EXCLUSIVE: Heather Morris Defends Professional Dance Experience Ahead of 'Dancing With the Stars' Debut

Heather Morris may have already taught her partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy "some moves" ahead of their Dancing With the Stars debut, but the former Glee star says she's not coming into the competition with any advantage.

ET's Jennifer Peros caught up with Morris, a former backup dancer for Beyoncé, in New York City on Wednesday, where she insisted that despite her dance experience, "the competition is completely fair."

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"We did a couple little moves," Morris said of how rehearsals with Chmerkovskiy have been going. "I taught him some moves, but we'll see."

After 15 seasons on DWTS, Chmerkovskiy is a seasoned pro -- but some have argued that with Morris' dance experience, so is she.

"I don't think so at all!" the 30-year-old actress shared. "I think the competition is completely fair. There's a gold medal gymnast! Come on!"

"We'll do our best, dance as hard as we can, and see what happens. I think everybody's gonna do that, too," Chmerkovskiy added. "People are, now season 24, relying on their strengths. I think Chris Kattan is hilarious, can't wait to see him. Charo stole the show today, so that's probably something to look forward to, when she's wild, running around on set. You know, it's gonna be a fun show. We'll contribute the way we can."

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"Charo, for sure [is my biggest competitor]," Morris agreed. "Charo won my heart today, and I know she'll win America's heart."

Though the mother of two is used to performing both on stage and on TV, she says dancing on live television is something completely new.

"I'm excited for the costumes, for sure. The costumes are like, unbelievable. My favorite," she gushed. "I'm a little nervous about it being on live television. You know, people watching from all over the country. It's a little nerve-wracking."

Morris is going to have to get over her nerves, however, if she's going to claim the mirror ball trophy -- which Chmerkovskiy definitely has his eyes on.

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"I got a mantle at home, it has two of [my brother] Val [Chmerkovskiy's] mirror balls, it has two of Peta [Murgatroyd's] mirror balls, it even has a little mirror ball for the baby, and my lonesome mirror ball by itself. It's feeling insecure and needs company, for sure," he confessed. "I just need to get balls evened out, and this is the opportunity. I'm not gonna stop."

Worst comes to worst, Chmerkovskiy says he's got a secret weapon to get him votes: his newborn son, Shai! See more in the video below. 

EXCLUSIVE: Maksim Chmerkovskiy Jokes He'll Use New Baby To Get Votes on 'DWTS' Season 24

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