10 Things Dancing with the Stars Pros Have Revealed About Working on the Show

What Dancing with the Stars Pros Have Revealed About Working on the Show

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the times the “Dancing with the Stars” professional dancers spilled the behind-the-scenes tea.

#10: Maksim Chmerkovskiy Could’ve Been a Judge

Maks was never shy about sharing his feelings, often with a healthy dose of sass. So, can you imagine him as a judge, delivering his signature candid honesty? Well, that almost happened. After a brief break from the show, Maks revealed he was offered a spot on the judging panel. Though he kept details scarce, he did say that he ultimately decided he wasn’t ready to hang up his dancing shoes quite yet. Timing turned out to be everything as he just happened to be paired with ice dancer Meryl Davis that year, and, well, we all know how that turned out! With electrifying performances and undeniable chemistry, they became one of the show’s most unforgettable pairings.

#9: Do the Pros Get a Say in Costumes?

The costume team works wonders, designing outfits that are both stunning and perfectly tailored for each performance—seriously, who wouldn’t want these in their closet? These pros know their craft, and it shows. While dancers may help explain the concept or story of a routine, that’s usually where their input ends. Daniella Karagach said that while costumes are picked for them, the team typically knows what will fit just right and look flawless on stage. Tony Dovolani mentioned that performers often don’t try on their costumes until dress rehearsals, with last-minute tweaks happening right up until showtime. If you’re a celeb eyeing the dance floor, good news—apparently, you can buy your costumes after the season!

#8: Pros Might Not Know Their Celeb Partners Until Rehearsals Begin

We mentioned earlier how Maks was lured back to the dance floor by his exciting partner reveal. But producers like to keep things unpredictable, even for the pros. Pasha Pashkov revealed that in season 28, the pros were kept in the dark about their celebrity partners and had to wait until the first day of rehearsals to see who’d be waiting for them in that studio. They knew the celeb lineup, so it’s not like the pool of possibilities was endless, but the suspense was real. Pasha, a self-professed “huge fan” of “The Office,” admitted he was thrilled and “totally starstruck” when he met his partner. Unfortunately, not every pairing turns out to be so harmonious, but more on that later.

#7: Showmances

With all the close contact and countless hours spent together, it’s no surprise that things can heat up off the dance floor. Showmances, real or rumored, make headlines nearly every season. But according to Mark Ballas, many of these stories are just that—rumors. That doesn’t mean things never get hot and heavy, heck we’ve even listed the romances that began on the show! Cheryl Burke, who was often at the heart of these rumors, confessed that while the speculations are sometimes exaggerated, she has had a few showmances. Still, she recognizes that typically— although not always, they’re “not love” but just two people getting swept up in the heat of the moment.

#6: Who Picks the Songs

If we made a playlist of practically every song featured in the series, we’d say we’d have one banging party on our hands. But have you ever wondered who is involved in choosing the music? Back in 2014, former pro Kym Johnson revealed during a Q&A, led by season 19 winner Alfonso Ribeiro, that while the pros can make song requests, it’s ultimately the producers who call the shots. She explained that they simply have a better grasp of the show’s overall arc and might steer dancers away from songs that have been used too recently. This can lead to some creative challenges for the dancers, who have to whip up routines to tracks that might not fit their dance style for the week.

#5: Not Every Partnership Is a Match Made in Ballroom Heaven

Sometimes, a dancer and a celeb will meet, hit it off, and their chemistry will carry them straight to the finals. Other times, the sparks between partners could light up the dance floor. Then, there are moments where you could cut the frosty tension with a knife. We’ve heard plenty of backstage drama, but it’s rare for the dancers to address these stories directly. However, Maks didn’t hold back about his season 13 partner, Hope Solo, describing her with some not-so-friendly language. Meanwhile, Tony Dovolani made his feelings about Kate Gosselin crystal clear. You can’t throw two strangers together and always get magic. Maybe they need pro-celeb speed dating to see who clicks best!

#4: The Choreographing Process

Now that we know costumes and music are mostly out of the pros’ hands, you might be curious: what about choreography? That’s all on them! Emma Slater revealed that pros get little notice of their next routine if they make it through to the next week, so don’t be surprised if you catch one choreographing in their kitchen well after midnight following a long day of camera blocking. Karagach said she begins mentally choreographing, and her husband, Pasha, helps bring her vision to life. While there’s some friendly competition, the pros often help each other—like when Ballas asked Derek Hough to help with his Charleston with Alexa PenaVega. Choreography is constantly evolving, with pros devising backup moves from A to Z, just in case!

#3: What Actually Happened During the Ryan Lochte Stage Invasion

In one of the show’s most dramatic moments, protesters stormed the stage while Ryan Lochte and Cheryl Burke were receiving feedback from the judges. On her YouTube channel, Burke recounted the ordeal, revealing how shaken she was by the incident, having gotten to know Lochte beyond the headlines. Though they were seemingly aware of some protesters in the audience, they performed their foxtrot anyway. Burke described the shock and tears that unfolded off-camera after the stage invasion, noting how rattled everyone was. Even host Tom Bergeron apparently got caught up in the crossfire. The whole incident left a lasting impression on Burke, who admitted it was one of the most unsettling moments of her “DWTS” career.

#2: Backstage Drama

We’re not just talking about any behind-the-scenes drama—this is what allegedly went down backstage when Bristol Palin competed. On Cheryl Burke’s podcast, “Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans,” Palin talked about the chaos that erupted when she made it to the finals despite her, on average, lower scores. The most explosive reaction apparently came from singer Brandy’s mom, who was fuming after her daughter got booted in the semi-finals. Burke described the scene as “like Jerry Springer in there,” with Brandy’s mom allegedly “up on her feet… foaming at the mouth.” Palin confessed that the tension was so thick that she almost felt like she owed her an apology.

#1: The Pros Can’t Choose Their Pairings

According to Alan Bersten, the producers are open to hearing which celebs the pros would love to partner with—but that’s about as far as their influence goes. One of the biggest factors is height. Matching partners with similar stature probably makes routines easier to coordinate. Though the opposite seems to be true for how they cast Daniella’s partners! Another consideration is personality compatibility, though, as we’ve seen, they don’t always get it right. Ballas said they also try to pair celebs with pros whose teaching styles they think will suit them best. In a fan Q&A, Alan joked that producers like to choose pairings that’ll stir up drama and grab headlines. And while they say all publicity is good publicity, we’re pretty sure he’s just kidding.

Have you come across any other BTS tidbits shared by past or present pros? Share them in the comments!