TF1 launches, Friday February 16, season 13 of “Dancing with the Stars” (DALS), hosted by Camille Combal with a new addition to the jury, Mel Charlot. Born in Montreal and trained in hip-hop dance, this professional dancer and choreographer will therefore be alongside Chris Marques, Jean-Marc Généreux and Fauve Hautot. Among the personalities who will compete between salsa, rock and rumba: the comedian Inès Reg, the singer Black M, the presenter Cristina Cordula, the former Miss France Diane Leyre, the vocal coach of the Star Academy Adeline Toniutti or even American actor James Denton who played in the series Desperate Housewifes.
franceinfo: The French will discover your face on Friday on TF1 and your voice with this Quebec accent that we will hear. To fully understand the great dancer that you are, tell us which artists you have worked with.
Mel Charlot: It starts strong! So, with Beyoncé, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, P. Diddy, the list goes on!
What greatest memory do you have with Beyoncé?
The fact that I was six months pregnant even though I had been told I wouldn’t get pregnant. I was told it would be the end of my career. So here is.
Were you able to dance six months pregnant?
Yes. For her.
There is also Fauve Hautot, Jean-Marc Généreux and Chris Marques on the jury. You know Jean-Marc Généreux well since you did a television show with him.
Oh yes, he’s like my big brother. I feel like I’m on his territory when I get here.
However, he is not French.
No, but the French like it a lot. He still left his mark on this show.
How did that happen ? The production calls you, asks you to be part of the jury and you say: “Yes” straight away?
Yes that’s exactly it. I received an email and then I said to myself: this must be a joke. I sent it to my manager. I really didn’t expect it. My world is hip-hop, but I think they saw the beautiful work I did on the dance show “Revolution” in Canada, learned a little more about my background and that made sense. I told myself that I had something to share.
You are a hip-hop specialist. Are you still able to judge other dances because there are ballroom dances for example?
Absolutely. In my career, I have been able to touch everything. I was forced. I even did an audition in front of Jean-Marc for the show “So You Think You Can Danse?” when I was younger and we really had to train in all styles. So I was able to really touch the base of each style to be able to talk about it. Then there is my journey as a dance teacher for years, I have been teaching and mentoring for over 20 years.
What more will you try to bring by being a member of the “Dancing with the Stars” jury?
I always say I have the big heart of a mom and the heart of a mentor. That is to say, when I work with my artists, I really want them to feel comfortable and to be able to really push their limits. So I’m going to look at these stars in the same way. I want them to leave with something important and not just for next week, but in their life in general, as an artist.
It seems that you cry easily.
Yes. Yes, it’s true.
I will name some candidates from this season: Cristina Cordula, Inès Reg, Cœheart of Pirate, Keiona who is the winner of “Drag Race France” season 2, Black M, Natasha St-Pier etc. It’s been several weeks since they started rehearsals. Did you see big potential?
Enough, yes, all the same. I think it’s going to be super beautiful because I think they’re surpassing themselves and we’re going to see something new. I think it’s also going to be inspiring for those who don’t know how to dance, to maybe want to dance there now.
Thanks to “Dancing with the Stars”, do you hope to be spotted, either by artists or by producers to get work?
Yes, for sure, I love it! I like to walk, I like to share. I’m also very creative so I love working with artists, I love television sets, tours, etc. So there you have it, I believe in what God is going to take me.
Coming from the other side of the Atlantic, were you familiar with this show? Do you know the artists participating?
So, I knew “Dancing With The Stars”, the American show well and there, I discovered it. I didn’t know the artists. In name, Black M, Cristina Cordula, but not more than that. And that’s what I like because for me, they are all on the same stage, everyone is on the same level in my eyes.
Do you want to be inspiring for dancers who, like you, are approaching forty, who like you, are mothers, to show that you can continue your career?
Absolutely. It comes to me because when I got pregnant, I was told that my career would be over because I was going to become a mother. And it’s very important to say that no, that’s not the case. On the contrary, my career has gone up since my pregnancy. I feel like I got new wings especially since I lost my mother before, which gave me a “down” as they say in Quebec. And that gave me new wings and I feel like there is so much more ahead of me. And what’s more, I can now show my son that it’s possible to follow your dreams, to work hard, to travel, etc.
What does dance mean to you?
It’s my means of communication. I used to hate interviews. I didn’t like talking. And now I like it. But dance was my means of communication, the way in which I can really share a message, things. I am able to put it in motion and make it into something visual so that people talk about it more.
Did you know from the start that you wanted to be a dancer?
I always wanted to be part of dance, but my heart always wanted to be a choreographer and artistic director. Dance, I think it comes along the way.
Watch this interview on video: