Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix is pursuing her longtime dream of competing on Dancing with the Stars. After her boyfriend, Tom Sandoval cheated on her with her friend Rachel Leviss, Ariana bounced back. And she is thrilled to be part of DWTS.
Most Pump Rules fans know that Ariana’s father, James Madix, passed away unexpectedly in August 2013. He suffered a heart attack. And the star has shown her struggle with grief on VPR.
For Motown Week on DWTS, Ariana and her partner, Pasha Pashkov, danced a quickstep to You Can’t Hurry Love by The Supremes. And Ariana danced for a special someone that night. People has the scoop.
Ariana dedicated the dance to her father
“This week I’m really excited about my dad,” Ariana said. “I grew up listening to Motown music because that was one of my dad’s favorites. And so I’m really looking forward to this week especially and being able to celebrate my dad even though he can’t watch the show or be here.” She added, “Hopefully I can honor him with that dance.”
The Pump Rules star also shared a message about her father in her Instagram Stories. Ariana posted a photo of her as an infant with her parents. “Tonight’s dance is dedicated to my dad. It’s times like these I really wish he could be here, but tonight I’m dancing for him. Wherever you are,” she wrote.
And Ariana also recently experienced some huge losses. Her grandmother, Bonnie, whom she was very close to, passed away in September 2022. Then Ariana’s beloved dog, Charlotte, passed away on August 2, 2022. Of her pup, she joked that DWTS needs a “Charlotte theme week.”
Ariana, who danced with flats because of a foot injury, impressed everyone with her elegant and fun quickstep. She earned 34 out of 40 points from the judges. That meant she tied singer Jason Mraz at the top of the leaderboard.
She also turned in good performances in her first two weeks on DWTS. I think that Ariana may need to make space for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. You go, girl!
Season 32 of Dancing with the Stars airs on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+.
TELL US – WHAT DID YOU THINK OF ARIANA DEDICATING HER DANCE TO HER FATHER? WHO ARE YOU ROOTING FOR ON DWTS? DO YOU THINK THAT SHE WILL WIN?
