REALITY TV NEWSCarrie Ann Inaba Addresses 'DWTS' Backlash Over Celebs With Dance Backgrounds
Carrie Ann Inaba defended celebrities with dance backgrounds on 'Dancing with the Stars' as Season 35 cast sparked debate.
Sept. 8 2026, Updated 12:11 p.m. ET
Dancing with the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba defended celebrities with dance experience after Jenna Dewan, Harry Shum Jr., and Julia Stiles joined the Season 35 cast.
"What’s difficult — and I don’t think people realize this — is when you go from being a jazz dancer or a hip-hop dancer or all the other forms of dancing [to ballroom], the weight placement is so different," Inaba said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly on Monday, September 7.
Carrie Ann Inaba discussed the challenges experienced dancers faced when learning ballroom.
The judge explained what made the transition challenging for experienced dancers.
"It’s weird because your body has memory, so it remembers how to dance, and it thinks it already knows how to do these moves, but it doesn’t. It takes a lot of time to un-train the body to put your weight on the front more over your toes instead of back and down and grounded," she said.
Inaba also emphasized her point about the competition.
"It’s not as easy as people think," she added.
Carrie Ann Inaba Addressed The Cast's Dance Experience
Carrie Ann Inaba discussed the advantages experienced dancers brought to the 'Dancing with the Stars' competition.
Dewan, Shum Jr., and Stiles drew attention after the Season 35 cast was announced because of their previous connections to dance.
When asked about their experience, Inaba pointed to what they brought to the competition.
They "have an advantage in some ways because they’ve got the rhythm and they’ve got the musicality and they know how to dance," she said.
Inaba also compared their strong skills in learning and remembering choreography to other contestants brought to the competition.
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
Jenna Dewan And Harry Shum Jr. Responded
Jenna Dewan and Harry Shum Jr. faced questions over their dance backgrounds ahead of their 'Dancing with the Stars' debut.
Dewan, who is partnered with Val Chmerkovskiy, addressed the conversation around her casting.
"Let’s be clear. It’s two different languages," Dewan told Entertainment Weekly last week.
"There’s parts of my dance training that’s helpful, obviously. I’ve learned choreography, I can perform, but there is a certain sense of unlearning for me," she added.
Chmerkovskiy also weighed in on the discussion, defending his partner, saying it was "naive to think that this show is just about dance."
Shum Jr., who is partnered with Jenna Johnson, also shared his perspective.
"I think everyone’s idea is like, 'Oh, you dance, so you should be able to dance anything.' And I mean, that’s just not true," he told People.
He further explained his point.
"There are hundreds of styles, not dozens, hundreds all over the world," Shum Jr. said
Julia Stiles addressed questions about her dance experience after joining 'Dancing with the Stars.'
Stiles, who is partnered with Ezra Sosa, also addressed the attention surrounding her dance background after starring in Save the Last Dance.
"I think it’s a bit of a disadvantage," she told Entertainment Weekly.
The 10 Things I Hate About You actress reflected on what followed her dance film.
"To be honest, I stopped taking dance classes after that movie because people expected me to be a great dancer," Stiles said.
"Making that movie, yeah, it was great training and it was a wonderful opportunity, but I felt very, very self-conscious and kind of tense. And I want to let that go," she concluded.
