Five minutes with Dancing With The Stars' Jess Quinn (and her mum!)

She’s the darling of the New Zealand fitness scene, and now Jessica Emily Quinn has her sights set on winning the hearts of viewers everywhere on the newest season of Dancing With The Stars.

And with a 167,000-strong Instagram following, we have no doubt the votes for this athletic young woman will be rolling in.

Jess benefits from the ultimate support crew, in the form of her lovely mum, Debby. To celebrate Mother’s Day and the launch of the ultimate wellness companion, the new Fitbit Versa, we chatted with Jess and Debby to find out how Jess is taking a little time out for herself when she’s not training, and what qualities she wishes to inherit from her mum.

Between training for Dancing With The Stars and keeping up with your exercise regimen, you lead a pretty busy lifestyle! What wisdom has your mum passed on about self-care in your 20s?
She’s always reminding me to take time for myself & that my health comes first. My mum is always making sure that even when things are crazy busy that I’m able to take a moment to unwind and relax. She always makes sure that I’m fueled with the foods that make me feel great. I lead a pretty healthy lifestyle food-wise, as it makes me function the best. Mum is always making sure my go-to meals and snacks are there for me when I’m too busy to whip them up myself.

What motivated you to be a part of Dancing With The Stars? What style of dance are you most looking forward to learning?
Although it scared me, DWTS was an opportunity to completely throw myself out of my comfort zone and hopefully inspire some people along the way. But even more than that, it was an opportunity to raise some morning for a charity that means so much to me, the Child Cancer Foundation.

What has been your favourite Mother’s Day memory so far?
Probably the time when Mum made a comment about the shops not being open on Mother’s Day because it was a public holiday! Mum, you're insanely special to us but I don't think Mother’s Day quite makes for a public holiday haha!

What do you and your mum have in common? Be it interests, physical similarities, talents etc.
A lot of people say we are physically similar, especially when Mum was my age. But I think I get a lot of my compassion from my Mum. She is literally the kindest, most thoughtful person in the world. I hope that I have inherited a lot of that from, as well as how to treat other people.

What would you say is your biggest barrier to wellness?
Similar to what I said above, it’s finding that time to look after number one. To keep doing the things that make you feel good & that feed your mind, body & soul.

One for mum – what has been your proudest moment of Jess to date?
There have been so many proud moments, including the latest - starring on Dancing with the Stars! But the one that stands out most is when Jess put on her first prosthetic leg at the age of 10, I’ll never forget that beaming smile.

Another one for mum – what family traditions would you like to see passed down to Jess? Apart from my Secret Chicken Pie recipe - I would hope Jess would continue to follow her dreams.

One of the hero features of the Fitbit Versa is its 4+ Day Battery Life, meaning you don’t have to worry about charging it at the end of every day. How is this feature helpful when it comes to your 24/7 on-the-go lifestyle?
This is probably my favourite feature. With such a busy lifestyle it’s so nice to know that my Fitbit is tracking away daily and I don't have to stop and recharge it every night. Especially because I usually charge my technology at night!

Consider the new Fitbit Versa your ultimate wellness companion, and the perfect pressie to help mum achieve her health and wellness goals this Mother’s Day.

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