Giada De Laurentiis’ Dancing With the Stars journey came to an unexpectedly early end during Week 2, but the celebrity chef says the experience gave her a lesson that went far beyond the ballroom. After being eliminated alongside professional partner Alan Bersten, De Laurentiis reflected on what she learned from the intense two-week experience.
The 56-year-old chef admitted that she was disappointed to leave the competition so soon. After putting so much effort into learning ballroom routines with no previous dance experience, she had hoped to continue performing and improving in the weeks ahead.
De Laurentiis and Bersten performed a salsa to Becky G’s “Bella Ciao” during Week 2’s Viral Hits Night. The pair received 12 out of 30 points from the judges, tying with Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson, before viewer votes ultimately sent De Laurentiis and Bersten home.
The rehearsal process itself had been challenging. In footage shown before their Week 2 routine, De Laurentiis became frustrated after forgetting a step and asking Bersten what came next. The professional dancer urged her to stay focused, while she explained that they had limited time to learn the routine.
Bersten later acknowledged that he had been trying to teach De Laurentiis patience throughout the process. He explained that he is naturally impatient but was repeatedly encouraging her to slow down, stay focused and allow herself time to learn.
That advice appears to have stayed with De Laurentiis. Speaking after the elimination, she said one of her biggest struggles had been frustration with herself and the pressure she placed on herself while trying to master something completely outside her comfort zone.
Despite the disappointment, De Laurentiis said she was proud that she had taken the risk. She explained that stepping outside her comfort zone was uncomfortable, but she did it anyway, and she came away with a lesson about accepting that success does not always mean winning.
That lesson was also connected to her daughter, Jade, who had encouraged her to take on the challenge in the first place. De Laurentiis said she wanted to show her daughter that it is possible to face fears and try something new at any stage of life.
Although the ballroom journey lasted only two weeks, De Laurentiis said she gained something valuable from working with Bersten. She praised her professional partner and said the experience allowed her to learn something new while spending time with someone she described as an amazing person.
For De Laurentiis, the biggest takeaway from Dancing With the Stars was not the score or how far she advanced. It was learning to embrace the experience, accept imperfection and keep trying even when something feels uncomfortable. Her early elimination ended her competition, but the lesson she took from it may last considerably longer than her time on the ballroom floor.
Compiled with information from various sources.
