‘DWTS’ Frontrunner Amber Glenn Has Had to Make a Major Decision to Stay in the Competition

Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn became a semifinalist on Dancing With the Stars season 35 and has had to make major adjustments to focus on the reality competition.Amber is dedicating herself to “intense” DWTS rehearsals and weekly live performances alongside her pro partner Pasha Pashkov.During a November 12 interview, she revealed her motivation to help Pasha win his first Mirrorball trophy, acknowledging the immense behind-the-scenes work professional dancers contribute beyond what audiences see.We all know Amber Glenn is a fierce competitor, thanks to her Olympic gold medals. So, it’s no surprise she’s one of the semifinalists on Dancing With the Stars season 35. But what fans might not know is how much she’s given up to keep pushing toward the Mirrorball trophy.According to The Sun, Amber has stepped back from figure skating events to focus on the beloved reality competition. She was most recently removed from the entry list for the NHK Trophy in Japan, which kicks off later this month. It’s the sixth and final event in the Grand Prix regular season and the second figure skating event she’s opted out of at the last minute.Amber also withdrew from this week’s Saatva Skate America competition in Everett, Washington, as she preps for the DWTS semifinals.Christopher Willard//Getty Images“For now, Amber is focused solely on DWTS, which has taken up most of her energy and time with grueling rehearsals and weekly live shows,” the outlet reports.The Olympian is a frontrunner for this year’s coveted prize, up against Maura Higgins, Connor Wood, Harry Shum Jr., Ezra Frech, and Tatyana Ali.During a November 12 appearance on The Zach Sang Show, Amber opened up about what it would mean for her to help her pro partner, Pasha Pashkov, win his first-ever Mirrorball trophy.“That would mean the world because, and I’ve said this before, is that I came into this competition like, of course, who doesn’t want to win?” she said. “But it wasn’t like, ‘I need this because I’ve worked my entire life for it.’ Like, I’ve been dancing for two months. Yes, it has been a very intense, very passionate two months of working, but it has been his whole life that he has been dancing.”She continued, “Imagine how much work I’m putting into it. He’s doing twice that amount because he has to choreograph. He has to do so many, like, visual selections. Like, there’s so much that the pro does for every single show that people don’t see.So yes, it’s about the celeb and who wins, but it also is about the pro.”Though Amber has had to give up some skating for ballroom dancing, there’s a chance she’ll be back on the ice at the Prevagen U.S. Championships later this season in January.In the meantime, we can’t wait to see her crush the DWTS semifinals next week!