With the sparkling new season of Dancing With The Stars set to waltz onto our screens on Sunday 9 February, we sat down with one of the judges – Tristan MacManus – to chat about his career, passions and why DWTS is a hit.
Q: When and how did you start dancing?
Tristan: I started dancing in Dublin when I was nine. My grandparents were social dancers and I was a bit of a maggot as a child so my folks thought it was a good idea to keep me active and that it would help with discipline and manners.
Sharna: I don’t think I’m over critical of one dance over another, but there are certain dances that I love and because of that I’m more passionate about them being performed well. One of those is Argentine tango, the other contemporary – two dance styles that unless they’re done very well can look very bad.
Q: Where was your first public performance and how did it go?
Tristan: I don’t actually remember my first public performance. I kept dancing a secret for a long, long time when I was a kid so dancing in front of anyone was never a priority. I remember dancing on a midday TV show in Ireland that was played while we were in school. The pipes at school froze one day so everyone stayed at home and, just my luck, everyone watched that show that day and found out I was a dancer.
Sharna: I was five years old. I don’t remember the song but I was in a black and white leotard, my blonde hair was slicked back on top of my head and I remember being at the end of the performance in Wagga Wagga. I had my hands on my hips and was smiling SO hard. I remember the audience cheering and laughing and I thought they were cheering for the dance and I didn’t realise everyone had actually left the stage. It was just me left on stage on my own with my dance teacher Miss Cathy yelling at me “Sharna! Sharna! Get off stage!”. Nothing’s changed.
Q: What have you been up to since the last season of DWTS?
Tristan: We have been pretty busy since last season. My son came along mid-season and I’ve been lucky enough to spend loads of time with the kids between teaching trips to the US and shows there. I hosted Burn The Floor at the Sydney Opera House, which was huge for me, and my wife has been doing a documentary on miscarriage which should be released May.
Sharna: 2019 was a really epic year with a lot of change and exciting things. I choreographed pretty much all over the place. I worked on So You Think You Can Dance (US), a brand new show called Flirty Dancing (US) and I also went over to the UK for Strictly Come Dancing and did their Christmas special.
Q: Is there one dance you have a soft spot for and are you a harsh judge of it when you see other people do it?
Tristan: To be honest, no. Finding a balance as a judge can always be tricky. I love watching a tango and pasodoble. Jive was my favourite but now I prefer slower dances. I always remember that the celebrities are learning how to dance; I don’t see the point in being too harsh with someone who has been learning something for just four days! The only time I’m harsh is if I hear the same critique consistently and nothing is being done about it or if someone is neglecting learning something intentionally.
Sharna: I don’t think I’m over critical of one dance over another, but there are certain dances that I love and because of that I’m more passionate about them being performed well. One of those is Argentine tango, the other contemporary – two dance styles that unless they’re done very well can look very bad.
Q: Who is your all-time favourite dancer and why?
Tristan: Patrick Swayze. I love him. He may not be the greatest dancer although he is amazing, but I just like how he moved and I love his story. Our back stories are quite similar, so I have always had an interest in him. Gene Kelly was so good and so natural as well, which I loved.
Sharna: It’s impossible to name one! Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse are a duo that had such an impact on my life as a dancer. I remember that scene in Singin’ In The Rain when she was in the green dress and I just thought I want to be her. She’s phenomenal.
Q: If you couldn’t dance for a career, what would you do instead?
Tristan: I always wanted to be a fireman. I tried to enlist many times when I was young and at different points in my life, I always stop and consider it. I considered being a paramedic at one stage. I can be a hothead, but I’m quite calm under pressure and can think straight when it’s all nuts around me.
Sharna: When I was a kid I said I wanted to be a marine biologist because I thought it meant you got to swim with dolphins… that’s kind of the case? Nonetheless I would be doing something with animals somewhere.
Q: What were the highlights for you of DWTS last year?
Tristan: It was great to work with the professional dancers here and feel part of a team again. The birth of my son will always top anything from the season but seeing the confidence of the celebrities grow and seeing the pride in their eyes for what they achieved was great.
Sharna: The highlight of my year, even the past decade, for me was that first show… I was sitting there, we were about to go live, and my Mum and Dad were in the audience behind me. It was the first time they were able to see me on TV in Australia. To be there watching me doing what I was doing, being and working overseas for nearly 16 years, to have that and share it with my family made me very emotional.
Q: What were the biggest surprises for you?
Tristan: Eliminations I guess are genuinely a surprise although at this stage having been involved in the show for nearly 10 years, maybe the fact I’m still surprised is the biggest surprise! (Before DWTS Australia, Tristan was part of DWTS in the US and
Strictly Come Dancing in the UK.)
Sharna: The biggest surprises was how long Curtly Ambrose lasted! I think all of us were thinking week to week “Oh my God!”. I mean that was a million dollar smile he had going on and I love that people loved him. I would have never thought that this incredible cricket player was the one who would go the furthest with the least ability!
Q: What can we expect from DWTS this year?
Tristan: Now that we have one season behind us, I feel like we’re bringing more knowledge, experience and inspiration to a new year of DWTS. The professional dancers have had time to refresh and inject some new creativity and inspiration into their routines, Craig has no doubt been sharpening his claws and should be riding his broom over here any minute, and I’m sure Sharna has been perfecting her deep, sentimental and inspirational feedback. I’m so excited for the new season I’ve even done some dictionary research to find new and exciting ways to say “I love it”.
Sharna: I’m super excited that we have Claudia Karvan as part of the cast. I think she’s an incredible talent. The fact we have her is so awesome for DWTS. I hear she might have salsa moves so I’m excited to see if that crosses over to any of the other dance styles.
Q: Why do you think DWTS is so universally popular?
Tristan: There aren’t too many shows around anymore that we can all watch together as a family. It’s great to watch people learn about themselves and, at the same time, work hard physically and mentally in a genuinely positive environment. There is nothing better than hearing the positivity that comes from that and knowing that you are part of something that brings people together instead of apart.
Sharna: DWTS is one of the very few feelgood family shows left that is wholesome. So many of what we watch is about controversy or it’s news or difficult to digest. I think
DWTS is straightforward, it’s about people pushing themselves forward to do better, to be better and at the same time build companionship and teamwork. These celebrities are sharing a part of themselves. Sometimes they even inspire viewers to go out and try something outside of their comfort zone because they have seen a favourite of theirs do the same thing.
Dancing With The Stars
Premieres on Sunday, 9 February at 7.30pm.
Only on 10 and WIN Network.
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