Back in April, we filled you in on everything we knew at the time about ABC’s forthcoming competition series, Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro. And this week, fans are getting a closer look at who they could expect to see on the spin-off.
Marking the latest spin-off series for Dancing With the Stars, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025, Dancing With the Stars: the Next Pro seeks to do precisely what the title says: find the next pro dancer to join the cast of the hit competition series. The premiere season is set to be hosted by last season’s winner, Robert Irwin, with DWTS pro Mark Ballas and his mother, Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas, seated on the panel.
As noted by TV Insider, the program will feature a cast of 12 professional dancers with impressive résumés who will go head-to-head for one open spot on the main show—all while living under the same roof. Per ABC’s website, the contestants will also be joined by “a star-studded lineup of returning pros who will serve as rotating mentors/guest judges.”
Who are the contestants on Dancing With the Stars: the Next Pro?
Beginning Monday, July 6, the official Instagram account for the series shared a new trailer alongside mini video introductions to the contestants. Scroll on to learn a little more about those competing for the top prize!
Adele Zaikman
As noted on Zaikman’s social media, the contestant is a professional dancer and teacher based in Los Angeles. See more of the contestant’s dance style on her Instagram account here.
AJ Pritchard
E! News reported that Pritchard has plenty of experience competing on TV for top prizes, as he “made it to the semi-finals on Season 7 of Britain’s Got Talent before spending four seasons as a pro on Strictly Come Dancing.” See more of the contestant’s dance style on his Instagram account here.
Allen Genkin
One quick look at his social media reveals that Genkin is also no stranger to competition, and more specifically, he’s no stranger to DWTS. His current Instagram bio quite literally includes, “🪩 DWTS ballroom battle champion.” See more of the contestant’s dance style on his Instagram account here.
Benji Castro
Another professional dancer with some seriously incredible experience competing on TV, Castro made it to the Top 7 during Season 16 of So You Think You Can Dance back in 2019. See more of the contestant’s dance style on his Instagram account here.
Briar Nolet
Per Nolet’s Instagram bio, she’s a “dancer, actress, model” living in Los Angeles. You can follow her dance journey across her social media profiles, where she currently has an impressive 809,000+ followers on Instagram and over 1.1 million on TikTok. See more of the contestant’s dance style on her Instagram account here.
Erik Linder
Per Linder’s website, the Los Angeles-based contestant is “a world-class Ballroom and Latin dancer and performer whose career moves from competitive champion to television, international stages, and live performances.” See more of the contestant’s dance style on his Instagram account here.
Jake Monreal
Monreal is entering the competition with a little DWTS knowledge already under his belt, as the ballroom star had previously appeared on another ABC show, Dancing With the Stars: Juniors, back in 2018. See more of the contestant’s dance style on his Instagram account here.
Natalie Jolley
As noted by Jolley herself on social media, the dance sensation is an “8x U.S. National Champion, 6x UK Open, 4x International [and] 4x World Smooth Champion.” See more of the contestant’s dance style on her Instagram account here.
Nina Mayster
As noted on social media, Mayster is an owner of The Atelier at VIBE in Philadelphia, Penn., which also has a website with dance gear available for purchase. See more of the contestant’s dance style on her Instagram account here.
Selena Hamilton
Do you remember that one GAP ad we were all obsessed with last year featuring KATSEYE busting a move to “Milkshake” by Kelis? Well, Hamilton was one of the incredible background dancers. See more of the contestant’s dance style on her Instagram account here.
Stephani Sosa
Sosa has roots in the DWTS family, as her brother, Ezra Sosa—who placed third with partner Jordan Chiles last season—is a current pro dancer on the main cast. Sosa herself was also on the main show during Season 33 and is looking to return. See more of the contestant’s dance style on her Instagram account here.
Tristen Sanders
Last but absolutely not least, Sanders is a professional dancer from Atlanta specializing in hip-hop and ballroom styles, per his social media accounts. He also shares clips of his choreography across his profiles. See more of the contestant’s dance style on his Instagram account here.
How can I watch Dancing With the Stars: the Next Pro?
Dancing With the Stars: the Next Pro will premiere live on Monday, July 13, on ABC at 8 p.m. ET. The show will then be available to stream on Tuesday, July 14, on Hulu and Disney+.
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