Season 30

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'Dancing with the Stars' 2021 Cast Revealed for Milestone 30th Season!
By Steve Dove
Sep 8th, 2021
ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" 2021 celebrity cast was announced today on ABC's "Good Morning America," live from Disney's California Adventure. The series, hosted by supermodel and businesswoman Tyra Banks, returns to the ballroom for its milestone 30th season with a lineup of celebrities including a WWE legend, a Real Housewife, a Bachelor, a country superstar and a Spice Girl, to name a few. The cast joins Suni Lee and JoJo Siwa, both of whom were previously announced at ABC's 2021 TCA Virtual Press Conferences last month. The new celebrity cast will debut their twists, tricks and kicks during the premiere, live on MONDAY SEPT. 20 8/7c, on ABC. Watch episodes on demand and on Hulu the day following their premieres.

See the stars shine as the all-new cast of "Dancing with the Stars" is revealed!
The celebrities and professional dancers heading to the ballroom are as follows (in alphabetical order): 
Celebrities:
- Country singer Jimmie Allen
- Spice Girl Melanie C
- Christine Chiu ("Bling Empire")
- Brian Austin Green ("Beverly Hills, 90210")
- Melora Hardin ("The Office")
- Social media star Olivia Jade
- Matt James ("The Bachelor")
- Amanda Kloots ("The Talk")  
- Martin Kove ("Cobra Kai")
- Gold medal Olympian Suni Lee
- WWE Superstar Mike "The Miz" Mizanin
- Kenya Moore ("The Real Housewives of Atlanta")
- Peloton star instructor Cody Rigsby
- NBA star Iman Shumpert
- Popstar JoJo Siwa
Professional dancers:
- Brandon Armstrong
- Lindsay Arnold
- Alan Bersten
- Sharna Burgess
- Cheryl Burke
- Witney Carson
- Artem Chigvintsev
- Val Chmerkovskiy
- Sasha Farber
- Jenna Johnson
- Daniella Karagach
- Pasha Pashkov
- Gleb Savchenko
- Emma Slater
- Britt Stewart
Viewers will have to tune in to the season premiere to find out with whom their favorite professional dancers are paired. The pairs will be judged by a panel of renowned ballroom experts, including Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough.
During its fall 2020 run, ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" ranked as the No. 1 entertainment series in its two-hour time slot among Adults 18-49. The series finished among last season's Top 5 most-watched unscripted series with Total Viewers.
The series is produced by BBC Studios' Los Angeles production arm.
JIMMIE ALLEN – Signed to BBR Music Group's Stoney Creek Records, multiplatinum recording artist and songwriter Jimmie Allen has been blazing trails since the beginning of his breakout career. He made history as the first Black artist to launch a career with two consecutive No. 1 hits off his 2018 debut album "Mercury Lane" (which The New York Times dubbed as one of 2018's strongest) – the first being his debut single "Best Shot," which claimed the No. 1 spot on Country radio for three weeks, and second being "Make Me Want To." In July 2020, Allen released his star-studded collaboration project "Bettie James" that has since garnered 171+ million streams and a slew of critical acclaim for the music, the historic nature of various collaborations and its subsequent place in country music history. Named for his late grandmother, Bettie Snead, and late father, James Allen, "Bettie James" has been hailed as an "announcement of [Allen's] arrival" and a "huge step for country" (NPR), and "a powerful statement from a developing voice" (Billboard). On June 25, 2021, Allen released the project's follow-up album "Bettie James Gold Edition." The reigning 2021 ACM New Male Artist of the Year and 2020 CMA New Artist of the Year nominee has amassed more than 850 million on-demand streams and performed on "The Kennedy Center Honors," "Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve," "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," "Good Morning America," "TODAY," "American Idol," "Tamron Hall," "The Steve Harvey Show," "ACM Awards," "CMA Awards," "CMT Music Awards" and more. His current single "Freedom Was A Highway" with superstar Brad Paisley is climbing through the Top 20 on Country radio as he is out on the road on Paisley's headline Tour 2021 as special guest this summer. Allen's debut picture book, My Voice Is a Trumpet – a powerful story about speaking up for what you believe in at any age – was published on July 13, 2021, with Flamingo Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers. Allen also serves as executive music producer for Netflix's series "Titletown High," which premiered globally on Aug. 27.
Follow Jimmie Allen on Instagram and Twitter.
