Jenna Dewan Brings Power and Drama to ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Season 35 Premiere

Jenna Dewan closed out Night 2 of the Dancing with the Stars Season 35 premiere with a performance packed with power, energy and drama.

The Step Up actress and former backup dancer for Janet Jackson teamed up with Val Chmerkovskiy for a tango to Blondie’s “Call Me” on Wednesday, Sept. 16. Their routine earned a total of 19 out of 30 from the judges, putting Dewan second on the leaderboard behind Maura Higgins, who scored 21.

The performance also gave Dewan a chance to show what she could bring to the ballroom after years focused primarily on acting.

A high-energy finish to Night 2

Derek Hough immediately responded to the intensity of Dewan’s routine, praising the power and energy she brought to the tango.

“You put the go in tango! It literally had so much power, so much energy,” Hough told her.

He did point out that the routine became somewhat frantic in places and that Dewan’s shoulders rose as the intensity increased. Those were details she could refine, but the overall energy of the performance clearly made an impression.

Bruno Tonioli was equally enthusiastic, describing the routine as full of passion and drama and comparing the experience to watching a dark movie.

“Passion, drama, love! It was like watching a dark movie. You were so on it and in it. You were on fire,” Tonioli said.

He acknowledged that there were still elements to polish, while Carrie Ann Inaba also joined in the positive feedback.

The judges ultimately awarded Dewan scores of 6, 6 and 7 for a total of 19 out of 30.

Dewan steps back into dance

Dewan entered the competition with an obvious advantage in experience. She is a trained dancer, rose to prominence through Step Up and previously worked as a backup dancer for Janet Jackson.

Still, returning to dance in a competitive ballroom setting is different from performing professionally, particularly after spending recent years concentrating on acting, including her role on ABC’s The Rookie.

Before joining the show, Dewan acknowledged concerns that audiences might expect too much from her because of her dance background. Her opening-night performance suggested she was more than ready to embrace the challenge.

Her tango also helped establish her as one of the notable performers from the second night of the premiere. Season 35’s two-night launch featured the women competing on Sept. 16, following the male celebrities’ performances on the first night.

A strong start to the competition

Dewan’s 19 points placed her just behind Higgins, who topped the Night 2 leaderboard with 21.

Sarah Jane Nader and Hailey Bills, meanwhile, were eliminated after receiving 14 points for their jive.

For Dewan and Chmerkovskiy, the opening night delivered a strong foundation — but the performance also showed that there are details still to refine as the competition moves forward.

With the judges already responding to Dewan’s intensity and stage presence, her next routines will reveal how far she can take that energy while adding the technical polish the judges are looking for.