The bet is twofold. Laure Manaudou takes to the stage of “Dancing with the Stars” this Friday evening on TF1 at 9:10 p.m. The Olympic champion succeeds her brother Florent Manaudou, candidate in the competition last year. But at the same time, she wants to take on another challenge. In a few weeks, she will set off in the 42 kilometers of the Paris marathon, her first, alongside a group of novices created by Hyundai. Between long running outings in the South-West, where she lives with her three children, and intensive rehearsals in Paris, her schedule is particularly busy. Confessions before the first broadcast
You have just announced that you are going to run your first Paris marathon on April 11. How are you going to organize yourself with “Dancing with the Stars”?
The program is going to be very intense. I would have preferred everything to be spread out a little more over time, but I don’t really have a choice. The challenge now is above all to organize myself well to do everything correctly.
Especially since you will also be traveling back and forth between Paris and the South-West where you live with your three children…
Exactly. I stay at home the first three days of the week, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, to train. Then, I go to Paris from Thursday to Saturday. And between reps, you have to keep running.
So, what does your typical week look like?
Monday morning I run, then I dance in the afternoon. Tuesday, same. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday dance. Saturday morning is preparation for the new dance. And you still have to squeeze in a running session on the weekend, keeping a recovery day.
Why did you launch into “Dancing with the Stars” at the same time?
I’ve secretly wanted it for a long time. But I didn’t dare. I told myself that sequinned dresses weren’t necessarily me… And at the same time, I really wanted to learn to dance. We are lucky to be supervised by real professional dancers.
Why add the Paris marathon to it then?
I was supposed to do the one in Valencia in December but I got sick, I had hepatitis. But despite everything, it opened the doors to the world of running for me. It’s cool to start in France, even if Paris is not easy because there are climbs. It won’t be easy to combine dancing and running… But I will rest in May!
Physically, does it represent a huge load, even for a great athlete like you?
It’s a rhythm I haven’t experienced in a long time, it’s true. But for the past year, I have been exercising almost every day, for around 1.5 hours. There, we’re more like four hours with dancing and a running outing. For the moment, my body is not tired. I know it’s only the beginning, so I have to be very vigilant about sleep, eating, everything I can control around it.
How did the first rehearsals go?
Alright. I knew a little about how it worked thanks to my brother Florent last year. I’m not really stressed but I knew we had ten days, that the first would mainly be a meeting, time to get to know each other, to let go, to learn to trust.
How are things going with your dance partner Christian Millette?
Alright. He is someone who is very educational, very respectful. He doesn’t send me doing somersaults in all directions without explanation. He also respects the fact that I’m just starting out.
Working in front of the mirror can be disturbing, right?
At first it was okay. I was facing the mirror, so I was watching my partner’s steps carefully. But at one point, I asked that we change direction so as not to see him. On prime, there will be no mirror facing me. And I tended to look at my feet or his feet. You had to learn to dance in several directions. It can be destabilizing.
And is it also work on self-confidence?
I have never met anyone who said they had absolute confidence in themselves. I think that’s also why I’m doing this adventure. We discover that our body can do much more than we think. The blockages are often in the head. To dance, you have to let go, dare, accept not to control.
However, the public perceives you as someone confident in yourself.
Evolving in a field that you don’t master necessarily calls you into question. And what people are going to see is not just the Friday night performance. It’s the arrivals in the morning jogging, the rehearsals, the doubts, the socks in the heels… Viewers want to see that, but not just the Friday evening performance.
How did the meeting with the other candidates go?
There is a lot of energy, a lot of sharing. We feel a family spirit. On the one hand, I’m happy to come, but also to go home, because it requires a lot of energy. But I’m happy to also have time at home.
For what ?
Alternating between home and Paris is a good balance. At home, it’s calmer. There’s just the journalist, the camera operator, and that’s it.
Do you need this balance?
Living in Paris all the time is not me. And especially in relation to my children, it is not possible to leave all week like some have done.
So, ready for the first night?
I have to go back right away to rehearse! I know the steps. Now this is the attitude we need to work on.
