Who Is Carrie Ann Inaba? Everything to Know About the 'DWTS' Judge After Her Tense Exchange With Pro Dancer Jenna Johnson
Carrie Ann Inaba (left) criticized Jenna Johnson (right) on 'Dancing with the Stars.'
Oct. 16 2026, Published 4:42 p.m. ET
Carrie Ann Inaba has been in dance and television for decades, but her role as a judge on Dancing with the Stars put her back in the spotlight after a tense exchange with professional dancer Jenna Johnson.
The moment came during the show’s episode on October 13, when Inaba asked about a lift in Johnson’s samba with actor Harry Shum Jr. Since then, Johnson's husband, fellow pro dancer Val Chmerkovskiy, and others in the dance community chimed in on the feud.
Who Is Carrie Ann Inaba?
Carrie Ann is a well-known dancer and choreographer
Inaba is a choreographer, television personality, and American dancer from Honolulu, Hawaii.
As a child she studied jazz, ballet, and hula, in addition to training in gymnastics. When she was 18, she was chosen for a recording career in Japan, where she released three singles before returning to the United States to study choreography at the University of California, Irvine.
She later became one of the original Fly Girls on the comedy series In Living Color, where she performed for three seasons. Her acting credits include Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and Austin Powers in Goldmember.
She also worked as a choreographer on TV shows such as American Idol and the Kids' Choice Awards.
How Carrie Ann Inaba Became a DWTS Judge?
Carrie Ann Inaba has been a judge on Dancing with the Stars since the show premiered in 2005
Inaba joined Dancing with the Stars in its first season and became a familiar face on the judging panel. ABC credits her with 33 seasons on the competition series.
She also co-starred with fellow judge Bruno Tonioli on ABC's Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann in 2008 and she went on to become co-host and moderator of the daytime talk show The Talk.
Inaba also supports Asian American and Pacific Islander representation and has been a supporter of dance therapy for children with cancer.
What Went Down Between Carrie Ann Inaba and Jenna Johnson?
Carrie Ann Inaba and Jenna Johnson had a tense exchange on DWTS.
Usher's "Yeah!" was the soundtrack for Johnson and Shum's samba on Super Bowl Night.
Inaba called the performance great and said she “loved every minute” of it, but noted that Shum needed to add more samba content. She pointed out an illegal lift, and Johnson asked, "A lift?"
Inaba read off the definition of the rule, where a lift is when a dancer is off the floor with both feet with help or support from their partner. Fellow judge Derek Hough responded, “Dang, I feel like I got told off.”
They scored 33 out of 40 points, with Inaba giving out an eight. Later, Johnson told Us Weekly she hadn't known the rule applied to the sequence that had troupe dancers lifting Shum.
“She’s a judge for a reason," she added. "She's gonna do her job, I'm gonna do mine. I’m going to take the feedback.”
The controversy continued when Val Chmerkovskiy criticized Inaba's tone in a deleted TikTok comment. However, he later issued an apology via Instagram, noting that he has deep "regret" over his statements.
What Has Carrie Ann Inaba Said About Her Health Issues?
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Carrie opened up about an autoimmune disease that leaves her feeling fatigued and in pain.
Inaba has spoken publicly about her life with Sjögren’s disease, an autoimmune condition that can cause dryness, pain and fatigue.
In April 2026, she told People, “I have Sjogren’s disease and I look like, maybe I’m feeling fine, but I live with constant pain, constant dryness in my eyes and in my mouth, constant fatigue.”
She said she was diagnosed in 2013 after her father died. Since then, Inaba has used her platform to raise awareness of the condition.
