Gavin DeGraw
Age: 35
Pro partner: Karina Smirnoff (winner of Season 13)
Star power: Platinum-selling musician
Why he’s on: “I’ve always wanted to dance. I just never really had the skills, so this was a pretty prime opportunity to learn from somebody who knows what they’re doing. Not to mention, I live on a bus with a bunch of dudes, so this is a step up to get to hold on to a really hot girl.”
How’s it going? “It’s a lot more challenging than I thought it was going to be. What I mean is, I’m a lot more challenged than I thought I was. I have my regular job, which is something I feel pretty comfortable doing. This is weird, being a fish out of water and then feeling like you’re going to be part of the aquarium.”
What hurts? “I recently discovered a bunch of very small muscles in my feet that are all letting me know they’re aware I’m abusing them.”
Expectations: “I’m doing this for fun. My expectation is to try to do this as enjoyably as possible while remaining competitive, simply to honor my teacher, my coach. I want her to look good as a coach and as a dancer.”
Secret weapon: “Maybe ibuprofen. Don’t tell the other contestants. I’m not giving away my edge.”
In his corner: “I’ve got a really cool group of people I work with, my band and crew. And my fan base out on Twitter (@GavinDeGraw) is pretty much all for it.”
