Dancing with Mel B for Dance Your Ass Off

Dance Your Ass Off returned to the Oxygen airwaves on June 7 with Spice Girl Mel B (Melanie Brown) at the helm as host . In the new era of staying healthy, Dance Your Ass Off combines reality competition, dance, and losing weight, as contestants take to the dance floor to shake their stuff with dance partners. Now that Dance Your Ass Off is in full swing for a second season on Oxygen, the dance judges have their hands full in selecting a new winner as Mel B oversees the Dance Your Ass Off festivities.

[Dance Your Ass Off] We recently spoke with Mel B about her hosting duties on Dance Your Ass Off, how the Spice Girl views the health benefits of dance, and her own approach to weight loss.

THE DEADBOLT: What advice would you give people who want to dance to lose weight at home?

MEL B: I think if you want to lose weight you have to mix up your workouts, whether it be in a dance studio, taking a ballet class, going for a run outside. I think it is really important to switch it up. Obviously dance is fun because you get to dance along, try different styles. It's definitely an enjoyable way to lose weight.

THE DEADBOLT: How would you describe your own relationship with calories and choreography?

MEL B: Being in the Spice Girls, we did choreography that was quite basic and simple in the early days and as time went on it got more complex for us. We embraced the choreography we got given and made it our own, and that's exactly what the dancers are doing on the show.

Even though they may not be at their ideal weight, they are losing 10 to 15 pounds a week and they are getting stronger and stronger so their routines are getting much harder and complex. And they are looking amazing. Before I did Dancing With The Stars I had a lot of baby weight to lose so dancing really helped for sure.

Other Conference Call Highlights:

What differences will we see between this season and last?

[Dance Your Ass Off] MEL B: Well, I don't want to give away too much but obviously it's a completely different company who have taken over it and they've definitely put their own spin on it for sure. And me being involved, I bring my own little flavor and I can identify with nearly all of the contestants. So it has had a face-lift but fundamentally it's a show about dancing, losing weight and following these amazing people on their journeys doing that.

Did you find any surprises during taping that you didn't expect from watching?

MEL B: For me the most surprising thing was how much people were losing. They were losing between 10 to 15, 16, 17 pounds each week, and then obviously because they are losing weight, their dance routines were getting so much more complicated. It was quite incredible to watch the transformation each week.

Do you ever want to hit the dance floor with the contestants?

MEL B: Not on this job because I see how nervous they are and how much effort and energy they put in to their routines each week. I know that, being part of Dancing With The Stars and going on tour with the Spice Girls. I've had my fair share of remembering choreography and getting up on stage and performing. For me to be hosting, I can totally sympathize and identify with the contestants so I'm like their support. I'm pretty cool with being on that side of it.

[Dance Your Ass Off] Because you’ve been through this on Dancing With The Stars, do you give them advice?

MEL B: Well, not so much advice, mainly support. You know, I’m more concerned with, ‘How are you feeling today? How are your injuries? Because don’t forget, they are dancing for hours on end every single day and their body is not used to that.

How would you feel if they danced to a Spice Girls track?

MEL B: They haven't yet but they should do! I'm going to mention that!

Dance Your Ass Off airs Monday nights on Oxygen at 11pm.


Source Alison Cox
Image monstersandcritics & .thedeadbolt.

Posted in Dance Your Ass Off 2011 , Dance Your Ass Off combines reality competition , Losing weight dance your ass of 2011 , Melanie Brown , Spice Girl Mel B