Dancing with the Stars pro Emma Slater has addressed whether she'll be returning to the ABC reality dancing competition.
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After more than a decade of performing as a pro partner on Dancing with the Stars, Emma, 37, spoke to her Season 34 celebrity partner, Andy Richter, about potentially calling it quits.
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Emma -- who joined Dancing with the Stars as a pro partner for Season 17 in 2013 -- shared how she's had "the most incredible career" during a recent appearance on SiriusXM's Three Questions with Andy Richter podcast.
When Andy pointed out that "dance is a cruel business, in ageism terms," Emma completely agreed.
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"Totally! And for women, too, oh my god! It's hard," noted Emma, who has competed in 17 seasons.
Emma went on to recall, "Actually, someone came up to me last week and was like, 'Are the rumors true?' and I was like, 'What rumor?'"
"They said, 'Are you retiring this year?'" she continued. "And I could see how a rumor like that would be started, because most people are probably looking at me going, 'Gosh, she's the old girl now.'"
Emma admitted she's a little "insecure" about the wear and tear she's put on her body over the years.
"I'd love to be like, 'I'm still hot and young and my body doesn't ache, and I can hang with all these new ones!'" Emma confessed.
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But Emma clarified, "I want to go as long as I can go for," in terms of what her body and spirit will allow.
Emma said she's excited to "embrace" the personality and authenticity of her future Dancing with the Stars partners.
"That's what I want to do. I like that... As long as I feel authentic and comfortable, I want to go for as long as possible," the blonde beauty confirmed.
The choreographer revealed that she worries Dancing with the Stars will end up letting her go when she's not ready to leave.
"I would like it to be on my decision [and on my terms]. But I've just decided that I'm going to expect to be there, and then if and when they say, 'You're not so much invited anymore,' I'll conquer that when it happens," Emma noted.
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"I guess, in my mind, you put limitations on yourself, thinking, 'Well, how many years do I have?' I'm just going to keep going, and then try to take out that restriction and limitation on myself until I don't have the use of what they're looking for, and then I'll try to stick around in some other form."
Emma gushed about how the Dancing with the Stars brand is "doing so well" and she'd love to take on a different role one day.
"I love it so much. I would like to morph into -- so I hosted the Dancing with the Stars tour and I absolutely loved doing that... [or] I would like to produce," Emma said.
"So maybe I'll be like, 'Make me a producer!' or something."
Emma shared how her "secret" to success after 13 years on the show is how she treats her partners.
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"I will embrace them and make my entire world about bringing them forward and making them feel amazing, and that's probably the lifeline saving me," she said.
Emma quipped in conclusion, "And then as soon as I feel like I'm going to be choked out, I'll pull the ageism thing: 'This is what Hollywood does to women as they age!'"
RELATED LINK: 'DANCING WITH THE STARS' PROS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS: WHO'S DATING OR MARRIED TO WHOM!? (PHOTOS)
Emma has won only one mirrorball trophy, and it was with NFL player Rashad Jennings on Season 24.
Before Emma became a pro on Dancing with the Stars, she served as a member of the show's dancing troupe in 2012.