Jenna Johnson Reacts to Her 'Mind-Boggling' Emmy Nomination and Reveals Her 'Dancing with the Stars' Preseason Routine

Jenna Johnson knows firsthand the value of keeping a body in peak condition. After all, the professional dancer is embarking on her eighth season of Dancing with the Stars , which is bound to be physically, mentally, and emotionally taxing. That's why she's partnering with Exuviance and their Performance Peel AP25 to make sure any breakout performances are happening on the dance floor rather than her face. And, when it comes to preparation for the upcoming DWTS season, coming Tuesday September 17, she finds herself ready in more ways than one.

"The season of Dancing with the Stars does require a lot of stamina, mentally and physically," Jenna exclusively tells Parade . "I try to stay as active as I can throughout the year, just so my body's remaining in shape. But I was lucky enough to actually perform four weeks this summer in Chicago, doing a show called 'SAVOR After Hours.' And so I was doing eight shows a week, and I so I kind of felt like I already was in my fighting shape coming into the season. Which I love, where I'm not thrown into it, and all of a sudden I'm like, 'Oh, my body can't handle this anymore.' So, as exhausting as an eight-week Broadway schedule was in Chicago, I'm actually so grateful for it. Because I feel like it really helps me keep the momentum going into this season."

Read on for our full interview with Jenna Johnson, which also gets into her Emmy nomination alongside husband Val Chmerkovskiy , and her partnership with former Bachelor Joey Graziadei .

Related: Everything to Know About Dancing with the Stars Season 33

To start, talk to me about how your partnership with Exuviance developed.
I'm a huge advocate for, obviously, beauty and skin routine and skin care. And my team came to me, and they were like, "Hey, we have this partnership. Would you want to do this?" And I immediately started using their products, and also kind of got to know what they stand for. And it felt like a perfect fit. And then, once I started using their products consistently, and saw big changes in my skin, I was obsessed. I was like, "Everybody needs to learn about this and know about it and use their products." So I'm so incredibly happy about this partnership. It's truly a dream come true. I've gone through my own skin mishaps and insecurities throughout the years, especially being a performer and on TV. I want everybody to feel comfortable and confident in their own skin.

Quite literally! Working on a show like Dancing with the Stars , you're accumulating so much sweat and oil. I also know that, after giving birth, postpartum skin issues can develop. So I imagine, with your particular lifestyle, skin care can be top of mind.
Absolutely. And, like you said, after pregnancy, I was so sad, because I felt like my skin had never been better in pregnancy. And as soon as I had my son, I felt like it went so dull and it had no brightness to it. It really was sad. I felt like I had lost a lot of my beauty as soon as I lost my son. So this has been awesome as well for me to get back that brightness, get back that gorgeous texture that I love.

Performing on a season of DWTS seems to be akin to running a ten-week marathon. What's your typical physical routine to get your stamina up in the preseason?
The season of Dancing with the Stars does require a lot of stamina, mentally and physically. I try to stay as active as I can throughout the year, just so my body's remaining in shape. But I was lucky enough to actually perform four weeks this summer in Chicago, doing a show called "SAVOR After Hours." And so I was doing eight shows a week, and I so I kind of felt like I already was in my fighting shape coming into the season. Which I love, where I'm not thrown into it, and all of a sudden I'm like, "Oh, my body can't handle this anymore." So, as exhausting as an eight-week Broadway schedule was in Chicago, I'm actually so grateful for it. Because I feel like it really helps me keep the momentum going into this season.

I imagine, once the season is done, all you want to do is sit on the couch and rest for a few months. But what is the cooldown process like for your body in the initial stages of the offseason?
Honestly, your body goes through a state of shock, for sure. Because you've just been in this bubble and this whirlwind non-stop, and so you kind of don't know what to do. And obviously your body's exhausted, so you want to give it some rest. But I think the best thing for me is to take a second for my whole being, to heal and rest. But then I've got to stay active, and I've got to keep pushing and moving and hustling because I'll feel better mentally, emotionally, physically. And we always tell our celebrities,  "You're gonna go through a weird depression as soon as the show ends." Because you've just had such purpose and excitement and physicality for this three-month period. And then it all goes away, and you're like, "What?" But, yeah, I think the best way for me to just keep going.

Related: Watch Dancing with the Stars Pros Perform a Beautiful Tribute to Len Goodman

Well, you talk about depression. But let's go to a topic that brings elation. Congratulations on being nominated for an Emmy! What's your reaction to receiving such an honor, especially with such an important moment as choreographing the show's tribute to Len ?
Thank you. There was a lot that went into this piece, and there was a lot of pressure to do this piece justice. How do you honor a man who has changed the dance world, been such an apparent figure on our show for so many years? And how do you use a two-minute piece to thank him? So, I feel like our intentions were clear. We really wanted to make this piece for Len a love letter, and you just evoke as much emotion as we could. And the fact that it was recognized and nominated for an Emmy is just absolutely mind-boggling. I just got chills thinking about it again.

What was it like choreographing that alongside Val? Obviously you two are life partners. But what was your dynamic like when you were working together on, again, a very important piece?
I'm so happy that I had him throughout that experience because it was very stressful. There was a lot to manage. There were a lot of moving parts. There were a lot of people involved in the actual piece. And he is truly my rock. He keeps me grounded. I tend to overthink and overstress about things, and he remains calm throughout it. So I think we really are that yin and yang pair. We balance each other out really well, especially in the creative space, and it's just so magical that we get to experience this moment together. I love creating with him. He is he's my muse. And so I just am so happy for this moment that we get a share in time of being nominated together.

What's the dynamic like at home when the two of you are competing against each other on a season? Has he been parading the Mirrorball Trophy around the house saying, "I'm gonna beat you like I did last season"?
You know what? Once we got married, there's this kind of contract that what's his is mine. So I love having another Mirrorball. It makes it look brighter and better. He has won now three Mirrorballs, and I'm just so proud of him. He deserved it for sure last season, and I think he was definitely rewarded for his efforts. But yeah, it just motivates me to be better. I want to now do even more. I want to bring home a Mirrorball for us that he gets to claim as his own.

Well, let's talk about what will hopefully get you that second Mirrorball. We're talking fairly early in your partnership with Joey Graziadei. But how have things been for you both so far?
We've just started, so everything's pretty fresh. But already I'm just having an absolute blast. To be totally honest, I didn't watch the season of The Bachelor . And I told him this, he knows. Which has kind of been beautiful in a way, because I'm getting to know him authentically and naturally. And I'm not just assuming things that I had seen on the show about him. But I had heard from so many people that he was just loved by everyone. Everyone really loved him as the Bachelor, and I now understand why. He is such a lovely person. He is kind, humble, hardworking. And he's really excited to embrace this experience, for all the craziness that it is, and he's ready to jump on the journey with me. So I'm super excited to be paired with him. He told me he's down for the rhinestones and everything!

Next, Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson Share Sweet Video of Toddler Son's Dance Moves .