Look, I’ve watched enough Dancing With the Stars drama to know when something’s about to blow up, and this whole Jenna Johnson lift situation? Yeah, this one’s got layers.

What Actually Went Down on Super Bowl Night

So here’s what happened. Jenna Johnson – who’s been a pro on DWTS for ten years now, which honestly feels wild to say out loud – was dancing with Harry Shum Jr. during Super Bowl Night. They did a samba. And then Carrie Ann Inaba called them out for a lift.

But here’s where it gets interesting. Usually when someone gets dinged for an illegal lift on this show, it’s because the celebrity partner is hoisting the pro up in the air like they’re auditioning for Cirque du Soleil. That’s not what happened here. According to Jenna, there were “two guys that weren’t myself rolling back Harry and lifting him.” Which – okay, I had to read that twice too. We’re talking about backup dancers lifting Harry, not Jenna lifting Harry, not Harry lifting Jenna.

And Jenna straight up admitted she didn’t even realize it was happening. “I was definitely unaware,” she told Extra after the show. Which, not gonna lie, is kind of refreshing? She could’ve gotten defensive or played dumb, but instead she basically said yeah, I didn’t see that coming.

The Rules Are… Complicated

Here’s the thing about DWTS lift rules that drives me absolutely nuts. They’re enforced so inconsistently that half the time the pros don’t even know what’s allowed anymore. I mean, Jenna’s been doing this for a decade. A decade! And she “would never do something intentionally” that would break the rules. But when backup dancers are involved and they’re the ones doing the lifting? That’s apparently still on her.

Why Carrie Ann’s Got a Point (Even If It’s Awkward)

Okay, so I’m actually gonna defend Carrie Ann here for a second. Bear with me.

Jenna said it herself – “She’s a judge for a reason. She’s gonna do her job, I’m gonna do mine. I’m gonna take the feedback.” And honestly? That’s exactly the right attitude. Because what’s the alternative here, that we just let the pros do whatever they want because they’re veterans and they know better? That’s how you end up with total chaos.

The judges have to call what they see. Even when it’s uncomfortable. Even when it involves someone who’s been around forever and clearly wasn’t trying to cheat the system. That’s literally the job.

“She’s a judge for a reason. She’s gonna do her job, I’m gonna do mine. I’m gonna take the feedback.”

But Also, This Feels Like Nitpicking

That said – and you knew there was a “but” coming – this does feel a little bit like we’re splitting hairs here. Two backup dancers briefly lifted Harry during what I’m assuming was a pretty elaborate production number. It’s not like Jenna choreographed a routine where Harry gets carried around on a literal throne for three minutes while she does her nails. The whole point of the lift rule is to make sure the celebrity is actually dancing, not being used as a prop.

From what I can tell, Harry was definitely dancing. He just… also got lifted by some guys who weren’t his partner for what was probably a few seconds of an entire routine. Is that really the same thing as the traditional illegal lift? I don’t know, man. Seems like we might be getting a little too technical for our own good.

What This Actually Means Going Forward

Here’s what I think is gonna happen. Jenna’s gonna be way more careful about her backup dancer choreography from here on out. She’s too smart and too experienced to let this become a pattern. And honestly, the fact that she immediately accepted the feedback without throwing a fit probably helps her case with both the judges and the audience. Speaking of pros being smart about their limits, Pasha Pashkov Says His DWTS Tour Hiatus Is Overdue after years of nonstop performance schedules.

But the bigger question is whether the show needs to get clearer about what counts as a lift when you’ve got a full production with backup dancers involved. Because if we’re gonna call this kind of thing out, we need consistent rules that everyone understands before they step on the floor. Otherwise you’re just setting pros up to fail on technicalities they didn’t even know existed. These kinds of judgment calls could affect who gets invited when DWTS Tour 2027: Who's In, Who's Out – The Snubs Revealed later this season.

Jenna handled this about as gracefully as anyone could. She heard the criticism, she owned that it happened even if it wasn’t intentional, and she moved on. That’s pretty much all you can ask for. But I have a feeling this won’t be the last time we’re arguing about what exactly counts as a lift this season.