New DWTS contestant Gabby Windey reflects on her bachelorette experience as Rachel Recchia sends love

By Judy J. Beasley Last updated Sep 9, 2022

Another Bachelorette is heading to the ballroom!

Dancing with the stars announced Thursday that Bachelorette Gaby Windey will participate in the upcoming 31st season with Val Chmerkovsky. Windey, 31, told PEOPLE during a post-cast-revel virtual roundtable that she thinks DWTS will be “different in a good way” from his experience on The single person and the bachelorette.

“I feel like I’m lucky to have a momentum,” Windey said of taking part in the dance competition series after her run as The Bachelorette. “I think I’ve grown so much in the last two seasons that now I can really challenge myself in a different way. I think there’s a lot of real vulnerability that comes with that position, because nobody doesn’t know what you’re doing, plus you have to play live, so that was a good kind of base for that.

THE BACHELORETTE – Ahead of the season premiere of The Bachelorette, press, influencers, Bachelor Nation fans and more boarded the FantaSEA One Yacht in Marina Del Rey, Calif., to celebrate the historic season Bachelorette doubles with the leading ladies themselves, Gabby Windey and Rachel Rechia. After the red carpet arrivals, guests were treated to a memorable photo op with the iconic red convertible, a preview of the first episode, an on-water reception and giveaways. (Frank Micelotta/ABC via Getty Images) RACHEL RECCHIA, GABBY WINDEY

Frank Micelotta/ABC/Getty

Co-leader of Windey on the bachelorette Rachel Rechiawho had previously pleaded for Windey to join DWTSshowed her support for the casting of the intensive care nurse on Instagram, writing in her Story on Thursday, “Absolutely blissful!!!”

Windey told reporters she has yet to contact the former Bachelorettes and Dancing with the stars winners Hannah Brown and Kaitlyn Bristowebut added, “I absolutely should. I need all the advice I can get!”

RELATED VIDEO: Co-Bachelorettes Gabby Windey & Rachel Recchia Open Up About Coming First This Season

Although Windey worked for five years as a Denver Broncos cheerleader, she felt that experience “just doesn’t translate.”

“Don’t think I’m one step ahead,” she warned fans, “because I’m here to tell you I’m not.”

The Illinois native has another reality star on the DWTS Season 31 Cast: The Real Housewives of New Jerseyit is Therese Giudice. “I definitely tried to be next to her and on her good side and right next to her,” Windey said of the Bravo star. “But she doesn’t really bite.”

The season finale of Windey and Recchia, 26, airs Tuesday, and while Windey won’t reveal the ending, she teased how she feels now.

“I can say I’m happy,” she said. “Bacheloris really emotional. It was difficult in so many ways that you really have to get to know yourself, make yourself vulnerable, try to make the right decision that’s best for you at that time. So I feel like now getting into something more physical, a little bit more fun and a challenge in a different way, I think it’s going to be a good shift in gear a bit to kind of balance the high emotion from my last experience. All in all, I have no regrets and would do it again, just kidding!”

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Dancing with the stars Season 31 premieres Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. ET on Disney+.