'Dancing With the Stars': Orem dancing pro on TV hit show

The two most popular dancing programs on television are "So You Think You Can Dance" and "Dancing With the Stars." Chelsie Hightower has been on both of them.

In July 2008, the 20-year-old Orem woman tied for fifth on "SYTYCD"; in January 2009 she made her debut on "Stars" as one of the professional dancers, partnering with champion rodeo cowboy Ty Murray.

She returns for her second season on that ABC hit tonight (7 p.m., Ch. 4), partnering with another sometime Utahn — snowboarder Louie Vito.

"I still think reality hasn't hit me yet," Hightower told the Deseret News. "It still feels like I'm just dancing in a competition."

A champion ballroom dancer, Hightower caught the attention the producers of the ABC show when she competed on the Fox show.

"They contacted me the day I got home from (the 'SYTYCD') tour," she said. "The rest is history."

But her second TV show is a very different experience.

"Yes, in every way," Hightower said. "You're not worried about yourself anymore. All of your stress and all of your nervousness before your performance is for your celebrity."

"SYTYCD" was "easier in a way because you only had to worry about you. The choreography didn't fall on you, the costumes didn't fall on you, the other person dancing didn't fall on you. But on this show, it's completely opposite. Everything does fall on you at the end of the day because you are the teacher and you do make the last call on everything. So there's more pressure.

"When it comes to the actual competing part, definitely 'So You Think You Can Dance' was a lot harder. But going out on the stage being nervous for your (celebrity), that's actually a different feeling."

Hightower has been a dance instructor since she was 16.

"If I hadn't had all that experience, I would really be a duck out of water," she said. "But you don't really teach thinking you're going to be on national TV teaching. It's pretty amazing that that's how it's worked out."

And it's a challenge to train nondancers.