LOS ANGELES, CA Jenna Dewan is stepping into the ballroom for the upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars, but her casting is already generating conversation among fans who believe her extensive dance background could give her an advantage in the competition.
The 45 year old actress, best known for her work on The Rookie, was announced Wednesday, September 2, as a contestant on Season 35 of the popular ABC competition series. Dewan will be partnered with longtime professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy.
While the announcement brought excitement from many fans, it also sparked debate across social media.
Before becoming widely known as an actress, Dewan built an impressive career as a professional dancer. She famously worked as a backup dancer for Janet Jackson and later showcased her dance abilities on the big screen in the 2006 hit film Step Up, where she starred opposite Channing Tatum.
Her history in dance has led some viewers to question whether she enters the competition with an advantage over celebrities who have little or no formal dance training.
The discussion is familiar territory for Dancing with the Stars, which has previously cast entertainers with varying levels of experience in dance, music, theater and live performance. The series traditionally places celebrities from different professional backgrounds alongside trained ballroom dancers as they learn new routines and compete for viewer votes and judges’ scores.
Dewan’s participation could make her one of the most closely watched contestants of the season. While her professional background may provide familiarity with choreography, ballroom dancing brings its own technical demands, from specific footwork and posture to mastering entirely different styles week after week.
Her partnership with Chmerkovskiy is also expected to attract attention. As one of the show’s most recognizable professional dancers, he has competed through numerous seasons and has built a reputation for ambitious choreography and memorable performances.
For Dewan, the new season provides an opportunity to return to the dance floor in a very different setting from the music videos, concert stages and movie sets that helped launch her career.
Whether audiences see her experience as an advantage or simply another element of the competition, one thing is already clear. Jenna Dewan will be entering Season 35 with plenty of attention surrounding her before she performs her first routine.
With the conversation already heating up, viewers will soon get the chance to decide for themselves how Dewan’s dance history translates to the Dancing with the Stars ballroom.
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