Dancing With The Stars pro-dancer Jenna Johnson revealed her family's reaction to her same-sex pairing with JoJo Siwa in this season of the show, saying she was shocked by how supportive her parents have been. JoJo came out as pansexual earlier this year and requested a female dance partner, a first for the show. Jenna was excited to take on the role. Her husband and fellow Dancing With The Stars pro-dancer, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, has been one of her biggest cheerleaders as well.
Jenna and JoJo have been frontrunners on the show for most of the season. They have earned consistent praise from the judges throughout the show, earning top scores and dominating the leaderboard. During Grease Week, they earned the first perfect score of the season. Jenna, who grew up in Provo, Utah, began her career as a contestant on So You Think You Can Dance. She later joined Dancing With The Stars and has participated in 12 out of the last 13 seasons. In 2018, she won the competition with partner Adam Rippon, and she placed second with Nev Schulman in 2020. Although Jenna has shared the dance floor with gay men on the show in the past when she danced with Adam and Karamo Brown, this is her first time dancing with a woman who is part of the LGBTQ+ community.
In an interview with the Salt Lake Tribune, Jenna spoke about her family's reaction to her pairing with JoJo. She said that her parents' reaction "completely shocked" her and that they said, "'What an honor that Dancing With The Stars would trust you with this situation.'" She shared that their support inspires her every day if she questions her choices, stating, "When there are times that I do get nervous about it or I do hesitate or question, I just keep thinking what an honor it is that I get to be doing that." She credits her parents for encouraging her dance career from a young age. She said, "Them sending me off to Los Angeles when I was 18 years old was a very scary move, but I wouldn’t have become who I am or done what I did if it wasn’t for them and their encouragement." Jenna admitted that she would not have thought that this pairing with JoJo was possible just a short time ago, confessing that she "probably would have laughed" if someone had told her a few years ago that she would be competing with a female contestant, adding, "This is groundbreaking, and this does need to happen. And I'm so proud to be the face of this."
Jenna's husband, Val, who is a competitor this season with his partner, Olivia Jade, has also been rooting for her throughout the season. When Jenna expressed concern that her experience with JoJo has been so much fun and doesn't even feel like work, Val assured her that this is the way it's supposed to be. She said that he told her, "'Jenna, yes, you should be having this much fun in your work. It’s only going to make your dances and your rehearsals even better.'" Jenna and JoJo's pairing has been even more rewarding for Jenna because of her family's acceptance, support and encouragement.
Jenna's choice to be part of the first same-sex pairing on Dancing With The Stars has changed the show forever in a positive way. Whether they win the Mirrorball Trophy or not, Jenna and JoJo have won the acceptance and respect of fans everywhere. Jenna's family's support has inspired her to do some of the very best work of her career, and for that she will always be remembered.
Dancing With The Stars airs Mondays at 8pm on ABC.
Source: Salt Lake Tribune