The upcoming season of “Dancing With the Stars” has added more Utahns to its already Utah-heavy cast.
On Wednesday, the dance competition reality series announced Hailey Bills, Onye Stevenson, Carter Williams and Jaxon Willard as the Season 34 troupe — a group of professional dancers who perform on the show, but do not get coupled up with celebrity partners.
Three of the four troupe members have Utah connections.
Bills is a student at Brigham Young University and performed as a Cougarette during the 2024-2025 season. Williams is a Utahn and close friend of current “Dancing With the Stars” pro Rylee Arnold. And Willard grew up in American Fork, Utah.
Bills, Williams and Willard all trained at Center Stage Performing Arts in Orem, per Parade. Several current and former “Dancing With the Stars” pros, including Rylee Arnold, Lindsay Arnold, Whitney Carson, Ezra Sosa and Brandon Armstrong, also trained at the Utah studio.
“FOREVER pinching myself… stepping onto the @dancingwiththestars stage as part of the Season 34 Troupe!!!!!” Williams wrote in an Instagram post announcing he had been cast on the reality show.
He continued, “A dream turned reality & I couldn’t be more grateful for every step that led me here.”
The upcoming season of “Dancing With the Stars” already has several Utah connections. Five of the 12 professional dancers are Utahns — Witney Carson, Ezra Sosa, Jenna Johnson, Brandon Armstrong and Rylee Arnold.
A handful of Utah celebrities were also cast as guest dancers on the reality show. Reality stars and influencers known for the Utah-based series “The Secret Live of Mormon Wives,” Whitney Leavitt and Jen Affleck, will both compete on the series.
The reality series has always had Utah connections. Siblings Julianne Hough, a longtime co-host on the series, and Derek Hough, a judge who has been involved with the series for roughly two decades, were both born and raised in Orem.
Utah’s strong dance culture has paved the way for several Utahns to dance professionally on “Dancing With the Stars” every season.
Rylee Arnold, a current “Dancing With the Stars” pro raised in Provo, credits the Beehive State’s unique dance training style with turning out so many pro dancers.
“I just feel like there’s really good training in Utah. We were blessed with some really good teachers, and it’s cross-training — so there’s really good training for all sorts of styles outside of ballroom. And then plus really good teachers that teach us that Latin ballroom style,” Arnold said in an interview with Us Weekly.
She continued, “So the dancers that come from Utah, we’re just well-versed and well-rounded, and we know all the styles and that just kind of sets you apart from other people as well. So I just think its a really good place to grow up in and to learn how to dance.”
When does ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 34 come out?
“Dancing With the Stars” Season 34 premieres on ABC on Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 7 p.m. MDT. Follow-up episodes will air weekly on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. MDT.
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