“Dancing with the Stars” returns tonight for its biggest season ever.
The Season 35 premiere kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, with 16 celebrities making up the largest cast in the show’s history. Co-hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough will welcome viewers live from Hollywood for the first half of a two-night opening event.
Among the competitors, two athletes are already making history. Olympian Amber Glenn and Paralympian Ezra Frech will compete simultaneously, marking the first time both an Olympic and Paralympic champion have shared the same “DWTS” season. Glenn earned gold in figure skating at the 2026 Winter Games, while Frech is a multi-medalist in track and field.
The celebrity roster leans heavily into reality television. “Summer House” star Ciara Miller, “The Traitors” faithful Maura Higgins, and Connor Leavitt from “Southern Charm” spinoff “Southern Hospitality” are all set to foxtrot and tango. Higgins has been paired with Mark Ballas, a fellow “Traitors” alum who finished as runner-up in Season 34.
Three actors with established dance backgrounds are also joining the competition. Jenna Dewan, who began her career as a backup dancer for Janet Jackson before starring in “Step Up,” will compete alongside Julia Stiles and Harry Shum Jr., the latter known for his moves in the “Step Up” sequels and “Glee.”
Model Sarah Jane Nader enters the ballroom with another milestone: she becomes only the third person to dance with a same-sex partner on the show. The casting continues the franchise’s gradual expansion of partnership formats.
On the professional side, reigning champion Witney Carson returns, though with an unexpected partner. She has been matched with Guillermo Rodriguez, the longtime sidekick from “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Season 34 runner-up Val Chmerkovskiy and third-place finisher Ezra Sosa are also back in the pro lineup.
The professional roster expands by two this season. Adele Zaikman, winner of “DWTS: The Next Pro,” earns her first official pro slot, while Hailey Bills graduates from the show’s troupe to full pro status after serving as a background dancer last season.
Week 1’s theme will have each star performing to a number one hit from their birth year, a concept that typically produces both nostalgic crowd-pleasers and generational gaps in the music selection.
For viewers without cable, the premiere requires a live TV streaming service to watch in real time. Several platforms carrying ABC offer free trial periods that would cover both nights of the premiere event.
New episodes will settle into a regular Tuesday 8 p.m. ET slot after the opening two-night event concludes. The second half of the premiere airs tomorrow night, with the first elimination expected to follow shortly after.
The Season 35 premiere of “Dancing with the Stars” airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.