Hannah Brown on How ‘Bachelorette’ Could Help Her Win ‘Dancing With the Stars’
Q&A
Hannah Brown is making the move from The Bachelorette to Dancing With the Stars for the dance competition’s latest season — and she’s ready to give it her all.
“I want to focus on making sure I do my very best and that I feel comfortable with how I perform each and every week,” she told TV Insider ahead of the Season 28 premiere. “If that means I’m there to the very end and I have that Mirrorball in my hands, then I’m going to be really excited about that, and that is the goal, of course, but we’ll see.”
Here, Brown discusses switching competition shows, her hopes for her partner, advice she’s gotten from other Bachelor franchise stars who competed on DWTS, and more.
Why is now the perfect time for you personally to do Dancing With the Stars?
Hannah Brown: This opportunity is a great way for me to really have something to transition me into a new fresh start after being on a dating show for the past two years of my life. It’s something new that I can really put all my energy into and learn and grow in this new, exciting, physical way.
How do you think your time on The Bachelorette will help you on Dancing?
Being on The Bachelorette definitely helps me with Dancing With the Stars because I have been dealing with multiple different personalities and people, but also just the schedule of go, go, go. The schedule of The Bachelorette was really grueling and having conversation after conversation was taxing. This is more physical, but because I just went from that production to this one, it definitely helps me. I’m used to that type of schedule.
We’re practicing every single day nonstop. We have cameras in our rooms all the time. I’m used to that now … And just being used to being very vulnerable with a lot of people around me and vulnerable with the rest of the world.
(ABC/Justin Stephens)
Can you talk about your dance background and what will specifically help you on this show? You’ve been dancing since you were 2, right?
Yeah. I would not call myself a dancer compared to the [DWTS pros], by any means. But I danced when I was a child. I did stop when I was younger as well, so it’s been a while since I have danced. My mom always wanted me to dance, so I think this is a dream come true for her as well, to have me on Dancing With the Stars and get back into dancing.
What are your hopes for your partner?
I just want my partner to continue to push me to be better and better each day and each week. And to encourage me to not be so hard on myself but also encourage me to put in the most work I can to get better. There’s a fine line there because I’m hard on myself sometimes in ways that I shouldn’t be.
I feel like it’s really great to have a partner that can get the best out of you and I’m excited to see how far I can grow and see my performance level continue throughout the competition.
What are you most excited about and most nervous about when it comes to the show and styles of dance?
I’m probably the most nervous about performing live in front of millions of people. There’s a lot of pressure and you have one time to do it right. Hopefully after the first week it’ll be better. I’m so excited to wear these beautiful costumes and have all the sets around me and be able to perform these dances that I’m going to work so hard on.
(ABC/Justin Stephens)
The things that I’m most nervous and most excited about are kind of the same thing — the execution of that is what can be nerve-wracking but also really exciting if everything comes together the way it’s supposed to.
Are there any themes you’re especially hoping to do?
I know they always have a Disney week, and I’m really excited about that. I grew up watching all the classic Disney movies.
I’m excited just to be able to take on a character each week and really get into that. I’m not an actor, I’m not a singer, I’m not a performer. This is all going to be a challenge for me. I work on reality TV. All anybody has seen is me being myself, so this will be different to perform for people in a way where I have to take on roles and see if I can step up to that challenge. Hopefully I will be able to and it will be a lot of fun.
Have you received any advice from fellow Bachelor franchise stars who have faced that same challenge?
Everybody’s just said it’s a lot of fun and to have a lot of fun. It is taxing. It is a lot of hours of working on a minute-long or minute-and-30-[second] dance. You have to really take it all in and enjoy every moment. That’s what I’ve heard from everyone who’s reached out.
(ABC/Ed Herrera)
Are you at all surprised by all the support you’ve gotten from Bachelor Nation? Both of your TV exes Jed Wyatt and Colton Underwood have recently said you’ll do great on the show. Does that give you a confidence boost?
I’m really not surprised by the support because I have been feeling the support for a while now. I feel like everyone has just been so sweet in all my recent endeavors and I’m just so thankful for that. That’s what makes me so blessed to have come from the Bachelor franchise, and I hope to continue to feel that and I know that I will.
Dancing With the Stars, Season 28 Premiere, Monday, September 16, 8/7c, ABC
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