‘Dancing With The Stars’ is getting new spinoff to find next pro dancer — here’s when it premieres
ABC and Disney are set to bring more ballroom to small screens in 2026. After a record-breaking show last year, it was not a surprise that the network ordered a 'Dancing with the Stars' spin-off. The new show, titled 'Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro,' was announced at Hulu's Get Real event on April 22. The show is slated to air on July 13, and will feature Mark and Shirley Ballas as judges and Robert Irwin as the host. The spin-off will air before the flagship series, set to arrive in the fall. According to Variety, the show will feature 12 "exceptional up-and-coming dancers" who will move into one house and take part in a grueling audition process. The one who wins it all will become the newest professional to vie for the Mirrorball Trophy in Season 35.
Mark Ballas has won the flagship series three times, and his mother Shirley Ballas is well known as 'The Queen of Latin.' Shirley has been a long-time judge on BBC One’s 'Strictly Come Dancing,' the UK version of 'Dancing with the Stars.' In the past, she has served as a guest judge and choreographer in the flagship series, but this is the first time she is taking a permanent position in any show associated with the US franchise. A different pro or mentor will reportedly join the panel every week to guide the hopefuls. The show will be hosted by Robert Irwin, who won the last season with pro Witney Carson.
The promo featured snippets of several cast members. Benjamin Castro, Allen Genkin, Selena Hamilton, Natalie Jolley, Erik Linder, Nina Mayster, Jake Monreal, Briar Nolet, AJ Pritchard, Tristen Sanders, Stephani Sosa and Adele Zaikman are expected to participate in the spin-off. Other than such preliminary information, things have remained relatively tight-lipped. It is not known whether the contestants will showcase their performances or if their time inside the house will also be recorded. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Mark Ballas highlighted the importance of pros. "I don't think we always see the grit, the determination, the challenges of what it is to be a pro," he shared.
Meet the Dancers of ‘Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro’
— The DWTS Report (@dwtsreport) June 6, 2026
See their official cast photos ahead of the new spinoff show’s premiere on July 13th on @ABCNetwork! Streaming the next day on @hulu! #DWTS #DWTSTheNextPro 🪩🔥 pic.twitter.com/8sGf2s40g0
"It's one thing to be a great dancer, a great executor of choreography. But to be a pro on the show, there's a lot of things you have to do between creativity, choreography, being a friend, being a mentor, and staying on a schedule, pivoting on a dime," he added. The three-time winner further added that the show will be different from the flagship series. "We're not looking for a celebrity; we're looking for a professional," he said. The spin-off will begin airing on July 13 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC, and stream the next day on Hulu.
