Jenna Dewan Defends ‘DWTS’ Season 35 Casting

“Dancing With the Stars” has officially unveiled its complete lineup of celebrity contestants for Season 35. Among those included is Jenna Dewan, whose extensive dance background has already sparked questions about whether she has an unfair advantage over her fellow competitors. Now, the “Step Up” star and her professional dance partner are addressing the criticism.

Jenna Dewan is one of the 16 contestants competing in the upcoming season of “Dancing With the Stars.” The actress began her professional entertainment career as a backup dancer for the stars before transitioning to acting. She landed her breakout role in the 2006 dance film “Step Up,” starring opposite Channing Tatum.

Dewan’s casting was met with online backlash, with many saying that her professional dancing experience gives her an unfair advantage over the other contestants.

The actress acknowledged the online comments in an interview, saying, “I do not know how to ballroom dance. Let’s be clear. It’s two different languages,” she told Entertainment Weekly.

She further stated that her dance background is somewhat helpful, but noted that she also has to unlearn a few things. “It’s a new technique, brand new technique,” she said, adding that ballroom dancing isn’t the same as the dancing style that she is used to.

The Actress Was A Backup Dancer For Janet Jackson

Dewan appeared in two Janet Jackson music videos, “Doesn’t Really Matter” and “All For You,” before travelling the world with the iconic singer as one of her backup dancers for the All For You World Tour from 2001 to 2002.

The dancer said it was always her dream to dance for Jackson. “I was a teenager. I was like, ‘That’s all I want.’ When it happened, I just couldn’t even believe it,” she gushed, adding that she and the singer remain “really good friends.” She’s hoping to dance to one of Jackson’s tracks in the ballroom.

Apart from Jackson, Dewan also danced for other artists, including Christina Aguilera, Missy Elliott, Mandy Moore, and Toni Braxton.

Val Chmerkovskiy Speaks Out About ‘High Expectations’ Of Jenna Dewan

Val Chmerkovskiy is Dewan’s pro dance partner, and he is aware of the buzz surrounding the former backup dancer and the “high expectations” of her. “We’re going to do our best. There’s no guarantees,” he said.

Chmerkovskiy said the audience is entitled to their own opinion, but they will approach the competition with gratitude and enjoy each other’s company while they train. “No amount of dance experience can give you that. So I think that’s our secret weapon. I think there’s a real human connection here, between the two of us, that we’re excited to share with the world,” he told PEOPLE.

Dewan said that ballroom dancing “feels really foreign” for her despite her background, and she decided to join “DWTS” to challenge herself.

Some Former ‘DWTS’ Contestants Also Had Dance Backgrounds

Dewan isn’t the first competitor on “DWTS” with a dance background. Prior seasons also featured celebrities who were not new to dancing.

In Season 24, Heather Morris, who was a professional backup dancer for Beyoncé before starring as cheerleader Brittany S. Pierce in “Glee,” ended up in 8th place.

Former Broadway dancer and Radio City Rockette Amanda Kloots also competed in Season 30, finishing in fourth place.

Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger, who had extensive training in dancing and performing arts, competed in Season 10 and took home the Mirrorball Trophy.

Other former contestants who had experience in dancing before joining the show include Charli D’Amelio, Jordan Fisher, JoJo Siwa, Zendaya, Mel B, Lance Bass, and Normani, to name a few.

The Complete Cast Of ‘DWTS’ Season 35

Four competitors were revealed before the official cast announcement: Ciara Miller, Maura Higgins, Jackson Olson, and Guillermo Rodriguez.

On September 2, the full cast for “Dancing With the Stars” was announced live on “Good Morning America.” Apart from Dewan, other stars include Amber Glenn, Conner Leavitt, Connor Wood, Ezra French, Giada De Laurentiis, Harry Shum Jr., Julia Stiles, Sarah Jane Nader, Tatyana Ali, and Taylor Hanson.

“DWTS” Season 35 will kick off with a two-night premiere on September 15 and 16, with new episodes airing live on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.