Jacoby Jones pointed to the sweat on his forehead.
"See that?"
Yeah, Jones is working hard in his rehearsals for ABC's "Dancing With The Stars."
Friday's rehearsal, tucked away at the Jewish Community Center in Owings Mills, Md., went from noon to 6 p.m. There were some breaks and laughter (of course with Jacoby) in between the dancing, but it's a pretty intense regiment.
Jones and his dancing partner, Karina Smirnoff, are two of a kind. As Jones said before the dancing started, they really are two similar characters with plenty of personality, which emanates from the dancing duo.
Smirnoff is hard on the receiver, though. Here are a few snippets of things she harped on him about:
- "I need way lower, more hip!"
- "That was no ripple!"
- "There needs to be personality in every step!"
- "Use what the good Lord gave you."
- "Roll your booty! Roll your booty! Roll your booty! I need it sexy!"
Jones was persistent. He would screw up a move, chide himself and jump right back into it. After saying "one more" to end the first session, they did four more takes.
I'm not dance expert, but Jones is a natural. We all knew he could dance from his end zone moves, but he was way better at this formal stuff than even I was anticipating – especially in just his second day of training.
"You didn't think I had it in me did you?" he asked me.
That's not to say there isn't some improvement to be made if he's going to become the next "Dancing With The Stars" champion, something he badly wants.
Jones kept screwing up one step, going in the wrong direction first. He must have flubbed it five times in a row before comparing the situation to feeling like a rookie wide receiver running routes. He was thinking too much.
I asked Jones what is more difficult, a dancing lesson or football practice.
"Football," he said without hesitation. The dancing is tough, but it's nowhere near as physically demanding. The dancing is purely just fun for the New Orleans native with boogying in his blood.
I can't show you any video or photos or share too many moments from inside the dance studio, per ABC's broadcasting rules. But believe me when I say you should tune in for the premier on Monday, March 18. It's going to be entertaining television.
