A Ballroom Star is Born: Endless Practice and Hot Stone Massages Keep Mya Dancing

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WHEN THE NAMES of this season's "Dancing With the Stars" contestants were announced, D.C. flipped over the appearance of Tom DeLay. But now that he's damaged goods (stress fractures in both feet forced him to go bye-bye), Washington can focus on its real star: Mya.

The 30-year-old singer/actress was born and raised in this town, and she's doing us proud by consistently scoring high marks. Her favorite part of the process: wardrobe. But she couldn't put on any of the revealing, sparkly gowns if she didn't practice day and night with partner Dmitry Chaplin.

» EXPRESS: How did you prepare for the show?
» MYA: I only found out two weeks ahead of time. So, I started doing cardio, some boxing exercises and running outside with my dog. But I haven't been back in the gym since.

» EXPRESS: Because your schedule must be crazy now, right?
» MYA: Yes, we start early Monday mornings — 7:45 a.m. — with hair and makeup, fittings, consultations, dress rehearsal. It's a full day until the show ends. The next night we stay even later, and sometimes we'll go straight from there until rehearsals. Initially, we were limited to five hours a day, but now we do up to 12 the rest of the week.

» EXPRESS: How rough is that physically?
» MYA: Some dances have been more difficult on the body than others. We all got bruised up doing the tango. It's a very close-held, intense dance. The jitterbug and jive were more physically demanding with the throwing and flipping. There's a lot of impact on the legs and feet. So, my massages have increased to two days a week, and I've been seeing a doctor for realignment.

» EXPRESS: What's your warm-up routine before you perform?
» MYA: I don't have one! We try to get it in, but sometimes there's no time. I've learned to take hot stones and a kettle with me, so I can loosen up my body that way.

» EXPRESS: Have you felt any good changes in your body?
» MYA: I definitely feel stronger, and, visually, I'm more toned. I feel like I could get in the ring and win a fight right now. Each dance triggers new muscle groups.

» EXPRESS: Has your tap dance background been useful?
» MYA: It's helped some, but it's also been a disadvantage. Rhythm tap is percussion, so that's helped me with the rhythm. Dmitry teaches me the rhythm of the dance first. If he teaches me the step, I have a much harder time learning it. I think of tap as a musical instrument. The posture isn't there, and it's not very feminine.

» EXPRESS: What goes through your mind when you're dancing?
» MYA: Some dances allow you to escape to cloud nine; others are more entertaining. The jive is high-energy and peps me up. The waltz puts you in a state of mind when tea parties were being held. I like both sides.

Photos courtesy ABC