Getty "Dancing With the Stars" professional dancers
Fans of “Dancing With the Stars” know that the professional dancers are close friends in real life, but some might be surprised to know exactly how long some of the professional dancers have known each other.
Jenna Johnson, Lindsay Arnold, Witney Carson, and Brandon Armstrong all grew up together in Utah, and they competed together at dance competitions as children. Derek Hough and Julianne Hough were all trained at the same studio as well.
Read on to learn more about the friendships between the “Dancing With the Stars” professional dancers and how long they’ve known each other.
Johnson, Arnold, Carson and Armstrong Were ‘Best Friends’
During an episode of the “Conversations with Olivia Jade” podcast, Jenna Johnson opened up about being childhood friends with her fellow “Dancing With the Stars” professional dancers.
“In Utah there, for some reason, is this massive dance hub,” she shared, adding that she and a lot of other dancers were trained in dancing the Center Stage Performing Arts Studio.
“So I actually grew up dancing with Lindsay and Witney and Brandon,” she shared. “We’re all the same age, and they were my best friends growing up.”
The Houghs were also in the same circle, though they are not as close in age, so they weren’t best friends, but they knew each other.
Arnold Has Shared Throwback Photos of the Dancers
In now-expired Instagram Stories, Arnold shared very old throwback photos of the dancers at competitions growing up. In the photo, a very young Arnold has a very full face of makeup and poses next to Johnson awkwardly.
“Omg this pic,” she wrote. “@jennajohnson I have known Jenna since kindergarten! So insane to think about how long we have been in each other’s lives. She is going to be the best mama!”
Johnson re-shared the photo, writing, “I am screaming at this picture!! 1. Lindsay half dipping me, iconic. 2. I want to count how many shades of pink I have on. 3. The hat… no comment.”
The hat in question is a pink or red cap.
In a photo from another competition, Arnold shared the earliest photo she had of herself and Brandon Armstrong.
“Hahahahaha earliest pic I can find of us dancing at nationals! We were maybe 11 here?? Maybe… possibly 10 haha,” Arnold wrote. Armstrong added that the photo was “CRAZY.”
Johnson welcomed her first baby in January 2023, and she congratulated Arnold on her second pregnancy, sharing that she was very excited about being pregnant at the same time as Arnold. Witney Carson was included in that group, as she’s expecting her second baby with her husband, Carson McAllister. Carson and Arnold have children that are two years old.
“@lindsarnold and I are 3 months apart, and now our babies are going to be 4 months apart,” Johnson shared on her now-expired Instagram Stories. “The tears of pure joy haven’t stopped!!!”
She added, “When your dream of being pregnant with your BEST FRIEND comes true. Over the moon for you @lindsarnold. Can’t wait for our precious angels to be so close in age.. 4 months apart to be exact.”
The women reunited in March 2023 at Arnold’s pop-up for her app “The Movement Club” where they celebrated all the changes in their lives.