After it was revealed that Artem was not returning as a pro for season 28, he admitted it was “a massive shock” to not be included. Discussing his departure on The Bellas Podcast with then-partner Nikki Bella, he added, “Having those calls are never, never, never fun.”
Of the call, which he received just days before the official cast announcement, the fan favorite who has served as a pro since 2014 said, “It’s like going through a breakup and, you know, good memories of breakup. I dedicated 10 years of my life to that company. And getting let go three days before an announcement, that’s like a punch in the stomach, really.”
Despite this setback, Artem came back for seasons 29-32, even winning one with Kaitlyn Bristowe.
After not being selected as one of season 28’s pros, Sharna—who won the previous season with Bobby Bones after coming in second place with three other celebrity partners during her 12-season run—took to Instagram to sound off on her exit. Writing that she “grew up on the show,” she continued, “I am going to truly miss creating, storytelling and performing for you all. I’ll miss giving the transformative power of dance to the person in front of me, and I’ll miss seeing my DWTS family every day and watching them work their craft in ways that inspire me.”
Hinting at exciting new projects in the works, Sharna was named the Australian version of the reality dancing competition series’ newest judge. She later returned for seasons 29 and 30, where she was partnered with Brian Austin Green, who she began dating.
Arguably one of the show’s most popular pros ever, Derek Hough holds the record for most wins with six mirrorball trophies on his mantle (along with four Emmys for his work as a choreographer). After competing in seasons 5-11 and sitting out season 12 due to a film role, he returned for seasons 13-21 (though he wasn’t originally slated to appear in season 20, he ended up as a surprise addition and pulled double duty between DWTS and his Broadway show) and season 23, which served as his final outing as a pro.
Derek served as a judge on World of Dance, Jennifer Lopez’s reality dance competition series for NBC, before joining the judge’s panel for DWTS starting in season 29.
After three seasons and two wins, Julianne Hough announced she was leaving the ABC reality hit. “It’s because I really, really want to focus on the music and, you know, kind of be taken seriously a little bit,” she explained to Ryan Seacrest at the time, though she didn’t rule out returning in future seasons.
Julianne originally appeared on the show as a pro in season eight, as her then-boyfriend, country singer Chuck Wicks, was a contestant and she was paired with him. They came in sixth place, and that season served as the Footloose star’s final one as a pro. However, she later returned as a permanent fourth judge for seasons 19-21 and seasons 23 and 24.
Julianne, who was married to NHL star Brooks Laich, was also a judge on NBC’s America’s Got Talent before making her DWTS comeback in 2023 as cohost.
After joining the show in season five, Mark Ballas was part of the pro lineup for 18 straight seasons, winning two mirrorball trophies during his impressive run. Fans were shocked to see Mark sit out seasons 23 and 24 due to his run as Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys on Broadway. He returned to dance during season 25, coming in second with Lindsey Stirling.
Mark then focused on his music career with wife BC Jean; their duo group, Alexander Jean, was signed to a record label. He returned for season 31 with Charli D’Amelio and season 34 with Whitney Leavitt.
Serving as a pro for seasons 3-9, Karina Smirnoff took her first mini-break from the ballroom in season 10. She then competed in nine consecutive seasons before her next brief hiatus in season 20. At the time, she explained, “I’ve decided to focus my energies on some other exciting endeavors, including adding author to my resume.”
Karina returned for two more outings but officially left DWTS after season 22. Since hanging up her dancing shoes, Smirnoff appeared on E!’s Famously Single and returned to professional dancing.
In 2017, she opened up about her decision to leave the ABC series, admitting she does “miss the show” and wouldn’t rule out a return. “I love dancing with celebrities on the show, but it’s a different type of experience. You’re not just their dance partner. You’re their coach, their shrink, their cheerleader,” she told Fox. “But when you perform with your professional partner, they’re as strong as you, and it becomes a different type of performance. And I missed that when I wasn’t doing it while I was on the show.”
Oh, Maks! One of the show’s most popular pros with a history of clashing with the judges and sometimes his celebrity partners, Maksim Chmerkovskiy has had quite the ups and downs, exiting and returning several times since 2012. That year, he said he was leaving to pursue an acting career. “What else do I have to do there after 15 seasons?” he told the New York Post. “It makes total sense. The audience can’t expect for me to want to stick around, and the producers can’t expect for me to want to stick around.”
