Or at least watch others do so on TV.
Tonight is the night!
The sixth season of “Dancing with the Stars” gets under way in just a few hours and I am thrilled, namely because it is the only show (besides the news) that I watch live. (I have a backlog of recorded shows that I have yet to find the time to watch.)
I’ve written dozens of “Dancing with the Stars” related blogs and by now most of you know that my money is on Olympic Gold Medal Figure Skater Kristi Yamaguchi.
But Yamaguichi is not the only athlete getting ready to rumba tonight. Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor might just be the one who helps pro partner Edyta Sliwinska finally capture the infamous disco ball trophy.
Despite what he calls “Super Bowl-size jitters,” Taylor says he couldn’t be happier that he accepted the invitation to fox-trot alongside other famous folks such as Priscilla Presley and Oscar winner Marlee Matlin.
As for whether he can follow in the footsteps of former NFL players like Emmitt Smith who won his season, and crowd favorite Jerry Rice, Taylor says he has been giving it his best shot, including keeping an arduous practice regimen that involves six hours a day in the studio.
But unlike Smith and Rice, Taylor makes “Dancing with the Stars” history by being the first active NFL player to take part in the hit TV show. At age 33, Taylor says he has ruled out retirement and plans to suit up for a 12th NFL season. What’s more, the 255-pound pass rusher says dancing will help his football by improving his footwork, agility and balance.
Just ask his agent and his wife. According to Taylor, they are the ones who made him reconsider appearing on the show after he initially turned down the chance to shimmy and shake in front of millions. Taylor admits his reluctance to give “Dancing with the Stars” a whirl simply came down to the fact that he has “two left feet.”
“I don’t dance,” Taylor told reporters. “I don’t dance at clubs. I don’t dance at bar mitzvahs. I don’t dance at weddings. I just don’t dance.”
I guess we’ll see if that’s the case tonight. For Yamaguchi’s sake I hope Taylor’s right about his dancing abilities.