Dancing With the Stars unveiled its Season 35 lineup on Wednesday, September 2, setting the stage for another fall run built around celebrity reinvention, live television nerves and the fan-driven voting that has kept the franchise unusually resilient in a crowded TV landscape.
The announcement confirmed the newest group of celebrity contestants and the professional dancers who will guide them through the ballroom. As in past seasons, the pairings are the true engine of the show: the celebrity brings name recognition and a built-in fan base, while the pro provides choreography, training discipline and, often, the emotional storyline that turns a first-week long shot into a finale contender.
ABC and Disney+ are again leaning into the franchise’s broadest strength: a cast assembled to reach multiple audiences at once. The show’s format has long depended on a mix of actors, athletes, musicians, reality personalities and social media figures, with each contestant offering a different path into the competition. Some arrive with performance experience. Others come in as underdogs, relying on charisma, work ethic or a surprisingly committed fan base to survive the early eliminations.
The Ballroom Formula Still Works
At a time when broadcast entertainment franchises face pressure from streaming, short-form video and unscripted competition formats with lower production footprints, Dancing With the Stars remains a valuable piece of television real estate. It is live, social and recap-friendly, giving ABC and Disney+ a weekly event that travels well across platforms.
The cast reveal matters because the season begins long before the first dance. Fans immediately start ranking the pairings, debating whether a contestant’s athletic background offers an advantage, whether a performer will struggle with ballroom technique and which pro dancer has the clearest route to the finale. That early engagement is part of the franchise’s modern business model.
For the celebrities, the show offers something increasingly rare: weeks of prime-time exposure in a format that can reshape public perception. A former teen star can reintroduce themselves as an adult performer. An athlete can show personality beyond competition. A reality personality can broaden their audience outside their original franchise. Even an early exit can generate headlines, podcast bookings and a renewed social media spotlight.
Why the Pro Pairings Matter
The professional dancers are no longer supporting players. Over the years, they have become stars in their own right, with dedicated followings and reputations for specific strengths. Some pros are known for technical precision. Others specialize in storytelling, humor or building confidence in contestants who arrive with no dance background.
That dynamic makes the pairing announcement nearly as important as the celebrity roster itself. A contestant with limited experience may benefit from a patient, fundamentals-first teacher. A natural performer may thrive with a pro who can push complex choreography early. Producers also know that chemistry — whether playful, competitive or emotionally sincere — can be just as crucial as footwork.
Season 35 arrives with expectations shaped by recent editions of the series, which have demonstrated that victory does not always go to the most polished dancer in Week 1. Viewers often reward growth, vulnerability and consistency. The best seasons produce at least one breakout story: a contestant who enters as a curiosity and leaves as a credible entertainer.
A Franchise Built for Conversation
The show’s continued relevance also reflects its ability to generate conversation without abandoning its core format. Theme nights, contemporary music choices, tribute routines and guest appearances help keep the ballroom current, while familiar judges’ critiques and elimination-night tension provide continuity for longtime viewers.
That balance is central to the franchise’s longevity. Dancing With the Stars does not need to reinvent itself every season, but it does need a cast capable of creating week-to-week momentum. The Season 35 announcement is the first major test of that strategy.
The network’s rollout is also significant for Disney’s broader entertainment ecosystem. A strong cast can fuel clips on social platforms, drive next-day streaming and keep the show visible beyond its live telecast. In the current television economy, that multiplatform value is as important as the overnight rating.
For the contestants, the first challenge will be controlling the narrative. Training packages often reveal whether a celebrity is embracing the process or resisting it. Viewers can be forgiving of imperfect dancing, but they tend to notice effort, humility and progress. By the time premiere night arrives, each celebrity will already be competing not only on the dance floor, but in the court of fan opinion.
What Happens Next
With the Season 35 cast and pro partners now announced, attention turns to rehearsals, first impressions and the premiere-night dance order. The opening episode will establish which contestants have natural rhythm, which pairings have immediate chemistry and which celebrities may need time to catch up.
Producers will spend the coming weeks teasing rehearsal footage, costume previews and behind-the-scenes moments designed to build early allegiance. Once the season begins, the judges’ scores and viewer votes will quickly separate the contenders from the crowd.
If the new lineup delivers the mix of surprise, personality and improvement the franchise depends on, Dancing With the Stars could have another season capable of cutting through the noise of fall television.