And 5, 6, 7, 8! Long-running competition series Dancing With the Stars<\/a><\/i> is shaking it up this summer with the new ABC spinoff Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro<\/a>, which follows 12 professional dancers pursuing a chance<\/a> to work the ballroom on Season 35 this fall.<\/p>\n The series will shift the spotlight from celebrities learning to dance to the skilled performers who are tasked with mentoring, choreographing the routines and, of course, making the \u201cstars\u201d look ridiculously good on the floor. As showrunner Conrad Green<\/a> explains, it\u2019s the series\u2019 love letter to their pros.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve always felt that the pros on our show are an underutilized resource,\u201d says Green. \u201cFans love them, but we don\u2019t get much time on [DWTS<\/i>] to dwell on them. And so, this was an attempt to do a big search for the very best people, but also a chance to give our pros real involvement in [shaping] the next generation.\u201d<\/p>\n The judging panel will have a rotating guest seat for current or former DWTS<\/i> pros (Derek Hough<\/a> in the premiere), and two mainstays: three-time Mirrorball champ Mark Ballas<\/a> and his mother, Shirley, a judge on the U.K.\u2019s Strictly Come Dancing<\/a><\/i> and \u201cthe Queen of Latin.\u201d Their dynamic, Green says with a laugh, \u201cis very much like a mother and son. You can almost picture them over the kitchen table arguing about someone. It\u2019s actually really sweet.\u201d<\/p>\n While Mark homes in on originality, Shirley calls her judging style \u201cfirm, feisty, but always fair. I expect every professional to have studied their craft intently, and I need them to prove that they are 100% dedicated.\u201d<\/p>\n Hosting the series is last year\u2019s star winner, wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin<\/a> (above center), who Green says brings \u201ca massive passion for the show.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI really jumped at the chance,\u201d Irwin tells us. \u201cMy reaction was just, \u2018When do I start?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n DANCING WITH THE STARS: THE NEXT PRO – ABC’s <\/p>\n Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro<\/i> stars Shirley Ballas and Mark Ballas (Disney \/ Maarten De Boer)<\/p>\n The dancers will take on different challenges in each episode as they learn about the ins and outs of technique, storytelling through dance, creating a wow moment and more.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we get toward the end, they start teaching amateurs and working more like the actual show,\u201d Green says. \u201cAs a viewer, you get a real insight into just how many layers of skill you need to be a successful pro on the show.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n