‘Dancing with the Stars’: Why Jenna Johnson Chmerkovskiy Is ‘Blown Away’ by Her Partnership With JoJo Siwa
JoJo Siwa and Jenna Johnson Chmerkovskiy are making history on Dancing with the Stars. Recently, Johnson Chmerkovskiy opened up about the best aspects of her partnership with Siwa. Plus, Johnson Chmerkovskiy shares the one aspect of their same-sex partnership that leaves the Dancing with the Stars pro feeling “blown away.”
JoJo Siwa and Jenna Johnson Chmerkovskiy are the first same-sex couple on ‘Dancing with the Stars’
Before Dancing with the Stars, Siwa made headlines when she opened up about her personal life. In January 2021, Siwa announced she is a gay member of the LGBTQIA+ community. At the time, Siwa received a tremendous amount of support from her fans and peers.
Later, Siwa shared even more big news with her followers, announcing her involvement in DWTS Season 30. Siwa is in the first same-sex pairing with the DWTS Season 26 champion. “[A same-sex partnership has] never been done in America before, but it has been done in the U.K.,” Johnson Chmerkovskiy explains during the “Defying Gravity with Jenna Johnson Chmerkovskiy” episode of the Scrubbing In with Becca Tilley & Tanya Rad podcast.
Jenna Johnson Chmerkovskiy is ‘shocked’ by the love and support from ‘Dancing with the Stars’ fans
Throughout Dancing with the Stars Season 30, Johnson Chmerkovskiy says there have been a few hateful comments regarding her dancing with Siwa. Still, the DWTS pro remains giddy about the partnership and the challenges it has presented her with, which is something she was looking for in her career. “[Dancing with Siwa] has seriously exceeded all of my expectations,” she explains.
What’s more, the overwhelming amount of support fans have shown the same-sex pairing surprises the pro dancer. Initially, Johnson Chmerkovskiy feared the negative reactions some DWTS fans have expressed.
Fortunately, her connection with Siwa was instant, which makes it easier to ignore the haters. “We both [feel] so comfortable doing it, I think it’s translated…and felt natural for everyone else watching us,” she adds. “I was shocked [many fans were] full of love and support — you get a few of those bad apples but I was blown away at how accepting everyone is of the situation.”
Like many of the other couples competing this season, Siwa and Johnson Chmerkovskiy want to win. “You know what you’re putting into your project, so why dwell on the negative,” she says of the hateful comments. “I just want to keep proving people wrong. People are just rude, but I think [I’m] so inspired by my work this season that it hasn’t really phased me.”
JoJo Siwa and Jenna Johnson Chmerkovskiy have chemistry on ‘Dancing with the Stars’
During her time on the podcast, Johnson Chmerkovskiy admits her husband, Val Chmerkovskiy, is giving her a run for her money in terms of the competition. He and his partner Olivia Jade have a similar connection like Johnson Chmerkovskiy and Siwa share, which makes their dances compelling and the competition even harder.
“I have amazing chemistry with my partner and he has amazing chemistry with his partner,” she says. “You want to have a great energy about you where people watch you. You can really tell the difference between people that get along and people that don’t.”
Can Siwa and Johnson Chmerkovskiy take home the Mirrorball Trophy this season? Watch Dancing with the Stars Monday nights at 8 PM on ABC.
