Jenna Dewan and her professional dance partner Valentin Chmerkovskiy have broken their silence following their surprising elimination from Season 35 of ‘Dancing With the Stars’ on Grammy Night. The duo, who had consistently scored high marks from the judges, were sent home one week before the semifinals, a decision that has sparked discussion among fans and fellow competitors.
Dewan and Chmerkovskiy React to Unexpected Exit
Despite achieving the second-highest score for their jazz routine to Janet Jackson’s “All for You” and securing bonus points in a dance-off, Dewan and Chmerkovskiy did not advance. “Every week is a shocker. It’s very competitive. A lot of great couples out there,” Chmerkovskiy told Extra. “Definitely a sad result, but no regrets. I thought we had a great season.” Dewan echoed this sentiment, stating, “I don’t honestly know” the precise reason for their elimination, but speculated that “online noise and all the stuff that comes with the show” might have played a role. She added, “I know we went out there and had the best time of our life.” Both expressed well wishes for the remaining contestants heading into the semifinals.
‘DWTS’ Community Weighs In on Elimination
The unexpected exit of Dewan and Chmerkovskiy did not go unnoticed by their fellow ‘DWTS’ contestants. Several semifinalists expressed surprise at the elimination. Pasha Pashkov commented, “Of course, we were surprised,” while Amber Glenn noted the unpredictable nature of viewer voting at this stage of the competition. Mark Ballas, a veteran of the show, recalled similar shocking eliminations from past seasons, stating, “The eliminations are always hard.” Some fans, however, have directed criticism towards Val Chmerkovskiy’s reaction to the elimination, with some perceiving his post-elimination comments as self-centered and failing to acknowledge his partner, Jenna Dewan.
Season Controversy and Future Dance Endeavors
Dewan and Chmerkovskiy’s season was not without its controversies. Earlier in the competition, Valentin Chmerkovskiy received a one-week suspension for social media comments made about judge Carrie Ann Inaba. Addressing their future, both Dewan and Chmerkovskiy indicated that their dancing partnership is far from over. In a video posted to Instagram, Chmerkovskiy playfully suggested, “First of all, we’re friends, we can dance anytime,” and asked Dewan if she wanted to dance the next day, to which she enthusiastically agreed. “We don’t need your votes. We can still dance,” Chmerkovskiy added, expressing gratitude for the support received throughout the season.
The Chenab Times News Desk
