New 'Dancing With the Stars' Spinoff Looking to Crown the Next Generation of Pros

ABC is taking a different angle on the Dancing With the Stars machine. Instead of watching celebrities stumble through choreography, the network is launching a new spinoff focused entirely on the dancers themselves — Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro — where a fresh crop of hopefuls will compete for a real shot at becoming regulars on the flagship series.

The premise is straightforward: dancers battle it out to earn a professional contract on Season 35 of the main show. It's essentially a talent pipeline with TV cameras rolling, and the judges and mentors brought in to evaluate these competitors are vets who know what it takes to actually make it.

This kind of behind-the-scenes talent hunt fits the current TV moment — audiences love watching people earn their stripes rather than just stumble through celebrity vanity projects. If the format works, it could freshen up the franchise and give DWTS a steadier supply of trained dancers who already understand the show's culture.

For viewers who've been following the competition side of ballroom for years, this could actually be worth tuning into.

Read the full story at The Hollywood Reporter → https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/dancing-with-the-stars-next-pro-cast-judges/