“Dancing With the Stars” returns to ABC for its 35th season this fall. But this year, things are a bit different. This summer, fans will see hopeful dancers compete for the next pro dancer spot on the show. Reigning champion Witney Carson recently teased what fans can expect to see.
Witney Carson Confirms She Will Be Part of the DWTS Spin-Off
As the season 35 champion, conservationist Robert Irwin will host “Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro.” Of course, he couldn’t do it without his pro dance partner, Witney Carson.
In a new interview, the 32-year-old revealed she had an amazing time filming the spin-off.
“‘The Next Pro’ is going to be so amazing,” Carson told E! News, adding that she is part of three episodes. “I judge and then Robert and I also do something together other than dancing. I’m not gonna give it away, but it was very very cool, it was very fun.
Shirley and Mark Ballas confirmed they will judge the competition throughout the spin-off. But it sounds like there might be some guest judges throughout the process, too.
“We take the best 12 dancers in the country and we put them through rigorous competition to find out who the next pro will be,” Carson continued. “It’s really a life-changing thing for these dancers. So they go through a lot and they are incredible, they are amazing. I don’t know if I would be able to do it!”
“Honestly, it was very intense,” she recalled. “They are very talented. And it was fun being in a different role other than dancing. Obviously, I dance a lot in it, but I was able to judge which is really cool and really fun. I think people are going to love it.”
The Reigning Champion Would Love Spiderman to Join the Show
Many “Dancing With the Stars” pros form strong bonds with their dance partners, especially if they end up winning the competition. While Witney Carson is quite fond of Robert Irwin, she’s thinking ahead to her next partner.
“If I had to pick a partner, my dream partner, I’ve just been saying lately, Tom Holland,” the mother of two shared with E! News. “If he’s bored, you know, come on over. He’s a little busy right now. I’ve seen some of his clips of him dancing. I’m like ‘Dude, you can dance!’ And he can flip! He’d be amazing, he’s so fun and cool.”
Tom Holland’s partner, Zendaya, competed on DWTS season 16. She and her partner Val Chmerkovskiy came in second place behind Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough.
While speaking with E! News, Witney Carson noted she believes DWTS will reveal another competing celebrity in the upcoming weeks. She’s hoping they will announce a male celebrity so she can see what her next partner might look like.
Fans can catch “Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro” on Monday, July 13, on ABC. “Dancing With the Stars” season 35 will follow on the network this September.
