Jenna Dewan Fires Back at DWTS Critics: Dancing With Janet Jackson Doesn't Mean She Knows Ballroom

Jenna Dewan is addressing the elephant in the ballroom. The 45-year-old actress and dancer is set to compete on“Dancing With the Stars”Season 35, but some fans are questioning her spot on the show. After all, she’s got serious dance experience from her days as a Janet Jackson backup dancer and her starring role in“Step Up.”But Dewan says that doesn’t make her a ballroom pro.

“Let’s be clear. It’s two different languages,”Dewan said in her defense. She explained that while parts of her training help with learning choreography and performing, ballroom requires her to unlearn habits her body has picked up over years of other dance styles. Her professional partner, Val Chmerkovskiy, is backing her up, noting that the competition is about more than just dance technique. Fellow“Step Up”alum Harry Shum Jr. is facing similar criticism this season, with his partner Jenna Johnson also defending their pairing.

The debate raises an interesting question for fans of the long-running competition. Does prior dance experience give some celebrities an unfair edge, or is ballroom truly a specialized craft that takes everyone back to square one? Dewan seems to think it’s the latter, and she’s not backing down from the challenge. What do you think? Does having a dance background change how you’d judge her performances this season?