Barry Williams, 69, on ‘Dancing With the Stars’: ‘I’m Happy to Be Advancing’

Q: You have said that you wanted to be on the show for a long time and it was on your bucket list. Why was it so important?

A: It’s such a great combination of energies — the ballroom dancing, learning something that’s outside my wheelhouse. So the challenge, I think, really appealed to me. The entire production is a very stimulating show to be a part of. Most of the 500 people that work on this show have been here more than 10 years, and many have been here since the beginning.

Q: You seem to be the sentimental fan favorite, which has got to feel great and give you a little bit of a boost.

A: You bet it does. It’s validating. You know, all these years, people tell me that they grew up with me. And, of course, that goes both ways. I grew up with them. And this is an audience that, whether it’s through my music or through my theatrical productions or through television, that have stayed with us, and now they’re coming through.

Barry Williams on the set of 'Dancing With the Stars.'

Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty Images

Q: What has been the most challenging part so far?

A: So much of the responsibility has to do with attitude and enthusiasm and energy, and I’m just full of it. I’m really, really happy to be here and happy to be advancing. I’ve got the greatest partner [DWTS pro Peta Murgatroyd]. I love the way that we approach the music. Because it’s not just steps, it’s not just counting, Peta brings all the strict ballroom technique, but we start off listening to the music, understanding it, learning its builds, its bridges, its own emotion. And then we apply the steps to the music, and then we talk about characters because she and I are both interested in interpreting the song as well. Those are roles. It’s your characters, those people that we're playing, and it’s a very full experience.

Q: You’re getting ready for Whitney Houston Night, where you will do a rumba to “Didn’t We Almost Have It All.” How are you feeling going into next week?

A: The rumba is a wonderful dance. It’s a smoother dance, which I enjoy, and there is a frame for some of it. … I’m looking forward to this day of rehearsal, because there are a lot of things I want to go home with tonight. But it’s a wonderful song to be dancing and interpreting, and we’re looking forward to it.