Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro
Upcoming reality competition series
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Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro is an upcoming American reality competition television series for ABC. It is a spin-off of the competition series Dancing with the Stars, which is based on the British contest show Strictly Come Dancing. The series will feature up-and-coming professional dancers living and training together who will compete in an audition process to determine who will join the flagship series as a pro.[1]
| Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Reality competition |
| Based on | Dancing with the Stars |
| Presented by | Robert Irwin |
| Judges | |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Production locations | Queensland, Australia |
| Production company | BBC Studios |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
Production
Casting
Robert Irwin, who won the thirty-fourth season of Dancing with the Stars, is in talks to host the series.[2] Mark Ballas, three-time mirrorball champion, and his mother Shirley Ballas, head judge of Strictly Come Dancing, are in talks to appear as judges.[3] A third judges slot is expected to be filled with a rotating judge each week.[4]
A casting call for BBC Studios, who were searching for "standout dancers with world-class technique, star quality, and the ability to light up a stage," was published on social media by casting manager Lissette Pinon in October 2025.[5] Fan speculation emerged when current and former Dancing with the Stars pros began teasing their involvement in an undisclosed project; which was later revealed to be a fan convention for the main series.[5][6]
Filming
Filming began in late February 2026 in Queensland, Australia,[5] which allowed Irwin to maintain his commitments to Australia Zoo.[7] Brandon Armstrong, Jenna Johnson, Daniella Karagach and Britt Stewart—all of whom were performing on the Dancing with the Stars Live! tour—missed select performances on rotating schedules throughout March to participate in an undisclosed project.[8] Rylee Arnold, who stepped away as a full-time tour member for health purposes, filled in for the pros.[9]
By the time production reportedly wrapped in April 2026, the series had yet to be formally announced.[10] Entertainment journalist Kristyn Burtt speculated that promotional content will be filmed later in the month, coinciding with Irwin being in the United States for his run on the Dancing with the Stars Live! tour and other obligations.[10][11]
Release
Reception
Josef Adalian of Vulture described Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro as a "win-win-win situation for Disney. Not only does ABC get new programming for its reality-centric summer schedule, but the spinoff itself will serve as months-long promo for the fall season of Dancing with the Stars while also extending the footprint of one of the network’s most popular programs beyond the fall.[3]