Carrie Ann Inaba wants a new DWTS lift rule after Val’s suspension

The Dancing with the Stars judge broke her silence on Instagram, said she and Jenna Johnson hugged it out, and asked for a new lift rule before next season. Val is back tonight.

Carrie Ann Inaba has finally weighed in on the lift fight that got Val Chmerkovskiy benched on “Dancing with the Stars.” She wants the rule itself to change.

The judge wrote a long comment on her latest Instagram carousel, Variety reported Tuesday, Oct. 27. One photo shows her hugging pro Jenna Johnson, Val’s wife, the woman at the center of the whole thing.

“I have not spoken about what happened because of professional courtesy for those who are still competing, and we actually have standards and practices that keep us separated,” Inaba wrote.

Then she got to the part fans will chew on. “I think in the future, a new lift rule should be created for next season,” she wrote.

What did Carrie Ann Inaba say about Jenna Johnson?

According to Inaba, the two women talked it out right after the Super Bowl Night show where the lift drama started.

“I think it’s important for everyone to know that Jenna and I hugged it out after the Super Bowl show,” Inaba wrote. “Jenna was an absolute professional about it, and two women worked through the moment.”

She also admitted it stung more than she knew at first. “It came to my attention later that Jenna was deeply hurt. So I also offered to speak with her at anytime. I have also offered to discuss the lift rule and how I enforce it.”

She gave a shout-out to fellow pro Sharna Burgess, who posted a video breaking down lifts, assists and which dances allow them.

What is the new lift rule Carrie Ann Inaba wants?

She didn’t write out a new rule word for word. What she asked for is a sit-down.

“I think a session of with all the dancers and the judges in a room together to discuss the history of how and why Len Goodman, our original producers and I defined the lift rule and the what the purpose is which is safety and fairness,” Inaba wrote. (Typos hers.)

She said the show has changed a lot since those early days. “The show has evolved tremendously, the way the show is cast has also changed, and so has our audience and the way they consume the show,” she wrote. She added that a better understanding between dancers, judges and viewers “is something I have asked for.”

Inaba has long docked points for lifts in dances that don’t allow them. Fans have also accused her of picking and choosing which lifts she calls out, Variety noted.

Why was Val Chmerkovskiy suspended from Dancing with the Stars?

It started when Inaba called out a lift in Johnson’s routine with her partner, Harry Shum Jr. When Johnson pushed back, Inaba read the show’s definition of a lift right there at the judges’ table.

Val then posted on TikTok, “You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night.” Most viewers took it as a nod to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars.

BBC Studios, which makes the show, benched him for a week. “The well-being of everyone who works on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ is non-negotiable,” the company said in a statement. “Val’s social media post was inappropriate and does not reflect the values or standards expected of anyone connected with the show. As a result, he will not participate in next week’s show.”

Val apologized on Instagram and said he reached out to Inaba himself. “In a moment where my instinct was to defend my wife, I made a poor decision to reference a meme,” he wrote, adding that “Carrie Ann certainly didn’t deserve to get caught in the middle of my bad judgment, and I hate that she was.”

Who danced with Jenna Dewan while Val was out?

Val sat out the Oct. 20 Dedication Night show. Alan Bersten stepped in with Val’s celebrity partner, Jenna Dewan, and Dewan earned her first 10 of the season, according to The Express and Cosmopolitan.

Val went back to rehearsals with Dewan on Wednesday, Oct. 21, as we reported last week.

When does Dancing with the Stars air tonight?

Tonight is Horror Movie Night, live on ABC and Disney+ at 8 p.m. ET, and it’s a double elimination. Two couples go home.

Val and Dewan are set to dance an Argentine tango to “Uninvited,” Cosmopolitan reported.

Will anybody say the word “lift” out loud tonight? Our guess is everyone in that ballroom will be very, very careful about where their feet are.

Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.

Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Hat Tips:

• Variety (Oct. 27, 2026), Carrie Ann Inaba’s Instagram comments, the BBC Studios statement and Val Chmerkovskiy’s apology

• Parade (Oct. 27, 2026), more on Inaba’s comments

• Yahoo Entertainment (Oct. 20, 2026), the lift timeline and the TikTok post

• Cosmopolitan (Oct. 26, 2026), Horror Movie Night details and the tango

• The Express (Oct. 21, 2026), Alan Bersten filling in

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