Alfonso Ribeiro spoke about the process of forming couples on DWTS
3 october 2026 в 08:50
The casting for the show «Dancing with the Stars» remains a dynamic process, and participants often learn about their partners at the last moment. In an interview with Us Weekly, host Alfonso Ribeiro shared that partnerships can change right up until the announcement of the cast. He noted that while producers usually have a list of dancers, the final pairs are formed in the last days before the stars and professionals meet.
Two-time champion Jenna Johnson confirmed that dancers typically do not know who they will be working with until the season begins. She explained that producers try to keep information secret, and even leaks happen infrequently. Her colleague Pasha Pashkov added that they find out about their partners a few days before the start of the season.
Sometimes, stars may express preferences regarding their partners. For example, ahead of Season 35, Maura Higgins and Taylor Hanson requested to be paired with Mark Ballas and Britt Stewart, respectively. Hanson noted that his family approved of this choice.
Although in most cases the pairs consist of one man and one woman, there have been three instances of same-sex partnerships in the show’s history. Executive producer Ryan O’Dowd stated that the possibility of creating another same-sex partnership is not ruled out, as producers continue to discuss how to make the show more diverse and reflective of society.
Two-time champion Jenna Johnson confirmed that dancers typically do not know who they will be working with until the season begins. She explained that producers try to keep information secret, and even leaks happen infrequently. Her colleague Pasha Pashkov added that they find out about their partners a few days before the start of the season.
Sometimes, stars may express preferences regarding their partners. For example, ahead of Season 35, Maura Higgins and Taylor Hanson requested to be paired with Mark Ballas and Britt Stewart, respectively. Hanson noted that his family approved of this choice.
Although in most cases the pairs consist of one man and one woman, there have been three instances of same-sex partnerships in the show’s history. Executive producer Ryan O’Dowd stated that the possibility of creating another same-sex partnership is not ruled out, as producers continue to discuss how to make the show more diverse and reflective of society.
© Zhinobaeva Margarita
