Seven Questions with Melissa Rycroft of Dancing with the Stars

Sitcoms Online: Today we have a special “Seven Questions” interview with the very likeable Melissa Rycroft, who of course won Dancing with the Stars: All Stars last fall! Paired with professional dancer Tony Dovolani, Rycroft “waltzed” her way into America’s hearts and into a third place finish on season eight of the hit ABC series Dancing with the Stars (and later on the All-Star edition). Soon after she took on co-hosting duties on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin New Year’s Eve with Ryan Seacrest for ABC, as well as joined ABC News as a special contributor for Good Morning America, delivering fun and uplifting stories from across the country and from Hollywood’s most glamorous red carpets. She has also been a host or reporter for Entertainment Tonight, The Insider, and Bachelor Pad. In the midst of her entertainment career taking off, Rycroft found time to reconnect with the true love of her life, Tye Strickland. In little time the two were married and welcomed daughter Ava Grace to the world. Rycroft first gained fame as a member of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, appearing on two seasons of CMT’s Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team. Then she followed with a stint on The Bachelor. She has graced the cover of the People magazine and was featured among their 100 Most Beautiful People of 2009. Rycroft has also been named to Maxim’s Hot 100 list. Rycroft graduated from the University of North Texas with a degree in marketing and resides in Dallas with Tye and Ava. She had her own CMT reality series last spring called Melissa & Tye, as they packed their bags and moved to L.A.

We talked to her about the Dancing experience obviously, but she is now promoting the launch of the Unconditional Fun Sweepstakes to celebrate the Banana Boat® ultimate fun family! We find out how she got involved with this brand, her experiences on Dancing with the Stars, what she thinks of the Results Show being eliminated next fall and if she has any acting aspirations next. So let’s get right to another installment of “Seven Questions!”

SitcomsOnline: It is so great to finally interview you! We have been a fan and a supporter of yours for quite some time. Hope you remember us and our tweets! Anyway, so glad you have partnered with Energizer Personal Care, the makers of Banana Boat® sunscreen. Can you tell us how you got into this?
Melissa Rycroft: I have always been an active person and was raised in a very athletic family, but since becoming a mom I feel like I’ve been more active than ever! My family really enjoys being outdoors, and during our family fun time outside, I want to be sure we’re protected from the elements. With summer just around the corner, it was the perfect time to partner with Banana Boat® and their Unconditional Fun Sweepstakes to encourage families to get out and experience memorable moments together while protecting their skin from the sun.

Melissa with Tye and Ava

SitcomsOnline: So you mentioned there is a sweepstakes portion for Banana Boat® sunscreen as well. How can families enter and what prizes are in store?
Melissa Rycroft: That’s right! For seven weeks, Banana Boat® is giving families the opportunity to enter to win summer fun prizes including an outdoor swing set, an inflatable waterpark, and bikes for a family of four; and one family will win the ultimate four-day, three-night family getaway to any of the ten U.S. Great Wolf Lodge® Waterpark Resorts. Families can enter to win by uploading a picture of their family having fun in one of the 7 conditions or simply by clicking “Enter to Win” on the Banana Boat brand Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BananaBoatBrand

SitcomsOnline: Your daughter Ava is really an angel and I can’t believe it has been 2 years since she was born! Does she like playing outside in the sun with you and Tye? Using that sunscreen will sure come in handy today in this hot and humid day here in NY. (Note: This interview was conducted last week.)
Melissa Rycroft: Yes! Ava adores being outside in the sun. We love spending time taking family trips to the lake or the beach, or just doing anything outdoors! I also feel like that time outdoors is important not only for building family memories, but also to showing Ava how important a sun protection regimen is to helping keep your skin safe from harmful UV rays. She’s growing up so fast, and I hope that teaching her healthy skin care habits now will give her the tools she needs to continue those habits in the future.

SitcomsOnline: Let’s talk Dancing with the Stars for a bit, you were so great on season eight and then in the All-Star edition. I know you never thought you’d win the all-star edition, but we had a feeling you would. Can you share some secrets from behind the scenes of DWTS that many people probably don’t know about? It seems like such a fun place.
Melissa Rycroft: Dancing with the Stars: All Stars was really an amazing experience, and it definitely topped my first round on dancing–though that’s probably because we won! All around it was a great experience. The cast became so close, rehearsals became fun rather than a chore, and I had a blast with Tony!

SitcomsOnline: Which stars do you think should hit the dance floor on the upcoming fall season?
Melissa Rycroft: You know, I would recommend Dancing with the Stars to anyone and everyone that is considering joining the cast; it’s such a fantastic experience and not one I will ever forget – plus it gets you in incredible shape! I won’t name names, but I can certainly think of a number of people that I would personally love to see hit the floor!

SitcomsOnline: What is your take on the Dancing Results Show being eliminated this fall? How do you think they will handle the elimination process now on the performance show itself? It sounds action-packed!
Melissa Rycroft: I think there are lots of viewers that look forward to the results show (and I know I did as a contestant!), but there will still be two full seasons next year and it will give the competitors more time to train for their dances and competition. As for how they will handle the elimination process moving forward? I guess we’ll all have to tune in and watch!

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SitcomsOnline: Finally, what’s coming up next for Melissa Rycroft? Any more GMA correspondent stories or another series? You need to be on TV every day. Frankly, we think you have the charisma and charm to star in a sitcom…any acting aspirations? Thank you for your time and hope we can actually meet one day!
Melissa Rycroft: Thank you! To be honest, right now I’m enjoying my family time. Summer is definitely the best time to take a few months off and relax with loved ones. We’ll see what’s in store in the future, but right now my focus is on family.

We definitely appreciate Melissa for taking the time to give us an interview to promote Banana Boat® and their Unconditional Fun Sweepstakes. She is so very nice and don’t forget to enter the sweepstakes for your chance to win! That’ll do it for this installment of “Seven Questions,” stay tuned next time for another brand new interview! But first, don’t forget to check out Melissa Rycroft all over the web and social media. Follow her everywhere!

Melissa Rycroft Official Website
Melissa Rycroft on Twitter
Melissa Rycroft on Facebook
Melissa Rycroft on Instagram
Banana Boat Website