For Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy, their journey through Dancing with the Stars Season 32 is all about collaboration and getting out of your comfort zone. Remezcla had the opportunity to speak with the dance duo as they prepared for the October 3, 2023 Latin Night show, where Gomez and Chmerkovskiy are set to dance salsa to the tune of Camila Cabello’s “Don’t Go Yet.”
Gomez, who had never practiced salsa before, admitted that the preparation was not easy at all. “Yes, it’s very difficult,” she shared. “I do not have experience. So he had a lot on his plate,” she told us, pointing to her partner Chmerkovskiy, who was quick to praise her. “I’m very proud of it because obviously it’s not just a social salsa that you’ll do at a party, it has to be a performance. So, we threw a few things in there that would spice things up, no pun intended,” he told us, adding that he was glad fans saw what they came up with.
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The duo, whose dance chemistry and ease came through as they teased each other in a very sibling-like manner, also spoke about the meaning of “Latin Night” as Gomez told us it’s great to not be the only Latino representing our communities. . “We have Lele, we have Mauricio and then I, so I don’t think it’s that big of a thing to carry.” This is especially important in an industry where too often people from our communities are tasked with representing all of our communities.
Chmerkovskiy, meanwhile, called it a “pleasure” to dance with “a young Latina whose style is authentically Latin,” calling it “ironic that this Ukrainian kid is teaching her salsa.”
Gomez was ready for the challenge, which she called very different from superhero training, where “you train months in advance,” adding that with stunts, she has “a ton of things on my side: I did martial arts, I did swimming, I I had a lot of sports activities in the past that helped me a lot.” But with dancing: “I don’t have this. I have no dance experience, no training. I didn’t even do ballet. So going into this, I was a little nervous because, damn, I don’t know anything.”
There’s also the added challenge of the shows being live, which is very different from filming where “you have multiple perspectives on things.”
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But Gomez did the training and research, sharing with us that she had to look up even the terms Chmerkovskiy used. She also had many opinions about her appearance. “I was very lucky that they allowed me to collaborate,” she said, sharing that she came to us with “inspiration or recommendations.”
It’s great for Chmerkovskiy that Gomez is taking the initiative so creatively. “These are invaluable lessons,” he told us, sharing that for him that’s what the show is all about: “giving our contestants the journey they want for themselves. It’s less about the trophy and more about the experience you’ve always wanted for yourself while watching the show.”
Gomez agreed, telling us it was “such a confidence booster that we could come up with concepts, choose songs and choose clothes.” A confidence that Gomez will take with her as she goes on to do other things and play other roles, superheroes or not. If she can conquer dance, then eventually she can conquer anything.
Catch Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy on Dancing with the Stars Season 32 airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on ABC.