Season 34 of Dancing with the Stars kicks off tonight, live from Hollywood, bringing together 14 celebrity contestants and their professional partners for a new round of competition. With returning hosts, familiar judges, and a fresh face from Taylor Swift’s tour joining the pro lineup, the season promises high-profile performances and plenty of drama.
What to Know:
The season premiere airs Tuesday, September 16 at 8 p.m. ET, with new episodes continuing weekly in the same time slot.
Viewers can watch live on ABC or stream the show on Disney+, which offers multiple subscription options for access.
DIRECTV is offering a five-day free trial that includes ABC, making it a top choice for watching the premiere without cable.
Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro return as hosts, continuing their roles from previous seasons.
Judges Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli will deliver critiques tonight, as Carrie Ann Inaba is absent due to illness and will not be replaced.
Professional dancer Jan Ravnik, known for touring with Taylor Swift, joins the cast as a new pro this season.
Stay with Newsweek for the latest updates.
07:35 PM EDT
‘Dancing With the Stars’ pros comment on Charlie Kirk after Utah shooting
Following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on September 10 during a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University, tributes have poured in from across the country—including from several Dancing With the Stars alumni.
DWTS pros and former contestants commented on the shooting online. Witney Carson shared on Instagram that she had “been crying and praying” for Kirk’s family, calling the killing “disgusting and wrong.”
Lindsay Arnold posted that she was “sick to her stomach” and extended her condolences to the Kirk family. After receiving criticism for her tribute, Arnold clarified that the shooting occurred just minutes from her childhood home and involved people she knew. “Murder and violence is WRONG,” she wrote.
DWTS alum Candace Cameron Bure also paid tribute, writing, “We love you, Charlie. Well done, good and faithful servant.”
07:27 PM EDT
How to vote on Season 34 of ‘Dancing with the Stars’
Voting is a key part of Dancing With the Stars, giving fans the power to help decide which couples stay in the competition each week. For Season 34, viewers can cast votes during the live broadcast using two official methods:
Online Voting: Visit dwtsvote.abc.com during the live show. After signing in or creating an ABC account, you can allocate up to 10 votes per couple and adjust your selections before clicking “Save Votes.”
SMS Text Voting: U.S. viewers can text the celebrity’s first name to 21523. Each text counts as one vote, with a limit of 10 votes per couple via SMS. Standard message rates may apply.
Voting opens at 8 p.m. ET during the live simulcast and closes after the final dance of the night. Votes are only accepted during the initial Eastern and Central time zone broadcasts. Viewers must be 18 or older and located in the U.S., its territories, or Canada (SMS voting is U.S. only).
Your votes, combined with judges’ scores, determine who advances—and who goes home.
07:20 PM EDT
Who are the hosts and judges of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Season 34
Season 34 of Dancing With the Stars brings back familiar faces to guide and critique the latest round of celebrity contestants. Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough will return as co-hosts, continuing their dynamic partnership at the helm of the live ballroom competition.
The judging panel also remains unchanged, with Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough reprising their roles. Together, they’ll evaluate performances and help determine which stars advance each week in pursuit of the Mirrorball Trophy. The season premieres Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+.
07:17 PM EDT
Meet the cast of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Season 34
Season 34 of Dancing With the Stars is set to kick off tonight, and the ballroom is packed with a fresh mix of celebrities from across entertainment, sports, and social media. Fourteen contestants are paired with professional dancers, all vying for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
This year’s lineup includes:
Corey Feldman – Actor (The Goonies, Stand By Me) Paired with Jenna Johnson
Jordan Chiles – Olympic artistic gymnast Paired with Ezra Sosa
Alix Earle – Social media influencer and beauty personality Paired with Val Chmerkovskiy
Danielle Fishel – Actress (Boy Meets World) Paired with Pasha Pashkov
Hilaria Baldwin – Podcaster, yoga instructor, and entrepreneur (The Baldwins) Paired with Gleb Savchenko
Robert Irwin – Wildlife conservationist and TV presenter Paired with Witney Carson
Lauren Jauregui – Singer (Fifth Harmony) Paired with Brandon Armstrong
Baron Davis – Former NBA point guard Paired with Britt Stewart
Elaine Hendrix – Actress (The Parent Trap, Dynasty) Paired with Alan Bersten
Dylan Efron – Reality TV personality (The Traitors) Paired with Daniella Karagach
Scott Hoying – Singer (Pentatonix) Paired with Rylee Arnold
Jen Affleck – Reality star (The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives) Paired with Jan Ravnik
Whitney Leavitt – Reality star (The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives) Paired with Mark Ballas
Andy Richter – Actor and comedian (Late Night with Conan O’Brien) Paired with Emma Slater
07:14 PM EDT
How to watch and stream ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 34 premiere night
Dancing With the Stars returns for its 34th season tonight, bringing a fresh lineup of celebrity contestants to the ballroom.Each celebrity is paired with a professional dancer and will perform a new routine weekly in pursuit of the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
The season premiere airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and streams live on Disney+. Episodes will be available on demand the following day via Hulu and Disney+ for bundle subscribers.
For viewers without cable, options include the Disney+/Hulu bundle at $10.99/month or DirecTV’s Signature Pack, which includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN at no extra cost for Gemini device users. DirecTV also offers promotional pricing and access to over 90 live channels.
07:09 PM EDT
Carrie Ann Inaba to miss ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 34 premiere due to illness
Carrie Ann Inaba, longtime judge on Dancing With the Stars, announced Tuesday that she will miss the Season 34 premiere due to illness. In a heartfelt Instagram post just hours before the live broadcast, Inaba wrote, “I wanted to share that I will not be at the show tonight as I am feeling quite under the weather. I’m resting up and can’t wait to be back next week in good health.”
ABC confirmed that no replacement judge will be brought in for the night, leaving Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli to handle scoring duties. Inaba’s absence comes as the show celebrates its 20th anniversary and welcomes 14 new celebrity contestants to the ballroom.
Support poured in from fellow cast members, including Julianne Hough, Hilaria Baldwin, and Britt Stewart, who all wished Inaba a speedy recovery. The Season 34 premiere airs live Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, with next-day streaming available on Hulu.