Dancing with the Stars Season 34 Premieres with 14 Celebrities

Dancing with the Stars returned to ABC on September 16, 2025, launching its milestone 20th anniversary season with 14 new celebrity contestants competing for the coveted Mirrorball Trophy.

The two-hour Season 34 premiere marked a significant milestone for the long-running dance competition series, bringing together a diverse cast of celebrities including Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles, reality star Dylan Efron, and wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin. The episode served as the opening salvo in what promises to be a memorable anniversary season, though viewers will have to wait until next week for the first elimination.

Judge Carrie Ann Inaba Misses Premiere Due to Illness

The season opener faced an unexpected challenge when longtime judge Carrie Ann Inaba was forced to miss the premiere episode due to illness. Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli remained on the judging panel to evaluate the celebrity performances, while Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough continued their roles as co-hosts.

Inaba’s absence represented a notable change to the show’s traditional format, as the three-judge panel has been a staple of the series. The show has not yet announced whether a replacement judge will fill in for future episodes or if Inaba will return once she recovers.

Celebrity Lineup Spans Reality TV to Olympic Athletes

The Season 34 cast represents a wide range of entertainment backgrounds and professional achievements. Olympic gold medalist Jordan Chiles partnered with Ezra Sosa for a Salsa performance, while NBA All-Star Baron Davis teamed up with Britt Stewart for a Cha Cha to MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This”.

Reality television made a strong showing with multiple stars from “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” including Jen Affleck, who performed a Salsa with Jan Ravnik to Bad Bunny’s “NUEVAYoL”. Social media influencer Alix Earle partnered with Val Chmerkovskiy for a Cha Cha to Britney Spears’ “Circus”.

The cast also includes actor and musician Corey Feldman, who performed a Tango with Jenna Johnson to Billy Joel’s “It’s Still Rock & Roll To Me,” and wellness influencer Hilaria Baldwin, who danced a Cha Cha with Gleb Savchenko to Jennifer Lopez’s “Let’s Get Loud”.

Opening Performances Set Anniversary Tone

The premiere featured high-energy opening performances designed to celebrate the show’s two-decade run. Whitney Myer delivered an opening number to “Kill the Lights,” choreographed by Ray Leeper. The all-new troupe dancers, including Carter Williams, Hailey Bills, Onye Stevenson, and Jaxon Willard, performed to Tate McRae’s “Just Keep Watching”.

The celebrity performances showcased traditional ballroom and Latin dance styles including Tango, Cha Cha, Salsa, and Jive. Each couple’s first performance will be crucial as viewer votes from the premiere and next week’s episode will be combined with judges’ scores to determine the first elimination.

Voting System and Elimination Schedule

Unlike previous seasons, no couples faced elimination during the premiere episode. The show implemented a modified voting structure where audience votes from the first two weeks of competition will be combined with judges’ scores from both episodes to determine which couples may face elimination after the second week.

Fans can vote during the live broadcast in the Eastern and Central time zones through dwtsvote.abc.com, with additional SMS voting available for U.S. wireless carriers. Online voting remains available to viewers in all U.S. time zones, territories, and Canada.

Broadcast and Streaming Information

Season 34 airs live on ABC and Disney+ on Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT. The show returns to its traditional ABC broadcast after Season 31 aired exclusively on Disney+. Episodes become available on Hulu the day after their initial broadcast.

The season represents a homecoming of sorts for the series, which has become a fixture of ABC’s Tuesday night lineup throughout its two-decade run. The 20th anniversary season promises to celebrate the show’s legacy while introducing a new generation of celebrities to the ballroom competition format.