Astronaut Kellie Gerardi is aiming for a brand new mission among the many stars.
The American area traveler, 35, solely instructed The Publish that she hopes to rocket her manner onto the following season of “Dancing with the Stars.”
Gerardi made headlines in 2023 when she went to area aboard a Virgin Galactic suborbital flight, turning into one of many lower than 100 girls to slide the surly bonds of Earth. The payload specialist, Swiftie and mother, is slated to return to area with Virgin Galactic in 2026 as a part of an all-female sub-orbital spaceflight.
However earlier than she blasts off as soon as extra, Gerardi is hoping she will land on the favored ABC dance competitors collection.
A longtime fan, the astronaut significantly loved Season 33 of “DWTS” — which wrapped final month —due to two inspiring rivals, Olympic rugby participant Ilona Maher and Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik.
“I love Ilona Maher. I also love Steve,” Gerardi mentioned of the 2 Workforce USA stars who competed on the 2024 Paris Summer time Olympics.
“And I love seeing people that are sort of unexpected in different disciplines; getting to translate that into something so joyful and new, that they’re being challenged because they’re not experts.”
“I love that — when people adjust the limits on their own kind of imagination and capability and put themselves out there,” she added. “I have a lot of respect for that.”
Gerardi additionally loves seeing the juxtaposition of the “DWTS” dance execs “do what they do and shine” with the contestants “who, very much like me,” haven’t had “any formal experience” as a dancer.
“There’s two things I love about it,” she defined. “One, it shows that there is a lot of work that goes into making something look beautiful and effortless. But two, it shows that you can be capable of learning something new and excelling in something that you never saw yourself visibly represented in. And I love that about it.”
Requested whether or not she want to make the leap from “DWTS” fan to contestant, Gerardi was unequivocal.
“Consider this my audition,” she mentioned. “Would you like a twirl?
“I can go study right now.”
Although Gerardi has no dance coaching, she admitted, “It’s easier [to dance] in microgravity, I’ll tell you that.”
“Bachelor” alum Joey Graziadei took dwelling the “DWTS” Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy within the Season 33 finale in November.
Graziadei confronted off in opposition to fellow finalists Chandler Kinney, Maher, Danny Amendola and Nedoroscik.
