Dancing with the Stars: Cast Breakdown
By Isobel Moody
The celebrity lineup of Dancing with the Stars contains two eyebrow-raising entries, though the pro lineup at least partly makes up for it.
By the time the cast of Dancing with the Stars was officially announced on Good Morning America, the biggest story had already been confirmed. Ryan Lochte had tweeted a photo making it clear he was on the set, and therefore clear he was on the show. But by then he wasn’t even the most shocking name. He was narrowly beaten to that honor by a former Republican presidential candidate! All in all, it’s a bit of an oddball cast this season, including two actresses in their 60s, two middle-aged singers, and one woman who may be most known for who she’s been involved with.
More exciting in the news about the pros in this season: Derek Hough, Maksim Chermkoskiy, and Cheryl Burke are all back! So are Emma Slater, Gleb Savchenko, and Allison Holker. This means some departures, of course. The two biggest names out are Mark Ballas and Tony Dovolani. Mark missing is a bit of a shock, with no explanation so far. We don’t know exactly why Tony’s off this season either, although he’d announced he was out already, and made it sound like he’s just taking a break. Karina Smirnoff is also out, without much comment. Other absences are more expected: Edyta Sliwinska is not extending her comeback, and Peta Murgatroyd is on maternity leave. Also Keo Motsepe has returned to the dance troupe, but rotating into the main cast in his place is Jenna Johnson, who has certainly earned this opportunity.
With that kind of pro lineup, it’s best to consider the couples in terms of which celebrity each of them got:
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