Retired softball Olympian Jennie Finch has explained that she refused to dance to Jannelle Monae's "Make Me Feel" on last week's episode of Dancing With The Stars because she thought that the song was a "little too risque."
According to US Weekly, Finch and her dancing partner Keo Motsepe made a last-minute decision to dance to Daphne Willis' "Do It Like This" for their performance, even though her partner already "had the whole choreography done" for Monae's song.
Finch, a mom who has been outspoken about her Christian faith, said she could not dance to Monae's song because she felt it was not a good choice in light of her faith.
"Just as a mom, it's not something we listen to in our house. And my fans, my audience, is young girls," Finch told reporters on May 7, as reported by US Weekly.
"I want to glorify God out there, and that just wasn't a great choice for me to do that."
The song in question includes suggestive lyrics and has been described by some as a "bisexual anthem."
On last week's episode of the show, Finch was seen struggling with the song during the rehearsals before she called the producers to inform them that she could not go through with the performance.
"It's not what I'm about. I need to follow who I am and stand up for what I believe in," Finch said on the show, according to The Kansas City Star.
The Olympian told reporters that she and her partner initially considered changing the words to the song, but ultimately decided on changing it instead.
The Kansas City Star noted that the professional partners are the ones who choose the song, with the help of the show's producers. The song change gave Finch and Motsepe only three days to rehearse a new dance routine.
Finch, who won gold at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, said that she "loved" her performance from last week's episode, but that she was a "little off."
"I knew I rehearsed better than I performed," she said, as reported by US Weekly. "I try to power through things and muscle through them. I'm a pitcher. I explode and so now I have to figure out how to turn that power into grace and elegance," she added.
