Dancing With the Stars 2026 Cast: Meet All 15 Stars

 The wait is over. Dancing with the Stars just revealed its full Season 35 cast live on Good Morning America (GMA).

If you've been checking your phone all morning for the news, here's the full DWTS cast 2026 list, every pro partner, and the exact premiere date.

This season already feels different. Season 34 broke records for the show, picking up five Emmy nominations, including its first Outstanding Reality Program nod in ten years.

Now Season 35 wants to top that. This might be the most mixed cast DWTS has ever had. Reality stars, actors, an Olympic figure skater, a Paralympic champion, and even a member of a 90s pop band are all heading to the ballroom.

Add in a Food Network star, a Bachelor Nation favorite, and a couple of trained dancers-turned-actors, and this lineup touches almost every corner of pop culture at once.

Here's how the show works, in case you're new to it. ABC pairs each celebrity with a professional ballroom dancer. The couple trains all week and performs one live dance. Judges score the routine, fans vote for their favorites, and the couples with the lowest combined total each week are at risk of going home.

When Does Dancing with the Stars Season 35 Start?

So when does DWTS start, exactly? Dancing with the Stars Season 35 starts on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, on ABC.

The show airs live on ABC and streams on Disney+ at the same time. New episodes land on Hulu the next day, so you get three easy ways to watch.

Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough are back as co-hosts. Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli return to the judges' table. Inaba has judged nearly every season since the show began, and Derek Hough moved to the panel after years as one of DWTS's most decorated professional dancers.

Every couple dances for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, named after the show's longtime head judge. Last season, Robert Irwin and pro partner Witney Carson took the trophy home.

The Full DWTS Cast 2026 Announcement

On September 2, ABC used Good Morning America to reveal the full Dancing with the Stars cast for Season 35. The DWTS cast announcement had been building for months, with a few names already leaked through Hulu events and the Disney Upfronts. Even so, seeing the complete lineup together on one stage made for one of the show's biggest reveal mornings in years.

Here's the confirmed Dancing with the Stars cast and their professional partners:

Tyler Cameron (Bachelor Nation) and Sharna Burgess

Guillermo Rodriguez (Jimmy Kimmel Live) and Witney Carson

Maura Higgins (The Traitors, Love Island UK) and Mark Ballas

Ciara Miller (Summer House) and Brandon Armstrong

Jackson Olson (Savannah Bananas) and Emma Slater

Ezra Frech (Paralympic champion) and Daniella Karagach

Julia Stiles (actress) and Ezra Sosa

Harry Shum Jr. (Glee) and Jenna Johnson

Taylor Hanson (of the band Hanson) and Britt Stewart

Amber Glenn (figure skating champion) and Pasha Pashkov

Giada de Laurentiis (Food Network) and Alan Bersten

Connor Wood (comedian and podcaster) and Rylee Arnold

Conner Leavitt (Secret Lives of Mormon Wives) and Adele Zaikman

Sarah Jane Nader and first-time pro Hailey Bills

Jenna Dewan (Step Up, The Rookie)

That's 15 celebrities chasing the Mirrorball this season. It's one of the biggest and most varied DWTS casts in years.

Why This Cast Will Feel Familiar

You don't have to be a longtime DWTS fan to recognize half this cast.

Maura Higgins comes straight from The Traitors and Love Island UK, so fans of both shows already know her personality. Ciara Miller brings that same reality-TV energy from Summer House.

If you grew up on Step Up movies, Jenna Dewan is the reason this cast announcement is trending on your feed. Harry Shum Jr. has plenty of Glee fans checking in too.

Even sports fans have a reason to watch. Ezra Frech and Amber Glenn bring real Olympic and Paralympic pedigree straight to the ballroom floor.

And if you only know DWTS as the show your whole family watches together on Tuesday nights, this cast gives everyone in the room someone to root for.

Meet the Standout Names in the Season 35 Cast

A few names in this Dancing with the Stars cast are getting extra attention.

Jenna Dewan Brings Real Dance Training

Jenna Dewan trained as a dancer long before movies made her famous. Fans know her from the Step Up franchise, and she currently stars in ABC's The Rookie.

That background makes her one of the contestants other stars will be watching closely this season. She has also appeared in The CW's Superman & Lois, so both younger and older fans already recognize her.

Julia Stiles Steps Into the Ballroom

Julia Stiles built her career on films like 10 Things I Hate About You and Save the Last Dance.

Her on-screen dance scenes made her a fan favorite. Now viewers want to see how that translates to live competition with partner Ezra Sosa. Stiles has kept a fairly low profile in recent years, which makes this comeback feel like even bigger news.

