Dancing With the Stars‘ OG six have waltzed back to ballroom.
The November 11th episode of Season 34 will celebrate 20 years of the ABC show with a special reunion! Returning to the dance floor are original pro dancers Edyta Sliwinska, Ashly DelGrosso, Louis van Amstel, Jonathan Roberts, Charlotte Jørgensen, and Alec Mazo—the last of whom won the very first Mirrorball Trophy with Kelly Monaco.
Just before the show aired, “Dancing with the Stars” posted on Instagram about bringing back six of its original professional dancers from the very first season. The post asked viewers to welcome Alec, Ashly, Charlotte, Edyta, Jonathan, and Louis back to the ballroom!
The show will begin with a group dance featuring six performers, choreographed by professional dancer and co-judge Derek Hough. The dance will be set to a new live arrangement of the Dancing with the Stars theme song, created by Ray Chew.
I’m so excited for the show’s opening number – Louis shared on Instagram that it’s going to be incredible! He also gave a huge shout-out to Derek Hough for creating the amazing choreography. It’s wonderful to see the original cast back together, rehearsing in the dance studio – definitely a moment to look forward to!
Dancing with the Stars‘ OG pros have waltzed back to the ballroom.
Edyta Sliwinska, Ashly DelGrosso, Louis van Amstel, Jonathan Roberts, Charlotte Jørgensen, and Alec Mazo – the original winners with Kelly Monaco – came back to ‘Dancing with the Stars’ on November 11th to mark the show’s 20th anniversary.
Before the new episode aired, the show hinted at a big return by posting a cute photo on Instagram. The picture showed the original cast members preparing during a dress rehearsal.
I was so thrilled to see the announcement! They said they couldn’t have done this season of Dancing with the Stars without bringing back some of the original pros from the very first season – Alec, Ashly, Charlotte, Edyta, Jonathan, and Louis. It’s amazing to welcome them back to the ballroom! I’m so excited to see them all dance again.
Pasha Pashkov reacted with several hands-up emojis, and Kym Johnson-Herjavec wrote, “Love this! Can’t wait!”
The show will begin with a group dance featuring all six contestants, choreographed by professional dancer and co-judge Derek Hough. The performance will be set to a new live arrangement of the Dancing with the Stars theme song, created by Ray Chew.
And as Louis teased on Instagram, “The opening number is going to be epic.”
Although most of the show’s original professional dancers haven’t been on the program for more than ten years, Louis and Edyta made a special return to the dance floor in 2023. They performed a tribute dance honoring the late judge, Len Goodman.
The original six cast members from the first season in 2005 aren’t the only familiar faces appearing on the special 20th-anniversary episode. Louis recently shared on Instagram that over 100 celebrities from all 33 seasons have confirmed they’ll be there.
And then there’s another VIP guest: Former DWTS host Tom Bergeron, who will serve as a guest judge.
Even though he surprisingly left the show back in 2019, he still feels like a part of it today.
He jokingly shared on Instagram that while Alfonso Ribeiro now has his old dressing room, not much else has changed. Mark Ballas’ hair might be longer, his own hair grayer, and Derek Hough might have gained a bit of weight, but Julianne Hough still looks the same (which he admits is a little frustrating!). He happily added that their friendships are stronger than ever, and they’ll all be reunited tonight!
Want to know why the professional dancers quit the show? Here’s a breakdown of all the reasons they’ve shared for leaving the ballroom…
Artem admitted he was “completely shocked” when he found out he wouldn’t be competing professionally in season 28. He described the conversations about his departure as difficult, sharing his feelings on The Bellas Podcast with his then-girlfriend, Nikki Bella.
The popular performer, who’s been a professional since 2014, received the news just days before the official cast list was released. He described the experience as similar to a breakup, acknowledging the bittersweet memories after dedicating a decade to the company. He added that being let go right before the announcement felt like a painful shock.
He then came back for seasons 29-32, even winning one with Kaitlyn Bristowe.
