AJ McLean’s dancer daughter offered him ‘DWTS’ tips: “I will take all the help I can get”

ABC/Laretta HoustonBefore AJ McLean was on Dancing with the Stars, he was a Dance Dad. His eldest daughter, seven-year-old Ava, dances competitively, but now she’s cheering her dad on as he competes for the Mirrorball trophy.AJ tells ABC Audio h…

By ABC Audio on October 5, 2020

ABC/Laretta HoustonBefore AJ McLean was on Dancing with the Stars, he was a Dance Dad.

His eldest daughter, seven-year-old Ava, dances competitively, but now she’s cheering her dad on as he competes for the Mirrorball trophy.

AJ tells ABC Audio his daughter has offered to help him with his ballroom dancing, which he calls “the sweetest thing in the world.”

“My quick answer to her was, ‘Thank you. I will take all the help I can get. But this is a little bit more intricate than what you’re learning. But I’ll take any little bit of help that I can get,’” he says.

“My daughter is a fantastic dancer,” he adds. “I mean, she really is. She has the gift, the God-given talent, man.”

It’s not just Ava that’s rooting for AJ: he’s got his daughter’s whole dance community behind him.

“All of her dance friends, all of the moms, which are all Backstreet Boys fans, they’re all, like, loving it,” AJ says. “And all of my daughter’s dance teachers are super proud and are all going to be rooting for me. So, you know, shout out to Bobbie’s School of Dance. Thank you, guys.”

Tonight will be the moment Backstreet Boys fans are waiting for — AJ will be dancing the Cha Cha to BSB’s “Larger than Life.”

Dancing with the Stars airs at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

By Andrea Tuccillo
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