Alix Earle Spills on the Physical Price of Dancing With the Stars
- Sep 22, 2025
- 3 min read
22 September 2025
Alix Earle has lifted the curtain on how gruelling life has become behind the scenes of Dancing With the Stars, admitting that the very body she shows off on TikTok is taking several hits as she trains for her debut on the show. She posted a video to her TikTok followers on September 21 in which she confessed that her toenail had come off during rehearsal and that she had bruises on her collarbone.
In quieter moments she finds herself in the bath, reflecting on the physical toll of routines that leave her winded and asking whether she can finish a full dance set without collapsing on the floor. She said that even though week one was difficult just to keep up the stamina has tested her in ways she did not foresee. She also revealed she signed up for moves she had not yet mastered with hopes of stretching her limits and pushing past her self-doubt.
Her premiere performance was on September 16 in season 34 where she danced a cha-cha to Britney Spears’ Circus with her partner Valentin Chmerkovskiy. The routine came complete with a whip and a ring of real flames and left audiences impressed. Prior to stepping on stage she called Braxton Berrios, her boyfriend and former NFL player, who could not be there in person. She recalled his words of encouragement over the phone reminding her that being nervous is a sign of doing something meaningful. Those words helped anchor her before the lights, the makeup, and the moment when she had to perform.
Earle grew up dancing and competed through high school but until now she has rarely shared her struggles so candidly. She described rehearsal as more taxing than some of the public might expect. Fifteen-second sequences in the choreography sometimes require grim pauses where she needs to sit on the floor, catch her breath, and muster enough strength to continue. She joked that perhaps she needs to start running or training outside of dance hours to build endurance. Yet there is a fierce desire behind the jokes. Every stumble bruised collarbone and missing toenail feels like proof that she is pushing toward growth even as fear flickers.
The weeks since the premiere have swirled with both exhilaration and exhaustion. Earle confessed to feeling a sense of unreality when she realizes what she has undertaken. There are moments she doubts herself but she keeps going because she committed to showing up fully. Her dedication extends beyond perfecting steps and following choreography. She is also learning the psychology of live performance the stamina demands the off-camera scars and the emotional labor that comes with opening her life to critique.
Her partner Chmerkovskiy has helped guide her technically and artistically but the physical pain remains hers alone to shoulder. The training room bleeds into everyday moments. Tasks many take for granted feel heavy when bodies are pushed to their limits daily. The costume fittings, warm-ups, stretching and cool downs all blend into the fatigue. Every rehearsal’s toll accumulates quietly in muscles that ache in ways dancing fans may not see.
Alix has expressed gratitude for the growth even in the hardship. She is a longtime fan of the show and has dreamed of this moment. She has watched season after season and come to love the spectacle behind the glamour. She has performed before but not on this grand a scale with this kind of scrutiny. Still she takes pride in stepping out of comfort zones knowing someone watching might be inspired by seeing somebody push past discomfort.
As the season continues and the stakes rise there will be more routines more pressure and more moments that test both her physical and emotional reserve. Alix Earle has made clear she knows this journey will leave marks. She hopes they tell a story of transformation more than struggle. She hopes that in bruised collarbones fallen toenails and shaky confidence there lies a truth about what performance costs and what courage looks like.
Comments