Jarryd Byrne and celebrity dance partner Ricki-Lee Coulter ended their Dancing With the Stars (DWTS) journey on such a high note that Jarryd said it was hard to be disappointed with their third place finish.
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The couple competed in the DWTS finale on Tuesday night against Home and Away’s Lynne McGranger and former AFL player David Rodan, who won the series.
“The last 24 hours has been crazy,” Jarryd said.
“It’s sad because I enjoyed so much about this season.”
Jarryd and Ricki-Lee danced a powerful paso doble, which earned a perfect score of 40 from the judges before their freestyle routine encompassing elements of cha cha, rumba and hip hop.
Jarryd said he spent the day of the show ensuring Ricki-Lee was fully immersed in the dances.
“There is a difference between knowing a step and putting it in your body,” he said.
”Yesterday (Tuesday) in rehearsals was the first time I felt challenged.
“We don’t do all our bag of tricks because we want to highlight the celebrity.
“But that was the first time her dancing made me step up to another level and challenge back.”
Unfortunately, the pair was the first to be eliminated during the live show on Tuesday to leave Lynne and David battle for dancing glory.
Jarryd believes Ricki-Lee was the most improved dancer of the season and said she admitted she “felt like a dancer” after Tuesday night’s performance.
“She was in absolute delight,” he said.
“It’s definitely a long-lasting friendship.”
The dance ability and confidence of the singing sensation developed so rapidly over the season that Jarryd said it was possible we could see some ballroom or Latin moves in her future music videos.
The support Jarryd and Ricki-Lee have received throughout the season has not gone unnoticed and Jarryd said he was thankful for the well wishes from his home town of Wagga.
Jarryd will move to Melbourne at the end of the week to continue his role in Strictly Ballroom next year.
He is taking a month off to holiday with his fiancée and 18-month-old daughter before welcoming a new baby in February.
Jarryd would not rule out appearing on another season of DWTS in Australia, but is setting his sights on the American or English version of the show and focusing on choreographing for various production.
