The former Bachelorette tells about the emotional reasons behind her ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Dedication Night performance for Taylor Swift
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/jenn-tran-sasha-dwts-tout-1-101624-1f12ae3a4d2f4fc98792b6a909608dbb.jpg)
Jenn Tran used Dancing with the Stars‘ Dedication Night to make a brave statement about her mental health.
The former Bachelorette performed a Foxtrot with partner Sasha Farber to Taylor Swift‘s “The Archer,” and Tran now tells PEOPLE she chose the Lover track as an ode to her own emotions.
“‘The Archer’ is such a beautiful, beautiful song talking about flaws and insecurities and feeling unlovable. And I feel like that a lot of the time,” Tran, 26, says. “I’ve been through a lot of depression [and] anxiety in the past, and times where I didn’t think that I would still be here today.”
“That song was really all about me working through those moments, but still being here today and still overcoming those battles every now and then.”
Tran adds of her decision to dedicate her performance to the 34-year-old popstar, “I wanted to really dance my heart out for me, for Taylor, but also for everyone else who had been going through the same things that I’ve been going through, because I want them to know that they’re not alone.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(599x0:601x2):format(webp)/jenn-tran-sasha-dwts-1-101624-a41975ceef3945d49a10ce26ec532161.jpg)
During her rehearsal with Farber, 40, Tran said Swift’s music “transported me to a different place when I was at my lowest of lows” as she opened up about her parents’ “volatile relationship.”
“I remember walking home from school and seeing, like, cop cars in my driveway and feeling scared and alone.”
Swift, 34, taught Tran that “there’s so much strength in being vulnerable and allowing other people to see you for who you really are.”
Her performance earned her a score of 32/40, and judge Bruno Tonioli told her she was “moving about like a swift in the air,” while guest judge and former DWTS pro Mark Ballas said, “You’re improving every week. Keep it going.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/jenn-tran-sasha-dwts-3-101624-d8cc3e2a036f48929c9a4743ca80ee67.jpg)
Week 5 ended with an elimination after the cast performed a variety of touching dances for Dedication Night, and saw Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko pack their bags.
“I thought we were gonna win,” Savchenko told Nader afterward. “I has such a blast working with you. You are super talented and I love you.”