Why Jenna Dewan Wasn’t “Bitter” About Val Chmerkovskiy’s Suspension

“I kept going back to my kids,” she continued. “When the mid-season suspension happened, and all these things were going on, I thought, ‘I have a real opportunity here. I can be annoyed and bitter and upset about this, or I can show up with grace and love and joy and focus on the moment.’”

ICYMI, Chmerkovskiy was suspended from DWTS for one week after he seemingly referenced Will Smith‘s 2022 Oscars slap in response to judge Carrie Ann Inaba’s critique of wife Jenna Johnson‘s Samba routine.

As a result, the 40-year-old wasn’t allowed to participate in the following week’s Dedication Night, with pro Alan Bersten dancing with Dewan in his absence.

But despite her partnership with Chmerkovskiy briefly going off beat, Dewan put her focus into her emotional performance for the Oct. 20 episode, performing a Viennese Waltz to The Righteous Brothers’ “Unchained Melody,” which she dedicated to her mom Nancy Lee Bursch.

“That particular week was about my mom and my dedication to her,” Dewan explained. “And she was in town, thrilled to have this dance with me, and thrilled to experience this moment.”

She added, “And I thought that this is something she’s going to remember. We’re all going to remember my family forever. Let’s focus on that, and let’s not worry about all of this that’s going on.”

And though the 45-year-old was ultimately eliminated from DWTS, with the results coming as a shock to many as she and Chmerkovskiy were frontrunners, she’s grateful for the amazing step up in her dancing experience. 

“Getting to share my joy with my family, who’s over here every single night—thank you, my baby—I had a great time,” Dewan shared, referring to Kazee. “And I loved getting to share that with the world. Honestly, all love.”

As DWTS spins into the semi-finals, keep reading for a closer look at the cast of season 35…