‘DWTS: The Next Pro’: Robert Irwin Reflects on Cast’s ‘Out-of-Body Experience’ at Australia Zoo

On the August 10 episode of Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro, the remaining six contestants will head to the Australia Zoo with host Robert Irwin for a special day off amid the chaos of the competition.

“I wanted to kind of give them a day off to find a bit of inspiration,” Irwin told TV Insider. “I found, for me, when I was doing Dancing With the Stars, I was out of my element, out of my comfort zone. What I did to kind of rejuvenate was just find any sort of green space, go on a hike, dive, just do something outdoors. And I wanted to give them that opportunity to spend a day with the koalas and the rhinos and giraffes in a beautiful botanic garden sanctuary that is the Australia Zoo.”

The wildlife conservationist called the outing “so special,” noting that some contestants (particularly Nina Mayster) “had this out-of-body experience seeing a koala for the first time.” He added, “To watch that connection, to watch her face just light up, reminds me this is why I do what I do. It’s to give people that beautiful, heartwarming experience.”

Disney/Vince Valitutti

Comparing his work at the zoo to that of the pro dancers, Irwin said, “[Dancers] are giving us this incredible artistic expression through passion and the love for the craft, and I get to do the same thing, but through nature and wildlife. It was very special. Dance and wildlife conservation couldn’t be more separate, but the people involved in these two walks of life are identical. It’s exactly the same. It’s passionate people that give everything to try and bring others on a journey. There are so many similarities, it’s really quite strange, actually.”

In the clip above, Irwin welcomes Nina, Allen Genkin, Erik Linder, Selena Hamilton, Adele Zaikman, and AJ Pritchard to the zoo for their visit with a snake around his neck. While introducing the group to a two-ton rhino, he explains how the experience correlates with their task for the week: choreographing a “wow” moment into their dance routines.

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“You can see the [rhino’s] undeniable power. He could be explosive, but he chooses not to be,” Irwin points out. “In a ‘wow’ moment, it’s easy to just go crazy, but you’ve still gotta have that real control and presence.”

Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro, Mondays, 8/7c, ABC