Maureen McCormick Explains ‘DWTS’ Meltdown With Artem Chigvintsev

Maureen McCormick may have rocked high school as Marcia Brady, but she is having a rocky time on Dancing With the Stars. The Brady Bunch star had a really rough ride while rehearsing her Argentine tango for the Cirque du Soleil theme week on the ABC celebrity ballroom competition, to the point where she said she felt like a failure. But just like a Brady episode, it all ended on a happy note.

The honeymoon was over for Maureen and her pro partner, Artem Chigvintsev, as they butted heads during rehearsals this week. McCormick broke down in tears and said she felt like a failure and that she knew her partner was mad at her. Artem was visibly frustrated with Maureen, and he even questioned if he was in the right profession as a pro dancer.

In a post-show interview with Entertainment Weekly, Maureen McCormick explained why she had a full-on meltdown during rehearsals and why she has cried so much this season.

“I’m emotional about everything. I feel a lot, and I love it,” McCormick told EW.

“To come into this competition and feel like I was the worst dancer in the world. I had this other head above me when I danced with friends. I would have to stop. I thought I looked ugly. I look uncoordinated. I didn’t know what I’m doing. It was a huge thing for me. I’ve not been able to dance in public and enjoy it. So it was one of my biggest fears. Yeah, I’m a woman. I’m insecure. I don’t mind those things. They make me human. It’s who I am.”

While Maureen McCormick has had a difficult time on DWTS, she is trying to be the best in the competition. In fact, McCormick told E! News she feels like a fighter and she wants to continue to learn and grow.

But at age 60, Dancing With the Stars is taking its toll on the former child star. Maureen McCormick already has arthritis, and last week she tore two discs around her spine while rehearsing. While preparing for her face-off salsa against Amber Rose and Maksim Chmerkovskiy, McCormick said her body feels much different than it did when she started the ABC dancing competition—and not in a good way. While some stars talk about all the weight that they’ve lost while competing on the show, Maureen said her body feels really beaten up.

But Chigvintsev told Wetpaint that he can’t believe how dedicated Maureen is to winning the mirrorball trophy, despite her injuries.

“She doesn’t really want to take a break. She wants to keep doing it over, and over, and over again,” Artem said of the couple’s Week 4 rehearsals. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who wants to be on the show more than her.”

The pro dancer went on to say that normally when someone has an injury like the one Maureen has, they don’t want to move at all. He added that Maureen McCormick’s drive and determination says a lot about her as a person.

“She never gives up and she wants to move forward,” he said.

Maureen McCormick was finally rewarded for her efforts this week with a trio of 8s, her highest score of the season. That score also brought Maureen to tears, but they were tears of joy. In fact, McCormick told EW that her time on Dancing With the Stars has been “one of the greatest journeys” she has ever had in her career. This from a lady who got a kiss from both Desi Arnaz Jr. and Davy Jones while on The Brady Bunch!

Take a look at the video below to see Maureen McCormick’s Argentine tango with Artem Chigvintsev.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVAmEfOi4JU

[Featured Image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images]