‘Footloose’ Stars Julianne Hough & Kenny Wormald On How Their ‘DWTS’ Performance Happened

Julianne Hough made her triumphant return to “Dancing with the Stars” on Tuesday and she remains awed by the emotional experience.

“It’s pretty surreal,” Julianne told Access Hollywood on Wednesday at the premiere of her film, “Footloose,” in New York City. “The show has been supportive of everything that I’ve wanted to do since day one. And my fans, too — they really gave me their blessing to go and do movies and my music and everything.

“I left the show to go and do ‘Footloose.’ To come back on the show, for the first time in years, promoting ‘Footloose’ — it was very emotional,” she continued. “They’re my family, and I just feel blessed that they let me kind of spread my wings and grow a little bit.”

Julianne’s “Footloose” co-star, Kenny Wormald, who performed two numbers with the dancer-turned-singer-turned-actress on “DWTS,” was also very proud of what they showed America.

“It was a bigger moment than just dancing on the show. We were representing ‘Footloose’ and it was also her comeback,” Kenny told Access. “So, it was a huge moment, and I think we handled it well… I’m very happy.”

Prepping the numbers – to “Holding Out For A Hero” and Blake Shelton’s “Footloose” cover — took time, and despite their busy schedule promoting their reboot of the classic Kevin Bacon film, the two got the job done.

“We were in the middle of the press tour for ‘Footloose,’ so we had to find time in between when we could rehearse,” Kenny said. “But we made it work. She’s the ultimate professional, and I’m a dancer myself, so we made it work.”

Also making it work was Julianne’s brother, Derek Hough, who injured – and possibly dislocated his shoulder — while rehearsing for Tuesday’s show, where the siblings danced to “Shake a Tail Feather.”

“I don’t know if it was dislocated, but he definitely hurt his shoulder, and it’s been hurt for a little while,” Julianne said. “It’s kind of funny though, because the last time we did our number on the show — to ‘Great Balls of Fire’ — with the piano and everything, I had just had surgery, and then he had a terrible arm, and I’m sick in this one. So, it’s just kind of like the Hough thing — you just do it, you wing it, you just go for it.”

“Footloose” opens in theaters on October 14.

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