There are a few competitors on Dancing with the Stars' 35th season who have extensive dance experience. It obviously gives them an advantage; however, it also presents a challenge they have to face head-on. Jenna Dewan is one of the stars set to deal with just that, and her partner, Val Chmerkovskiy, opened up about the “challenge” of being partnered with her and why he’s excited to face it on the 2026 TV schedule. Stars like Jenna Dewan and Harry Shum Jr. are early DWTS frontrunners in my book, because they have professional dance experience. However, while that’s likely making rehearsals easier for them, they still have an uphill battle when it comes to competing on this show. One of those challenges is the expectations they’ll have to manage from the audience. That’s specifically the challenge Chmerkovskiy pointed out too, as he told EW: But, totally, she comes in with incredible talent and with great talent comes incredible expectation — that’s my challenge. The way I approach things is that you’re only as good as the thing that you’ve never done, so I’m going to push her and push us to showcase to the world something they haven’t seen from her yet. That’s a challenge in itself because we’ve seen her at the highest form of dance and what that expression can look like —Before he could continue, The Rookie actress hopped in to say that this was “many years ago.” However, that does not diminish how good she is, and it sets the bar high for the pair. That excites Chmerkovskiy, though, as he stated: I’m excited for the challenge and I hope people at home are willing to tune in and see what we got in store for them.A common debate among DWTS fans is in regard to whether stars with dance experience should be allowed on the show. So, both Dewan and Shum have been defending their casting, noting that their experience is not in ballroom dance. Plus, this show is a different kind of beast, so they still have a lot to learn. However, there’s no denying that they do have an advantage because of their history, and therefore, the bar for them is higher. I mean, I’ve seen Step Up; I know how good Jenna Dewan is. So, yes, I already expect her to be very good. I know other fans feel the same way. Those expectations create a challenge that she has to live up to, and that’s the point her partner was making. It’s a good challenge, though, and it’s one I’m excited to see them live up to. Along with Dewan and Shum, the DWTS cast is stacked with people who have the potential to make a deep run in the show. From Olympians like Amber Glenn and Ezra Frech to iconic actress Julia Stiles to Savannah Bananas baseball player Jackson Olson, the cast is full of exciting people who are here to compete. Now, to see if Jenna Dewan and these other stars live up to the challenge, you can catch the two-night premiere of Dancing with the Stars on Tuesday, September 15 and Wednesday, September 16, on ABC or with a Disney+ subscription at 8 p.m. ET.