If you’re asking when Dancing With the Stars starts, the short answer is that Season 35 is already on. It began with a two-night live premiere on Tuesday, September 15, and Wednesday, September 16, 2026, on ABC and Disney+. Since then, new episodes have aired every Tuesday night. I’ve followed the show’s fall rollout for years. This season kept the familiar mid-September launch but opened with an unusually dramatic double elimination. Below you’ll find the dates, times, streaming options, theme nights, cast, and what comes after the finale.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Show | Dancing With the Stars (DWTS) |
| Current Season | Season 35 |
| Premiere Date | Tuesday, September 15, and Wednesday, September 16, 2026 |
| Regular Air Day | Tuesdays |
| Air Time | 8:00 PM ET/PT (7:00 PM CT) |
| Network | ABC |
| Streaming | Disney+ (live), Hulu (next day) |
| Hosts | Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough |
| Judges | Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, Derek Hough |
| Number of Couples | 16 |
| Previous Winner | Robert Irwin and Witney Carson (Season 34) |
| Live Tour | Dancing With the Stars: Live! begins January 21, 2027 |
When Does Dancing With the Stars Start in 2026?
Dancing With the Stars Season 35 started on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, with Premiere: Night One. Premiere: Night Two followed on Wednesday, September 16. Both nights began at 8/7c and ran live for about two hours. That is the direct answer to “when does Dancing With the Stars start in 2026.”
The two-night opener had a clear structure. The male celebrities danced on night one, and the female celebrities danced on night two. Each couple performed to a No. 1 song from the year the celebrity was born. That gave the premiere a nostalgic, personal feel right from the first routine.
One couple went home at the end of each premiere night. This was based on judges’ scores and viewer votes combined. A double elimination in the first week is rare. The last time it happened was the shortened all-athletes season in 2018.
After the premiere, the show went back to its normal one-night format. Viral Hits Night on September 22 was the first regular single-night episode of the season. From that point on, Tuesday became the only night to tune in.
Why Season 35 Started in Mid-September
DWTS now runs one season per year, in the fall. In earlier years, the show often ran two seasons each year, one in spring and one in fall. The single fall season has become the standard, and premieres now reliably land in mid-September.
The last three seasons have all launched within a day or two of the same calendar date. If you’re planning ahead for Season 36, a mid-September premiere in 2027 is the safest bet. Always confirm with ABC’s announcement, which usually comes late in the summer.
What Time Does Dancing With the Stars Air and Where to Watch
Dancing With the Stars Season 35 airs live on Tuesday nights at 8 PM ET/PT on ABC. It streams live on Disney+ at the same time. Episodes run for two hours. Central Time viewers watch from 7 to 9 PM.
The show broadcasts live in local time zones. This matters for voting, because West Coast viewers are watching and voting in real time instead of waiting for a delayed feed. In my view, this is one of the smartest changes the show has made in recent years.
If you miss the live broadcast, episodes land on Hulu the following day. That makes Hulu the easiest catch-up option for viewers who don’t want to stay up on a Tuesday night or who don’t have cable.
Here is a quick breakdown of your viewing options:
- ABC: Live broadcast every Tuesday at 8 PM ET/PT
- Disney+: Live stream at the same time as the ABC broadcast
- Hulu: Full episodes the next day
When Did Dancing With the Stars Start in 2025?
For anyone searching “when does Dancing With the Stars start in 2025,” Season 34 premiered on Tuesday, September 16, 2025. It followed the same Tuesday-night pattern on ABC and Disney+ that Season 35 uses now.
Season 34 was a milestone season because it celebrated the show’s 20th anniversary. The theme lineup marked the occasion with a birthday-party night alongside returning favorites such as Disney Night and Dedication Night.
Robert Irwin and pro partner Witney Carson won the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy in late November 2025. The other finalists were Alix Earle with Val Chmerkovskiy, Jordan Chiles with Ezra Sosa, Elaine Hendrix with Alan Bersten, and Dylan Efron with Daniella Karagach.
The win was Witney’s second Mirrorball. Her first came in Season 19 with Alfonso Ribeiro, who is now a co-host of the show. That connection between past champions and the current hosting team is part of why the show has such loyal fans.
