Heavy/ABC Carrie Ann Inaba celebrated her 56th birthday.
“Dancing with the Stars” judge Carrie Ann Inaba recently celebrated her 56th birthday. In honor of her birthday, she shared some highlights on social media and made plans to ensure she enjoyed the day.
Here’s what you need to know:
Carrie Ann Inaba Embraced Turning 56
On January 5, Inaba took to her Instagram page to highlight her birthday. “Happy New Year everyone! 2024 feels so different! And 56 feels good,” she wrote in the caption of her post.
Inaba also shared, “I am so grateful for that! Good health is a gift. Today is my birthday. And I’m going to do what I love. Dance.”
In February 2021, Inaba shared insight into her health challenges on her blog. “Over the years I’ve been diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and I have the markers for antiphospholipid syndrome, which can lead to blood clots,” the “Dancing with the Stars” judge explained.
Inaba has dealt with additional health challenges in the past year. In March 2023, Inaba shared in an Instagram post she had an emergency appendectomy.
The “Dancing with the Stars” judge explained, “When you have autoimmune disease, you are often having strange health occurrences that no one can explain or help you with so sometimes, you try to wait it out, like I did. I was wrong.”
As Inaba was still recovering from having her appendix removed, she encountered additional health issues. In June she took to Instagram again to reveal she had dealt with both Covid and a broken rib.
All of the issues she had been dealing with also generated issues with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder for Inaba.
For Inaba to be feeling well enough to go dance on her birthday was a significant accomplishment.
DWTS Fans & Colleagues Sent Inaba Lots of Love
Inaba also shared some details about her birthday plans in her Instagram Stories. She posted a selfie she took in the car and tagged her friend Robin Antin. Antin is a choreographer and dancer who founded the Pussycat Dolls.
The “Dancing with the Stars” judge noted she was “so happy!” and “so excited” for the day. In another Instagram Story, Inaba showed her dance bag in her car, along with a few other transportation essentials.
After her birthday, Inaba posted a short video on Instagram thanking everybody for their birthday love. The “Dancing with the Stars” judge said she was deeply touched and felt the support.
Former “Dancing with the Stars” contestant Chrishell Stause raved, “Your soul shines!!!”
Another former contestant, Jeannie Mai, gushed, “QUEEEEEEEEEN! Lead us the way!!!!!!!😍😍😍”
Inaba’s post received birthday greetings from quite a few other “Dancing with the Stars” folks as well. Daniella Karagach, Jenna Johnson, Alfonso Ribeiro, and plenty of others sent their colleague their love.
Quite a few fans joined in on the birthday celebrating too.
A fan commented, “Happiest of birthdays to someone who makes 56 look like a million bucks!!! Carrie Ann you got this!!! Your troop will be with you every step of the way!”
Another added, “Happy happy happiest of birthdays to you Carrie Ann🎉🎉🎉May this year be your healthiest and happiest. Sending heaps of love and blessings for all you are and do🙏🏼💖🌟💫✨.