Alas, Maks returned for season 18 and went on to notch his only win with Meryl Davis, only to leave again after winning the mirrorball. He returned again for seasons 23-25, infamously skipping out on a performance with his celebrity partner Vanessa Lachey.
Now married to fellow pro Peta Murgatroyd, Maks occasionally served as a guest judge during his off-seasons.
The Aussie fan favorite Kym Johnson made her debut in season two, competing in every season until she took home her first win in season 9. After sitting out season 10, she danced in six consecutive seasons before taking three seasons off.
Fortunately, Kym returned in season 20, paired with Shark Tank’s Robert Herjavec, who would later become her husband. After falling in love, Kym took several seasons off before returning for her final appearance as a pro in season 24.
After announcing she was pregnant with twins in January 2018, Kym confirmed she was done competing as a professional dancer, saying she had “hung up” her dancing shoes “for good,” but wouldn’t rule out returning to DWTS in some other capacity. “I’d love to go back and be a part of the show somehow, whether it is judging or doing something,” she said. Indeed, she returned as a guest judge for season 34.
After making her debut in season two, Cheryl Burke became the first female pro to win and the first pro to win back-to-back seasons. After 18 consecutive seasons, Cheryl announced she was leaving DWTS ahead of season 20.
Reports circulated that after her contract with the show expired, Cheryl was looking to join a variety show at NBC—which ultimately never made it to air. She returned for season 23 before sitting out another season, but couldn’t resist returning for a milestone season for both her and the show.
“I’m back again!” she said after revealing she was returning for season 25. “Last year I danced with Ryan Lochte, but it’s been a season that I’ve missed so far. This is my 20th season, and I’m just so happy to be back. It’s an anniversary season for Dancing With the Stars—season 25—and for me.”
After marrying Matthew Lawrence in May 2019, she was back in action for season 28 but left again in 2022. Cheryl made one more appearance as a guest judge on season 34.
Peta Murgatroyd made her debut in season 13, quickly becoming a fan favorite. She competed in every season (and won one) until season 20, when a serious ankle injury forced her out of the competition.
She triumphantly returned in season 22, winning the mirrorball with partner Nyle DiMarco. During season 25, she competed with Nick Lachey just six months after giving birth to her first child before taking another break from DWTS.
After three seasons away to spend time with her son Shai alongside fellow former DWTS star Maks Chmerkovskiy, Peta returned to the ballroom. “I definitely wanted this to happen,” she told US Weekly of her highly anticipated comeback. “I hoped that I could make this work for a couple of months now and was praying and hoping that it would all align. It was the perfect time for my family. Maks has other things going on and Shai is well taken care of, and it was just a good time for us.”
Her most recent run was on season 32.
Tony Dovolani joined DWTS in season two and competed for 20 consecutive seasons with one win before his final outing with Marla Maples in season 22. Tony announced his departure on Instagram, writing, “While I will miss the show and interacting with our wonderful audiences, both at home and in the ballroom, I will continue to focus on growing my Dance With Me USA studios and teaching. I will also be traveling across the country performing and making personal appearances.”
Allison Holker made the jump from reality dance show competitor to pro in season 19, competing for two more seasons before sitting out season 22 after announcing she was pregnant with her second child with husband and fellow SYTYCD vet Stephen “tWitch” Boss during a live DWTS episode.
Six months after giving birth, Allison returned for season 23, which ended up being her last outing as a pro. “Hey guys, I wanted to be the first to reach out to all my family, friends and fans to say that I will not be returning to DWTS this season,” she wrote on Instagram after the season 24 line-up was unveiled. “I truly adore my DWTS family. It’s all love and I’m so excited for all of the competitors who are participating this season.”
Lacey Schwimmer joined DWTS after coming in fourth place on So You Think You Can Dance season three, appearing in seasons 7-13 as a pro (aside from serving as a troupe member in season 10). After season 13, Lacey announced she was leaving DWTS to focus on other endeavors, including an album and a clothing line.
“There are a lot of things going on in my life that I kind of need [to] step back and focus,” she explained to SheKnows. “I’m trying to partition my time.”
—
This roundup highlights the many careers, comebacks, and transitions of Dancing With the Stars’ beloved professional dancers — their impacts both on and off the ballroom floor continue to inspire fans around the world.
https://www.eonline.com/news/1424905/dancing-with-the-stars-tom-bergeron-return-20th-anniversary?cmpid=rss-syndicate-genericrss-us-top_stories
Be First to Comment