Jenna Dewan Closes Out Night 2 Of 'Dancing With The Stars'
Jenna Dewan saved the best for last. The Step Up actress and former backup dancer for Janet Jackson closed out Night 2 of the Dancing With the Stars Season 35 premiere Wednesday on ABC, partnered with Val Chmerkovskiy and dancing a tango to "Call Me" by Blondie that earned three emphatic responses from the judges and a 19 out of 30.
Derek Hough set the tone: "You put the go in tango! It literally had so much power, so much energy." He noted the dance got "frantic" in places and her shoulders rose with the intensity, details to refine, but the raw energy was undeniable.
Bruno Tonioli went further: "Passion, drama, love! It was like watching a dark movie. You were so on it and in it. You were on fire." He acknowledged elements still needing polish but said he could not hold back his enthusiasm. Carrie Ann Inaba agreed with the compliments.
The pressure on Dewan entering the show was obvious, she is a trained dancer returning to a performance context after years focused on acting, including her current role on ABC's The Rookie. She admitted worrying people would expect too much too soon. Night 2 suggested those concerns were unfounded.
Maura Higgins topped the leaderboard with 21. Sarah Jane Nader was eliminated. Dewan's 19 placed her second, a strong Week 1 position.
