Editor’s Be aware: Workers author Sally Boswell is following the escapades of Paris native D.J. Pierce, who can also be the alternate drag persona, “Shangela,” as he performs on ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ Take a look at her weekly updates on Thursdays.
It was a double dose of “Dancing with the Stars” this week for Paris native and actor/singer/drag performer D. J. Pierce, that included visits from his mom and his greatest good friend from his Paris Excessive Faculty days on the live-streamed present.
Within the first night time of the two-night particular occasion, dubbed “My Most Memorable Yr,” by the producers, contestants recalled occasions that impacted their careers and lives. For Pierce, the yr was 2013.
“As Shangela, I went up for a ‘leaping helicopter loss of life drop’ and got here down and I broke my leg,” Pierce mentioned. “I used to be advised by the docs I wouldn’t be dancing for a really very long time, if ever. I’m a drag queen. What am I going to do? I known as my mother earlier than I went into surgical procedure that night time to inform her ‘I really like you, I admire you,’ and after I got here out of surgical procedure the following morning, my mother was sitting within the chair subsequent to me. For the following three weeks I used to be within the hospital, my mother slept in a chair proper subsequent to my mattress.”
Pierce’s mom, Debra, was within the viewers Monday and Tuesday night time and walked onto the ground after the dance to hug her dancing son.
Shangela acquired 4 eights from the judges for her Foxtrot to “Roar,” and revealed how vital it was to her that her mom was there.
“My mother means all the things to me, as a result of she has been there in a number of the hardest, most tough occasions of my life,” Pierce mentioned, including that his mother had solely lately had surgical procedures for gallbladder most cancers. “She wasn’t capable of journey or she would have been right here from day one, however she is right here tonight, and it’s so great and particular. I really like you, momma.”
Shangela’s efficiency earned Pierce a spot in a three-way tie for sixth place, however nobody was eradicated because of the announcement that actor Selma Blair, identified with a number of sclerosis about 10 years earlier than, had been compelled to withdraw from the competitors on medical recommendation.
On Tuesday, dubbed “Promenade Night time,” the remaining 11 dancers harked again to their proms, or lack of them, and danced to music from the respective time intervals.
“In highschool, I hadn’t embraced the entire wonderful elements of who I’m, however now I get an opportunity to come back again as Shangela and relive the promenade and actually flip it out,” mentioned Pierce.
Video and nonetheless photographs from Pierce’s years at Paris Excessive Faculty performed below his reminiscences of these occasions.
“I went to promenade with my greatest good friend, Sonique,” he recalled, earlier than being video-linked on the web along with her. “We had a lot enjoyable collectively. I need to take that vitality we had at promenade and convey it to the dance flooring for you.”
Each Pierce’s mother and Sonique have been in attendance Tuesday, sitting ringside with lots of his buddies and fellow drag performers.
Shangela’s Cha-Cha rating — together with three nines, her first of the competitors — earned her excessive reward from the judges and the viewers and a safe berth excessive within the pack. She additionally earned 10 additional factors for doing the Hustle and the Lindy-Hop and staying within the marathon dance till simply earlier than the tip of the spherical. Additionally, in true highschool yearbook vogue, she was chosen “Lifetime of the Get together” by her fellow dancers.
On the finish, health mannequin and actor Joseph Baena was eradicated, leaving 10 dancers to return subsequent week.
