Season 22 of "Dancing with the Stars" is currently underway, and Nyle DiMarco is said to be an early favourite to win the show.
DiMarco, a deaf actor and model, and his dancing partner Peta Murgatroyd scored high points in Week 1and is tied for first place with Boyz II Men singer Wanya Morris and Linsday Arnold, and "Good Morning America" meteorologist Ginger Zee and her dancing partner Val Chmerkovskiy. All three couples scored 23 out of 30.
Shortly after DiMarco's first performance, his former speech teacher sent a message to his parents apologising for suggesting that he try hearing aids. The message read: "I just want to tell you that your son Nyle was amazing last night on Dancing with the Stars!!! I am in awe of him. I owe him an apology. I suggested he try hearing aids, I guess I will always be a speech teacher… Lol. But he showed me I am so wrong, he did his dancing without any difficulty. He has become a role model for every deaf person. He showed they CAN!!! Congratulations, I have a good feeling that he can win the Mirror Ball!!!"
DiMarco responded to the message on his Twitter page, saying he has no hard feelings. "Touching msg from my speech teacher when I was five," DiMarco wrote. "No wrong or right. It's important to teach ASL& English equally."
A behind-the-scene video of DiMarco and Murgatroyd's rehearsal shows the couple trying to put in place a communication system that will help them during their time together. Although DiMarco was accompanied by his translator, Ramon, Murgatroyd wants him to know it's just the two of them on the dance floor.
"Communication is a huge, huge part of this whole competition," she said, according to Yahoo! "It's only us speaking, only us moving together as one. We've got to make sure we have that down."
"Dancing with the Stars" air Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.