Dancing With the Stars Season 35 Schedule and Theme Nights
Season 35 follows a week-by-week theme schedule. The season finale is set for Week 11. Here is the confirmed lineup as of October 10, 2026:
| Week | Theme | Air Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Premiere Night (No. 1 song from birth year) | Sept. 15 and 16 | Aired |
| Week 2 | Viral Hits Night | Sept. 22 | Aired |
| Week 3 | Yacht Rock Night | Sept. 29 | Aired |
| Week 4 | Mariah Carey Night | Oct. 6 | Aired |
| Week 5 | Super Bowl Night | Oct. 13 | Upcoming |
| Week 6 | Dedication Night | Oct. 20 | Scheduled |
| Week 7 | Horror Movie Night | Oct. 27 | Scheduled |
| Week 8 | Disney Night | Nov. 3 | Scheduled |
| Week 9 | Grammy Night | Nov. 10 | Scheduled |
| Week 10 | TBA | Nov. 17 | Expected |
| Week 11 | Finale | Nov. 24 | Expected |
Week 5 was originally left blank on the schedule. It was later revealed as Super Bowl Night, which is a theme the show has never done before. The 11 remaining couples will dance to music tied to the big game, and former NFL contestants are expected to make guest appearances.
Disney Night falls much later than usual this year. Because it lands in Week 8, fewer couples will get to perform it. That should make the remaining routines more polished and more competitive.
Mariah Carey Night added a challenge on top of the theme. Each couple performed an unlearned dance style to one of her songs. Weeks like this tend to separate the steady performers from the ones relying on comfort styles.
When Does the Season 35 Finale Air?
The Season 35 finale takes place in Week 11. Based on the weekly Tuesday schedule, it should land on Tuesday, November 24, 2026. ABC has not formally confirmed that date yet, so check again once the semifinal is announced.
Dancing With the Stars Season 35 Cast
Season 35 features sixteen new celebrity couples. That ties Seasons 9 and 31 for the largest cast in the show’s history. The celebrity cast was revealed on Good Morning America on September 2, 2026, about two weeks before the premiere.
The lineup mixes actresses, reality stars, athletes, and familiar TV faces. Here are confirmed couples from the season so far:
| Celebrity | Known For | Pro Partner |
|---|---|---|
| Maura Higgins | Love Island | Mark Ballas |
| Guillermo Rodriguez | Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Witney Carson |
| Jackson Olson | Savannah Bananas baseball player | Emma Slater |
| Amber Glenn | Olympic figure skater | Pasha Pashkov |
| Ciara Miller | Summer House, The Traitors | Brandon Armstrong |
| Taylor Hanson | Singer, Hanson | Britt Stewart |
| Giada De Laurentiis | Chef and Food Network host | Alan Bersten |
| Conner Leavitt | The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives | Adele Zaikman |
| Sarah Jane Nader | Love Thy Nader | Hailey Bills |
Other celebrities in the cast include actresses Julia Stiles and Jenna Dewan, plus Tyler Cameron and Maggie Sajak. Early on, Maura Higgins became a breakout favorite. Her waltz on Mariah Carey Night left the judges visibly emotional.
Who Is the New Dancing With the Stars Pro?
The newest pro on Season 35 is Adele Zaikman. She earned her spot by winning Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro, the competition series that ended on August 31, 2026, ahead of the new season.
Adele was paired with Conner Leavitt. He is the husband of Whitney Leavitt, who competed in Season 34. Their run ended early, as they were the first couple eliminated on premiere night one. Her place on the 2027 live tour shows that the show still sees her as part of its long-term pro roster.
Dancing With the Stars Season 35 Judges and Hosts
The judges’ table for Season 35 is Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough. Carrie Ann has been on the panel since the first season in 2005. Bruno has been part of the show for nearly as long. Derek, a former professional dancer, has been a judge since Season 29.
This trio has stayed in place since Len Goodman left the panel. Goodman, the original head judge, died in April 2023. The show’s Mirrorball Trophy is now named in his honor.
Guest judges join the panel on selected theme nights. These appearances are usually announced about a week before the episode airs. On those weeks, couples can earn higher maximum scores.
Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough co-host Season 35. Alfonso won Season 19 and took over as host in Season 31. Julianne, a two-time Mirrorball winner as a pro, joined him as co-host in Season 32. Both have competed in the ballroom, and in my experience that gives their live banter more credibility than a typical TV host could offer.
