‘Dancing with the Stars’: Spotlight on Zendaya and Val Chmerkovskiy

The season premiere of “Dancing with the Stars” is just three days away, so the pressure is definitely on to prepare for the first dance. On March 14, Disney star Zendaya and her professional partner, Val Chmerkovskiy appeared on”Good Morning America” to talk about their expectations, rehearsals and how they’re progressing.

On Thursday, Val said, “My partner is amazing. She has great energy.” Zendaya has experience with hip hop dancing, but said that it does not translate well to traditional ballroom dancing. “Some people assume that because I do hip hop, this would be easy. It’s the opposite,” she explained. Zendaya, who is just 16 years old and the youngest star ever to compete on “DWTS,” stated that she is relying on advice from Roshon Fegan, another Disney star who laced up his dance shoes.

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Multi-talented actress and singer, Zendaya, stars as Raquel “Rocky” Blue, one half of the comedic duo, on the hit Disney Channel series “Shake It Up!” and is currently recording her debut album on Hollywood Records. She has performed around the world, including at The White House and in the 2011 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and she tours select cities with her Z-Swagg Dancers and Singers. Zendaya, derived from the word that means "to give thanks" in Shona (a Bantu language native to the Shona people of Zimbabwe), was a fashion model for Macy’s and Old Navy. She was also one of the back-up dancers in a Sears commercial featuring Disney Channel star Selena Gomez. Zendaya star now resides in Los Angeles with her family and dog, a giant Schnauzer named Midnight.

Partner Val Chmerkovskiy was a US champion 14 times during his 15-year dance career. His accomplishments include winning the German Open, Asian-Pacific Championships, US Open, Blackpool and the World Championships two times (Junior and Youth).

Without a doubt, Val is one of the most accomplished amateur Latin dancers in the history of “Dancing with the Stars.” He joined the cast in season 13 and competed with Elisabetta Canalis, George Clooney’s girlfriend at the time. The two finished in 11th place. The next season, Val competed with Sherri Shepherd and finished in 10th place. During the all-star season in 2012, Val and partner Kelly Monaco finished in third place and set the dance floor on fire with their sexy moves and chemistry.

“Dancing with the Stars” premieres at 8 p.m. EST on Monday, March 18 on ABC. The first results show elimination airs at 9 p.m. on March 26.

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