Cha-cha cheerio Mary..
Presenter, 65, on hopes she’ll inspire older people to try something new
THE nation’s sweetheart Mary Kennedy was the sixth celebrity to leave Dancing With The Stars last night.
Model Grainne Gallanagh was saved in the dance-off as it was the end of the road for the 65-year-old former Nationwide star.
Speaking backstage after her exit, Dubliner Mary told the Irish Mirror: “I feel disappointed but not overly sad, this week it’s my turn, it’s been wonderful.
“It’s impossible to know who will go, especially with the public vote.
“The tango was my highlight, I really enjoyed learning it, I loved the team dance, I loved meeting people too.”
The veteran RTE star is flying the flag for older people, encouraging them to try something new.
She said: “People need a bit of encouragement, it’s such a wonderful thing to do to open up and use your body.
“I really hope people my age watching it would say, ‘Yeah I could try that’.
“I never thought I’d get to week nine, It was an adrenaline high every week.”
Mary and her professional partner John Nolan rocked the dance floor with a lively cha cha cha to Young Hearts Run Free by Candi Station but failed to nab the public vote.
SKILLS
Judge Loraine said: “There’s great partner skills. This week’s homework is to move that upper body and get those joints working.”
Mary said: “The cha cha is hard – we worked really rally hard, it took until about Thursday to get it right.”
She scored 18.
Fair City actor Ryan Andrews opened last night’s show and rocked it.
Fresh from scoring 30 points from the judges last weekend, he and Giulia Dotta danced a quickstep to What A Man Gotta Do by the Jonas Brothers.
Speaking afterwards Ryan said: “I felt a lot of expectations of all people but as well as myself. I go home after the show and watch it with my mam and dad with a cup of tea.”
Judge Brian said: “It was a real rollercoaster for me – lots of highs and some lows. But overall, I thought it was a very nice quickstep.” Ryan scored 27.
Model Grainne and her pro dancer Kai Widdrington have been on a high all week after scoring the first 30 of the series last weekend.
The pair nailed it again by dancing a paso doble to I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) by Meatloaf.
Brian said: “Up to now, you have been a really good ballroom girl. If you keep improving in the Latin, you could be a contender.” Commenting afterwards
Grainne said: “We did a little bit of boxing during the week, I got to punch Kai on the face.” She scored 25.
Meanwhile, Fr Ray Kelly and Kylee Vincent danced a quickstep to I’m A Believer by the Monkees.
Following the performance, the priest said: “Yeah I was happy. I knew I lost it but I just said, ‘I have to get it back on track’.”
Brian said: “It started off with so much promise. Everyone makes mistakes, the corner section slightly affected you
which was a real shame – I don’t think the quick step quite suited you.” Fr Ray scored 13.
Next up was former Kilkenny hurler Aidan Fogarty who danced his heart out in an emotional performance with Emily Barker. It was a rumba for them which they performed to U2’s One. Aidan said afterwards: “The hardest dance, it’s intense, emotional, soft, exposed – everything I am not. No man should be exposed to a dance like that. We got there.” He scored 23 from the judges.
The final couple to dance were radio presenter Lottie Ryan and her pro partner Pasquale La Rocca.
Their high energy samba was to Tip Toe by Jason Derulo feat French Montana.
Lottie topped the leader board with a score of 29. She said: “It was the most difficult dance in the competition, but it was so much fun.
“We really threw the kitchen sink at that. We put so much content in it.
“You have to enjoy every single day. Last week was a shock but on Monday we said, ‘New week, new start’.”
Loraine said: “The samba is the hardest to do, this was just unbelievable as you made it look easy.
“I thought this was an incredible dance tonight well done.”
The team performances saw another chance for more scores from the judges. Grainne and Kai, Mary and John and Ryan and Giulia made up the Rhythm Rebels.
They danced a mix of tango and cha cha to Physical by Dua Lupa, scoring 24.
The second team were the Swing Breakers and it was Aidan and Emily, Lottie and Pasquale and Fr Ray and Kylee.
They did a charleston to Sing, Sing, Sing by Wolfgang Lohr and scored 29.
Next week the pressure is on for the quarter finals of the hit RTE show.