Alex Skarlatos ‘Ready To Cha Cha’ Into America’s Heart On DWTS

American hero Alex Skarlatos knows a thing or two about the importance of fast feet and a strong upper body.

It’s these attributes that served Skarlatos well as he and two long-time friends overpowered and thwarted the efforts of a terrorist on a French train this summer, as Inquisitr previously reported.

Now, those qualities could help Skarlatos – a 22-year-old Sacramento native who served in Army National Guard – advance on Dancing With The Stars. Teaming with professional Lindsay Arnold, Alex will be one of 12 competitors on this season’s show vying for a crystal ball trophy.

It’s a scenario that even Alex didn’t foresee in the aftermath of his heroic actions, Skarlatos told the Los Angeles Times.

“Never in a million years did I think I’d get that offer. It’s all brand new and crazy to me. I think I’ve been home about four days total [since returning from Paris].”

Dancing With The Stars show co-executive producer Deena Katz knew from the moment she first saw Alex on TV that she wanted to land Skarlatos for the show.

“He’s so charming. There’s just something about him. He was just serving in Afghanistan not long ago, and now we’re asking if he’s ready to cha cha.”

To get Alex on the show, Katz had to convince the hero who stopped a terrorist on a 500-passenger train that Skarlatos could both honor his friends and the military with his inclusion on the Dancing With The Stars cast.

On the Monday night premier of Dancing With The Stars, Skarlatos and dance instructor and partner Arnold did the foxtrot to Afrojack’s “Ten Feet Tall.” The performance drew a long standing ovation from the crowd for Alex and Lindsay. In addition, Alex had charmed the judges on the competition, and host Tom Bergeron praised Skarlatos for his service and dance steps.

“Not only I think all of us when we heard the story of what you guys did on that train – you represented the best of who we all hope we can be. Thank you for that. And what you just did had jaws dropping at the judge’s table.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE-vMnu7H48

Average Americans aren’t the only ones smitten by Alex. An insider close to Kendall Jenner said the model was also impressed with Starlatos, Hollywood Life reported.

Will you be voting for Alex Starlatos this season on Dancing With The Stars? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

[Image by Stephen Lam/Getty Images]