Before Season 35 of “Dancing with the Stars” kicks off later this year, it’s time to add a new pro to the roster.
“Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro” debuts tonight, July 13. The new competition show will feature 12 dancers auditioning to become the series’ next professional dancer with weekly challenges and eliminations.
“The Next Pro” is hosted by Season 34 mirrorball champion Robert Irwin, and features three-time winner Mark Ballas on its judging panel.
- When: July 13, 8 p.m. ET (airs every Monday at 8 p.m. ET)
- Channel: ABC
- Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)
Each week, the competitors will take part in weekly challenges designed around specific skills and dance styles with a current “DWTS” pro or judge acting as a mentor and guest judge. In Episode 1, they’ll be tested on samba and jive techniques, while Episode 2 will be all about connection, storytelling and partnership.
The flagship series isn’t too far away, either; ABC has confirmed a Fall 2026 release window for “Dancing with the Stars” Season 35 and announced four of the celebrities competing on the upcoming season: “Summer House” star Ciara Miller; “Love Island” and “Traitors” alum Maura Higgins; Savannah Bananas second baseman Jackson Olson; and “Jimmy Kimmel Live” sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez.
“Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro” premieres tonight, July 13, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to watch “Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro” live for free.
DIRECTV is our favorite service for watching TV live for free. Right now, you can take advantage of a five-day free trial before saving $30 on your first month. We recommend the Choice plan, which includes all of the local news and sports networks as part of its 125+ channels.
New episodes will drop on Disney+ and Hulu on Tuesday mornings following Monday night premieres.
“Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro” will have 12 contestants. Some may already be familiar to viewers, like Stephani Sosa, who was a member of the “DWTS” troupe two seasons ago and is also the older sister of current pro Ezra. AJ Pritchard previously spent three seasons as a pro on the United Kingdom’s counterpart to “Dancing with the Stars,” “Strictly Come Dancing.”
Disney
Here’s more about the 12 dancers vying to be the next pro, including where they’re from and what style of dance they specialize in.
- Benjamin Castro, 25 – a Latin / Commercial dancer from Miami, Florida
- Allen Genkin, 36 – a Latin dancer from San Jose, California
- Selena Hamilton, 21 – a Commercial dancer from Los Angeles, California
- Natalie Jolley, 20 – a Ballroom dancer from New York, New York
- Erik Linder, 26 – a Latin dancer from Tampa, Florida
- Nina Mayster, 28 – a Latin dancer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Jake Monreal, 22 – a Latin dancer from Miami, Florida
- Briar Nolet, 27 – a Commercial dancer from Los Angeles, California
- AJ Pritchard, 31 – a Ballroom / Latin dancer from London, United Kingdom
- Tristen Sanders, 28 – a Ballroom / Hip-Hop dancer from Atlanta, Georgia
- Stephani Sosa, 26 – a Ballroom / Commercial dancer from Los Angeles, California
- Adele Zaikman, 24 – a Latin dancer from Los Angeles, California
“Dancing with the Stars” pro and three-time Mirrorball champion Mark Ballas will be one of the series’ main judges, alongside his mother Shirley Ballas.
Shirley has served as head judge of “Strictly Come Dancing” since 2017.
Each week, another judge or pro from “Dancing with the Stars” will join the panel as a guest judge. In Week 1, Mark and Shirley will be joined by judge Derek Hough; Week 2’s guest judge will be pro Brandon Armstrong.
