Who is Sarah Jane Nader’s partner on ‘DWTS’ Season 35? First-time pro takes the stage in historic pairing
With the latest ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 35 cast announcement, fans learned that Sarah Jane Nader is set to compete as one of the celebrity contestants. However, the reveal of her professional dance partner took many by surprise. While most pairings on the dance competition feature a male-female duo, Sarah Jane Nader is partnered with Hailey Bills. They are the second all-female pairing in the show's history. During Season 30, fans saw Jenna Johnson and JoJo Siwa make history as the first all-female duo. As ‘DWTS’ DP Conrad Green told TheWrap, “Sarah Jane is bi (sexual), and she just wanted to have a female partner. It was just something about the dynamic of those two together…We kept coming back to (them) and going, those two, they look good.” He added, “And Hailey’s totally up for it.”
In an interview with People Magazine, Nader opened up about following her sister Brooks Nader’s footsteps by joining the competition series. “Iconic family behavior, by the way,” she noted. She also mentioned that being in an all-female partnership was “such an honor” and a “crazy opportunity.” She recalled the moment she learned about the pairing, and said she was “so excited.” She added, “We probably hit a new frequency in the dance studio, screaming. We were just beyond thrilled.” Hailey joined ‘DWTS’ as a troupe member during the show’s previous season. However, this season she has been upped to pro dancer and will take the stage alongside Sarah Jane Nader.
“I was actually in the middle of my tour for Dancing with the Stars in April, and (EP) Deena Katz just pulled me aside and asked me if I’d be willing to dance with a female, and I was like, ‘Double whammy.’ And of course, obviously I’m down to dance with a female,” the 'Love Thy Nader' star said. Additional celebrities set to participate in ‘DWTS’ Season 35 include Tyler Cameron, Tatyana Ali, Giada De Laurentiis, Ezra Frech, Jenna Dewan, Amber Glenn, Guillermo Rodriguez, Harry Shum Jr., Julia Stiles, Connor Wood, Ciara Miller, and more. The highly anticipated installment will premiere in two parts on September 15 and 16, 2026, on ABC and Disney+.
