Dancing With The Stars‘ head judge Camilla Sacre-Dallerup has revealed she was nervous and wracked by insecurities before dancing on the final show of the season with fellow judge Julz Tocker.
On Sunday night’s Grand Final, which saw former Warriors player Manu Vatuvei win the coveted glitter ball trophy, Camilla and Julz entertained the live audience and viewers at home with a fast-paced jive. Fellow judge Rachel White also took to the floor, dazzling in the opening number with the DWTS cast.
DWTS judges Rachel White, Camilla Sacre-Dallerup and Julz Tocker
This was always going to be a shift in comfort levels for Camilla, Julz and Rachel, who have all been recognised as dance champions, because now the dance shoe was on the other foot, so to speak.
But for Camilla, even more so, because while Julz and Rachel dance together on the international competitive ballroom dancing circuit, Camilla retired from dancing 10 years ago and wondered if she still had what it takes.
Taking to social media she admitted that when Julz asked her if she was up for doing a jive with him “my heart wanted to scream yes how fun” but “my head immediately went to the ‘judging’ place”.
“Will I still have the stamina for it?” she asked herself. “Will my body be ready to support me and deliver at the level I would want to?”
She admitted, “Gosh the thoughts were endless” and she worried about “how will others judge me”.
In the end, courage won.
The life coach and hypnosis business owner explains, “I realised I had the tools to use and I knew I had a choice to make. I could let the fears and worries about my own and others’ judgement hold me back from a joyous moment between two friends, that could potentially make other people feel joy with us and smile no matter what is going on in their lives. I choose to go with my heart and joy!”
She explained that she was sharing this “because if you are wanting to do something but your own judgement or fear of others judgement is standing in your way then please consider saying f… it, like I did, and lean into what feels right in your heart and the intention of why!
“Life is precious so follow the calling of your heart.”
Camilla has danced since the age of two and, at 21, travelled to London to dance with New Zealand champion Brendan Cole, who she became engaged to; the couple climbed the international ballroom dancing ranks from 96th to eighth in the world before going their separate ways in life and as dance partners.
But as well as battling her insecurities last week, behind that bright smile Camilla was also dealing with some personal pain.
“Last week was a tough week for me and my family,” she said, “as my dad (my hero) is in hospital and I’m on route to be with him soon in Denmark.”
Camilla grew up in Denmark and says her parents are the two people she admires most in the world.
In May she told The Australian Women’s Weekly, “My dad has such grace, calmness and has been a constant rock in my life, and my mum taught me to keep going even when things are tough, and to always believe in myself.
“Although we have lived in different countries since I was 21, we speak many times a week and I feel their support always.”
