Harry Shum Jr. Honors Wife Shelby Rabara on DWTS Dedication Night

Actor Harry Shum Jr. is dedicating his performance on Dancing With the Stars to his wife, Shelby Rabara, during the show's Dedication Night episode on October 20, 2026. The Glee alum and his professional dance partner, Jenna Johnson, are honoring Rabara as Shum continues competing in the show's 35th season, following a week of online criticism surrounding their samba routine.

Shum and Rabara married on November 21, 2015, during a ceremony in Costa Rica attended by several of his Glee costars, including Kevin McHale and Jenna Ushkowitz. The couple welcomed their daughter, Xia, in March 2019, and have also collaborated on a children's book celebrating confidence and self-expression.

The dedication comes after Shum addressed the negative tone of online discussions surrounding the competition. In an Instagram post on October 16, he encouraged viewers and fellow contestants to focus on the positive aspects of dance.

"Reminder that this is a dance show. It is supposed to be joyous. People are suffering in the world already, so let's celebrate each other with more love.

I'll go first." Shum wrote.

His message followed the October 13 episode, when judge Carrie Ann Inaba criticized a lift performed by Shum and Johnson during their samba to Usher's "Yeah." Lifts are prohibited in the samba, and Inaba read a definition of the move from a piece of paper while explaining her criticism. The exchange prompted discussion among viewers, and Johnson's husband, fellow professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy, also weighed in.

Shum subsequently praised several contestants in his social media post, including Guillermo Rodriguez, who was eliminated on October 13. He recognized Rodriguez for his ability to bring audiences and fellow cast members together through dance.

"rallied the people at home and even us on the show to celebrate what dance should mean to people." Shum wrote about Rodriguez.

Shum also highlighted Connor Woods' measured outlook, Tatyana Ali's advocacy for mothers, and Jackson Olson's efforts to balance baseball games, travel, and demanding dance rehearsals.

"such a levelheaded perspective on everything," Shum wrote in praise of Woods.

He described Ali as an advocate for mothers balancing the demands of parenting with personal fulfillment.

"advocate for mothers holding on to their joy while doing one of the hardest jobs on the planet—being a mother" Shum wrote.

Olson also received recognition for managing several commitments while learning challenging routines.

"playing baseball games, traveling, and then learning these challenging dances all at the same time." Shum wrote.

Among the other contestants he praised were Amber Glenn and Ezra Frech, whose respective qualities he described as "duality" and "charisma." He also acknowledged Tyler Cameron, Maura Higgins, Julia Stiles, and Jenna Dewan.

Addressing the broader message behind his post, Shum encouraged contestants to remain confident despite criticism.

"Proud of you for not letting anyone take your light and spark away no matter how much they try. Keep being you." Shum wrote.

Cameron also responded to the increasingly negative online discussion by sharing a supportive message about his fellow competitors. His October 16 Instagram video featured behind-the-scenes footage of Frech in the ballroom.

"I feel like DWTS online discourse has gotten very negative lately so let's put some positivity out there. What's a moment of yours that is your favorite? I'll start, I love watching the intensity and focus of Ezra and Amber when they take the stage.

Elite competitors who own the room and lock in and dominate the floor." Cameron wrote.

He followed that message with praise for Frech, a 21-year-old competitor whose performances had impressed him.

"I took this video in awe of the 21 year old man, mature beyond [his] years, making a name for himself on a stage that's not normal to him and owning it." Cameron added.

Beyond the ballroom, Shum and Rabara have maintained a relatively private relationship while pursuing careers in entertainment. Rabara has worked as an actor and dancer, appearing in 17 Again, 2 Broke Girls, and Goliath. She also appeared in the pilot episode of Glee in an uncredited role before returning for two credited appearances as Shoshandra.

Rabara is also known for voicing Peridot in Cartoon Network's Steven Universe franchise and Snappy in Toy Story 5. Before her acting career developed further, she was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers' Laker Girls cheerleading squad from 2004 to 2006.

Shum previously recalled that his first date with Rabara involved watching the 2006 film Dreamgirls in theaters. During an October 2022 appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show, he described how the experience helped the couple open up to each other.

"We both cried, and it was just such a beautiful experience because after that we just talked about you. It really kinda brought us together, and we opened up about a lot of things, and it was just such a beautiful first date." Shum told Jennifer Hudson.

The couple also published their debut children's book, Martee Dares to Dance, in 2024. The story follows a young Filipino boy who loves dancing but becomes reluctant to perform after an embarrassing experience.

"We wrote this book because we wanted to let kids know that it takes courage to dance and to be their true selves," the couple told Gold House about the project.

Johnson also shared her excitement about the upcoming dedication performance in a social media post featuring the couple's accounts and the show's hashtag.

"So excited for dedication night 👯♀️✨ @shelbyrabara @harryshumjr #dwts #glee," Johnson wrote alongside the clip.