DWTS Season 35 partners Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Dewan are responding to the online backlash.
Shortly after Dancing With the Stars dropped the official cast lineup for Season 35, comments lit up claiming Jenna had an unfair advantage.
The Rookie actress began her dance career in 2001 as a backup dancer for Janet Jackson on tour. She also danced and toured with Christina Aguilera, Pink, Missy Elliott, *NSYNC, and Ricky Martin.
Jenna also starred in the 2006 hit movie Step Up, where she met her former husband, Channing Tatum.
However, while she may be a professional dancer, that doesn’t mean she’s a professional ballroom dancer.
“I own it,” Jenna told E! News on Sept. 2.
“There are certain aspects of it: I have performed before, I can learn choreography,” she continued.
And turns out, ballroom is a totally different ball game.
“Ballroom is a whole different language,” Jenna explained.
“It’s actually very, very challenging for me, and I wanted that challenge. That was one of the biggest reasons I wanted to come and do this. I haven’t trained this hard in so many years and to do it in a new, different way, in this way, it was the right timing.”
Being a professional dancer is an advantage in the competition, yes. But it’s not the only metric needed to win the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
In addition to judges’ scoring, the couples must captivate the audience both in the ballroom and outside of it on social media.
ICYMI, Dancing With the Stars kicks off with a two-night premiere Sept. 15 and 16 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC!
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