![DWTS’ Carrie Ann Inaba Says She Has to ‘Fight Harder’ to Be Heard as the Only Female Judge](/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/DWTS-Carrie-Ann-Inaba-Says-She-Has-to-‘Fight-Harder-to-Be-Heard-as-the-Only-Female-Judge3.jpg?crop=0px%2C6px%2C1481px%2C836px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
Carrie Ann Inaba
Born January 5, 1968, in Honolulu, Hawaii, Carrie Ann Inaba rose to fame as a judge on the hit reality competition show Dancing With the Stars.
A lifelong dancer, Inaba won a statewide dancing competition in Hawaii at 16 years old and relocated to Japan to become a “Teen Idol” after graduating high school. While in Japan, she released three singles as a musician before deciding to move to California to pursue her dream of becoming a dancer.
Inaba’s first few jobs including dancing on the hit show In Living Color to touring with Madonna and Ricky Martin. She choreographed several A-list events before nabbing a seat at the judges’ table on DWTS in 2005. Due to the success of the show, she launched a spin-off in 2008 called Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann.
Inaba split from So You Think You Can Dance contestant and assistant choreographer, Artem Chigvintsev, in November 2008 after a two year relationship. In March 2011, Jesse Sloan proposed to Inaba during an appearance on LIVE! With Regis and Kelly, but the couple has since parted ways. The dancer became engaged to actor Robb Derringer in December of 2016, but called off the engagement in September of the next year.
You might also be interested in:
Articles about Carrie Ann Inaba
![DWTS’ Carrie Ann Inaba Says She Has to ‘Fight Harder’ to Be Heard as the Only Female Judge](/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/DWTS-Carrie-Ann-Inaba-Says-She-Has-to-‘Fight-Harder-to-Be-Heard-as-the-Only-Female-Judge3.jpg?crop=0px%2C6px%2C1481px%2C836px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
![Julianne Hough Debuts Crazy Long Hair Extensions: Pic](/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Julianne-Hough-Debuts-Crazy-Long-Extensions-Promo.jpg?crop=0px%2C14px%2C1329px%2C750px&resize=600%2C338&quality=40&strip=all)
From Carrie Ann to Julianne Hough! 'DWTS' Judges Through the Years
![DWTS’ Carrie Ann Inaba Says She Has to ‘Fight Harder’ to Be Heard as the Only Female Judge](/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/DWTS-Carrie-Ann-Inaba-Says-She-Has-to-‘Fight-Harder-to-Be-Heard-as-the-Only-Female-Judge1.jpg?crop=68px%2C59px%2C1297px%2C732px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
Carrie Ann Inaba Says She Gets 'More Hate' Than Male 'DWTS' Judges
![Ariana Madix Reacts to ‘DWTS’ Judge Carrie Ann Inaba Saying She Could Win: ‘What’s Happening?’](/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ariana-madix-reacts-to-carrie-ann-inaba-saying-she-could-win-dwts-feature.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
Ariana Madix Reacts to Carrie Ann Inaba Saying She Could Win 'DWTS'
![‘Dancing With the Stars’ Monster Night Had Scares — And a Major Elimination: Who Went Home?](/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/dancing-with-the-stars-monster-night-who-went-home-on-halloween-feature-001.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
'Dancing With the Stars’ Monster Night Ended in a Major Elimination
![Carrie Ann Inaba Claims ‘Strict’ Madonna Charged Dancers $100 Per Minute for Being Late on Tour](/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Carrie-Ann-Inaba-Claims-‘Strict-Madonna-Charged-Dancers-100-Per-Minute-for-Being-Late-on-Tour1.jpg?crop=0px%2C51px%2C1998px%2C1131px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
Carrie Ann Inaba Claims Madonna Charged Late Dancers $100 Per Minute
![DWTS' Carrie Ann Inaba Declares 'Cheaters Suck' After Ariana Madix Performs](/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/dwts-carrie-ann-inaba-praises-ariana-madix-says-cheaters-suck-feature.jpg?crop=0px%2C20px%2C2000px%2C1130px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
DWTS' Carrie Ann Inaba Declares 'Cheaters Suck' After Ariana Madix Performs
![Everything to Know About Dancing With the Stars Season 32](/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Everything-to-Know-About-Dancing-With-the-Stars-Season-32-1.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
