As a huge Dancing With The Stars fan, having the chance to see the live tour each year is always an incredible experience!
I was lucky enough to experience Dancing With The Stars LIVE 2026 back in February at Radio City Music Hall. This year was my fourth year in a row seeing the tour, and this show was definitely one to remember!
This year, the tour will consist of 74 total shows. The tour kicked off January 22 in Akron, Ohio and is expected to conclude at the same venue on May 13.
The cast of this year’s tour includes the DWTS pros Val Chmerkovskiy, Britt Stewart, Alan Bersten, Emma Slater, Brandon Armstrong, Jenna Johnson, Ezra Sosa, Pasha Pashkov, and Daniella Karagach. They were also joined this year by DWTS troupe member, and Jenna Johnson’s niece, Hailey Bills.
This year’s tour also includes many celebrity guests – some of the most recent contestants of Season 34 – that perform at select dates. This year’s special guests include Danielle Fishel, Andy Richter, Alix Earle, Elaine Hendrix, Dylan Efron, Jordan Chiles, and this past season’s winner, Robert Irwin. (DWTS pro Witney Carson also joins the tour at Irwin’s select dates.)
The show was broken into two acts and ran for about two hours. The tour performed at much bigger venues this time around, so the budget was definitely higher. The set design included an elevated platform on the stage with a staircase as well as a large screen that allows audience members a better view of the show. This screen was a great addition!
As always, the show’s routines flawlessly flowed into the next and the outfits were stunning. This year’s music selection included favorites from artists like Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, RAYE, Lady Gaga, Tyla, Bad Bunny, Drake, and more! Additionally, fans could recognize that some of the routines on this tour were previously danced by couples on Season 34.
The show began with each pro getting an introduction as the cast danced to a remix of “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” by C & C Music Factory.
Danielle Fishel, Alix Earle, and Andy Richter were the stars that were at my show. Fishel acted as a co-host of the evening with Emma Slater and the pair bounced off of each other well. Richter appeared a few times throughout the night, and surprisingly, Earle was barely in the show despite her landing second place back in the fall.
One of the first routines of the night was with Val Chmerkovskiy and his wife Jenna Johnson and Pasha Pashkov and his wife Daniella Karagach. The couples danced to “Where Is My Husband?” by RAYE – obviously, a perfectly fitting song. The energy from the crowd during this routine was great!
The most beautiful routine of the night was when all of the pros danced a Rumba to “Opalite” by Taylor Swift. The dance had stunning choreography as glistening lights shone around the couples. The gorgeous routine ended the first act.
The second act begins with all of the pros performing a super fun routine to “Hey Ya!” by Outkast. The pros performed this routine back on DWTS in the fall to promote the tour, so it was super cool to see the dance in person!
During Dedication Night, Andy Richter and his partner Emma Slater danced a Salsa to “Jump in the Line” by Harry Belafonte which he dedicated to his daughter, Cornelia. Back in the fall, the couple danced the routine with Cornelia on the ballroom floor with them. To the audience’s surprise, Richter brought out Cornelia at our show and he, his daughter, and Slater performed the Salsa routine again.
One of the most popular bits of this tour is when Ezra Sosa and Hailey Bills dance to “Ain’t Nothing Wrong With That” by Robert Randolph & the Family Band. Each night during the routine, Sosa will display a message to the audience and no one ever knows what his message will say. Some of his messages have included “Rob Rausch 4 DWTS” and “Bruno Is The Original Diva!” At my show, Sosa’s message read, “Andy Is So Hot!” My sign was unfortunately a let down. Boo!
All of the pros and stars came out for one final dance to “All Night Long (All Night)” by Lionel Richie. The cast then took a bow and waved goodbye to the audience.
It was so amazing getting to see the DWTS magic in person once again! Season 35 won’t premiere until September, however we don’t have to wait that long until there’s more DWTS fun! The first ever DWTS Con will be happening in Palm Springs, California this summer and there is already speculation of possible stars that may compete on Season 35, with rumored cast announcements coming soon.
Make sure to check out if the tour is coming to a city near you this spring!