Taking more time to practice his moves

By David Zurawik | Sun television critic

April 7, 2008

Last week, 20.5 million people tuned in to ABC's Dancing With the Stars and saw Mario's worst performance of the season. The Baltimore-born singer's version of the tango brought him and partner Karina Smirnoff within a hair's breadth of elimination.

Standing onstage during Tuesday's night's results show waiting to hear his fate was excruciating, and he learned a lesson about preparation, the 21-year-old performer said in his weekly conversation with The Sun.

He also said he has "rededicated" himself to the show and vows he's going to be back stronger than ever tonight, dancing the pasodoble.

"This week has definitely been planned out better -- and I've now made the show my No. 1 priority," Mario said, referencing mounting concerns he had voiced in previous Sun interviews about spending enough time in rehearsal with Smirnoff while crisscrossing the country performing as a singer.

"I'm not asking people because of my busy schedule to have mercy or pity on me -- no, not at all," he insisted. "I simply underestimated the time it takes to do this right. But it's all good. I got some constructive criticism from the judges, and it's only going to make me stronger."

Mario says he'll be dancing tonight to the song "Higher Ground" by Stevie Wonder -- and, so far, he is finding the pasodoble easier than the tango.

"The tango is not an easy dance to learn, and the pressure is there because everybody assumes because of my music career, I'm going to be perfect every time," he said. "Plus, Karina is amazing at what she does, but this girl's choreography is not the easiest in the world."

As to what it was like standing onstage with one other couple waiting to hear which would be eliminated, Mario says it was a nightmare that he is not eager to repeat.

"When you are one of the last two on the stage, you really feel -- really feel it," he said. "Look, if it wasn't for those black ballroom pants I was wearing, I might have had a problem. ... I was so nervous, I might have peed on myself."

david.zurawik@baltsun.com