‘Step Up’ star Jenna Dewan vehemently defends ‘DWTS’ casting despite dance background

Jenna Dewan isn’t a rookie — and “Dancing With the Stars” fans have taken issue with her Season 35 casting.

The actress, however, clapped back at haters in an Entertainment Weekly interview Wednesday, pointing out she does “not know how to ballroom dance.”

The “Rookie” star, who was formerly a Janet Jackson backup dancer and co-starred with ex-husband Channing Tatum in “Step Up” in 2006, told the outlet, “Let’s be clear. It’s two different languages.”

Dewan, 45, said, “There’s parts of my dance training that’s helpful, obviously. I’ve learned choreography, I can perform, but there is a certain sense of unlearning for me.”

Noting that ballroom is a “brand new technique,” she explained, “It almost threw me off initially because I had to unlearn a lot of — I don’t want to say bad habits — but just habits of the style that I’m used to.”

Dewan insisted her dance background actually makes her feel “more nervous” to compete on the ABC show.

“It’s not like you’re giving me a style that I’ve done — I can go out there and do that,” she continued of “really foreign” ballroom moves. “It has its advantages, but it also has its challenges.

“But that was part of why I wanted to do it,” Dewan added. “I really wanted to challenge myself.”

Her pro partner, Val Chmerkovskiy, agreed that it’s “naive to think that this show is just about dance.”

The 40-year-old said, “It’s about the human experience and the human journey and how much you’re willing to reveal yourself. Dance is a vehicle for us to find out more about these people — and I think that’s our advantage.”

News broke of Dewan’s casting on Wednesday, with other future contestants including “Step Up 2: The Streets” and “Step Up 3D” star Harry Shum Jr.

The actor, 44, defended his casting as well.

“I think everyone’s idea is like, ‘Oh, you dance, so you should be able to dance anything.’ And I mean, that’s just not true,” the “Grey’s Anatomy” alum told People. “There are hundreds of styles, not dozens, hundreds all over the world.”

Shum Jr. shared with Entertainment Weekly that dancing with partner Jenna Johnson takes “a whole new vocabulary” and is “going to be a challenge.”

Other Season 35 cast members include “Summer House” star Ciara Miller, actress Julia Stiles and “Traitors” alum Maura Higgins.