Sharna, a professional dancer who previously won season 27 with Bobby Bones and had been a runner-up three times in her twelve seasons on the show, shared her reaction on Instagram after not being chosen as a pro for season 28.
She explained that being on the show felt like a significant part of her life. She’ll deeply miss the creative process, sharing stories through performance, and the impact dance has on others. She’s also sad to leave her ‘Dancing with the Stars’ family and the daily inspiration she found in watching their talent.
Sharna has been announced as the newest judge on the Australian version of the popular reality dance competition, and she’s hinted at some exciting things to come on the show.
She returned for seasons 29 and 30, and was paired with Brian Austin Green, whom she started dating during that time.
Derek is one of the most beloved professional dancers in the show’s history. He’s won a record six mirrorball trophies and has also received four Emmy Awards for his choreography.
He competed on the show for seven seasons (5 through 11), took a break for season 12 to film a movie, and then returned for seasons 13 through 21. He wasn’t originally planned for season 20, but made a surprise appearance, balancing his work on the show with a Broadway performance. Season 23 was his last as a professional dancer.
As a longtime observer of the dance world, I’ve had the pleasure of watching Derek Hough evolve as a judge! Before joining Dancing With the Stars starting with season 29, he was a judge on Jennifer Lopez’s World of Dance – he really knows his stuff and brings such a great perspective to both shows.
After three seasons and two wins, Julianne announced she was leaving the ABC reality hit.
She explained to Ryan Seacrest that she wanted to concentrate on her music and be recognized for her talent. While she didn’t say she’d never return to the show, she did take a break, eventually returning in season eight when her boyfriend, country singer Chuck Wicks, was a contestant. They finished in sixth place, and that season marked her last as a professional dancer. However, she later rejoined the show as a permanent fourth judge for seasons 19 through 21, and again for seasons 23 and 24.
Julianne Hough, previously married to hockey player Brooks Laich, was a judge on NBC’s America’s Got Talent. She then returned to Dancing with the Stars in 2023 as a co-host.
Mark became a professional dancer on the show in season five and remained a fan favorite for 18 seasons, winning two championships. He took a break for seasons 23 and 24 to star as Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys on Broadway, but returned for season 25, finishing as the runner-up with Lindsey Stirling.
Mark then turned his attention to music, collaborating with his wife, BC Jean. Together, they formed the duo Alexander Jean and signed a record deal.
He returned for season 31 with Charli D’Amelio and season 34 with Whitney Leavitt.
Karina was a professional dancer on the show for seasons 3 through 9, and took a short break during season 10. She then competed for nine seasons straight before taking another brief hiatus in season 20. She explained at the time that she wanted to focus on other projects, including writing a book.
She ended up returning for two more outings, but Karina officially left DWTS after season 22.
After retiring from dancing, Smirnoff appeared on the reality show Famously Single and eventually returned to professional dancing. In 2017, she shared that she still enjoyed her time on the ABC series and was open to the possibility of joining it again.
Dancing with celebrities on the show is fun, but it’s a unique dynamic. You end up being more than just a dance partner – you’re also their coach, confidant, and biggest supporter, I told Fox News. However, when you dance with a professional partner, it’s a collaboration between equals, and the performance feels different. I really missed that equal partnership when I was dancing with celebrities.
Oh, Maks.
This dancer, a fan favorite on the show, has a reputation for disagreeing with the judges and occasionally clashing with his celebrity partners. He’s had a rocky journey on the program, leaving and returning multiple times, starting in 2012 when he announced his departure to focus on acting.
After fifteen seasons, he questioned what more he could contribute, telling the New York Post it was understandable that both he and the audience wouldn’t expect him to continue. He felt it was equally logical that the show’s producers wouldn’t want him to stay on, either.
He came back for season 18 and finally won with Meryl Davis, but left the show immediately after. He rejoined for seasons 23 through 25, and famously missed a performance while partnered with Vanessa Lachey.
