Dancing With the Stars Unveils Spinoff to Discover the Next Pro Dancer
Dancing With the Stars is gearing up to discover its next professional dancer with some exciting reality TV twists.
Us Weekly reports that a new spinoff, tentatively named Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro, is on the way. This show will spotlight promising professional dancers who will compete for a coveted place in season 35 of ABC’s beloved reality competition.
Contestants will live together in a house and undergo a demanding audition process. The finale will see one contestant crowned as the winner, earning the prestigious role of a pro dancer on Dancing With the Stars.
As reported by Variety, the series is expected to premiere this summer on ABC and Hulu, with producers diligently working to secure talent for the show.
Wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin, the winner of Season 34 of Dancing With the Stars in November 2025, is in discussions to host the show.
Additionally, Dancing With the Stars pro Mark Ballas, who recently partnered with Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Whitney Leavitt, along with his mother, Shirley Ballas, may serve as judges. (Shirley is also a professional dancer and has been a head judge on BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing.)
Producers also plan to include a rotating mentor or professional dancer as part of the judging panel.
This potential spinoff follows a record-breaking season for Dancing With the Stars last fall. The season 34 finale, featuring Irwin, 22, and Witney Carson, became the most-watched finale in nine years.
According to ABC, finale night saw an impressive 72 million votes, with nearly half a billion votes cast throughout the entire season.
The show’s remarkable success has also led to the launch of Dancing With the Stars Con.
Promoted as a “celebration of all things Dancing With the Stars,” the event is set for July 31 to August 2 at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, California. This three-day affair will showcase live dance performances, panels, interactive photo ops, exhibits, and more.
“This weekend in Palm Springs promises to be epic because fans will have more hands-on time with all of us,” Jenna Johnson exclusively teased to Us after the announcement on February 10. “The pros will be there, and so will fan-favorite celebrities.”
“Dancing With the Stars Official Podcast” host and mirrorball champion Joey Graziadei expressed his enthusiasm about being there, eager to interact with fans in a fresh setting.
“The biggest opportunity here is for a full weekend of engagement with [the fans]. They can ask all the questions they have and get unfiltered responses from the pros and celebrities attending,” Graziadei, 30, shared. “It’s all for the fans, and I think shaping that experience will be a lot of fun.”
