Jenna Dewan may not be headed to the “Dancing With the Stars” ballroom just yet, but she is not ruling it out either.
During a recent appearance on “Good Morning America,” the “The Rookie” actress opened up about whether she would ever compete on the long-running dance competition series. Dewan told host Lara Spencer that while she has never trained in ballroom dancing specifically, her lifelong love for dance makes the idea appealing.
“The thing with me is like I never say never because I love dancing so much and I miss it so much,” Dewan said during the interview. “I just already know myself that it would be one of those really hard things to say no to.”
The 45-year-old actress also acknowledged how demanding the show can be for contestants, noting that the training schedule and performance expectations require serious commitment.
“I mean I’ve never ballroom danced so it would be hard,” she added, praising the dancers who compete week after week. “I have so much respect for everyone on that show. It’s really difficult to dance like that, that hard, that long.”
Her Long History With Dance
Dewan’s connection to the dance world goes back decades.
Before becoming a well-known actress, she built a career as a professional dancer and famously toured with Janet Jackson during the singer’s “Rhythm Nation” era. Her breakout moment in Hollywood came in 2006 when she starred in the dance film “Step Up” alongside Channing Tatum, according to Parade. The movie helped launch both actors into mainstream fame.
Dewan later transitioned into television and film roles, including her current role on the ABC drama “The Rookie.” She also remained closely connected to the dance community, frequently appearing on dance competition shows.
She previously served as a judge on NBC’s “World of Dance” and later appeared on CBS’ “Come Dance With Me.” Dewan has also been connected to “Dancing With the Stars” in several ways over the years, including guest judging on the show in 2018 and performing during a “Macy’s Stars of Dance” segment earlier in the series’ run.
Her ties to the franchise continued in recent years. Dewan attended the season 31 finale in 2025 and has previously described the show as one of her favorites.
Fans and DWTS Connections Keep the Door Open
Dewan’s close friendship with “Dancing With the Stars” judge Derek Hough could also play a role if she ever decided to compete.
During the “Good Morning America” interview, Dewan joked that Hough would likely push her to join the show if the opportunity ever came up.
“Derek’s gonna be like, ‘So Jen, you’re doing this,’” she said.
The two have shared the stage before. In 2022, Dewan teamed up with Derek Hough for the ABC dance special “Step Into…The Movies,” which paid tribute to iconic dance scenes from classic films. According to TV Insider, the pair performed a reimagined tribute to “Saturday Night Fever,” inspired by John Travolta’s Tony Manero and Karen Lynn Gorney’s Stephanie Mangano.
Dewan said their performance aimed to honor the original film while giving the female character more presence in the choreography.
Fans online quickly reacted to Dewan’s comments about potentially joining “Dancing With the Stars,” with many saying they would love to see her compete and predicting she would excel given her dance background.
For now, Dewan is leaving the possibility open.
“The thing with me is like I never say never because I love dancing so much and I miss it so much.”
