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Joey Graziadei reveals his favorite ‘DWTS’ performance — and the reason will surprise you: 'I never...'

Joey Graziadei’s favorite ‘DWTS’ performance was also his most nerve-wracking

‘DWTS’ season 33 champions Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson lifted the coveted mirrorball trophy, but the journey wasn’t that easy. Speaking to Collider, the former revealed that he learned and grew after every week’s performance. While each performance of his was a lesson in disguise, there was one routine he loved the most. In the first week, ‘The Bachelor’ star and his pro dancer partner opened the season with a Cowboy-inspired cha-cha performance. Graziadei’s first performance on the ‘DWTS’ stage stuck with him even after the entire season ended. He admitted that he was “very scared” about going first in the season’s premiere.

“I had never done it before, and I didn't know what it was going to feel like just to be on that stage and be able to perform,” he added. However, while reflecting on the moment after winning the trophy, Graziadei loved the fact that he and Johnson got to go first. The reality TV star recalled that they had been building the choreography and rehearsing the moves for a long time. Performing first allowed him to go all out without waiting around for his turn or being intimidated by fellow competitors’ performances. He just went in and set the bar for others to match! “That was one of my favorite performances,” he revealed.

After a spectacular start, Graziadei’s performances just kept improving every week, much to the viewers’ delight. He admitted that every performance pushed his confidence one notch higher, allowing him to improve further in his next. He told the outlet that both he and Johnson decided to “take it week by week” and be present in their journey. They also tried their best not to be fixated on the scores and simply focus on their performances. “Each week, there is a reset, which is the crazy part of this experience,” he revealed. “You just gotta have that mindset of appreciating the moment, but then moving into the next thing,” the ‘Dancing with the Stars’ champion added.

As for Johnson, it wasn’t her first time having a partner who starred in the beloved dating show, ‘The Bachelor.’ When asked how Graziadei’s strengths were different compared to his fellow ‘Bachelor’ alums, she had nothing but good things to say. The pro dancer found Graziadei to be “incredibly smart” and a great visual learner. “Having him look at dance moves and understand what his body position is supposed to be really translates into his body, and he's able to pick it up,” Johnson added. She admitted that her journey became much more enjoyable while working with an eager student like him.

“Also, he's severely competitive, which you need some of that in this competition,” Johnson added. She even confirmed that despite having a competitive spirit, Graziadei is not one to have an ego or hold grudges. The latter stepped out of ‘The Bachelor’ after matching with his now-fiancée, Kelsey Anderson. So keeping things professional on the sets of ‘DWTS’ was his top priority. He requested a partner who has a healthy and committed relationship outside the show and got just that with Johnson. He revealed that Johnson and her fellow pro husband, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, made him very comfortable.