There is no confirmed favorite to win Dancing with the Stars season 35. As of ABC News’ September 29, 2026 update, Jenna Dewan, Amber Glenn and Ezra Frech make a defensible early watchlist based on their backgrounds—but those credentials do not establish ballroom performance, viewer support or a likely winner.
Who are the early contenders?
These three are possibilities to watch, not a ranking. The season is still underway, and the official sources cited here do not publish contestant vote totals, betting odds or a complete, current leaderboard.
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Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy
Dewan first drew attention in the 2006 film Step Up, according to her ABC cast biography. That dance-related screen experience is a reason to watch her, but a film background alone does not show how she will handle ballroom technique or how viewers will vote.
Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov
ABC identifies Glenn as an Olympic gold medalist. Her elite skating career suggests experience with physical performance, but it does not establish her ballroom skill or popularity with the audience.
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Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach
ABC identifies Frech as a Paralympic gold medalist and describes his competitive athletics background. Those credentials make him a plausible athletic contender; his ballroom ability and viewer support still have to be demonstrated on the show.
What has happened in season 35 so far?
The season began with 16 celebrity-pro couples. ABC News reported four eliminations through September 29, 2026, leaving 12 couples in that update. The competition is ongoing, so the roster may have changed since then.
Rank #2
- Ballroom Instruction
- Excercise
- Self Improvement
- DVD
| Status in ABC News’ September 29 update | Celebrity and professional dancer |
|---|---|
| Still competing | Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy |
| Still competing | Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik |
| Still competing | Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach |
| Still competing | Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov |
| Still competing | Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold |
| Still competing | Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess |
| Still competing | Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson |
| Still competing | Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson |
| Still competing | Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas |
| Still competing | Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong |
| Still competing | Jackson Olson and Emma Slater |
| Still competing | Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa |
| Eliminated | Conner Leavitt and Adele Zaikman |
| Eliminated | Sarah Jane Nader and Hailey Bills |
| Eliminated | Giada De Laurentiis and Alan Bersten |
| Eliminated | Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart |
Roster and eliminations are from ABC News’ September 29 elimination update.
Why the early evidence cannot pick a winner
Results combine judges’ scores with viewer votes, but the official sources available here do not give public vote totals or a complete contestant-by-contestant score comparison. A recognizable career, medal or dance-related film credit is not a substitute for those results. A stronger forecast would need dated, comparable episode scores and reliable reporting on how contestants perform and progress over time.
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Season 35 premiered across two nights, September 15 and 16, 2026. ABC said each couple performed on one premiere night: male celebrities danced on September 15 and female celebrities on September 16. Each night included an elimination, and voting was limited to the couples performing that night; judges’ scores and audience votes determined who could be in jeopardy.
ABC/Disney reported 6.67 million total viewers for the September 15 premiere, citing Nielsen National Live+Same Day Preliminary Panel Only Program Ratings. That is a preliminary same-day figure, not a final multiplatform or full-season audience total. ABC compared it with 5.38 million for the September 16, 2025 season 34 premiere.
Rank #4
- Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Full Screen, NTSC
- Language: English
- Region: Region 1 U.S. and Canada only
- Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
- Video Run Time: 51 minutes
Where to watch season 35
ABC’s official materials say season 35 airs live on ABC and Disney+, with episodes streaming the next day on Hulu. ABC’s series page listed a Tuesday 8/7c schedule and episodes through “Yacht Rock Night” on September 30 when checked October 3, 2026; schedules can change, so check the ABC series page for current listings.
Quick Recap
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