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Several Dancing With the Stars <\/i><\/a>pro dancers began their journey in the ballroom in the troupe.<\/p>\n The hit dance competition first introduced its troupe during 2011\u2019s season 12, featuring a selection of performers who didn\u2019t have a celebrity partner but still appeared in group numbers and their own \u201cbumpers\u201d between competitive routines.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I first started [in the] troupe, I never had professional ballroom training before,\u201d Britt Stewart<\/strong> said on \u201cThe Squeeze\u201d podcast<\/a> in October 2025. \u201cI was trained in ballet and jazz and contemporary and tap.I was not expecting to get a call from Dancing With the Stars <\/i>for that one reason.\u201d<\/p>\n Stewart, however, had worked with choreographer Mandy Moore<\/strong> on one of Derek Hough<\/strong>\u2019s outside dance gigs that piqued Moore\u2019s attention. (Moore often crafts pro numbers, while former pro dancer Hough is now a judge<\/a>.)<\/p>\n \u201cLast minute, Mandy was like, \u2018Britt, go dance with Derek,\u2019\u201d she recalled. \u201cThat [rehearsal] video, Mandy sent to all the Dancing With the Stars <\/i>producers, ABC, Disney and I got my audition for troupe from that video. \u2026 They knew I wasn\u2019t trained, but they knew I could do it.\u201d<\/p>\n Stewart performed in the troupe for five seasons before she was promoted to a pro in 2020.<\/p>\n Other stars, including Rylee Arnold<\/strong> and Jan Ravnik<\/strong>, were cast as pros without appearing in the troupe first. Ravnik, who gained global recognition as one of Taylor Swift<\/strong>\u2019s backup dancers on her Eras Tour<\/i>, was cast on DWTS <\/i>for 2025\u2019s season 34. His inexperience in the ballroom led to some criticism<\/a> about his dance r\u00e9sum\u00e9.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, look, I am new so I\u2019m gonna take every note that they\u2019re giving to me,\u201d Ravnik exclusively told Us Weekly <\/i><\/a>in October 2025 of the judges\u2019 feedback. \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s in a bad way that they\u2019re always saying.\u201d<\/p>\n Keep scrolling to see which DWTS <\/i>pros got their big break in the troupe \u2014 and who went right to competing with a celebrity partner:<\/p>\n The group was first formed during season 12 and featured Oksana Dmyrenko, Peta Murgatroyd, Nicole Volynets, Tristan MacMahon, Kiki Nyemchek<\/strong> and Ted Volynets<\/strong>. Out of this squad, Murgatroyd was the sole star to eventually be bumped up to a pro \u2014 and later won two mirrorball trophies<\/a>.<\/p>\n Many of the most recent pros got their start in the troupe, including Stewart, Brandon Armstrong, Alan Bersten, Sharna Burgess, Witney Carson, Artem Chigvintsev, Sasha Farber, Jenna Johnson, Daniella Karagach, Tristan MacManus, Keo Motsepe, Emma Slater<\/strong> and Ezra Sosa<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The troupe also notably featured dancers including Hayley Erbert, Brittany Cherry, Alexis Warr, Marcquet Hill, Roman Nevinchanyi, Kailyn Rogers<\/strong> and Stephani Sosa<\/strong>, none of whom<\/a> were ever promoted. Warr, meanwhile, is now a pro on the U.K. precursor of the franchise, Strictly Come Dancing. <\/i>The season 34 class<\/a> stars Hailey Bills, Onye Stevenson, Carter Williams<\/strong> and Jaxon Willard<\/strong>.<\/p>\nWho Were the First Members of the \u2018DWTS\u2019 Troupe?<\/b><\/h2>\n
Which \u2018DWTS\u2019 Pros Got Their Start in the Troupe?<\/b><\/h2>\n