Harry Shum Jr. is pushing back against the idea that his professional dance history gives him an unfair advantage on Dancing with the Stars.

The Glee alum and partner Jenna Johnson opened Season 35 with a Cha-Cha to Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Let’s Groove” on Sept. 15. Their performance earned 21 out of 30 points from judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli — the highest score of the night and the top spot on the leaderboard.

But Shum’s strong debut also reignited questions from viewers about his previous experience as a professional dancer, including his time as one of Beyoncé’s backup dancers.

Harry Shum Jr. Says DWTS Is About More Than Dance

Speaking to E! News after the premiere, Shum argued that having a dance background does not automatically translate into success on Dancing with the Stars.

“I think a lot of people who had dance backgrounds don’t make it very far,” he said, pointing to the fact that the competition involves much more than executing choreography.

For Shum, the show is also about storytelling, personality and the connection a contestant creates with both their professional partner and the audience.

He explained that he once viewed DWTS primarily as a dance competition, but watching the previous season changed his perspective.

“I was like, ‘Oh, there’s just so much more,’” he said.

His Experience Wasn’t the Same as Formal Training

Although Shum has spent years dancing professionally, he stressed that he never received what he considers proper dance training.

That distinction, he said, is one reason the DWTS experience has been different for him.

“Being here to have someone to tell me exactly what I’m doing wrong” is something he values, he explained.

During his earlier dance jobs, Shum said he was often focused on keeping up with the choreography quickly enough to avoid losing the job.

“I was just trying to survive,” he said.

That pressure eventually contributed to anxiety around dancing, and Shum said it was part of the reason he stopped pursuing that kind of work.

Now, working with Johnson gives him the opportunity to learn technique in a more structured environment and understand exactly what he needs to improve.

From Beyoncé’s Backup Dancer to Mike Chang

Shum’s dance résumé is substantial.

In 2004, he worked as a backup dancer for Beyoncé during her Ladies First tour. He later became widely known for playing dancer Mike Chang on Glee from 2009 to 2011.

That background immediately became a talking point when ABC announced his Season 35 casting earlier this month.

Shum is not the only contestant facing questions about previous dance experience. Jenna Dewan, known for her role in Step Up and her time as a backup dancer for Janet Jackson, has also faced criticism over her professional dance history.

Jenna Dewan Faces a Similar Challenge

Dewan addressed the issue after the Season 35 cast announcement, emphasizing that her professional dance background does not include ballroom.

“It’s two different languages,” she told Entertainment Weekly on Sept. 2.

While Dewan acknowledged that her previous training helps with choreography and performance, she said ballroom requires her to approach movement differently.

She described the process as one of “unlearning” certain habits developed through the dance styles she already knew.

That distinction has also been discussed by DWTS judge Carrie Ann Inaba, who noted that moving from another dance discipline into ballroom can require significant adjustment because of different techniques and muscle memory.

A Strong Start for Shum and Johnson

Whatever the debate surrounding his background, Shum made an immediate impression when he stepped onto the ballroom floor with Johnson.

Their Cha-Cha to “Let’s Groove” combined his performance experience with the specific demands of DWTS, earning them 21 points and making them the early leaders after Night One.

The score also set the tone for a season already attracting attention because of the number of contestants with some form of previous dance or performance experience.

For Shum, however, the challenge is not simply proving that he can dance. It is learning a style he says is new to him, working through the habits and anxieties he developed earlier in his career, and showing audiences the person behind the performer.

And with 21 points already on the board, his Dancing with the Stars journey has certainly begun with plenty of attention.