Everyone has a hobby, but not everyone is paying up to six figures a year to support it. Bravo puts the spotlight on five diverse women who share a passion for dance, who pay professional dancers (that’s the “pro” in pro-am) to compete with them (they’re the “am,” or amateur) across the nation in Dancing Queens (Tuesdays at 9/8c beginning May 9). We caught up with Sabrina Strasser, a former champion from Toronto, who became interested in the sport at age 29 after watching Dancing With the Stars.
“I took it up as a hobby after work once a week, and one thing led to another,” said Strasser, who had no previous dance experience. “I started really taking it more seriously. It wasn’t just once a week after work, it was three times a week, private lessons, and then [my teacher] spoke to me about competing because he felt that he saw talent, and it became a pro-am partnership.”
As with many reality series involving dance and with many Bravo series you can expect some drama, especially as it pertains to finding a professional dancer to compete with.
“I will speak for Toronto, Canada. There are very slim pickings. We don’t have a huge ballroom industry where we have many pro men,” Strasser said. “We don’t have that opportunity. So you’re lucky to find somebody that you can really match with, blend with, dance with. In the States, I would have to say that it’s a much different situation. They have a lot of pro male dancers and quite talented dancers, but here it’s difficult. I’m not going to lie, it’s very difficult. I can’t speak for the United States though, but I’m assuming it’s way easier to find a good pro.”
The series follows the women on and off the dance floor, as each of them has a very busy family life, and it reminds a bit of the network’s popular Real Housewives franchise. “My passion is healthy, it’s dancing, it’s not drugs or alcohol, it’s not going out with girlfriends. I think it’s made me a better mom because I understand my girls and I try to teach them discipline as well,” Strasser concludes. “My husband sees how dance has gotten the family together and a more passionate life. This show is our first opportunity to show how incredible it can be for amateur dancers and for women to follow their passion, to see what joy it can bring you.”