Skai Jackson is dishing on her struggles with anxiety.
The 18-year-old Dancing With The Stars competitor opened up about how she didn’t really have anxiety until she was a teen.
“When I was younger I didn’t really have it. During my teen years I just really started to get anxiety. I would get stage fright when I would do certain speaking engagements and I always would get through them but it was a really nerve-racking and hard thing to do,” she told People.
Skai also added that she’s trying to balance it, and her competing on DWTS is challenging her to get through her anxiety.
“The last few years I’ve dealt with it and not knowing how to get through it. It’s been really hard for me. Doing Dancing with the Stars really challenges that,” she said. “I’m trying to break myself out of it in a sense and [I'm] fighting through it.”
“My friends are my everything. When I feel that anxiety I always call them or text them and they talk me through it,” Skai added about her support system.
“If it’s really bad I just need to shut my phone off and sometimes just take a nap and chill because I feel like that the best time to really relax my brain. My friends know I deal with a lot of things especially anxiety and they’re always here for me which is amazing.”
Skai Jackson rocks a blonde and pink hairdo for her Dancing With The Stars performance on Monday night (October 19).
The 18-year-old Disney Channel star performed a Cha Cha to Doja Cat and Nicki Minaj‘s “Say So” with partner Alan Bersten during week six of the competition.
The duo’s dance earned them a score of 18 out of 30. Skai had a couple of missteps in the dance, but judge Derek Hough gave her some words of encouragement.
“First of all, it happens to the best of us. It’s live, you go out there. But I just have to commend you for carrying on,” he said.
“It’s Sunday!!! Tomorrow’s the big day! I’m so excited 🎉 @skaijackson you always go above and beyond my expectations! I cant wait for you to kill it tomorrow! I’m so proud of you 💙let’s go out there and be sassy! #teamreachfortheskai,” Alan wrote on Instagram the day before.
Skai Jackson & Alan Bersten Cha Cha – ‘DWTS’ Week 6
Skai Jackson heads to a dance rehearsal on Thursday (October 15) in Los Angeles.
The 18-year-old wore a pair of leopard print pants and a zebra face mask.
Skai also showed off her phone case, which features an adorable photo of her and the late Cameron Boyce.
The day before, Skai wore a pair of yellow pants and accidentally matched with a Postmates delivery robot, as they both arrived at the DWTS studio at the same time.
That day, she shared a few photos from inside the dance studio, including a couple of photos where she holds up partner Alan Bersten, piggyback style.
“7 days a week #TeamReachForTheSkai #DWTS,” Skai captioned the pics. Check it out below!
She also teased their song choice this coming week, writing on Twitter, “Y’all gonna love the song I dance to this week..”
The 18-year-old performed a jazz with her partner Alan Bersten to the song “The Power Of Love” by Huey Lewis & The News.
The pair danced with a Back to the Future theme as the song they used was in that movie. Their dance earned them a 24 out of 30 score for week five.
“We might have not been alive for the 80s, but we are so excited to dance for you guys tomorrow!! @skaijackson you got this girl! #teamreachfortheskai,” Alan wrote on Instagram the night before.
“I’m so proud of you @skaijackson you killed it tonight! Thank you to everyone who voted for us!!!! We love you ❤️❤️❤️ #teamreachfortheskai,” he added after their performance.
The week before, Skaidedicated her dance to her late friend and co-star Cameron Boyce, where she got the first 10 of the season.
Skai Jackson & Alan Bersten Perform a Jazz on ‘DWTS’
“I want this dance to be dedicated to Cameron, who was a really close friend of mine and co-star,” she said ahead of her performance. “He was in my life for half of my life, which was crazy. We built up this bond for years and years and years.”
“He molded me into the person I am now. Of course I miss him every day, but I have him on my phone case so I get to see him,” Skai added. “It’s sad he’s not here to see it… I know that he would be really proud of me. He loved Dancing With the Stars and dancing.”
Skai and Alan‘s dance even earned them the first 10 of the season, with a total of 28/30 for their performance!
Before the Dancing With The Stars season started airing, Skai shared with fans that Cameron was actually a big reason as to why she decided to do the show.
Skai Jackson is sharing an important message on Wednesday morning (September 30) in Los Angeles.
The 18-year-old was on her way to dance practice for Dancing With The Stars and her t-shirt said it all.
“Go Vote,” her shirt read, with a hand showing a peace sign for the “V”. She also showed off her phone case, which is a photo of her and her late co-star Cameron Boyce.
Earlier in the week, Skai took the DWTS stage to perform her third dance on the show, a jive to “Almost There” from The Princess and the Frog.
The week before, she had a little mishap during her dance and opened up about it afterwards.
“It was a little bit nerve wracking, but I’m just really excited that we got saved,” she told ET. “I was always taught that if something like that does happen, you keep going, you don’t give up. And that was what was going on in my head.”
Be sure to tune in to Dancing With The Stars next Monday (October 5) to watch her next dance!
The 18-year-old Disney Channel star performed the jive with her partner Alan Bersten for Disney night.
Skai and Alan danced to the song “Almost There” from the movie The Princess and the Frog.
“Yall better vote for me again tomorrow,” Skai shared on Twitter the day before, in all caps.
“I’m so excited to be a princess tomorrow. I mean a frog. 🐸 anyway @skaijackson killed it this week and I’m super excited for you guys to see tomorrow!!! #teamreachfortheskai,” Alan wrote on Instagram the day before.
The duo’s performance earned them an 18/30 score for the week, a three point improvement from their score the week before.
