- - Former Dancer Recalls ‘Culture Shock’ of Joining Amish, from Explaining BBLs to Telling ‘Amish Dad’ About Beyoncé (Exclusive)

Zoey LyttleJanuary 15, 2026 at 2:29 AM

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Kendra Bates in 'Suddenly Amish' on TLC; Promotional art for TLC's 'Suddenly Amish.' -

Kendra Bates is one of six cast members who immersed themselves in an Amish community on the first season of TLC's new series Suddenly Amish

Looking to further connect with her faith, the 33-year-old left her life and career as a professional dancer in Los Angeles to join the traditionalist lifestyle

Suddenly Amish premiered its first episode on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 10 p.m. ET

Culture shock strikes in every direction on TLC's series Suddenly Amish.

Kendra Bates is one of six individuals who gave up their modern lives to experience extreme traditionalism on the new reality show. The 33-year-old has pursued a professional dance career in Los Angeles for the past nine years, but after finding her faith as a Christian, Bates began to reject her former path.

"I don't necessarily align anymore with being a dancer. I really have to be picky with which jobs I morally feel comfortable doing, and that's none," she tells PEOPLE ahead of the season premiere on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 10 p.m. ET.

The six cast members in 'Suddenly Amish' on TLC.

Additionally, prior to her baptism about a year ago, she started modeling on OnlyFans. In an emotional confessional aired during the first episode of Suddenly Amish, Bates said she joined the adult entertainment site at her "lowest point." She admitted that she lacked self-love and still struggles to "forgive" herself for that period of her life.

When the dancer saw a casting ad for TLC's show on social media, it felt like the perfect opportunity for her to realign her life to better fit her values.

"I was like, 'This could be the out that I was looking for," she recalls to PEOPLE. It was especially appealing given that her family has roots in the Mennonite community, which overlaps with the Amish in beliefs and practices (though Mennonites typically further accept modernity).

The first episode sees an Amish leader, Bishop Vernon, question Bates about her short skirt and plunging neckline. She explained that as a dancer, she's accustomed to wearing revealing clothing, and she broke down in tears after the Bishop chastised her for a lack of modesty. After their meeting, Bates emotionally proclaimed that she "wasn't expecting it to be that hard."

Her discussion with Bishop Vernon is a heavier example of the "culture shock" that characterizes Bates' experience, as she explains. At other points, she expects viewers to appreciate the humor in the six cast members' attempts to immerse themselves amongst the Amish.

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Bishop Vernon in 'Suddenly Amish' on TLC.

"We genuinely wanted to be there and I think we were all so excited going in, and then once you're there, it's like a culture shock. You're like, 'Oh, uh-oh, what did I get myself into?'" she shares. "But we have to support each other through it because we came there for a reason."

While the Suddenly Amish stars learned about the insular, conservative community, Bates says they also taught their hosts about slices of modern life. "They're cool. They're people, just like us," she notes. "They are open to learning."

She remembers explaining things like BBLs and even telling her "Amish dad" about Beyoncé, whom he'd never previously heard of before meeting the six outsiders.

"We'd be having conversations, and then they would be like, 'Wait, what's that?' Or vice versa," Bates says. "It's not every day when English and Amish come together. So the conversations that we were having, all of us were like, 'Wait, what? Huh?' It's just very interesting getting two different sides."

on People

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”