Dovolani was the winner of the “All-Stars” season on the reality dancing competition, Dancing with the Stars (Season 15), where he was partnered with Melissa Rycroft. He also opened up about the digital transformation of the entertainment business, family, his non-profit organization, and the longevity in dancing and entertainment.
When asked what motivates him each day, Dovolani shared, “I never need to be motivated. I wake up motivated. I’m motivated by life, which is great and wonderful. I’ve lived an incredible life. I’ve had a lot of challenges, but I’ve always faced them with a smile on my face. Always know that life gets better. If you keep an optimistic mind, you are always going to do well. Keep working and stop looking at Instagram, and social media. What people put on social media is not the actual reality. They are showing you the fake side of the truth.”
Dovolani is very excited for his hosting gig, where he will serve as the celebrity guest host for a popular show at the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. This hosting gig kicks off today on April 19 to May 27, 2018, and it will last for six weeks. Being the natural dancer that he is, Dovolani is introducing his own choreography to the show. “I really do love hosting,” he admitted. “I love being able to talk to people, and getting to know people.”
Following this hosting gig, Dovolani revealed that he will be going on cruise to the Caribbean, where he can teach fans how to dance. His wife will be coming along with him, so it will be a true family event; moreover, he would also like to return to Dancing with the Stars at some point, as a judge or guest dancer. It would also be a cool feeling for Dovolani if all of the original professional dancers on the dance competition reunite for a reunion. He also hopes to bring back Sway: A Dance Trilogy in the future.
Particularly impressive about this six week commitment is that he is donating a portion of his salary to the “Tony Dovolani Foundation: Golf for Special Needs Children,” which is a cause that hits home to Dovolani, since his son Adrian, was diagnosed with autism at 18 months old. For Dovolani and his wife, having a child with special needs is a blessing, since it opened their eyes to a lot of wonderful things in life that they may have overlooked, and he credits Adrian for making him a better person.
Regarding the key to longevity in dancing and entertainment, the 44-year-old dancer said, “Honestly, I never look back to see what I have accomplished. I am always interested in what’s next. My dad told me something a long time ago, that I truly live my life by. The windshield is far more exciting that the rear-view mirror. If you keep staring in a rear-view mirror, you are probably going to get into an accident.”
Digital transformation of entertainment business
On the impact of technology on the entertainment business, Dovolani said, “Technology has changed the entertainment in many different ways: It gave the audience an inside look in entertainer’s daily lives. Before you saw the entertainers only on stage or in the movies. Now, you are actually seeing them on a day-to-day basis, and you feel you are a part of their lives on a daily basis.”
Dovolani continued, “I understand that technology is really moving in the streaming services and binge-watching direction. Most people don’t realize that when you are doing that, you are actually separating your family. In our family, we make sure we have dinner together, and find a show on TV that we all watch together once a week. I have an old-fashioned thought process to it. Although I embrace the new technology, at the same time, you can’t completely disconnect yourself to what has actually worked for years.”
Speaking of family, Dovolani, who was born in Kosovo, holds his wife, Lina, in the highest regards, for holding his family together at home. “As an Albanian, the term ‘goddess’ is the perfect description for my wife. For me, she’s my princess,” he said.
To learn more about professional dancer Tony Dovolani, follow him on Twitter.
Read More: Tony Dovolani chatted with Digital Journal about his Dancing with the Stars experience, and Sway: A Dance Trilogy.
