never been able to perform sexy yet,” Jenna said. “So it was really fun to be able to tap into that emotion and go there with her.” Jenna continued to praise her celebrity partner’s ability to dance the leading role with confidence and control week after week. JoJo couldn’t contain her excitement after hearing her favorite dancer praise her abilities and admitted she currently seeks approval from six people in life: her mother, the four judges, and Jenna. “Why do you think I bought her a Gucci tracksuit,” JoJo joked.
How has JoJo never seen one of the most classic films in Disney’s repertoire? Nonetheless, the connection between Jenna and JoJo is a fairytale within itself. Now the question remains: Will JoJo’s last minute effort to get to know Cinderella be enough to create a magical performance before the clock strikes twelve? Fans will have to find out when Dancing With The Stars airs live Monday on ABC.
Source: Buzz
