People might assume that celebrities with dance experience have it easier on “Dancing with the Stars.” But scores on the ABC competition come from the judges and fans’ votes.
Sharna Burgess is partnered with Tyler Cameron on season 35. She was also a judge on the Australian version of the show. She explained why she scored some stars differently.
Sharna Burgess Says She Would Judge Harry Shum Jr. On ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Based on Technique
Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Dewan danced professionally before competing this season. There is always a question of whether this is an advantage, but Burgess, 41, said on the “Bachelor Happy Hour” podcast that it could be harder for them.
“And I feel like our judges would say they are trying to judge fairly across the board,” she said. The former judge added, “There are just contestants that you look at differently.” She explained how she would judge the “Glee” star.
“I would demand that Harry is truly not just learning and attempting, but executing real technique of the dance, right?” the season 27 winner said. She pointed out that “improvement” was the goal for celebrities who are new to ballroom dancing.
“I want to see you doing the technique, but I have a higher level of expectation of how that’s executed from someone that has dance experience,” Burgess continued. “And I know that makes it really hard when you’ve only got 10 points to judge. … So it’s not a perfect system. But yeah, you do tend to be harder on some people than others because the expectation is a little bit different.”
Jenna Dewan Said She Doesn’t Have Ballroom Dance Experience
Dewan, 45, starred in “Step Up” and danced with Janet Jackson and Missy Elliott. “The Rookie” actress addressed concerns that she is too experienced for the competition in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
“I do not know how to ballroom dance. Let’s be clear. It’s two different languages,” Dewan said. “There’s parts of my dance training that’s helpful, obviously. I’ve learned choreography, I can perform, but there is a certain sense of unlearning for me.”
Carrie Ann Inaba told Dewan that she danced more like an individual rather than with a partner in week one. The actress worked to improve on that, and has consistently been at the top of the scoreboard.
Heather Morris was a professional dancer before “Glee,” and placed eighth in season 24. On the other hand, Amber Riley from the same show was a singer, who didn’t dance. She won the Mirrorball Trophy in season 17 with Derek Hough, proving that dance experience isn’t everything. Riley, 40, returned this season to sing and cheer on Shum Jr. in the audience.
It’s possible that our judges use the same thought process as Burgess with more experienced stars. So Shum Jr. and Dewan will need to improve every week to make it to the finale.
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‘DWTS’ Sharna Burgess Explains Why Celebrities with Experience Can Be Judged Harder