This year’s Dancing with the Stars cast is turning out to be really strong up front.
There is an Olympic gold medalist in Suni Lee, a former Bachelor star in Matt James, a social media sensation in Olivia Jade, and even a Real Housewife in Kenya Moore.
However, the challenger making all the news is former Dance Moms star and social media superstar JoJo Siwa.
On top of Siwa’s strong dancing background that started with Dance Moms, she will also be the first Dancing with the Stars competitor to work with a same-sex dancing partner.
GLAAD has stepped up and praised DWTS for this decision.
JoJo Siwa and DWTS praised by GLAAD
When Dancing with the Stars Season 30 announced that JoJo Siwa would have the first same-sex dancing pro in DWTS history, GLAAD praised the show.
“There is a real opportunity here for people to celebrate the same-sex pairing and root for JoJo and all LGBTQ young people,” said GLAAD’s head of talent, Anthony Allen Ramos.
In the same statement, GLAAD gave praise, saying that Siwa “is once again using her platform to inspire and uplift the LGBTQ community.”
“I’m so happy that I get to dance with another girl. I think this is going to make it normal for people around the world,” Siwa said on Good Morning America after the announcement.
“I always said, obviously, you can love who you want to love. That’s known all around the world, of course, and that’s the message I’ve been spreading, especially to a younger generation, but now I’m able to say, you can dance with who you want to dance with.”
Who is JoJo Siwa’s same-sex partner on DWTS?
While ABC revealed that JoJo Siwa was one of the first two announced participants, they did not reveal who her same-sex partner would be.
However, in an article where TMZ broke that Olivia Jade was joining the DWTS Season 30 cast, they also mentioned who they heard that Siwa will partner with.
TMZ reported that they are “almost certain her partner will be Jenna Johnson.”
Jenna Johnson is Val Chmerkovskiy’s wife, and she got her start on a reality competition series as well when she appeared on So You Think You Can Dance Season 10, where she made it to the top 8.
She joined Dancing with the Stars from Season 18 to 22 as a troupe member and then a professional dancer in Season 21.
Jenna partnered with figure skater Adam Rippon and won in Season 26. In Season 29, she came in second place with Catfish host Nev Schulman.
Dancing With the Stars Season 30 premieres on ABC, Monday, September 20, at 8/7c.