Entertainment

Jenna Dewan Defends ‘DWTS’ Casting Amid Backlash: ‘Step Up’ Star and Ex-Janet Jackson Backup Dancer Says ‘I Do Not Know How to Ballroom Dance’

Variety · September 2, 2026 at 4:53 PM

Jenna Dewan Defends ‘DWTS’ Casting Amid Backlash: ‘Step Up’ Star and Ex-Janet Jackson Backup Dancer Says ‘I Do Not Know How to Ballroom Dance’

When the cast of “Dancing With the Stars” Season 35 was announced on Wednesday morning, a few of the names raised eyebrows among fans of the reality competition series.

The most controversial casting, perhaps, is Jenna Dewan, a professional dancer who started her career as a backup dancer for Janet Jackson and starred opposite Channing […]

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Jenna Dewan Defends ‘DWTS’ Casting Amid Backlash: ‘Step Up’ Star and Ex-Janet Jackson Backup Dancer Says ‘I Do Not Know How to Ballroom Dance’

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