Monday, May 19, 2014

Celebrities With ADHD: Karina Smirnoff of ‘DWTS’

What was your doctor's reaction?
He assured me that it's actually very common and nothing to worry about.

He was trying to make me feel better, because he also told me all geniuses have a degree of ADD or ADHD.

I'm still waiting for my genius to come out.

How do you stay focused when you're teaching a new partner to dance on "DWTS"?
I get very impatient because I get distracted. So to avoid getting off track, it's easier to tell my partner, "I have ADHD, and it's something I can handle."

Then I tell them, "I need you to help me, so I can help you." I tell my partners that my ADHD will help us, rather than being an obstacle.

Of course, they think I'm crazy, but I tell them I have enough energy for both of us to train 14-16 hours every day. They're usually not sure if that's a good thing, because they can't imagine being active for that long.

Are there benefits of ADHD?
Yes, we'll goof around or tell jokes and laugh, but ballroom dancing is such a demanding workout that you need a lot of energy and stamina. I think that's why it's perfect for me. I can just keep going and going. It's very rewarding.

And dancing is such a challenge, and each dance is so unique. With every dance you create a new character, dance to new music and do new steps.