Matthew salsas his way through in Dancing With The Stars show

Matthew salsas his way through in Dancing With The Stars show

9 February 2022

LOVE Islander Matthew MacNabb put his muscles to good use by performing some spectacular lifts to get through to the next round of Dancing With The Stars. 

The Downpatrick man and his dance partner Laura Nolan performed a sizzling salsa on Sunday’s evening show on RTÉ One.

While the Latin dance did not go down too well with the judges, the 27 year-old’s popularity with viewers meant that he was voted through to next week.

Former RTÉ newsreader Aengus MacGrianna and his dance partner Emily Barker became the third couple to leave the show.

The fifth couple to dance, Matthew and Laura danced to X by the Jonas Brothers featuring Karol G.

Matthew’s physical prowess and strength impressed but his salsa sway was found to be lacking.

Judge Arthur Gourounlian said: “Those lifts, I thought I was watching the Olympics. But you need to loosen up. I applaud you for it.”

Brian Redmond added: “I agree with Arthur. Lifts were great. You should have put more lifts in, as sometimes it wasn’t great in between. You can’t always get hip action. Not a salsa without it,” while Loraine Barry added: “The saving grace were the two Ls — Laura and lifts. You have to have hip action. Those hips are not moving as they should for a salsa. Good effort, but not good enough.”

Matthew and Laura scored a commendable 14 from the judges.

For Matthew while he was delighted to be voted in, he hoped the score would have been higher. 

“A couple of the pro dancers told me that it’s very rare for pro dancers to be able to do the last lift I did,” Matthew told the Recorder. “So for it get only 14 was very harsh in my opinion but I think the audience thought that too and so that’s why they voted me in.

“I struggled with getting low with the salsa. Latin dancers are typically a lot shorter than ballroom so it is a lot more difficult to get into the ground when you’re taller. Saying that I felt pretty good about my dance and the lifts were really good so I’m happy with that.”

He continues to be grateful for all the support of viewers back home and around the island for voting for me.

“I just want to thank everyone who is voting for me and supporting me on the show. I really appreciate it and I will keep working hard to do my home proud. So thank you again,” he said.

Matthew, who is a fitness influencer and digital marketing consultant, revealed that he is back to his comfort zone with a ballroom dance on Sunday.

“Ballroom is definitely my strength. This week is going to be special because I am dedicating my dance to my friend who passed away in July last year in a tragic accident. He had a big impact on my life and if I do nothing else during this entire season, I want to make this a special tribute to him,” he said.

Matthew is still devoting between five to ten hours each day to learning the new dance and performing it live. 

He’s finding the support of now only his partner Laura, but the rest of the dancers and show production team, to be so inspiring.

“I think everyone is so supportive and we all appreciate how difficult it is to learn a dance, a new style of dance within four days and execute it in front of the entire nation,” admitted Matthew.

“Everyone has varying experience dancing and varying abilities but everyone is still doing it and giving their best so I think we all respect each other for it.”

Dancing with the Stars continues this on Sunday at 6.30pm on RTÉ One.