Mya Talks with Movieline About Dancing with the Stars, Excruciating Pain, and Her Childhood Hatred of Performing

Can you often predict what the judges will say about your performances?

I cannot! Obviously not, after last night. I was numbed for about five seconds. When he commented after our quickstep, which was one of the more standard dances, Len fooled the audience, he fooled myself, he fooled Dmitry. You never know what they'll say. But even sometimes when they give great comments, they'll say, "But you need to work on the following," which is great, because it's never too harsh.

In that case, do their comments sometimes make no sense to you?

Yes, sometimes I'm totally confused. Other times I agree with them, like during jitterbug week, I totally agreed with Carrie Ann, I thought I could've gone bigger if I was a little higher in my split, but sometimes that doesn't work out every time where you can allow yourself to let go. That was a very hard dance for me, hard on the ankles and knees, so I probably held back. Now, regarding tango week, where they felt that I was a little distant, I totally agreed with them as well. Because physically I became distant from Dmitry because the dance was so brutal, and we kicked each other so many times, and I kicked him where it hurts a couple times during the performance. So they were right in that aspect. Regarding the emotional and internal dialogue? I didn't understand where that was lacking. I did have it. You watch it over and over again and try to figure out what they're talking about, and hope to bring it in the next week. There are specifics and rules for the quickstep and waltz, the dos and don'ts of those technical dances. Foxtrot, you can pretty much be open to putting on a show, but in the paso doble, lifts and tricks are not allowed. So that much we know about. Otherwise we're in the gray.

You've said before that as a kid, you had terrible stage fright. And yet, you've built a career on being a vivacious performer. Your role in Chicago, for instance?

Honestly, I didn't like to do taps and Majorettes. My mom made my brother and I do it when we were little. There were judges [laughs] during competitions, and I didn't understand what they were looking for, first of all, and why I had to smile and be so girly. I couldn't stand being in front of an audience and having to act like why I didn't feel. And then wear a tutu or leotard or whatever you want to call it? These little costumes? And act like I was having the time of my life -- when I was totally bored out of my mind, and I didn't want to be there? It didn't last at all. I tapped from 5 to 10, and I hated it. But when I saw Savion Glover in the movie Tap, I was 10-years-old. And that's when I wanted to take that tap, rhythm tap, because it's so cool. He made it seem like something I'd like to do.

Do pangs of stage fright ever crop up?

It's really changed, thanks to my mom. I love being onstage. It has to revolve around something I like to do. Like, if it's a speaking engagement that I'm totally ignorant to, that is very nerve-wracking; I'm very intimidated. I have to know at all times what I'm getting myself into. I love performing, whether it's singing, dancing, but I also want to have the proper rehearsal time. I always want to put on a great show, not just mediocre. So there's stage fright always attached to it? No. It's the jitters. Because you never know what'll happen when it goes live. And I like that too -- when it goes well.

I read that an interaction with Gregory Hines was also an influence on you.

It was before I became a singer. I was about 15 or 16, and I did a solo, and Gregory Hines was there. He was watching me from backstage. He went on at the end of the night, and then he called me out onstage. We started improvising together, and trading and challenging each other, which a lot of tap-dancers do, which made my heart drop. And he's not here anymore, so I really cherish that moment for a legend to call me out onstage. I remember it really well.

Lastly, which of your "Lady Marmalade" co-singers would be the biggest competition if she participated on Dancing with the Stars?

You never know! I really can't say, because anything could happen, and people have talent that is always waiting to be revealed. Pink, first of all, is athletic and she can kick some butt. She has stamina for days, and I hope you guys know that. I wouldn't want to go against Pink, in the ring or on the dance floor.

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