The professional dancer opened up to ET after Monday's 'America's Got Talent' regarding the backlash against the 'GMA' host.
Julianne Hough is opening up about the teachable moment that came from the reaction to Good Morning America host Lara Spencer's recent comments mocking Prince George's love of ballet.
ET's Denny Directo spoke with Hough on Tuesday, following the final night of the America's Got Talent quarterfinals, and the professional dancer opened up about her remarks and the subsequent push-back from the dance community.
"I think everything happens for a reason. I think that that comment sparked an amazing resurgence and passion for dancers to have a voice," Hough shared. "Dancers have always been in the background and so, for those comments to be made, it gave dancers a voice to show the dedication, the hard work, and the perseverance it takes to become a dancer."
Spencer found herself in hot water last week when she was reporting on how Prince William had recently revealed that one of his 6-year-old son's favorite hobbies in school was ballet. Spencer remarked, "I have news for you, Prince William: We'll see how long that lasts."
The comment was deemed insensitive and demeaning and sparked an outcry from dancers across the country who felt the remark demeaned their profession and their passion. However, for Hough, she doesn't think the remark was made with disdain, but was simply a comment made out of ignorance on the topic.
"I love Lara and I don't think it was a malicious thing she intended to do," Hough shared. "I think it was something that was unfortunate, and now it's been an amazing opportunity for dancers to step out and speak up and have a moment."
Hough also said she appreciated how people reacted to and generally accepted Spencer's apology, without demanding she be fired or calling for her head over the comments.
"I also think it gave humanity and the world and the country an opportunity to also let somebody apologize for something and see it for what it is versus just saying, 'That's it,' and, 'I'm going to forever think of you that way,'" she shared. "I'm really proud of the dance community that they didn't take this and then just like shun or divide and separate or cancel."
"I'm so proud it, like, makes me emotional, because I'm so proud to be a part of the dance community that that's how we handled it versus just shunning people away," Hough continued.
The former Dancing With the Stars pro also opened up on why she felt Spencer's remark cut so deeply among so many people in the dance community.
"It really triggered people because of the bullying that had happened to them and so of course we're going to be defensive automatically when that happens, because we know what [dance] did for us," she reflected. "Most of the time, dance saved our lives. It gave us an outlet of expression. Dance has been one of the most important things that saved my life in many ways."
For more on Spencer's remarks and her two subsequent apologies -- first on social media and then on-air on Monday's Good Morning America -- check out the video below.
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