Dancing With the Stars‘ Gleb Savchenko is sitting out Season 35 of DWTS, but he’s not saying goodbye to the ballroom – and his eye is still on the Len Goodman Mirrorball.
The longtime pro admitted that DWTS remains “such a big part” of his life, joking that fans shouldn’t consider him retired just yet. In fact, Gleb already has his next DWTS dream role picked out … celebrity contestant.
“I’m not retired from Dancing With the Stars. I’m coming back as a celebrity to win it,” he teased.
After years of nonstop seasons and tours, Gleb said taking a break this year has actually given him a chance to experience the show from an entirely different perspective … as a viewer.
“I don’t even remember how many seasons I’ve done nonstop and the tours,” he said. “So this year is actually a good thing to take a break. You know, watch the show.”
Watching from the sidelines has also given Gleb a newfound appreciation for just how wild DWTS can look when you’re not the one sweating through the choreography.
“It’s such a cool experience when you watch it from the side, and when you’re not there, you see how amazing it is and how cheesy it is and how fun it is,” he explained. “You guys look ridiculous! Oh my god, I actually did that for like what, 12 years?!”
“But it’s fun. It’s good vibes. I just love it,” he added.
In case you were wondering, Gleb named a few contestants he thinks viewers should watch closely. Specifically, he pointed to Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess, suggesting Tyler could emerge as the season’s “underdog.”
Gleb sees serious potential in the former Bachelorette star. “I think he’s a great dancer,” Gleb said. “I think he’s this big body and being so tall and large, the way he moves and the amount of potential he has, I think he’s gonna kill it.”
Gleb is also rooting for Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach, as well as Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Dewan.