Dancing With the Stars Season 35 Eliminations So Far
Five couples have left the competition through Week 4. Here is who went home and when:
| Week | Theme | Eliminated Couple | Placement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 (Night 1) | Premiere Night | Conner Leavitt and Adele Zaikman | 16th |
| Week 1 (Night 2) | Premiere Night | Sarah Jane Nader and Hailey Bills | 15th |
| Week 2 | Viral Hits Night | Giada De Laurentiis and Alan Bersten | 14th |
| Week 3 | Yacht Rock Night | Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart | 13th |
| Week 4 | Mariah Carey Night | Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong | 12th |
The last two eliminations surprised many fans. Taylor Hanson’s exit on Yacht Rock Night caught viewers off guard. Then Ciara Miller went home after her jazz routine to “Emotions” scored 21 out of 30. That score tied her with three other couples, and she outscored Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson, who finished with 13.
These results show how much viewer votes matter. A strong score from the judges does not guarantee safety. A loyal fan base can carry a lower-scoring couple through another week.
How Voting and Eliminations Work on DWTS Season 35
There is no separate results show in Season 35. The couple with the lowest combined judges’ score and viewer votes is eliminated at the end of the same live episode. Fans who remember the Tom Bergeron era will recall the overnight results shows. Those are gone, and the full competition now happens on one night.
Viewers can vote online through the official DWTS voting page or by text. Votes only count during the live voting window, which opens during the broadcast. Under the standard rules, each method allows up to 10 votes per couple.
Here is a simple way to vote every week:
- Tune in live on ABC or Disney+ on Tuesday at 8 PM in your time zone.
- Wait for the hosts to open the voting window.
- Vote online, by text, or both, up to the limit for each couple.
- Submit your votes before the window closes near the end of the show.
Because the show is live in every time zone, West Coast viewers vote during their own local broadcast. Viewers outside the United States should check the official rules for eligibility. Voting access is not the same in every country.
Dancing With the Stars Live Tour 2027
Dancing With the Stars: Live! will start on January 21, 2027, at SNHU Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire. The tour includes 60 shows across North America. Public ticket sales open on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 10 a.m. local time. The free Mirrorball Presale began earlier, on October 8.
The tour cast includes 11 pros: Brandon Armstrong, Rylee Arnold, Alan Bersten, Hailey Bills, Sharna Burgess, Val Chmerkovskiy, Jenna Johnson, Emma Slater, Ezra Sosa, Britt Stewart, and Adele Zaikman. Emma Slater also returns as co-host. For the first time, 4 troupe members will join the tour: Kamri Peterson, Onye Stevenson, Jaxon Willard, and Carter Williams.
Emmy-winning choreographer Mandy Moore is directing the show. Her credits include La La Land and Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour. Expect big group numbers alongside individual performances, which tend to land differently on a live stage than they do on TV.
A few early tour stops:
| Date | City | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 21, 2027 | Manchester, NH | SNHU Arena |
| Jan. 22, 2027 | Buffalo, NY | KeyBank Center |
| Jan. 24, 2027 | Toronto, ON | Scotiabank Arena |
| Jan. 26, 2027 | Cleveland, OH | Rocket Arena |
| Feb. 7, 2027 | Washington, D.C. | Capital One Arena |
| Feb. 18, 2027 | Columbus, OH | Schottenstein Center |
| April 3, 2027 | Las Vegas, NV | Michelob ULTRA Arena |
VIP packages are also available. Depending on the tier, they can include premium seats, a meet-and-greet photo, an interactive experience with the touring cast, and exclusive merchandise. Last year’s tour sold out in many cities, so if you want good seats, buy early.
FAQs
When Does Dancing With the Stars Start?
Dancing With the Stars Season 35 started on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, with a two-night premiere that continued on Wednesday, September 16. New episodes now air every Tuesday at 8 PM ET/PT on ABC and Disney+.
When Does Dancing With the Stars Start 2026 Episodes Each Week?
Weekly 2026 episodes start at 8 PM Eastern and Pacific, and 7 PM Central. Each live episode runs for about two hours, and the elimination is announced before the show ends.
Can I Watch Dancing With the Stars Without Cable?
Yes. Disney+ streams every episode live at the same time as the ABC broadcast. Hulu adds full episodes the next day, which works well if you miss the Tuesday-night airing.
Will Celebrities Join the Dancing With the Stars Live Tour?
Celebrity guest stars have not been confirmed yet for the 2027 tour. Organizers have said they will be announced later. For now, the confirmed lineup includes pros and troupe members.
When Will Dancing With the Stars Season 36 Start?
ABC has not announced Season 36 yet. The show has premiered in mid-September for several years in a row, so a September 2027 start is the most likely timeline.
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