“Dancing with the Stars” is making history again with one of its Season 35 pairings.
Sarah Jane Nader will compete alongside first-time pro Hailey Bills, making them only the second all-female partnership in the ABC competition show’s history.
Sarah Jane Nader & Hailey Bills Follow in JoJo Siwa & Jenna Johnson’s ‘DWTS’ Footsteps
The pairing follows JoJo Siwa and Jenna Johnson, who became the show’s first same-sex couple when they competed together during Season 30. Siwa and Johnson ultimately finished the season as runners-up.
For Nader and Bills, getting the opportunity to follow in their footsteps has made their first season competing together even more meaningful.
The “Love Thy Nader” star told People that being part of a same-sex partnership is “such an honor” and a “crazy opportunity.”
The pair’s connection to the show’s history goes even deeper: Bills is Johnson’s niece.
“Iconic family behavior, by the way,” Nader joked of the coincidence.
Sarah Jane Nader & Hailey Bills React to Same-Sex ‘DWTS’ Partnership
Nader and Bills said there was no shortage of excitement when they discovered they would be competing together.
“We were so excited,” Nader said. “We probably hit a new frequency in the dance studio, screaming. We were just beyond thrilled.”
Bills is equally enthusiastic about beginning her first season as a professional dancer with Nader by her side.
“I am so unbelievably excited for this experience, and I could not be more happy with my partner. It’s going to be great,” Bills said.
Nader added, “We’re the luckiest girls ever.”
Although this marks Bills’ first time competing as a pro, she isn’t entirely new to the “DWTS” ballroom. The dancer joined the show’s troupe for Season 34 before being promoted to the professional lineup for Season 35.
Bills said the possibility of dancing with a woman was first raised months before the new cast and partnerships were announced.
“I was actually in the middle of my tour for Dancing with the Stars in April, and [executive producer] Deena Katz just pulled me aside and asked me if I’d be willing to dance with a female, and I was like, ‘Double whammy.’ And of course, obviously I’m down to dance with a female,” she recalled.
The opportunity represents another major career milestone for Bills as she steps into a role she hasn’t held before.
“I agree, this is the biggest job in dance I’ve ever had in my life, so I’m just excited to see how it goes,” Bills said. “I’ve never been a pro, so I’m really excited to dive into it and hopefully have a great time.”
Sarah Jane Nader Joins ‘DWTS’ After Sister Brooks Nader’s Season 33 Run
For Nader, joining “Dancing with the Stars” also means following a path previously taken by her older sister, Brooks Nader.
Brooks competed during Season 33 with professional dancer Gleb Savchenko. Their partnership generated attention beyond the ballroom as the two became romantically involved during their time on the show.
Sarah Jane is now getting her own chance at the competition — and she hopes viewers will see another side of her in the process.
The model and content creator currently stars alongside Brooks and sisters Mary Holland and Grace Ann on Freeform’s “Love Thy Nader.” The reality series follows the four sisters, who are originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as they navigate their lives and careers in New York City.
“Everything I’ve done so far, for the most part, has been with my sisters, and so I’m excited for people to get to know me as an individual,” Nader said.
