Camille Combal kicked off the new edition of Danse avec les stars on Friday, January 21st. The fifteenth season of the popular French competition series marks the highly anticipated return of Denitsa Ikonomova, a fan favorite dancer who previously stepped back from the show.
Ikonomova, a four-time trophy winner, is back on the dance floor after taking time to focus on her family. “I needed to dedicate myself to my partner and my daughter,” she explained in an interview with Télé Star magazine.
Balancing motherhood and a demanding performance schedule isn’t easy. Last July, the Bulgarian dancer spoke about her sleep deprivation since the birth of her baby. “The nights are short right now, the days very long, fatigue is extremely present, and there’s little time for myself. I don’t know if it’s the fatigue of the eight months or just the heat…,” she shared on her Instagram story.
Denitsa Ikonomova: Is the Dancer Inseparable From Her Daughter?
The question arose after Ikonomova recently posted a tender photo on social media. The image shows her holding her baby on the set of DALS just before the second round of eliminations. “My strength for tonight,” the proud mother captioned the post.
Could the dancer be without a babysitter? It wouldn’t be surprising to see the 14-month-old following her mother everywhere! The little one, who may be destined for a career in the arts, is certainly growing up in a creative environment. “She’s still too young to dance, but she loves music,” Ikonomova told Télé Star. “She moves when she hears it. She gets her sense of rhythm from her parents.” Could a future appearance on DALS be in the cards?
Denitsa Ikonomova: The “Sport” That Defines Her Daily Life
Being a mom is demanding! Ikonomova describes motherhood as requiring flexibility and endurance, much like running. Or, as she put it to Gala.fr: “It’s a sport!” She added, “It’s another sport to have a little baby. It’s a lot of squats all day, a lot of arm workouts. It’s an extraordinary experience.”
This athletic challenge is made even more difficult by lack of sleep and fluctuating emotions, “like anxiety, fear, and worry.” “But like everyone else, we try to manage, we try to find balance, and the fact that it brings so much happiness helps us overcome all the trials and all the obstacles,” concluded the friend of Rayane Bensetti.
Danse avec les stars continues to be a cultural touchstone in France, captivating audiences with its blend of celebrity, dance, and drama.
