'Dancing With the Stars' Announces Roster of Pro Dancers for Season 30
The Dancing with the Stars Season 30 pro lineup is here! With just weeks to go until the competition for the Mirrorball Trophy officially kicks off, ABC on Thursday announced via Entertainment Tonight which professional dancers will be competing alongside their yet-to-be-named celebrity partners in the upcoming 30th season of the popular dancing competition, which premieres on ABC on Monday, Sept. 20.
Making up the roster of returning male dancers is Alan Bersten, Brandon Armstrong, Gleb Savchenko, Pasha Pashkov, Sasha Farber, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, and Artem Chigvintsem. Unlike Season 30's other pro dancers, Chigvintsem will be vying for a two-year winning streak, as he and his celebrity partner Kaitlyn Bristowe took home the Season 29 Mirrorball Trophy. Returning female pros include Britt Stewart, Cheryl Burke, Daniella Karagach, Emma Slater, Jenna Johnson, and Sharna Burgess. Alongside them will be Lindsay Arnold and Witney Carson, who will return to the ballroom for the first time after a year-long break following the births of their children. Speaking exclusively to Entertainment Tonight, Arnold said she is "so excited to be back," adding, "It feels so good. I feel refreshed and even more ready than ever before to get back." Carson, meanwhile, admitted to having a few nerves regarding her ballroom return.
"Can I even dance? Do I even remember how to do that?" she joked. "I'm a little bit more nervous, I think, just because I really haven't danced in, like, over a year and a half. I've been taking some lessons ... but nothing can prepare you for this beast of a show. I am literally like, 'OK, well, I'll get in shape when I get in shape.'"
Season 30's pro roster has more than just a few points of interest. Notably absent from the list are Peta Murgatroyd and Keo Motsepe, who both competed during Season 29. Perhaps even more interesting is the fact that the roster of female pros is one member larger than the male roster. This is due to the fact that confirmed celebrity contestant JoJo Siwa will be paired with another woman. The pair will make Dancing With the Stars history as the first celebrity to dance with a pro of the same sex. Siwa came out as part of the LGBTQ+ community earlier this year, and said she was "absolutely" all in when the dancing competition offered her the opportunity to be paired with a partner of the same sex.
In addition to Siwa, Team USA medalist Suni Lee has also been confirmed as one of the celebrity contestants. Several outlets have also reported that former Bachelor Matt James, Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kenya Moore, and Olivia Jade Giannulli — the 21-year-old daughter of Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli — will appear as celebrities on Season 30. At this time, however, ABC has not confirmed those reports. The full list of stars competing for the Mirrorball Trophy will be announced on Sept. 8 on Good Morning America.