First Published: November 15, 2013 5:57 PM EST Credit: ABC
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- 
Caption Emma Slater, Bill Engvall and Peta Murgatroyd on ‘Dancing,’ Nov. 11, 2013With their fun dances delighting the “Dancing with the Stars” voters week after week, Bill Engvall and Emma Slater know they might make it to the finals. But, if for some reason they don’t, they can handle it.
“I’ve never had any illusions of [ever] getting this far, but now it’s like, I know that we have a legitimate shot of being seriously in the finals and even winning this thing,” Bill told Access Hollywood when we visited him and Emma during rehearsals this week. “But, if something happens and we don’t, I am so fine with it because I’ve exceeded mine and everybody else’s expectations where they thought I’d end up on this thing.”
Emma complimented her partner, telling Access, “He’s turned into quite a dancer.”
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“His movement in his hips has magnified by a lot,” she added.
And being on “Dancing” this long has had benefits beyond turning Bill into a dancer.
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“I started this season wearing a size 35 jeans and now I’m down to a 32, which I haven’t worn since college,” Bill said. “It’s the best workout I’ve ever had in my life, and that’s one of the perks of this, but I gotta tell you, without her pushing me, I don’t know that I would’ve pushed myself that hard.”
Bill said one of the reasons he’s worked so hard is he didn’t want to use his age (he’s 56) as an excuse for slacking in the studio.
“I push myself to the point of tears sometimes,” he said. “I just really want to do this and I want to do it right. Just like with my standup or my acting. I want people to go, ‘Wow. Look what he did.’ Am I the best dancer on the show? Not by far, but I guarantee ya I’m having as much fun as anybody and I’m trying just as hard, if not more than anybody else.”
“DWTS” continues Monday night at 8/7c on ABC.
-- Jolie Lash
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