DWTS Cast Member Defends Viral Video That Left Fans Concerned

Heavy Julianne Hough reflects on the viral "energy work" video she was in several years ago.

A long-time “Dancing with the Stars” family member recently addressed a video of her that went viral several years ago. Co-host and former Mirrorball winner Julianne Hough opened up about the strong reactions from the video when she did the August 20 episode of Kaitlyn Bristowe’s “Off the Vine” podcast.

Julianne Hough Believes People Understand ‘Energy Work’ Better Now

During Hough’s appearance on Bristowe’s podcast, she opened up about her new book. “Everything We Never Knew: A Novel” was released on August 13.

She did not want to give too much regarding the plot of the book away. However, Hough teased that the main character finds herself in a situation where she has some supernatural experiences.

Hough explained that those experiences led the character to work on healing herself. She added, “I will say, I’ve had a few of those supernatural experiences and had a lot of people be like, oh, she’s lost the plot.”

She shared one example. “I did this energy work session and it went viral…People were like, ‘She’s got demons and an exorcist coming out of her butthole’ or something like that.”

The author and dancer noted the video went viral almost five years ago.

As Page Six shared, the video Hough referenced was filmed in Davos, Switzerland at the 2020 World Economic Forum. She worked with Dr. John Amaral during the session.

In January 2020 Page Six noted that as Amaral shared the treatment, he explained, “There’s always a huge dissipation of energy and the feeling of relief, release, freedom.”

He added, “Expression of emotion may happen when the system moves.”

The video drew a lot of surprised and critical responses from viewers. Hough writhed and screamed during the session, which many viewers found strange.

“What’s happening here. Vaguely concerned and highly intrigued,” someone noted on an Instagram post that shared a video of the session.

Someone else questioned, “Are you freaking kidding me?!?”

“This is some high level weirdness,” added another Instagram user.

During Bristowe’s podcast, Hough shared that the type of experience she had in the energy work session is “so much more accessible” now.

“People understand what’s happening and energy is everything. Energy is literally everything,” Hough noted during Bristowe’s podcast.

The DWTS Star Credited Gwyneth Paltrow for Being a Pioneer With This Work

Hough mentioned that the energy work session she experienced is similar to things that actor Gwyneth Paltrow has sometimes shared.

The “Dancing with the Stars” co-host said, “I am so grateful for her because she probably took more flack from anybody out there because she was a pioneer.”

She added, “And when you’re a pioneer in something and you have the courage and the guts to put it out there, you will absolutely get backlash. So I give her so much props.”

“Dancing with the Stars” fans remember the video Hough referenced, which many people criticized at the time.

Did people’s opinions change after hearing what Hough said during Bristowe’s podcast? It seems the reaction to Hough’s take on the video now was varied.

“She has [too] much money and went weird,” suggested one critic on Instagram.

“You were screaming for attention and headlines,” another critic shared.

A podcast listener shared, “My favorite podcast [episode] of yours to date.”