Yahoo Lifestyle Jenna Dewan Shares Inside Look at Life as a 'Hardcore' Dance Mom: 'My Childhood' in a 'Different Spin' (Exclusive)
Jenna Dewan is stepping up to the role of being a dance mom to eldest daughter Evie.
"I have many moments where I'm in a random ballroom at a Marriott in a random city [in the] USA and I'm like, how?" the Rookie star, 44, exclusively told Parade at the LA Art Show (LAAS) opening on Wednesday, Feb. 19. "I can't believe I'm this hardcore of a dance mom. I'm like, pinning her wig, we're yelling over bobby pins. It's like my childhood redone, but in a whole different spin."
Dewan went on to tell Parade that she "loves" being involved on the other side of dance just as much as she loves Evie, 11, following in her footsteps.
"She's gained so much confidence. She used to be terrified to step on a stage," she continued. "Now she gets up there by herself and does the most incredibly hard Irish dancing and wins trophies and does really well. I've watched her own self-esteem grow and that's been my favorite part."
Dewan — who started her career as a backup dancer for Janet Jackson and rose to A-list fame after starring in the 2006 dance/drama Step Up with ex Channing Tatum — also told Parade that she sees a lot of herself in Evie.
"We [have] all the same mannerisms, which is hilarious and adorable, but in her own way," the Witches of East End alum added. "She's much stronger and cooler and tougher than I ever was!"
Not only do Evie and Dewan share a passion for dance, the mother-daughter duo also share a passion for giving back to the community in any way they can. After multiple wildfires ravaged parts of Los Angeles, including Altadena, Pacific Palisades and Malibu, in January, Dewan and her kids sprang into action. (In addition to Evie, whom she shares with Tatum, Dewan shares son Callum, 4, and daughter Rhiannon, 8 mo., with fiancé Steve Kazee.)
"Our neighborhood, we had different nights that we were giving to the fire stations," she recalled. "Especially Evie … she really got it. Callum didn't really understand it as much, but she really gets it. She does a lot of the typical philanthropy work with me."
Dewan also served as host of the LAAS event on Wednesday, which benefited the American Heart Association. Fifteen percent of the show's ticket sales directly benefited the organization's Life Is Why campaign. Additionally, the LAAS is donating to the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Recovery Fund, as well as offering free general admission to firefighters and their families in recognition of their service.
"I love that we're giving back to the first responders from the fires that just devastated us here in LA," she said. "Heart disease being the number one killer in women, in general, over cancer. I think it's amazing they give back this much. They raise this much money. It just felt important to give back."
