Dancing With The Stars pro dancer Jenna Johnson earned second place with her partner, JoJo Siwa, in season 30, but she revealed that she had fears about being a part of the the first ever same sex couple in the show's history. Jenna and JoJo were consistently at the top of the leaderboard throughout the competition, breaking down barriers in dance, and proving that dance is an art form that does not need traditional pairings to be successful. In January 2021, JoJo came out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community on social media. When she joined the show, the producers gave her the option to dance with a woman, and she happily accepted, knowing that she could make history on the show. Before the pairings were announced, she said that she hoped to dance with either Jenna, Britt Stewart, or Lindsay Arnold. Since the beginning of their journey, JoJo has credited Jenna with helping her to transition from child star to adult artist, and boosting her self-confidence and self-esteem.
Jenna and JoJo's pairing proved to be one of the most powerful in the show's history. Each week they impressed, stunned and moved audiences with their dances. From their first quickstep routine in which JoJo showed her strength by lifting Jenna when she tripped on a costume and injured her knee to their poignant foxtrot on Grease Night for which they earned the first perfect score of the season, Jenna and JoJo performed in some of the most iconic dances in the show's 30 seasons. Jenna's choreography in their Horror Night jazz number, Argentine tango and contemporary dance in the semi-finals, and tango and cha-cha-cha fusion and freestyle in the finale also earned them perfect 10's from all four judges. They were a powerhouse couple who seemed destined to win, but they earned second place to Iman Shumpert and Daniella Karagach, another deserving pair.
Jenna made it all look easy, but in a post on Instagram, she reflected on the season and how JoJo eased her fears about taking on the responsibility of being in the first ever same sex pairing on the show. Jenna admitted that she began to question the decision almost immediately, saying, "In general, I am the type of person to stay 'comfortable'. I don’t like trying new things in fear of failing. I like my routine. I know what I look good doing and constantly will come back to movement that I know works. Sooooo when I was approached about potentially dancing with a female this season… I immediately said “YES!!!” She added, "but then the fear started to set in quickly. Did I want to be the face of this first ever moment?? Did I know what I was doing? Could I do it justice? Was I willing to have people give their LOUD disapproval week after week?"
Jenna then went on to say that when she met JoJo, "my whole world changed. I was presented with the most innocent, full of life, eagerly excited unicorn!!! Her light hit me like a wrecking ball day one and it was a wrap. I was ALL IN. I didn’t know what I was doing but I knew I wanted to make all of her dreams come true this season. Sometimes my brain felt like it was going to explode trying to figure out how two females could hold their own during this competition, but it was oh so worth it." Jenna said that the real reward came not only from seeing JoJo transform into a "glorious ballroom dancer," but she "watched her blossom into a beautifully confident and proud woman. She stands up tall and holds her head high as she looks in the mirror, and that means more to me than any mirrorball could." She then went on to thank JoJo for making the season "a once in a lifetime experience," explaining all that JoJo has given her, including some of her favorite routines that she has ever performed on the show and, of course, their friendship. She said, "Thank you for giving the opportunity to have my most challenging season that turned out to be one of my most rewarding seasons . . . Thank you for letting me make history with you."
JoJo has been very vocal about the ways in which Jenna changed her life, and Jenna's words show that the feeling is clearly mutual. Even though Jenna had her fears and questions at the beginning of the season, she became half of one of the most memorable and important pairings in the history of the show. They have opened a door to new possibilities on Dancing With The Stars which is, as Jenna said, more rewarding than any Mirrorball Trophy.
Source: Jenna Johnson/Instagram