Dancing with the stars season 35 contestants revealed

Season 35 of Dancing with the Stars is already generating buzz, and we now know who the first two celebrities are stepping onto the dance floor. Disney confirmed the initial cast reveals at its "Get Real" event, and the names are making waves — especially among reality TV fans.

Maura Higgins and Ciara Miller : the first two names confirmed

Two reality television veterans headline the first batch of contestants announced for DWTS Season 35. Maura Higgins and Ciara Miller are the opening reveals, and both bring serious screen experience to the ballroom. It's the kind of casting that immediately sparks conversation across streaming platforms and social media alike.

Maura Higgins first captured public attention in 2019 as a contestant on Love Island UK's fifth series. Since then, she's kept herself firmly in the spotlight. She tackled the ice rink on Dancing on Ice, survived the jungle on I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here !, and hosted Love Island USA : Aftersun. Most recently, she reached the final of Season 4 of The Traitors US — a strong indicator she handles pressure well. That competitive edge could translate directly into the rehearsal studio.

Ciara Miller also has a Traitors credit on her résumé, but her reality TV story started with Summer House and its spin-off Winter House. Beyond television, she built a successful modelling career in New York City, which means camera presence and physical discipline are already part of her toolkit. Both women are walking into the competition with a clear competitive mindset — which is exactly what the show demands.

More cast names will drop over the summer as production ramps up. Disney has made it clear that these two are just the starting point — expect a full lineup to take shape ahead of the fall 2026 premiere. No specific air date has been locked in yet, but the announcement window is narrowing.

What to know about the show's format and production team

Dancing with the Stars has been pairing celebrities with professional ballroom dancers since 2005. The format is straightforward but compelling : each celebrity is matched with a trained partner, then the duo competes in themed, choreographed dance routines judged by a panel of ballroom specialists. The scores from the judges combine with audience votes to determine who advances — and who goes home.

The judging panel for Season 35 features familiar faces. Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough return to the table, bringing their usual blend of technical expertise and sharp commentary. On the hosting side, Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough will again lead the broadcast, a pairing that's now well established in the show's recent run.

Behind the cameras, the production structure looks like this :

• Conrad Green — showrunner and executive producer
• Ryan O'Dowd — executive producer
• Deena Katz — co-executive producer

BBC Studios Los Angeles Productions handles the show's production in front of a live studio audience. That live element matters — it keeps the energy unpredictable and gives the format a spontaneous quality that scripted TV rarely matches. For those tracking where to watch reality competition content across platforms, this kind of multi-platform release is increasingly the norm.

Season 35 will air on ABC, Hulu, and Disney+ in the United States. That triple-platform rollout mirrors how Disney handles its biggest properties — making sure the show is accessible whether you're watching live or catching up on demand. If you follow new series arriving on Freeform, Hulu and Disney+, you already know how these platform strategies tend to play out in practice.

Why this season's casting already stands out

Casting two alumni of The Traitors US — one of the most-watched unscripted shows of the past two years — is not a coincidence. Both Maura Higgins and Ciara Miller know how to perform under scrutiny. That show's format demands emotional control, strategic thinking, and the ability to stay composed in front of cameras at all times. Dancing with the Stars asks for something different, but the core skill of performing under pressure carries over.

Maura Higgins also brings an international fanbase. Her roots in UK reality TV mean she draws viewers from both sides of the Atlantic — a useful asset for a show that airs across multiple streaming platforms and needs to sustain engagement week after week. Ciara Miller's modelling background in New York City gives her a physical awareness that many first-time contestants lack.

The real question now is who fills the remaining spots. Dancing with the Stars typically fields around 12 to 15 celebrity competitors per season. With only two names confirmed so far, the cast is still largely unwritten. Keep an eye on the announcements coming through summer — each reveal tends to reshape the early predictions about who might actually lift the mirrorball trophy come fall.