From Hollywood actors and social media personalities to reality stars and athletes, a new group of celebrities is stepping onto the ballroom floor to compete for the coveted Mirrorball Trophy.
Dancing with the Stars returns for Season 35 with 16 celebrities ready to trade in their day jobs for dancing shoes. The new season kicks off with a two-night premiere on Tuesday, September 15 and Wednesday, September 16 at 8 p.m. ET, airing live on ABC and Disney+. Episodes will also be available to stream the next day on Hulu.
As the celebrities learn new dances and compete for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, viewers at home also get a say in who stays in the competition. Here’s a complete look at the Dancing with the Stars Season 35 cast, plus everything you need to know about how the competition works, scoring and voting.
Watch Dancing with the Stars Season 35 live on ABC or Disney+ with DIRECTV and follow every dance, score and elimination from the ballroom!
How Does ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Work?
First time watching or just need a quick refresher? Here’s everything you need to know about how Dancing with the Stars works.
Each season, celebrities are paired with professional ballroom dancers who teach them a new choreographed routine across styles every week. The pairs are judged on their performances and as the competition continues, couples are eliminated until the remaining finalists compete for the Mirrorball Trophy.
The Season 35 judging panel features Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough. Inaba and Tonioli have been judges since the show’s first season, while Hough joined the panel after previously competing as a professional dancer and winning a record six Mirrorball Trophies.
After each performance, the judges score the couples from 1 to 10, with the individual scores being added up to create the couples’ total score. The judges’ scores are then combined with fan votes to determine who goes home that week.
Fan voting gives viewers a direct say in the competition, and if Andy Richter’s journey last season taught us anything, it’s that the fan vote can be a powerful force in the ballroom!
During the live show, viewers can vote several ways, including online and through text message. Available voting methods and instructions are provided by ABC during each episode.
Meet the ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Season 35 Pairings
Meet the celebrities and professional dancers hitting the ballroom floor for Season 35:
Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas
Known for: Love Island UK, The Traitors
Pro partner: Mark Ballas
Pro’s Mirrorballs: 3 — Season 6 (2008) with Kristi Yamaguchi, Season 8 (2009) with Shawn Johnson and Season 31 (2022) with Charli D’Amelio
Maura Higgins became a reality TV star on Love Island UK before expanding into hosting and other television appearances. More recently, she competed as a Faithful on Season 4 of The Traitors, making it all the way to the finale before being bested by a Traitor and losing the game. She also became a host for Love Island USA: Aftersun in Season 6. Higgins is paired with three-time champion Mark Ballas, who also competed alongside Higgins on The Traitors.
Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong
Known for: Summer House, Love Island USA: Aftersun
Pro partner: Brandon Armstrong
Pro’s Mirrorballs: 0
Ciara Miller is best known for Summer House, joining the Bravo series in Season 5 while working as a traveling nurse. She has since built a career in modeling and television, most recently co-hosting Love Island USA: Aftersun for Season 8 alongside Tefi Pessoa. Miller is paired with professional dancer Brandon Armstrong as she takes on the ballroom for the first time.
Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson
Known for: Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Pro partner: Witney Carson
Pro’s Mirrorballs: 2 — Season 19 (2014) with Alfonso Ribeiro and Season 34 (2025) with Robert Irwin
Guillermo Rodriguez has been a familiar presence on Jimmy Kimmel Live! for more than two decades, where he has become known for his comedic segments and appearances alongside Jimmy Kimmel. He’ll now take his humor to the ballroom floor with two-time champion Witney Carson. Carson is the reigning Mirrorball winner after taking the Season 34 title with Robert Irwin.
Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy
Known for: The Rookie, Step Up
Pro partner: Val Chmerkovskiy
Pro’s Mirrorballs: 3 — Season 20 (2015) with Rumer Willis, Season 23 (2016) with Laurie Hernandez and Season 32 (2023) with Xochitl Gomez
Jenna Dewan got her big break as Nora in Step Up and has continued working across film, television and dance. She has appeared in shows including The Rookie, Supergirl and Witches of East End, while also serving as a judge on Come Dance with Me. Despite her dance background, Dewan will still have plenty to learn as she takes on the techniques and styles of competitive ballroom dancing with three-time champion Val Chmerkovskiy.
Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov
Known for: Three-time U.S. figure skating champion and 2026 Olympic gold medalist
Pro partner: Pasha Pashkov
Pro’s Mirrorballs: 0
Amber Glenn is fresh off winning Olympic gold with Team USA at the 2026 Milan Winter Games, and now she’s taking her talents from the ice to the dance floor. The three-time national champion is known for her technical skill on the ice, including becoming one of the few women to land a triple Axel in competition. Glenn will bring that competitive experience to the ballroom alongside Pasha Pashkov.
Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa
Known for: Save the Last Dance, 10 Things I Hate About You, the Bourne films
Pro partner: Ezra Sosa
Pro’s Mirrorballs: 0
Julia Stiles became a familiar face in movies in the late 1990s and early 2000s, starring in 10 Things I Hate About You and Save the Last Dance before taking on the role of Nicky Parsons in the Bourne franchise. Her career has also included Dexter, Silver Linings Playbook and a range of theater work. Stiles is partnered with Ezra Sosa for the upcoming season.
Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik
Known for: Ashley Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Pro partner: Jan Ravnik
Pro’s Mirrorballs: 0
Tatyana Ali is best known for playing Ashley Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. She went on to build a career across television, film and music, including appearances in The Young and the Restless and Second Generation Wayans. Ali is paired with Jan Ravnik, who made his Dancing with the Stars debut as a pro last season after touring the world as a dancer on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.
Conner Leavitt and Adele Zaikman
Known for: The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives
Pro partner: Adele Zaikman
Pro’s Mirrorballs: 0
Conner Leavitt first became widely known through Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, where his wife, Whitney Leavitt, became one of the show’s breakout stars. Whitney went on to compete on Season 34 of Dancing with the Stars with Mark Ballas, making it to the semifinals. Conner has since expanded into performing, including a recent Off-Broadway run in 11 to Midnight. He’ll now head to the ballroom with Adele Zaikman, winner of Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro.
Sarah Jane Nader and Hailey Bills
Known for: Love Thy Nader and sister of Brooks Nader
Pro partner: Hailey Bills
Pro’s Mirrorballs: 0
Sarah Jane Nader is an actress and model who stars alongside her sisters on Hulu’s Love Thy Nader, including former Dancing with the Stars contestant Brooks Nader. Nader is paired with Hailey Bills, who was promoted from the Dancing with the Stars troupe to the pro lineup this season for her first year as a pro. The pair marks the second all-female celebrity-pro pairing following JoJo Siwa and Jenna Johnson in Season 30.
Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson
Known for: Glee, Grey’s Anatomy, Crazy Rich Asians
Pro partner: Jenna Johnson
Pro’s Mirrorballs: 2 — Season 26 (2018) with Adam Rippon and Season 33 (2024) with Joey Graziadei
Harry Shum Jr. is a longtime actor, dancer and choreographer best known for roles including Mike Chang on Glee and appearances in Grey’s Anatomy and Crazy Rich Asians. While his extensive dance experience could give him an early advantage, ballroom is an entirely different ballgame, requiring a different kind of precision and partnership. He’ll compete alongside two-time Mirrorball champion Jenna Johnson.
Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess
Known for: The Bachelorette runner-up and TV host
Pro partner: Sharna Burgess
Pro’s Mirrorballs: 1 — Season 27 (2018) with Bobby Bones
Tyler Cameron became a familiar face online after appearing on Season 15 of The Bachelorette, where he finished as the runner-up. Since then, he has appeared on shows including The Real Housewives of New York City and Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test and launched a home renovation company. Cameron now heads to the ballroom with Sharna Burgess, who returns to Dancing with the Stars for the first time since Season 30.
Giada De Laurentiis and Alan Bersten
Known for: Celebrity chef and Food Network host
Pro partner: Alan Bersten
Pro’s Mirrorballs: 1 — Season 28 (2019) with Hannah Brown
Giada De Laurentiis is an Emmy Award-winning chef and longtime Food Network personality who rose to prominence as the host of Everyday Italian. She has since built a career spanning television, cookbooks and restaurants, becoming one of the best-known names in food and lifestyle entertainment. De Laurentiis is paired with Season 28 champion Alan Bersten for her shot at the Mirrorball Trophy.
Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach
Known for: Two-time Paralympic gold medalist
Pro partner: Daniella Karagach
Pro’s Mirrorballs: 1 — Season 30 (2021) with Iman Shumpert
Ezra Frech is a Paralympic track and field star and world-record holder who won two gold medals at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. He has also used his platform to mentor young amputee athletes and advocate for greater disability representation. Frech heads to the ballroom with Season 30 Dancing with the Stars champion and Emmy-nominated choreographer Daniella Karagach.
Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart
Known for: Hanson (“MMMBop”)
Pro partner: Britt Stewart
Pro’s Mirrorballs: 0
Taylor Hanson rose to international fame alongside his brothers Isaac and Zac as a member of Hanson, whose 1997 hit “MMMBop” became a worldwide smash. Hanson has continued working as a musician, songwriter and producer while performing with the band and other projects. Now he’ll trade the concert stage for the ballroom floor with his partner Britt Stewart.
Jackson Olson and Emma Slater
Known for: Savannah Bananas second baseman
Pro partner: Emma Slater
Pro’s Mirrorballs: 1 — Season 24 (2017) with Rashad Jennings
Jackson Olson is a second baseman and entertainer for the Savannah Bananas, a baseball team known for bringing the kind of showmanship, theatrics and comedy to baseball that the Harlem Globetrotters brought to basketball. Olson is paired with Emma Slater, who won the Season 24 Mirrorball Trophy with Rashad Jennings.
Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold
Known for: Comedian and podcaster
Pro partner: Rylee Arnold
Pro’s Mirrorballs: 0
Connor Wood is a comedian and podcaster known for Brooke and Connor Make a Podcast, as well as his work as a digital creator and touring comedian. He’s more accustomed to making audiences laugh than impressing ballroom judges, making the competition a new challenge. Wood is paired with Rylee Arnold, who is entering her fourth season as a Dancing with the Stars pro.
Watch ‘Dancing with the Stars’ with DIRECTV
Watch Dancing with the Stars live on ABC and Disney+ with DIRECTV, beginning Tuesday, September 15 at 8 p.m. ET.
Tune in each week to see the latest routines and scores, then cast your vote to help your favorite celebrity-pro pairings make it one step closer to the Mirrorball Trophy.
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Frequently asked questions
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