Jenna Dewan knows her dance background may change how the Dancing With the Stars judges view her performances. The actress knows that the judges are expecting more from someone who has professional experience in dancing. Still, she says she remains new to the ballroom world. For Dewan, the experience means much more than the numbers on the scoreboard.
Jenna Dewan explains why her dance background may affect her Dancing With the Stars scores
Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy earned 21 out of 30 points during the Sept. 29 episode. After the show, Dewan spoke with E! News about the judges’ expectations. She said they “probably innately” hold her to a higher standard because of her dance background. Dewan also admitted she knows judges might expect something different from her.
“There’s a certain sense of expectation of somebody who has a dance background coming onto the show,” Dewan told the outlet. She said the judges may look for something she and Chmerkovskiy still need to work on. She also wondered if they might want her to give “less of” something. Dewan admitted, “I don’t know,” when discussing exactly what the judges want.
Dewan may have years of dance experience, but ballroom remains new territory for her. She danced to Toto’s “Africa” with Chmerkovskiy during the latest episode. “I don’t understand how all that works,” she said about the scoring. Still, Dewan said they will keep doing their best and showing their “joy” and “love” for dancing together.
The scores also do not indicate what Dewan wants out of the show. The 45-year-old actress said, “It’s the most fun I’ve had maybe in the last 30 years.” Dewan also reflected on returning to dance at this point in her life. “I can’t believe that, at 45, and this chapter of my life that dance is still finding me again,” she said.
Chmerkovskiy also believes they should focus on improving rather than seeking approval. “I respect the judges,” he said. “We just got to get better.” He added that they can feel hungry for validation after putting in so much work, but “we could validate ourselves.” Dewan and Chmerkovskiy will continue their DWTS journey while focusing on their progress.
