Professional ballroom dancer Kym Johnson spun with Donny Osmond to victory last month in L.A. on the latest season of Dancing With the Stars. Two days later, she hopped a plane to New York to join the cast of Burn the Floor on Broadway. The show, which features ballroom dance, has been around for more than a decade and is now enjoying the popular spillover from TV’s current dance craze. With eight cardio-centric shows a week, it’s not surprising Johnson is tiny, but a restrained New York Diet also keeps her light on her feet.
Saturday, December 5
I always have coffee in the morning. I get a blend from Starbucks and do it in a percolator. I use Splenda and a little skim milk. For breakfast, I had Special K with strawberries and milk and then a fruit salad.
Saturday we have a matinee, normally I go to work and take a snack: A banana or a muesli bar. Then I’ll do the show and have lunch after the show at Pax. They make the salads there for you. I get chicken, feta, avocado, and some balsamic vinaigrette. And normally just drink water.
I also keep a box of fruit roll-ups for snacks.
I went out with the cast afterward to Sardi’s and had grilled salmon with steamed vegetables and a glass of pinot noir. It’s a little place across from the theater. I try to stay away from bread, especially later in the evening and if I’m drinking wine. For energy during the day, I’ll definitely have toast with breakfast, or a turkey sandwich later. While I’m doing the show, you do start to feel really tired. I don’t eat that much before the matinee, and after the show, I’m always hungry.
Sunday, December 6
I had some wheat toast with strawberry jam and coffee.
We have one 3 p.m. show, which is nice because you have the rest of the day. After that, I went to see Hugh Jackman’s play A Steady Rain on Broadway, which was great. Then I had dinner with just a few of the girls at Tony’s di Napoli. I had a caprese salad to start, and a petit filet mignon because I was wanting steak with some vegetables. I generally don’t have dessert, unless I’m in L.A. and my roommate makes his apple crumble. He’s the cook of the house. That’s my favorite dessert, and it’s pretty healthy.
Monday, December 7
I had some toast again with strawberry jam, a Fage Greek yogurt with some honey in it, and coffee.
I met a friend of mine at Five Napkin Burger. They have all different kinds of food there, and I had a California roll.
Later for dinner after the show in my apartment, I had some chicken-noodle soup. I picked it up from the Food Emporium, which is around the corner from our theater. It’s a great place — you can pick up so many things from there. I had a cup of peppermint tea that night.
Tuesday, December 8
I had my cereal again and coffee.
I had a turkey-and-Swiss-cheese sandwich from Pax downstairs. And I bought a spinach-and-leek quiche for later.
I had the sandwich; did the show; came home, and ate my quiche. I shared some little gummy bears with Maks Chmerkovskiy at the show, as well.
Wednesday, December 9
I had my cereal and Greek yogurt again with honey in it.
For lunch, I had a turkey sandwich again. And I picked up a salad already, so it’s what I’ll have after the show. It has lettuce, chicken, feta, beet root, and corn, with balsamic vinaigrette. I have my friends staying from L.A., so I brought a bottle of pinot noir as well. I love going out, but I’m kind of just getting into the show. I’ll start exploring more when my boyfriend comes into town, because it’s more fun when you have someone to go with, and my mum’s in town for Christmas, so I’d like to show her around and take her to nice restaurants.