'DWTS' Season 32 Sets September Premiere Date on ABC and Disney+
![Dancing With the Stars Pros and More Mourn Len Goodmans Death](/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/DWTS-Pros-Alums-Mourn-Len-Goodmans-Death.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
'DWTS' Pros, Alums Mourn Len Goodman's Death: Carrie Ann, Tom and More
!['Dancing With the Stars' Judge Carrie Ann Inaba Recovering After Emergency Appendectomy: 'Painful Experience'](/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Dancing-With-the-Stars-Judge-Carrie-Ann-Inaba-Recovering-After-Emergency-Appendectomy-Painful-Experience-1.jpg?crop=236px%2C133px%2C966px%2C545px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
DWTS' Carrie Ann Inaba Recovering After Emergency Appendectomy: Details
![Stars Who Have Tried Online Dating! - 960 Sam Claflin](/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Stars-Who-Have-Tried-Online-Dating-960.jpg?crop=6px%2C12px%2C1346px%2C760px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
Sam Claflin and More Stars Who Tried Dating Apps
![Carrie Ann Inaba Dating History](/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Carrie-Ann-Inaba-Dating-History.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C1922px%2C1086px&resize=600%2C338&quality=40&strip=all)
Carrie Ann Inaba's Dating History: Artem Chigvintsev, Fabien Viteri, More
![Kirstie Alley Dead Stars React](/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Kirstie-Alley-Dead-Stars-React.jpg?crop=0px%2C49px%2C2000px%2C1131px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
Cheers' Ted Danson, Kelsey Grammer and More Pay Tribute to Kirstie Alley
![Julianne Hough Carrie Ann Inaba and Gleb Savchenko Biggest Dancing With the Stars Controversies Through the Years](/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Biggest-Dancing-With-the-Stars-Controversies-Through-the-Years.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&resize=600%2C338&quality=40&strip=all)
Biggest ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Controversies Through the Years
![Biggest Dancing With the Stars Feuds](/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Biggest-Dancing-With-the-Stars-Feuds.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&resize=600%2C338&quality=40&strip=all)
Biggest 'Dancing With the Stars' Feuds
![DWTS’ Carrie Ann Inaba: Lifts Are Against ‘The Rules’ for Semi-Finalists](/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/DWTS-Carrie-Ann-Inaba-Lifts-Are-Against-The-Rules-Semi-Finalists-00002.jpg?crop=0px%2C47px%2C1200px%2C678px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
DWTS' Carrie Ann Inaba Issues a Warning to Semi-Finalists About 'The Rules'
![Carrie Ann Inaba Reveals the Inspiration for Her 'DWTS' '90s Night Look](/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Carrie-Ann-Inaba-9.jpeg?crop=0px%2C55px%2C2000px%2C1131px&resize=600%2C338&quality=55&strip=all)
DWTS' Carrie Ann Inaba Reveals the Inspiration for Her '90s Night Look
![Aaron Carter Dead at 34- Hilary Duff, Katie Thurston and More Stars React to Singer's Death 024](/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Aaron-Carter-Dead-at-34-Hilary-Duff-Katie-Thurston-and-More-Stars-React-to-Singers-Death-024.jpg?crop=0px%2C2px%2C2000px%2C1131px&resize=600%2C338&quality=40&strip=all)
Carrie Ann Inaba Mourns 'DWTS' Alum Aaron Carter: 'Beautiful Heart'
![DWTS](/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/DWTS-Halloween-recap.jpg?crop=0px%2C55px%2C1080px%2C611px&resize=600%2C338&quality=40&strip=all)
'Dancing With the Stars’ Halloween Night: See Which Couple Went Home
![Elaine Welteroth Exits the Talk](/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Elaine-Welteroth-Exits-The-Talk.jpg?w=600&h=338&crop=1&quality=86&strip=all)
Every 'The Talk' Host Through the Years and Why They Left
![Promo Vinny Guadagnino Reacts to DWTS Carrie Ann Inaba Saying He Should Train More Dancing With The Stars Bond Night](/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Promo-Vinny-Guadagnino-Reacts-to-DWTS-Carrie-Ann-Inaba-Saying-He-Should-Train-More-Dancing-With-The-Stars-Bond-Night.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C1262px%2C714px&resize=600%2C338&quality=40&strip=all)