Harry Shum Jr. Already Has the Moves

Harry Shum Jr., known to Glee fans everywhere, trained as a professional dancer before he ever acted on TV.

That kind of background gives Harry Shum a real head start in the ballroom. He later carried that same physical training into films like Crazy Rich Asians, so this is far from his first time performing under bright lights.

Taylor Hanson Joins From a Totally Different World

Taylor Hanson, from the band Hanson, is one of the more surprising names on this list.

Musicians rarely join the DWTS cast. Fans are excited to see how he handles the pressure of live weekly performances. Hanson still tours and records music today, so this is a rare chance to see him outside a concert stage.

Ezra Frech and Amber Glenn Bring Olympic-Level Pressure Training

Ezra Frech is a two-time Paralympic gold medalist in track and field, with wins in the 100 meter and high jump.

Amber Glenn is a figure skating Olympic gold medalist and a three-time U.S. national champion.

Both athletes already know how to perform under pressure, in front of judges and a crowd. That could give them a real edge on the dance floor. Frech is also a two-time ESPY nominee and co-founded Angel City Sports, while Glenn is the first openly LGBTQ+ U.S. women's figure skating champion.

Tyler Cameron Returns to Competition

Tyler Cameron, known from The Bachelorette, has competed on a dance show once before.

Reality TV fans already love his personality. Now he gets to show off new moves alongside pro partner Sharna Burgess. Cameron also keeps a large fitness and modeling following outside the show, so expect his fans to show up hard for votes.

Jackson Olson and Hailey Bills Make DWTS History

Jackson Olson plays baseball for the Savannah Bananas and has a big following on social media. His pro partner, Emma Slater, is one of the show's most experienced dancers.

On the other side of the ballroom, Sarah Jane Nader steps up with first-time pro Hailey Bills. Bills spent seasons performing in the show's professional dance troupe before earning her first full celebrity partner this year. That pairing also makes them only the second same-sex couple in DWTS history, following JoJo Siwa and Jenna Johnson back in Season 30.

5 Things to Know About DWTS Season 35 in 2026

Here are five useful facts before the season kicks off.

A new pro makes her debut. Adele Zaikman won the spinoff show Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro, beating 11 other dancers for the title. The Next Pro premiered in July, with Robert Irwin hosting and Mark Ballas judging, before Ballas returned to Season 35 as a celebrity partner himself. Zaikman now joins Season 35 as a full pro, partnered with Conner Leavitt.

History on the dance floor. Sarah Jane Nader and Hailey Bills will be the show's second same-sex couple ever, five seasons after JoJo Siwa made history in Season 30. Fans have asked for more inclusive pairings for years, so this news is already getting a strong reaction online.

You get three ways to watch. ABC airs the show live, Disney+ streams it the same night, and Hulu adds it the next day. That means you don't have to plan your whole Tuesday night around one single showtime anymore.

Fan voting still decides who stays. You can vote live through the official DWTS voting site, or by text if your phone carrier supports it. Every vote adds up across the season, so even casual fans can help keep their favorite couple around.

There's a brand new after-show. Robert Irwin, last season's champion, hosts a live DWTS After Party right after the second premiere episode airs. It's a new addition for Season 35, giving fans extra access once the live show wraps.

When and Where to Watch DWTS Season 35

Here's the short version if you just want the facts:

Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Network: ABC, live

Also streaming: Disney+ (same night), Hulu (next day)

Voting: Opens first in the ET and CT time zones during the live show, then opens online to the rest of the U.S. and Canada

If you want to avoid spoilers on social media, watching live or streaming same-night on Disney+ is still your safest bet.

Premiere night also comes with a few surprises. The opening number is set to "Kill the Lights" by Whitney Myer, choreographed by Ray Leeper. The pro troupe follows with its own routine to Tate McRae's "Just Keep Watching."

Quick DWTS Season 35 FAQ

When does Dancing with the Stars start in 2026?

Season 35 starts Tuesday, September 15, 2026, on ABC, with same-night streaming on Disney+.

When does DWTS start voting each week?

Voting opens live during every new episode, right after the couples finish performing.

How many celebrities are in the Season 35 cast?

The confirmed cast includes 15 celebrities, one of the largest groups in recent DWTS history.

Who won Dancing with the Stars last season?

Robert Irwin and pro partner Witney Carson won Season 34, capping off a season that earned the show five Emmy nominations.

Is Dancing with the Stars live or pre-recorded?

It broadcasts live from Los Angeles, which is part of why fan voting happens in real time during the show.

Where can I watch if I miss the live show?

Full episodes stream on Hulu the day after they air on ABC.

So, which Dancing with the Stars Season 35 star are you already rooting for? Tell us in the comments, and share this with the friend who still has no idea the DWTS cast just dropped.