TV Watch

Dancing With the Stars

Snooki & Pauly D Cheered Up The Situation After Poor Dancing Performance

By Dahvi Shira

09/22/2010 at 12:40 PM EDT

Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino had it rough with only five days of rehearsal going into the Dancing with the Stars season premiere Monday night. And when the judges awarded him and partner Karina Smirnoff with just 15 points out of a possible 30 for their cha cha, it was his Jersey Shore costars who kept him smiling.

"I felt really good when I came home and got a call from Pauly D and a text message from Snooki," Sorrentino told PEOPLE backstage at Tuesday's results show. "They were like, 'You did awesome. We're so proud of you.' It really made me feel good because – I'll be honest – dancing really isn't my strong point."

And if Paul "Pauly D" Delvecchio and Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi are impressed with their pal's dance moves thus far, Sorrentino promises things are only about to get better. "I'm really trying to take that trophy home," he says. "I'm really trying to practice and do my best, and it's starting to show."

Adds Smirnoff, "We have nowhere to go but up."

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