Shangela to make Dancing with the Stars history with partner Gleb Savchenko
"We're changing the world, and I love it."
Words: Alastair James; pictures: Instagram/!@itsshangela and @glebsavchenkoofficial
Drag Race‘s Shangela is making history as part of the first-ever all-male couple on the US reality show, Dancing with the Stars.
The drag queen, 40, has been partnered for the latest season with DWTS pro, 38-year-old Gleb Savchenko. Shangela also makes history as the first drag contestant on the show.
On making history she says, “I hope that we show people that it’s all about the heart and soul of who you are as a person.
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“It doesn’t matter if it’s two men dancing together, if it’s a man or a drag entertainer like myself dancing together. It’s about the spirit of dance and the fun, and the ability to connect and to learn more about other people’s worlds,” as reported by People.
She adds that she’s not “a technically trained dancer,” but is willing to learn. “I’m excited to learn from Gleb and hope that I can teach him a couple of things too,” she says.
Shangela also says that her time on Drag Race, having competed in three seasons, including All Stars, has prepared her for being in the spotlight and handling the pressure.
“This is about performance and that’s why I love this particular show. It is about showcasing talent and performance and energy on stage, and when you’re really doing that and when you’re really in the moment, you don’t even think about cameras and being on TV.”
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Meanwhile, Gleb has told Good Morning America, “We’re changing the world, and I love it,” following the cast announcement. “It’s all about positive energy, all about love, and we’re just going to have a lot of fun, learn to tango, learn all the ballroom steps.”
Utilising Shangela’s iconic catchphrase he added: “We’re going to halleloo!”
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