Tony and I went out there yesterday and we just had the most amazing time.

We dedicated our first dance, the Quick Step, to Johnny and June. Tiffany Lowe who is Carlene Cash’s daughter, June’s granddaughter and actually a favorite of Johnny and June’s was there. She leant us some private jewelry she had that belonged to her grandparents. So Tony got to wear Johnny Cash’s diamond rolex and I got to wear a little pendant that June owned. It was sewn onto my costume. We felt it was a special occasion for us, regardless of what the judges had to say.

Tony felt that I executed the dance technically and he was very happy with what I did. The judges are the judges and we listen to them. I think they want to see more fireworks. Clearly they want me to do a lot more than I’m doing and we’ll just have to see what I’m capable of doing with my body.

I had great fun doing the Cha Cha. But it was very intimidating to follow Mel and Maks because they are just so phenomenal. They, of course, had just gotten three tens so I had to kind of really put my mind into thinking about what it is that we can do rather than what other people can do and I think this is a big lesson I’ve learned. I can only do my own best, I can only go out there and focus on what it is that I’ve prepared and if it’s not good enough, well then it isn’t. But we’re working really hard, we’re trying really hard and the most exciting thing of all is that the fans were really there for us.

All of you were unbelievable bringing us back this week. We so enjoyed and appreciated being able to dance again. It just means so much and so really what I want to say today is thank you thank you thank you. I know that people from all over the world have been voting for us and if in any way my dancing on this show has inspired anyone with lower back pain or anyone with disabilities or dealing with life crises or just thinking that being over fifty is a bummer, just let them know I am in the best physical shape I have ever been in my life. I’m in better physical shape now than when I was sixteen and it’s a miracle, but it’s a reality and it’s just been an amazing process to have that be witnessed on this show.

It isn’t easy but it has become an incredibly valuable life lesson for me and it’s made me realize more than ever how important the element of joy is in life. I think being happy is really the key. This is something I learned from my mother, but I firsthand have discovered that dance is something that makes me happy and even if it hurts and even if it’s challenging, it has profound health and spiritual benefits for me.

Should we make it through to next week, the judges asked for fireworks. So I’ve told Tony that he gets to light the fuse and retire and we’ll just explode me to the moon and see what pieces come down.