What's Up, Kym Johnson? From Dancing Champ to Broadway in Three Days

She’s had five Broadway-alum partners on Dancing with the Stars (Jerry Springer, Joey Fatone, Penn Jillette, David Alan Grier and brand-new champ Donny Osmond), so it’s about time Kym Johnson got her turn on the Great White Way. Just three days after hoisting the mirror ball trophy with Donny, Kym was onstage at the Longacre Theatre partnered with Maksim Chmerkovskiy in the ballroom spectacular Burn the Floor. Our favorite Aussie lassie chatted with Broadway.com about her long history with BTF (which began at Elton John’s 50th birthday party, no less!) and refused to take the bait when we asked about barely there costumes and the lack of star power on Dancing with the Stars.

So, you went straight from the finals of Dancing with the Stars to Broadway!
It’s been the craziest week ever. I won the trophy, flew to New York and went straight into rehearsals. I had to learn all the routines in two days. I thought, “What am I doing to myself?” Luckily Maks had done the show so he could pull me around a bit.

You’ve danced all over the world. Does Broadway feel different?
It’s completely different. I didn’t know what to expect, but it’s been absolutely amazing, and the audiences love the show. I honestly feel like I’m living a dream at the moment.

Did you think that you and Donny Osmond would win DWTS?
I knew that Donny had what it takes to get to the finals, but you just never know. When they called our names [as the winner] I could not believe it. We had a really bad semifinal, but the fans got us through, and we had a good comeback in the final. I was so proud of Donny! He’s got a show in Vegas and he was busy the whole season, but he gave me six hours a day [for rehearsal] every day and never complained. I came in second twice [with Joey Fatone and football player Warren Sapp] and was third-time lucky.

Can you believe that five of your seven DWTS partners have Broadway backgrounds?
Really? Actually, you’re right. Wow! And now I’ve ended up here. Donny was so excited that I was coming to Broadway.

You were part of the original cast of Burn the Floor, right?
Yes, [a group of dancers] performed at Elton John’s 50th birthday party, and people stopped to watch. Producer Harley Medcalf said, “Wow, if ballroom dancers can make celebrities pay attention, there’s something in this.” I was in the original workshop of Burn the Floor in ’98 and I traveled the world with the show for six years, on and off. It was always the dream to end up on Broadway, and I’m thrilled that it’s happened.

How long have you been dancing?
I started ballet, jazz and tap when I was three and ballroom dancing when I was 13. My friends who did musical theater said, “You’re crazy! You’ll never get work.” It’s funny that ballroom dancing is what has given me my success.

Aren’t the pro dancers bigger celebrities than many of the so-called “stars” on Dancing with the Stars?
Not really! The appeal of the show is that it lets you see celebrities out of their comfort zone; people can relate to that. Even Donny Osmond—people thought, “Oh, he’s a performer, he’s going to do great,” but I had him doing things he never thought he could do.

Do you ever feel self-conscious about your skimpy costumes?
Some of them are a bit revealing, aren’t they? [Laughs.] I try to make mine a little more sophisticated, but some of them are a bit risqué. Donny took a look at a few of my outfits and was like, “Oh, okay!”

Has your Broadway debut made you want to do more musicals?
I’ve definitely got the bug now. Donny was giving me singing lessons during our lunch breaks, and he seems to think I have the talent for it. Now that I’m on Broadway, I want to work on my voice with a coach. I saw Chicago with Ashlee Simpson, and that would be an amazing role.

Can you do an American accent?
I had an audition for Desperate Housewives with an American accent, and I got a callback. They seemed to think it was okay. I can do it if I have to, but I need to work with a dialect coach. But if you're committed and apply yourself, you can get there. Just like dancing!