Key Points
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Jenna Dewan is planning a special Janet Jackson tribute for next week’s Grammy Night on Dancing With the Stars.
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The Rookiestar joined Jackson’s All for YouTour in 2001 as a backup dancer, and appeared in the music videos for her hits “All for You” and “Doesn’t Really Matter.”
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Dewan had “one of the most incredible experiences of my life touring with Janet,” she previously shared, praising the pop star’s “unwavering kindness and respect for everyone around her.”
Dancing With the Starsseason 35 already had its Dedication Night, but next week, Jenna Dewan is planning another extra special tribute.
Fresh off earning a perfect score alongside her pro partner, Val Chmerkovskiy, on Monday’s Disney Night, the star of The Rookieis gearing up for next Tuesday’s Grammy Night. All the songs and dance styles the seven remaining couples chose dropped on Wednesday, and true Dewan fans were delighted to see that the actress picked Janet Jackson‘s 2001 hit “All for You.”
For the uninitiated, Dewan’s Jackson lore runs deep.
Not only did Dewan join the Grammy-winning pop star as a backup dancer on her globe-trotting All for YouTour between 2001 and 2002, she appeared in the music videos for the songs “All for You” and “Doesn’t Really Matter.”
Dewan can be spotted busting moves behind the music legend in all three set pieces in the first video, which was directed by the prolific Dave Meyers, who has also directed the videos for Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso,” Rihanna’s “Where Have You Been,” and NSYNC’s “This I Promise You.”
She also features prominently in the second video, which was directed by Joseph Kahn.
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Dewan traveled throughout North America and Asia with Jackson, her band, crew, and other backup dancers on the All for YouTour. Though they planned to caravan through Europe as well, the Sept. 11 attacks, which occurred a mere two months into the tour, scrapped that planned leg.
Dewan has spoken graciously and with enduring gratitude for the opportunity Jackson presented her at the outset of her career. In a 2022 Instagram post, Dewan shared several photos of herself posing with and dancing for Jackson, accompanied by a touching caption.
“TBT to living out one of my biggest dreams. I had one goal and one goal only when moving to L.A.… and that was touring with the legend herself,” Dewan wrote. “I not only had one of the most incredible experiences of my life touring with Janet but she also showed me just how powerful a woman can be while still having unwavering kindness and respect for everyone around her. Truly an experience of a lifetime. I love you [Janet Jackson]!”
Ahead of Jackson being presented with the Icon Award at the Billboard Music Awards in 2018, Dewan spoke to Billboard about her time with Jackson in more detail.
“I basically became obsessed with Janet and wanting to dance with her when I was in high school. Her Velvet Rope Tour was on HBO, and I watched it in my living room 2 inches from the TV. I was just mesmerized by her but also her dancers. I wanted to be one; that was my ultimate goal,” she explained.
After the All for YouTour, Dewan went on to dance for acts like NSYNC, Celine Dion, and Ricky Martin. But she still called Jackson “the pinnacle… She really changed the game for being a dancer with an artist. There’s a certain respect and just like, title that she gives you; she’s the mama bear to all of us. Once a Janet dancer, always a Janet dancer.”
New episodes of Dancing With the Stars season 35 air on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+.
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
