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Dancing with the Stars judge, Arthur Gourounlian, has backed Irish reality star Maura Higgins’s bid for Mirrorball glory on the US version of the hit series.
The Longford model secured her place in the semi-finals after surviving another tense results night this week.
Tough-as-nails Maura bravely battled through a painful rib injury to return to the dancefloor last night for the show’s Grammy Night special, which saw the seven remaining couples perform routines inspired by some of the biggest hits in music history.
Maura and her pro-partner, Mark Ballas, performed an Argentine tango to Sisqó’s iconic track, Thong Song, impressing the judges with a score of 27 out of 30 – in spite of her injury.
And Gourounlian believes Maura has what it takes to go all the way on the show.
Maura and her pro-partner, Mark Ballas, performed an Argentine tango to Sisqó’s iconic track, Thong Song, impressing the judges with a score of 27 out of 30 – in spite of her injury
The DWTS judge told the Mail: ‘She is absolutely incredible to be honest with you.
‘As a Dancing with the Stars judge myself, I know how much work goes into planning and rehearsing and making those performances look effortless.
‘She’s got this absolute grace about her.’
‘When she did the Argentine Tango, I was mesmerised. The class she has is just amazing. Amazing elegance and personality, and getting the three nines from the judges 27 out of 30 is just fabulous.’
The presenter and dancer said Maura is also blessed to have ‘an amazing partner’ in Ballas, the son of Strictly Come Dancing judge, Shirley Ballas.
‘I think having an amazing partner is very, very much a part of it – Mark has been teaching her the great posture,’ said Gourounlian.
Maura and Ballas will return to the ballroom on Tuesday for the semi-finals, as the race for the coveted Mirrorball Trophy heats up.
Gourounlian firmly believes the duo have the talent to win the show – but noted ‘it all depends on how the audience is going to vote’.
Gourounlian firmly believes the duo have the talent to win the show – but noted ‘it all depends on how the audience is going to vote’
He told the Mail: ‘The semifinals is just like a dream come true for her.
‘I feel like when people go to the semifinals, it’s pretty much like you won. It really doesn’t matter winning or not. You’ve put in all the effort. You’ve proved that you can make it happen.
‘Even if she doesn’t win, it doesn’t matter. At least she proves that she can shine.
‘Like I always say on Dancing with the Stars here, it’s all [about] popularity. It all depends how the audience is going to vote. At the end of the day, judges have no choice anymore.
The dance judge advised Higgins to go all out and win the crowd in this week’s showdown, saying: ‘She just has to wow the audience, just give your all, really. There’s nothing else you can do, you’re already out there, you just have to shine'
‘Let’s say I’m praying for her [that] she’s going to be in the finals.’
The dance judge advised Higgins to go all out and win the crowd in this week’s showdown, saying: ‘She just has to wow the audience, just give your all, really. There’s nothing else you can do, you’re already out there, you just have to shine.
‘You have to make people believe that you really want this.
‘Dance like your life depends on it. You have to throw every single thing you have into your dance.’
He said of her performances to date on the show: ‘People love to see the hard work, to see that you’re putting your time and effort in it, and that’s why she’s been doing it.’
Gourounlian – who is preparing to star as the Genie in this year’s Stadium Panto production of Aladdin, at Dublin’s National Stadium – believes the hardy Longford woman will not let her injury woes hold her back.
‘The poor woman is suffering from her ribs, so hopefully that’s not going to stop her, but she’s a trooper,’ he said. ‘I don’t think that’s going to stop her, and the audience see that.
‘The audience as you know, love a comeback.’
English (US) ·