DWTS’ Jan Ravnik Petitions for This Next Celeb Partner

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Jan Ravnik is ready to tango with someone new. 

A professional dancer from Dancing With the Stars shared which celebrity they’d like to partner with on the next season of the ABC show, following their elimination during the recent Halloween episode with Jennifer Affleck.

On November 3rd, Jan posted a TikTok video of himself enjoying pasta and listening to Taylor Swift’s “Actually Romantic” while in his trailer for Dancing With the Stars. The video led a fan to suggest he partner with Sofía Vergara to win the show’s Mirrorball trophy.

One user commented on the video, hoping to see Jan and Sofia Vergara together next season, writing, “Putting it in the universe!”

Jan enthusiastically supported the idea, urging people to vote for the Modern Family actress on Dancing With the Stars. He jokingly added, “Text ‘Sofia’ to 21523!”

Someone who could speak positively about Jan is his former partner, Jen. She recently shared how thankful she was to have been paired with the Eras Tour dancer after their elimination on October 28th.

“He’s an amazing dance partner – honestly, the best,” said the star of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives to TopMob News. “I really mean it. I’m so thankful for how patient he is with me.”

Jennifer, who has three children with her husband, Ben Affleck, mentioned that she isn’t the only one who’s become close to Jan.

She said he feels like part of the family. Her kids are always talking about him, which shows how much everyone cares for him.

Although Jan hasn’t officially said he’ll be back for another season, he’s pleased with the reaction to his first season—particularly a message from judge Derek Hough, who praised his “fantastic” start as a professional.

Jan shared with TopMob News on October 28th that it felt wonderful to hear those words. She expressed her joy in receiving love and spoke highly of Derek, saying his support meant a great deal to her.

Keep reading to find out more facts about Dancing With the Stars. 

In 2019, Variety reported that contestants on Dancing With the Stars initially earn $125,000 for rehearsals and the first two weeks of the show, with earnings increasing each week they continue. Sources at the time said the maximum potential payout was $295,000.

However, Bobby Bones, who won season 27 with Sharna Burgess in 2018, claimed he earned significantly more.

On Jason Tartick’s Trading Secrets podcast in September 2025, Bones revealed the payment structure: no money for the first episode, $10,000 for the second, and increasing amounts—$10,000, $10,000, $20,000, $20,000—potentially reaching $50,000 per episode if a contestant lasts. He added that, combined with a base salary of around $110,000, he ultimately made nearly $400,000 from the show.

ABC has not officially confirmed these figures.

Details about professional dancers’ earnings aren’t widely available, but like the contestants, they generally earn more the further they progress in the competition. Even if a pro is eliminated early, they still receive payment. Jenna Johnson explained on the June 2025 episode of The Morning After podcast that dancers are guaranteed pay for a certain number of weeks, though contracts vary. She noted she can only speak for herself and not all the professionals.

It seems professional dancers on Dancing with the Stars don’t earn extra money for winning the show, despite taking home the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. However, there’s still a financial benefit to reaching the finale. According to pro dancer Cheryl Burke, making it to the end means getting paid for the entire season, plus a bonus. Winning doesn’t come with a large cash prize to split with their celebrity partner – it’s mostly about the trophy and the experience.

That doesn’t seem to be true. In a 2022 episode of the podcast Trading Secrets, Lindsay Arnold shared that her pay was reduced by more than half when she moved from being a professional dancer to a troupe member.

Oh my gosh, you won’t BELIEVE how little control the pros have over who they’re paired with! Lindsay actually said on Maggie Sellers’ podcast, Hot Smart Rich, that they literally just tell you who your partner is and expect you to make it work – no input at all! Jenna explained it even further on The Morning After – they keep the pairings a complete secret until the very last minute. Everyone thinks the pros know beforehand and are just pretending to be surprised, but that’s totally not true! They don’t even want us to know who is on the show, although it leaks sometimes. It’s all super hush-hush until you walk in and meet them! Apparently, the show’s team considers things like height, build, and personality when making matches. Rob Wade, a former showrunner, told TopMob News they really try to avoid pairing people who won’t get along. He said it’s way too intense for that, and they’ve definitely made mistakes in the past putting people together who just didn’t click. They don’t want a miserable experience for anyone – the celebrity, themselves, or us viewers! They learned their lesson – we want to see chemistry, not conflict!

Dancing with the Stars demands a huge time commitment. Rylee Arnold, who danced with Stephen Nedoroscik in season 33, explained on the Lightweights Podcast With Joe Vulpis that rehearsals typically last four hours, happening either from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., or 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. But the work doesn’t end there – she often follows up with meetings, choreography work, or studying dance routines.

She described it as dedicating her whole life to the show, but emphasized that it’s a passion she loves. It’s a job with no days off. Rehearsals run straight from Wednesday to Sunday, with camera blocking on Monday and then another show on Tuesday.

Emma Slater and Britt Stewart confirmed in a September 2025 Instagram video that they are mostly involved, but it’s a joint effort with the show’s producers.

If you think the quickstep dance is fast-paced, you should see how quickly the costume department works! Costume designer Daniela Gschwendtner explained to TV Insider that they collaborate with set, lighting, and dance teams to create a unique story for each dancer’s outfit. Then, they have only five days – often just half a day per costume, before adding rhinestones – to create everything. The department employs around 20 people, plus an outside tailor, to manage this huge task.

Steven Norman Lee, another costume designer, revealed that dancers often don’t try on their costumes until just hours before the show. While some basic pieces might be reused, most costumes are made from scratch each week.

As Gschwendtner added, they do reuse items for group performances or promotional photos, but never for the actual competition. The goal is to keep everything fresh and new each week to maintain visual interest for the audience.

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2025-11-05 00:47