How Many Episodes Will “DWTS: The Next Pro” Have? All About the Spinoff’s Release Schedule

NEED TO KNOW

ABC premiered Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro on July 13, featuring 12 dancers competing for a pro spot in Dancing with the Stars season 35
New episodes will air every Monday until the finale on August 31
Mark Ballas and Shirley Ballas serve as judges alongside rotating celebrity guests, like Derek Hough and Britt Stewart

Dancing with the Stars is giving the people what they want: more Dancing with the Stars.

ABC premiered its highly-anticipated, pro-centered spinoff series Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro on July 13, having 12 dancers face one another in competition for a coveted spot as a celebrity’s professional partner on DWTS season 35.

“It’s a fascinating show, because it feels like Dancing with the Stars, which it kind of is, but it’s also very different because of the format,” former DWTS pro Mark Ballas told ABC News in July 2026.

He’s serving as a judge alongside his mother, Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas, and a rotation of celebrity guest judges, like Derek Hough and Britt Stewart. Robert Irwin, who won season 34 of DWTS, hosts the series, which is set in his native country of Australia.

Ballas added that the spinoff “did a really great job” of creating challenges that actually happen on DWTS: “Whether it’s … choreographing, group work, chemistry, teaching challenges, these are the things that you face as a pro on Dancing with the Stars.”

Here’s everything to know about the Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro release schedule.

How many episodes are in Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro?

Mark Ballas, Shirley Ballas and Brandon Armstrong on ‘Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro’
Credit: Vince Valitutti/Disney

DWTS: The Next Pro will have eight episodes.

Each week, contestants will compete in the ultimate DWTS audition through challenges that recreate what it’s like to work with celebrity partners on the actual show, from mastering technique to creating a wow moment.

“When we get toward the end, they start teaching amateurs and working more like the actual show,” showrunner Conrad Green told TV Insider in June 2025. “As a viewer, you get a real insight into just how many layers of skill you need to be a successful pro on the show.”

A new guest judge will lead the challenges each week. Hough appeared in the premiere episode to teach technique, and Brandon Armstrong and Stewart are set to guest judge in episodes 2 and 3, respectively. The rest of the lineup has yet to be announced.

What is the release schedule for Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro?

ABC premiered the first episode of DWTS: The Next Pro on July 13.

New episodes will air every Monday until the finale on August 31, where the last contestant standing will be crowned the next DWTS pro.

Based on the air dates so far, here is the release schedule for DWTS: The Next Pro:

July 13: “The Journey Begins: Technique with Derek Hough”
July 20: “Stories Without Words: Storytelling with Brandon Armstrong”
July 27: “You’re Only as Strong as Your Weakest Link: Group Work with Britt Stewart”
August 3: “Bring on the Intensity: Chemistry with Jenna Johnson”