Every season of “Dancing With the Stars” presents unique challenges. While many pros go on to form great friendships with their celebrity partners, that can’t be said of every partnership. At the first-ever DWTS convention, Sharna Burgess touched on what happens when celebs have difficulty cooperating.
In her experience, there is one type of celebrity contestant who loves to perform lifts and stunts, and another type who feels more hesitant to try new things.
Sharna Burgess Admits Not Everyone Is Onboard With the Choreography
While “Dancing with the Stars” is meant to be a fun, memorable experience, not every celebrity has the same experience. A few seasons ago, Anna Delvey infamously announced that she learned “nothing” from her experience.
However, during a Q&A session with fans, Sharna Burgess admitted that some celebrity contestants aren’t quite vibing with the choreography.
“You know honestly, I think it’s the female celebrities that are much more aware of their aesthetic and where they are they could have a feeling of, ‘I don’t feel I look good doing that,'” the professional dancer told fans.
“You know, and rightfully so, you want to feel good. But the men were just like, down to do it, you know? The athletes just wanna lift you and show how tough they are,” Sharna added.
With the DWTS season 35 premiere just over a month away, many fans have speculated Sharna Burgess will return as a pro.
“We actually discussed it last year, and it was by no means a ‘Please come back,’” the 41-year-old shared with Us Weekly at the convention. “It wasn’t a hard offer on the table, but there was definitely a temperature check.”
‘Dancing With the Stars’ Insiders Share Their Own Stories of Struggles
It’s not only pro dancers who face challenges in the ballroom. During the convention, casting director Deena Katz and executive producer Conrad Green also confirmed they had issues with celebrity contestants.
“Well you know, I have them every week with different [celebrities],” Deena Katz told panel attendees. “You know, there are some that I’ve had to be outside the back door convincing some to come inside. Every single week, there’s somebody that has an issue or is scared. Some have to have a glass of wine, and they come to me.”
Former pro Kym Johnson Herjavec added that Billy Ray Cyrus once completely disappeared just before a live performance. Deena Katz added that Cloris Leachman also frequently disappeared.
“There were a few we weren’t sure were going to turn up for the live shows,” Conrad Green chimed in. “So we’d always have a contingency plan. I remember with Master P there was a few tricky times back in the day. So we were actually training someone on the side, weren’t we? And he was sitting in the audience watching just in case. That was season 2.”
Katz shrugged and said they learned from those early experiences. In 2026, they deal with challenging celebrities as cases occur.
Fans can catch the “Dancing With the Stars” season 35 premiere at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15, on ABC. The next night, there will be a second episode.