Maks is now married to professional dancer Peta Murgatroyd, and when he wasn’t competing, he sometimes appeared as a guest judge on the show.
This popular contestant first appeared in the second season and participated in every season until she won in season nine. She took a break for season ten, then competed in six seasons straight before taking another three seasons off.
I was so thrilled when Kym came back for season 20! And it was amazing to see her paired with Robert Herjavec from Shark Tank – they clearly had a connection, and eventually got married! She took a few seasons off after that, but she returned one last time as a pro for season 24, which was a beautiful way to end her incredible run.
Kym announced she was expecting twins in January 2018 and decided to stop dancing professionally, stating she’d retired from performing. However, she left the door open to potentially returning to Dancing with the Stars in a different role.
She expressed interest in returning to the show in some capacity, perhaps as a judge or in another role, and she later appeared as a guest judge on season 34.
Cheryl quickly became a standout performer, debuting in season two and making history as the first woman and first competitor to win two seasons in a row. After an impressive 18 seasons, she announced her departure from DTWS before season 20. While reports suggested she was considering a new variety show on NBC—a project that didn’t move forward—she returned for season 23. After taking a season off, she decided she couldn’t stay away and rejoined the show for a special milestone season, both for herself and the series.
She excitedly announced her return for season 25, saying, “I’m back again!” While she danced with Ryan Lochte last season, she’s been looking forward to this one. This is her 20th season on Dancing With the Stars, and she’s thrilled to be celebrating both the show’s and her own milestone.
Cheryl married Matthew Lawrence in May 2019 and returned for season 28, but left the show again in 2022. She later made a guest appearance as a judge on season 34.
Peta first appeared on the show in season 13 and quickly became a popular contestant, competing in every season until season 20 – and even winning once! Unfortunately, a severe ankle injury kept her from competing in season 21.
She made a victorious return in season 22, winning the competition with her partner, Nyle DiMarco. Then, just six months after having her first child, she competed in season 25 with Nick Lachey before taking another break from Dancing with the Stars.
After taking three seasons off to be with her son, Shai, and former Dancing with the Stars partner Maks Chmerkovskiy, Peta returned to the show.
She shared with US Weekly that she really wanted to return and had been working towards it for months. She explained she’d been hoping everything would fall into place, and the timing was right for her family. With Maks busy with other projects and their daughter, Shai, well cared for, it felt like the perfect moment.
Her most recent run was on season 32.
Tony Dovolani started competing on Dancing with the Stars in season two and danced for 20 seasons, winning once. His last partner on the show was Marla Maples in season 22.
Tony shared on Instagram that he’s leaving the show to concentrate on expanding his Dance With Me USA studios and continuing to teach. He also plans to travel and perform around the country, as well as make personal appearances. He said he’ll miss the show and connecting with the audience both on TV and in person.
I was so thrilled to watch her shine on So You Think You Can Dance! It was amazing seeing her go from a contestant to a professional dancer in season 19, and she continued to wow us for two more seasons. It was a bit sad when she had to sit out season 22 because she and her husband, Stephen “tWitch” Boss – also a SYTYCD alum – were expecting their second child, and she announced it live during a Dancing with the Stars episode! It was such a sweet moment.
Six months after having her baby, Allison came back for her 23rd season, which turned out to be the final one of her professional career.
She announced on Instagram that she won’t be competing on Dancing with the Stars this season. She expressed her love for the show and its people, and said she’s looking forward to watching all the new contestants.
Oh my gosh, Lacey was AMAZING on So You Think You Can Dance – she got fourth place in season three, can you believe it?! And then, she became a professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars! She was a pro from seasons seven all the way through thirteen, though she was briefly just a troupe member in season ten, which was still awesome to see her on the show!
Following the thirteenth season, Lacey shared that she was departing from Dancing with the Stars to pursue other projects, such as recording an album and launching a clothing line.
I need to take a break and prioritize what’s important right now,” she told SheKnows. “I’m working on managing my time better.”
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2025-11-12 02:19