Palin says she came into the competition believing in herself, and her success just reinforced and strengthened that. "I'm just thankful to have that newfound confidence," she says.
Massey, 19, another big underdog 10 weeks ago, also remarked on how much he's grown during the competition. "I came in with zero experience," he says. "You learn so much. Just being around the professional dancers, it's like, they teach without even knowing they're teaching."
Finally, Grey, 50, the most experienced of the finalists, nonetheless spoke about how difficult the relentless schedule has been. But it was all worth it in the end, she says.
"I think that the fatigue and the physical stuff that I had to go through was really hard," she says. "But what I learned was that, actually, it's just pain. And pain is passing. And this joy, I will never forget."
Source: PEOPLE
