Lindsey Stirling and Mark Ballas were lauded for their creative performance on ABCs Dancing With the Stars Monday night, scoring 21 out of 30 points from the judges.
The lighthearted number also held deeper significance for the violinist, who felt that the caterpillar quickstep represented her battle with depression.
Im really excited that were doing something with this whole butterfly motif because Ive always loved the symbolism, said Stirling. In my own past, Ive struggled with depression, and there was a time when I felt so ugly and so worthless. I remember thinking as I worked through therapy feeling like I would rather stay a caterpillar than fight in this cocoon.
Dressed in dark coats and surrounded by tall grasses on stage, Stirling and Ballas symbolized caterpillars at the beginning of their number. As the song progressed, the couple shed their coats for butterfly-inspired outfits and was praised for their style and footwork.
Creative choreography. I loved it, said judge Len Goodman. And this was light. It was bright. It was fun. It was entertaining.
Bruno Tonioli added that the dance was a psychedelic trip, an extravaganza I was never going to expect, and she was flying high.
Stirling and Ballas tied for sixth place with Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev for the evening. But the violinist said that she hoped the performance would inspire others to persevere through their own trials.
I made it through the really dark times, and I want to show that there is light at the end of that tunnel, she said. We can make it through it. I did. Everyone has the chance to feel and be beautiful."
The lighthearted number also held deeper significance for the violinist, who felt that the caterpillar quickstep represented her battle with depression.
Im really excited that were doing something with this whole butterfly motif because Ive always loved the symbolism, said Stirling. In my own past, Ive struggled with depression, and there was a time when I felt so ugly and so worthless. I remember thinking as I worked through therapy feeling like I would rather stay a caterpillar than fight in this cocoon.
Dressed in dark coats and surrounded by tall grasses on stage, Stirling and Ballas symbolized caterpillars at the beginning of their number. As the song progressed, the couple shed their coats for butterfly-inspired outfits and was praised for their style and footwork.
Creative choreography. I loved it, said judge Len Goodman. And this was light. It was bright. It was fun. It was entertaining.
Bruno Tonioli added that the dance was a psychedelic trip, an extravaganza I was never going to expect, and she was flying high.
Stirling and Ballas tied for sixth place with Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev for the evening. But the violinist said that she hoped the performance would inspire others to persevere through their own trials.
I made it through the really dark times, and I want to show that there is light at the end of that tunnel, she said. We can make it through it. I did. Everyone has the chance to feel and be beautiful."