DWTS' Jenna Dewan Reacts to Criticism Over Her Dance Experience

Dewan is also looking forward to having some familiar faces cheering her on during season 35—kicking off with a two-night premiere Sept. 15 and 16 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC—of the dance competition. She added, "My family wants to see me dance."

And the Flirty Dancing star—who began her dance career in Janet Jackson's 2000 "Doesn't Really Matter" music video—is more than ready to waltz back into the world of dance.

"I'm over the moon," she said. "I'm so excited it's out there. This is the biggest gift in the entire world. Like, this is my partner! This is a bucket list for me."

Meanwhile, Chmerkovskiy—who was the runner-up with Alix Earle in season 34 behind Robert Irwin and Witney Carson—doesn't necessarily believe Dewan's past experience will help her take the lead. 

"This is not the first time we had a contestant that had experience," he told E!. "We're not dodging the experience. She's known for 20 years of Step Up. She had a career before that. I'm really excited about the opportunity to now elevate everything she's done and create new memories."

"To do ballroom at the highest level is a huge challenge for anybody, with experience, without experience," the 40-year-old continued. "That's the goal. It's not to rest on our laurels but to really step it up, no pun intended."

The pro—whose wife Jenna Johnson is dancing with Harry Shum Jr. on the upcoming season—also noted that the real judges to focus on are the fans at home. 

"Ultimately, dance is just a vehicle for us to express ourselves, to connect with another human being, and in the process, hopefully encourage other people at home to have a good time," he explained. "If we can do that, regardless of where we are as dancers, I think that's the important thing."

And Chmerkovskiy couldn't be more thrilled to have Dewan by his side.

"I've had partners with dance experience before, but I've never had partners that had this type of light about them, this type of gratitude about them," he added. "I just wanna celebrate that and celebrate dance and bring joy to the world."

As Chmerkovskiy and Dewan warm up for Dancing With the Stars, keep reading to see all of the season 35 contestants.