Fresh Prince of Bel-Air fans, Alfonso Ribeiro is listening! The actor who made the character Carlton Banks come to life on the ’90s sitcom opposite Will Smith is set to compete on season 19 of Dancing With the Stars, and Ribeiro isn’t above breaking out in his famed “Carlton” routine to win votes. “We’ll get [into] just a little bit,” Ribeiro confirms in a new rehearsal video released by ABC.
“I am ready to have fun and win this thing! A mirrorball is in my future — I see it,” Ribeiro, 42, teases, evoking a bit of his sitcom alter-ego, who loved to dance to Tom Jones‘ “It’s Not Unusual.”
Though his rehearsals with pro Witney Carson (So You Think You Can Dance) are filled with laughs, the actor tells Us Weekly he’s anxious to prove his worth as a true DWTS contender.
“What’s really important to me is doing the dances the show is known for,” Ribeiro said at DWTS‘ Sept. 4 casting announcement. “I want to show whether I can dance or not before it becomes more silly and less serious.”
In the meantime, Ribeiro is just worried about maintaining his stamina through Carson’s grueling pre-show rehearsals. “We start out in the beginning and I’m good, and by the end I’m searching for oxygen,” admits the star. “My biggest [dancing] improvement is just in how much my body hurts!”
