Carrie Ann Inaba doesn’t “hate” lifts so much as she sees herself as the show’s lift-rule enforcer on Dancing With the Stars , and that makes her look extra harsh about them.

The short answer

She’s strict about lifts because:

  • The original DWTS rules said no lifts in proper ballroom and Latin dances, to keep it close to real ballroom competitions.
  • The rule is meant to level the playing field so younger, stronger or more athletic couples don’t win just by throwing in big tricks.
  • “Lifts” (even tiny, accidental ones) are literally the one thing she’s been assigned to police on the panel, so she treats them as a clear, non‑negotiable rule.

What’s actually behind her “no lifts” thing?

In a Facebook explanation that’s been quoted in multiple articles, Carrie Ann said that from the very first season it was decided there would be no lifts in proper ballroom and Latin dances , just like real ballroom competitions. The idea was that if the show is about learning ballroom, the celebrity should be judged on technique, timing and partnership, not on acrobatic tricks.

She’s also said the rule exists to keep it fair : not everyone is young, super fit, or strong enough to safely do lifts, so letting big tricks slide would give a huge advantage to younger contestants or athletes. In other words, the “no lifts” obsession is less about her personal taste and more about trying to keep DWTS a skill‑based competition rather than a stunt contest.

Why she seems extra intense (and inconsistent)

Fans often complain that:

  • She’ll dock a point when someone’s foot barely leaves the floor.
  • She sometimes seems inconsistent — calling a tiny “assist” a lift one night but letting bigger tricks go in other dances.

On forums, viewers point out that she basically treats any moment when both feet leave the ground as a lift, whether it’s intentional or just a quick assist or catch. Pros have argued that some of these moves are legal “assists” in real competition, but Carrie Ann sticks to her stricter DWTS interpretation, and the pros have learned they need to choreograph around her standard, not just textbook ballroom rules.

Some fans also see it as “her role” on the panel: Len Goodman used to be the hold-and-technique stickler, and Carrie Ann became the “lift police” to keep the judges from all sounding the same. That makes her the obvious target whenever a borderline move shows up.

How viewers and pros talk about it

On social media and Reddit, you’ll see a few recurring themes:

  • People say they’ve been “trained” over the years to watch for lifts just because they know Carrie Ann will.
  • Others think she overdoes it and should relax when a lift is clearly accidental or part of a big emotional moment.
  • Some pros (and fans) argue about “lift vs assist vs catch,” insisting that not every off-the-floor moment is a true lift.

One classic example people bring up is when Derek Hough argued that a move was a “catch, not a lift,” but Carrie Ann still called it a lift and the couple lost a point. That’s become kind of a running joke that shows how firmly she sticks to her own definition.

So, why does Carrie Ann not like lifts?

If you boil it down:

  • She’s defending the original ballroom-based rules of the show.
  • She believes the lift rule protects fairness and safety , especially for older or less athletic celebs.
  • She’s been cast as the “lift cop” on the panel, so she leans into that job even when it makes her unpopular.

She doesn’t really hate lifts as a dance concept; she just refuses to ignore a rule that she sees as central to what DWTS is supposed to be.

TL;DR: Carrie Ann doesn’t like lifts on DWTS because the original rules banned them to keep the show close to real ballroom and to level the playing field, and she’s the judge specifically tasked with enforcing that, even when it makes her look overly strict.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.