Kidsday: Interviewing Zendaya

We talked with Zendaya while she was in Manhattan recently. The 17-year-old plays Rocky Blue on "Shake It Up!" and was just great last season on "Dancing With the Stars." We thought she should have won it all!

You're a successful young woman . . . and have the world at your fingertips. If you had to live your life over again, would you do anything differently and if so, what would it be?

I wouldn't because I'm very young . . . and I think I've made some pretty good decisions so far, and I feel I have a lot more to do. So I think things are going really good, so I probably wouldn't change anything.

What was your favorite move in "DWTS"?

That's a tough one. I think I learned a lot of new moves being on that show. But there's this one called the New Yorker, and it's a ballroom dancing move, and it's pretty tough, but I did them in the cha-cha a lot, and we did them over and over and over again, and I think it looks really cool when you do it right.

What is more demanding to prepare for, episodes of "Shake It Up!" or episodes of "DWTS"?

"DWTS." "DWTS" makes "Shake It Up!" seem like the easiest thing ever. "Shake It Up!" is like school. It's like going to school. Sometimes it hard, and [sometimes] it's easy. But it's pretty much pretty smooth. This is like "DWTS," not like other stuff. It was super hard.

What was your favorite show on the Disney Channel when you were growing up?

"That's So Raven," for sure. I think it's one of the funniest . . . shows that's ever been on the Disney Channel.

What are some of your favorite hobbies?

I would say sleeping -- I'm really, really good at it. I like to do it on my days off. I think it requires a lot of dedication; you have to really take time to do it. So anytime I do get, I definitely try to do it. I can be an Olympic sleeper, actually.

What do you enjoy most about acting on "Shake It Up"?

I think the fact that we have a really cool chemistry, and I think it really comes through on the screen. You can kind of see that we really work well together, and I think we really understand our characters very well, and you can definitely tell.

What inspired you to become a dancer?

Michael Jackson was definitely a big influence in my dancing . . . because obviously he is the best pop artist ever. So I mean there's that factor of him being such an amazing artist; but I think he kind of created a new way of dancing as well, which we use a lot today. "Pop-a-Lock" stuff. I think he was one of those originators of some really original things and moves that we really think are cool now.

So Hannah Montana or Alex Russo?

Oh, man, that's tough because sometimes I wish I was Alex Russo and could just like snap my fingers and make stuff appear. And other times, I wish I was Hannah Montana and I can, like, take off a wig and be two different people. So I don't know, honestly.

What do you like better, dancing, singing or acting?

I think I like them equally because they're all equally parts of myself . . . without them, I wouldn't really be who I am.

Between us, who are you dating right now?

I'm not dating anybody. I'm very focused on my career right now. And recently this year, I was technically allowed to date, but just because you're allowed to date doesn't mean you could be like "I'm going to date everybody." So I'm . . . just cruising.

Has there ever been a time when you wanted to be just a regular kid?

There isn't, because I am a regular kid. . . . So I don't wish, because I am. I don't have to wish for anything that already is here.