It's been a long time since we've seen a new episode of Dancing with the Stars. The season 33 finale aired on ABC in November 2024, with The Bachelor star Joey Graziadei and pro dancer Jenna Johnson taking home the Mirrorball Trophy. Now, everyone's waiting for Dancing with the Stars season 34.
Set to debut on Sept. 16, the show has officially revealed the complete cast list for its thirty-fourth season. However, longtime fans will quickly notice that one familiar face is missing from the pro lineup. That person is Australian-American professional dancer and choreographer, Sasha Farber.
Although Farber originally joined the reality series in its thirteenth season as a troupe member, he wouldn't be promoted to a full-fledged pro until season 17, when he was partnered with Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi. He was also a pro in seasons 22 through 24 and returned again as a pro from seasons 26 to 33, dancing alongside stars like Simone Biles, Ally Brooke, Suni Lee, and Selma Blair.
Given that he's a longtime Dancing with the Stars veteran who has made it to the finals four times, his absence in season 34 is a surprising shake-up. Following the cast announcement, Farber has now spoken out.
In a now-deleted Instagram story posted on Sept. 3, Farber shared his thoughts on not returning as a pro, thanking fans for their support and cheering on his new favorite celebrity-pro pairings for the upcoming season. Instead of dwelling on his absence and being bitter about being cut, he kept the mood light and positive, joking about not being a part of the competition while expressing excitement for the season ahead.
"Guys, the Dancing with the Stars cast announcement was today. Wow, so many good names. Who are you going to vote for? I mean, I know who I’m going to vote for. I know who you’re not going to vote for — That’s me. But that’s okay. You know what? Thank you all so much for all your incredible messages. I read them all, I see it all, I adore you, I definitely don’t deserve you because you guys are amazing. I love you, thank you so much. And this is going to be quite a season because there’s so many [frontrunners]. Like, who’s going to win? Anyone could win. This is going to be great, and I can’t wait to cheer. Love you all." - via Parade
Some fans will recall that Farber almost didn’t compete in season 33 either, as he and his partner Jenn Tran only found out they were on the show in the final hours before the cast reveal. He also went through a similar close call in season 31, when his original partner dropped out unexpectedly, but he was able to stay on after convincing actress Selma Blair to join as his partner.
While Dancing with the Stars season 35 hasn’t been officially announced, the show’s enduring popularity makes a renewal highly likely. Maybe then we'll see Farber back on the dance floor, returning as a pro and competing alongside a new celebrity partner.
Dancing with the Stars season 34 cast
Here's the official Dancing with the Stars season 34 cast lineup via ABC News:
- Jen Affleck (celebrity) and Jan Ravnik (pro dancer)
- Hilaria Baldwin (celebrity) and Gleb Savchenko (pro dancer)
- Jordan Chiles (celebrity) and Ezra Sosa (pro dancer)
- Baron Davis (celebrity) and Britt Stewart (pro dancer)
- Alix Earle (celebrity) and Val Chmerkovskiy (pro dancer)
- Dylan Efron (celebrity) and Daniella Karagach (pro dancer)
- Corey Feldman (celebrity) and Jenna Johnson (pro dancer)
- Danielle Fishel (celebrity) and Pasha Pashkov (pro dancer)
- Elaine Hendrix (celebrity) and Alan Bersten (pro dancer)
- Scott Hoying (celebrity) and Rylee Arnold (pro dancer)
- Robert Irwin (celebrity) and Witney Carson (pro dancer)
- Lauren Jauregui (celebrity) and Brandon Armstrong (pro dancer)
- Whitney Leavitt (celebrity) and Mark Ballas (pro dancer)
- Andy Richter (celebrity) and Emma Slater (pro dancer)
Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough return as hosts. Additionally, Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli return as judges.
Dancing with the Stars season 34 is scheduled to premiere on ABC on Sept. 16 at 8/7c.