Sept 01, 2024; Paris, France; Ezra Frech during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Summer Games at Satde de France venue. Mandatory Credit: Avery Bane-USA TODAY | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con The new season of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ premieres in a couple of weeks, and the cast announcement on Wednesday features some incredible athletes — a hallmark of the show in its first 34 seasons. Just look at the list of winners over the years. Dancing well requires excellent timing, anticipation, and athleticism. It’s not surprising to see so many professional athletes have taken home the win in previous seasons: Emmitt Smith (NFL) – Season 3 Apolo Ohno (speed skater) – Season 4 Hélio Castronueves (driver, including Indy Car) – Season 5 Kristi Yamaguchi (figure skater) – Season 6 Shawn Johnson (gymnast) – Season 8 Hines Ward (NFL) – Season 12 Donald Driver (NFL) – Season 14 Laurie Hernandez (gymnast) – Season 23 Rashad Jennings (NFL) – Season 24 Adam Rippon (figure skater) – Season 26 (Athletes Edition) Iman Shumpert (NBA) – Season 30 Let’s meet the new cast. It’s time to get excited about this year’s group of celebrity dancers — and to figure out which of these impressive athletes might take home the Mirrorball Trophy this season. Ezra Frech, Paralympic gold medalist and world-record holder This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Paralympians or Olympians on DWTS … but it is the first time we’ll see competitors from each version of the games on the same season. Ezra Frech is just 21 years old, and he’s already accomplished so much: He competed in the 2020 and 2024 Paralympic Games, winning gold in the 100 meter dash and the high jump. He holds high jump world records and Paralympic Games records. He was the first above-the-knee amputee to commit to a Division I college track and field program at USC. Frech, who was born missing his left knee and fibula as well as several fingers, is a disability advocate and founded Angel City Sports, an organization that provides adaptive equipment and other support so children living with disabilities can experience the joy of sports. It’s going to be impossible to not root for this young man. Amber Glenn, Olympic gold medalist figure skater Figure skaters are no strangers to DWTS glory, with both Kristi Yamaguchi and Adam Rippon each taking home the Mirrorball Trophy in previous seasons. Now Glenn will try to be the next Olympic figure skater to earn that honor. And if anyone can do it, it’s Glenn, who has had to overcome everything from bigotry to her own mental health issues to illness en route to her many accomplishments. Glenn, who identifies as bisexual and pansexual, is an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and — this will unfortunately not surprise you — that hasn’t always been met with widespread support. As her sister, Brooke, wrote in her defense in a Teen Vogue op-ed during the 2024 Olympic Games: Especially now, as Amber prepares for one of the biggest moments of her career, she should not have to carry the hate she has received while also trying to land her jumps. No athlete should. We say we want people to be authentic, then we recoil when they are. We say athletes are role models, then we demand they stay silent about their own lives. We celebrate them right up until they make us uncomfortable, and then we say they are horrible people. With Glenn’s talent, work ethic, and resilience, I think she’s got a fantastic shot to be the next figure skater to take home Dancing With the Stars’ version of gold. Jackson Olson, Savannah Banana If you’re not familiar with the Savannah Bananas, the exhibition baseball version of the Harlem Globetrotters, you’re missing out. The entertainment aspect is as important as the baseball, with players performing dance routines and just generally being outstanding showmen. Which brings us to Jackson Olson. Olson, who has been with the Savannah Bananas since 2022, is the second baseman. He’s also a social media star in his own right, with over 2 million followers across TikTok and Instagram. He’ll bring the fun of the Savannah Bananas to DWTS. There are also some sports-adjacent stars in this season’s cast: Ciara Miller: Nurse, model, reality star, and all-around delight How is the star of Bravo’s Summer House and the co-host of Love Island Aftersun “sports-adjacent”? Because Ciara’s ex, West Wilson, who is now dating her former friend Amanda Batula, works in sports media, and because disapproving of Wilson and Batula’s weird relationship and all the weird things the two of them have posted about it has become a sport in and of itself. Maura Higgins: Love Island alum, Love Island Aftersun and Love Island Games host, and Traitors finalist Love Island Games is sports, and so is Traitors. I will not be elaborating further. Plus, I love that Maura is teamed up with her Traitors castmate, Mark Ballas. Julia Stiles: Actress and director Stiles played the part of Veronica Maxwell, the sister of Jennifer Lawrence’s character Tiffany Maxwell, in The Silver Linings Playbook. There’s too much of a Philadelphia Eagles focus in that film to ignore here. Connor Wood: Social media personality Wood, in addition to being a social media star and podcast host, also served as an NBC Correspondent during the 2026 Winter Olympics. The other contestants include: Jenna Dewan: An accomplished dancer who’s worked with Missy Elliott, Christina Aguilera, and more; she’s also an actor, with her breakout role in 2006’s Step Up paving the way for a solid career in film and television. Tatyana Ali: An actress, musician, and activist, she’s known for her role as Ashley Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and she got her start as a child on Sesame Street. A Harvard graduate, Banks has also appeared in the award-winning Broadway show Fences. Taylor Hanson: Best known for being a member of the pop group Hanson with his brothers Isaac and Zac, Hanson will be Mmm-Bopping his way through this DWTS season. Sarah Jane Nader: Following in the footsteps of her sister, model Brooks Nader, who appeared on DWTS in 2024, Nader says Brooks told her “not to do everything I did” on the show, which led to a 9th-place finish. Tyler Cameron: The former Bachelorette season 15 contestant is now a real estate mogul and HGTV personality. Giada DeLaurentiis: A celebrity chef and Food Network mainstay; also the granddaughter of iconic film producer Dino DeLaurentiis. Harry Shum Jr.: Actor perhaps best known for his role as Mike Chang on Glee, and has also appeared in Everything Everywhere All at Once, Voicemails for Isabelle, and many more. He’s also worked as a backup dancer for stars like Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce. All that dancing in his background could be a real asset in this competition. Connor Leavitt: He’s the husband of one of the women on Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives who recently made his own off-Broadway debut in a show called ‘11 to Midnight’. Guillermo Rodriguez: He’s been Jimmy Kimmel’s beloved late-night sidekick for 23 years now! The 35th season of Dancing with the Stars will premiere over two nights, Tuesday Sept. 15 and Wednesday Sept. 16, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+.