Amber Glenn is putting her best foot forward.
Following a tense week on Dancing With the Stars—with pro Val Chmerkovskiy getting suspended for online comments about judge Carrie Ann Inaba—the Olympian shared how she’s been staying focused despite any negativity surrounding the show.
“I’m no stranger to being in a competition where there’s chaos happening,” Glenn told E! News in an exclusive interview after the Oct. 20 episode. “Everyone’s gonna have an opinion on everything, and we’re allowed to. But what really matters is how we interact with each other, and that’s to lead with kindness and love and support.”
And Glenn feels lucky to have pro partner Pasha Pashkov to keep everything on pointe.
“That’s something that I feel like Pasha and I have really done this season is try to really embrace everyone,” the 26-year-old shared, “because this is such a special experience, and it’s been incredible seeing these pros—how much work they put in.”
In addition to gaining a newfound respect for the dancing pros, Glenn said she’s simply trying to make the most of her DWTS experience.
“I’ve never had to be around a man this much before, especially in a competitive context, and it has been such a magical journey,” she added. “So I know that for many of us, we’re not going to let anything dim our lights, because this is just such a special thing to do.”
Tensions were high in the ballroom last week after Inaba called out dance pro Jenna Johnson and partner Harry Shum Jr. for having a lift in their samba routine. Following the critique, Johnson’s husband Chmerkovskiy made a pointed comment on social media referencing Will Smith‘s Oscars slap, later clarifying that he didn’t mean to imply he wanted to slap Inaba.
“In a moment where my instinct was to defend my wife,” he wrote on his Instagram Stories Oct. 17, “I made a poor decision to reference a meme to ‘keep my wife’s name’ out of the conversation, without stopping to think through what else that reference could imply, which was genuinely never my intention.”
Chmerkovskiy added, “Carrie Ann certainly didn’t deserve to get caught in the middle of my bad judgment, and I hate that she was.”
He received a one-week suspension, with fellow pro Alan Bersten subbing in to compete with his celebrity partner Jenna Dewan for Dedication Night on Oct. 20.
And Chmerkovskiy was ultimately grateful to his friend for not missing a beat.
“Thank you for stepping in and doing such an amazing job,” he commented on Bersten’s Oct. 20 Instagram post. “Jenna looks so good and most importantly happy.”
Read on for a look at all the couples jazzing up DWTS this season.
Julia Stiles & Ezra Sosa
You won’t hate this news—the 10 Things I Hate About You star will be saving the last dance for her pro partner.
Giada De Laurentiis & Alan Bersten
The celebrity chef couldn’t cha-cha-chop away the competition and was eliminated during the Sept. 22 episode.
Harry Shum Jr. & Jenna Johnson
What did you miss on Glee? The actor taking his musical talents to the dance floor.
Taylor Hanson & Britt Stewart
Sadly, the former ’90s teen heartthrob did not MMMBop his way to the top of the leaderboard on season 35. He and his pro partner were axed from the competition on Sept. 29.
Tatyana Ali & Jan Ravnik
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actress will be bringing her fresh moves to the dance floor.
Jenna Dewan & Val Chmerkovskiy
Twenty years after starring in Step Up, the dancer is stepping up to the challenge.
Amber Glenn & Pasha Pashkov
The 2026 Olympic figure skater will take her skills from the ice to the ballroom.
Ezra Frech & Daniella Karagach
The Team USA Paralympic track and field athlete will show off his athleticism on DWTS.
Sarah Jane Nader & Hailey Bills
Though her sister Brooks Nader was the fifth star to be eliminated on season 33, the Love Thy Nader star said goodbye to the competition after her debut episode on Sept. 16.
Connor Wood & Rylee Arnold
The comedian, also known as Fibula on social media, is ready to earn more applause on DWTS.
Conner Leavitt & Adele Zaikman
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star followed his wife Whitney Leavitt‘s footsteps after her season 34 appearance, but he bid farwell to the season 35 competition during the Sept. 15 premiere.
Tyler Cameron & Sharna Burgess
The Bachelor Nation star is trading in roses for rumbas.
Jackson Olson & Emma Slater
The Savannah Bananas baseball player is stepping up to the plate, bringing his dance moves from the diamond to the ballroom.
Guillermo Rodriguez & Witney Carson
The Jimmy Kimmel Live! star was ready to learn some new moves, but his time on DWTS was cut short on Oct. 13.
Ciara Miller & Brandon Armstrong
Even though Summer House star had fans screaming “bravo,” she was eliminated from the competition on Oct. 6.
Maura Higgins & Mark Ballas
The Love Island U.K. alum is hoping her love for DWTS doesn’t betray her as she manifested this experience.
“I have a vision board and I redo it every year,” she told E! News in May. “This year is the first year that I stayed at home by myself on New Year’s Eve. I did not go out at all. I made myself a bowl of pasta and a glass of red wine and I redid my vision board for the year. Dancing With the Stars was already on it from the year before. However, I added five more Dancing With the Stars on the board.”
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