How Amber Glenn Unwinds After Dancing With The Stars Rehearsals

Celebrities competing on Dancing With the Stars don’t get much downtime. When they’re not being judged on the ballroom floor, you can find the Season 35 cast rehearsing, doing interviews, making a TikTok, or recovering so they can do it all again next week. “We only have four to five hours in the studio for dancing, but there's so much that goes into each day that it ends up still being packed,” says Olympic gold medalist Amber Glenn.

The 26-year-old is, of course, familiar with an intense training schedule, having just won gold in the figure skating team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. However, Dancing With the Stars presents an all-new experience for the athlete, who is working with a partner for the very first time. “I’m a solo athlete, so having someone that I perform with was something I was very hesitant about,” says Glenn, “but it’s actually been really enjoyable. I am really lucky to have Pasha [Pashkov] as my partner.”

Glenn is also getting used to how quickly she has to move on from week to week. “In skating, if something messes up, I go back, and I correct that exact same thing to do it better next time. With Dancing With the Stars, we’re probably not going to do that move again.”

With such a quick turnaround, winding down matters. Below, Glenn shares how she relaxes after a show day, the recovery products she swears by, and the best advice Pashkov has given her.

Elite Daily: You and Pasha work so well together. How do your Dancing With the Stars rehearsals compare to your skating and Olympic training preparations?

Amber Glenn: As I’ve gotten older, my communication skills with my coaches have definitely progressed and gotten better, but this is a whole new level of that. It’s not just me doing it, so it requires much more communication and more repetition. I really have to rely more on my instructor, who is also my partner.

ED: Are there any muscles that are hurting that you didn’t know existed before?

AG: There have been a few. During Week 4, the rumba, my hips and back were not the happiest. But the main thing is my feet; I’m not loving the heels.

The only competition I’m doing is Dancing With the Stars, and I would hate to hurt myself on the ice and cost both my partner and me an opportunity to keep progressing.

ED: Are you still skating between Dancing With the Stars rehearsals?

AG: I try to get on the ice on Thursdays, Fridays, or Saturdays — no more than an hour and a half each time, because I want to avoid any risk of injury. Skating is unnecessary right now. The only competition I’m doing is Dancing With the Stars, and I would hate to hurt myself on the ice and cost both my partner and me an opportunity to keep progressing. But yeah, it’s a pretty intense week because it’s not just the physical; it’s also the social media and planning for next week.

ED: Walk me through your cool-down routine after a Dancing With the Stars rehearsal.

AG: I’m immediately taking off those dance shoes. With them still on, I sometimes start stretching to make sure I’m countering whatever muscles I just overextended. I always make sure everything stays loose and limber. I don’t go immediately from dancing straight into the car.

Production also added some recovery stuff to the studio, which is really nice, but I have plenty of it at home. I have Normatec and all the Theragun devices. I love taking my Epsom salt baths and then stretching afterward. A lot of times, I make sure I do some deep stretches to decompress everything after a hot shower or bath. We also have a physical therapist on site who we work with a couple of days a week.

ED: Do you have any holy grail recovery or wellness products?

AG: I love all of the different Hyperice devices. They even have Hyperice boots, which are by Nike. I am letting one of the pros try them out right now because she’s pregnant. The brand also has slides with trigger points on your foot. I love using Normatec, which is high compression. There are hip and leg units. It’s really cool the way they get the lactic acid to flow. I also use red-light therapy that’s a heated pad. Since it’s USB-powered, I’ll plug it in the car and put it on my lower back while driving to the studio.

ED: How do you unwind differently after a dance day versus after rehearsing on the ice?

AG: I’m usually much sweatier and warmer after dance rehearsal than on the ice. Not to say I don’t get really warm on the ice, but the climate is different. After I get off the ice, I have to jog around so I don’t get really cold right away. Overall, it is pretty similar, but my partner and I have a bit more discussion while we’re both stretching or trying to loosen up with a foam roller.

ED: Since there’s a lot of adrenaline during the live taping, do you have a hard time winding down afterward?

AG: It’s definitely hard, but I come home to my doggy. We go on our little long walkies and then cuddle up at night. If my dog is sleepy, I’m sleepy and ready for bed.

ED: You and Pasha have consistently been toward the top of the leaderboard. How do you feel after a good performance?

AG: I am so proud of the work that Pasha and I have put in. Almost immediately, though, I’m thinking about the next week’s dance. There are some clips of me running through next week’s routine while I wait for the show to end.

ED: Do you allow yourself to go on social media and see what the fans are saying?

AG: In skating, I limit that a lot, but on Dancing With the Stars, it's part of it. You have to interact with people online, because you're asking them to vote for you. This last week, people have been recreating the trick we did at the very end, and I really appreciate it. I want people to know I see it, and that it’s really cool they’re inspired by something Pasha and I did. I want to connect with people so they can get to know me and hopefully want to vote for me.

ED: What has been the best advice that Pasha’s given you this season?

AG: A lot of it has to do with being in the moment and enjoying the process, not just the end result. Time has flown by, and I love experiencing this new type of performance. I don’t want it to end.

ED: Besides taking home the Mirrorball Trophy, what are you actively manifesting for yourself this year?

AG: The Mirrorball Trophy is No. 1, but I really want to make it to the finale and have an awesome freestyle. There’s no particular dance style you have to follow, so it’s a really cool opportunity to do whatever. It’s something I really, really want to do, and I hope I get the chance.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.