MELANIE C – The start of Melanie's career really needs no explanation at all, as it is rather well documented. After the iconic 1996 debut single "Wannabe" topped the charts in 37 countries, Spice Girls' debut album "Spice" went on to sell more than 31 million copies worldwide, becoming the bestselling album of all time by a female group. The girls went on to sell more than 85 million records, releasing three studio albums, 13 singles, and winning a host of awards including a BRIT for Outstanding Contribution to British Music. In 2012, Melanie reunited with the Spice Girls for what she described as the highlight of their career as a group – performing at the Olympic Closing Ceremony in London.
Follow Melanie C on Instagram and Twitter.
CHRISTINE CHIU – Christine Chiu most recently produced and starred in Netflix's breakout smash hit series, "Bling Empire." She is a co-owner and founder of Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery and the Regenerative Medicine Aesthetic Institute, as well as the SPA at BHPS. As chief creative officer, she designed the luxe clinic and developed branded partnerships in the non-invasive Spa at BHPS. She has led the development and amplification of the Dr. Chiu brand and has been the spokesperson for the Institute and a respected beauty expert in both dermatology and surgery for national and local print, digital and television media. Chiu attended Pepperdine University, graduating at the top of her class with a dual degree in both international business and philosophy, and a minor in marketing. She spent over a decade in marketing and public relations in the cosmeceutical technology sector prior to founding Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery Inc. with her husband, Dr. Gabriel Chiu. As the world's youngest noted haute couture collector, Christine is an international fashion insider and sought-after brand ambassador. Chiu has been recognized in national and international media for her unique personal style, beauty expertise, commitment to Asian American representation and social involvement. Christine and Dr. Gabriel Chiu can often be found following their shared passions for culture, coastlines and cuisine from Paris to St. Barts to throughout Asia. They reside in Beverly Hills and Malibu, California.
Follow Christine Chiu on Instagram.
BRIAN AUSTIN GREEN – Brian Austin Green quickly gained overnight fame as he endeared himself to millions as the sweet and naïve David Silver on the teen phenomenon "Beverly Hills, 90210." As an actor, director and producer on the show, his resume is as extensive as it is versatile. Green was recently seen on the reboot of "BH90210" on Fox, on which he also served as executive producer. The reboot scored the best series premiere of summer and the best summer rating of a FOX show (excluding sports) since 2016. The reboot was a six-episode summer event. Green also recently became part of the Masked family at Fox, serving as part of the judging panel on the new "Masked Dancer" along with Paula Abdul, Ken Jeong and Ashley Tisdale. He also starred on the FX show "Anger Management," opposite Charlie Sheen, playing the role of Sean who dated his ex-wife and becomes his best friend. He starred in "Wedding Band" for TBS as the lead character Tommy - lead singer of the band of four longtime friends who play in a band for hire. Prior to that, he was a series regular on the critically acclaimed Fox television show "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles," and love interest to Marcia Cross' character in "Desperate Housewives." ​In addition to acting, he has a podcast on iTunes - "With Brian Austin Green."
Follow Brian Austin Green on Instagram and Twitter.
MELORA HARDIN – Melora Hardin is well known for her portrayal of Jan Levinson, Steve Carell's rigid, former corporate boss and love interest, on the critically acclaimed NBC series "The Office." Additionally, Hardin was Emmy-nominated in 2016 for her recurring role of Tammy Cashman on Amazon's Golden Globe-winning comedy "Transparent." She recently wrapped the fifth and final season of Freeform's "The Bold Type." Hardin starred as Jacqueline Carlyle, a strong but nurturing editor-in-chief at a high-end women's magazine, inspired by the life of Joanna Coles of Cosmopolitan. She also recurs on the ABC series "A Million Little Things."
Follow Melora Hardin on Instagram and Twitter.
OLIVIA JADE – Olivia Jade is a content creator whose social platforms have gained a following of over 3.7 million and focus on fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and promoting confidence to young women. In 2017, Jade became a Sephora Collection Ambassador and continued this partnership throughout 2018. Previously, she landed on People's Ones to Watch list as the Influencer to Watch and was nominated for a Shorty Award for Best Breakout YouTuber. After a nearly two-year hiatus, Jade was welcomed back to her online community with open arms. She continues to focus on beauty and lifestyle, along with wellness, social issues and uplifting others. Some of her recent brand partners include Revice Denim, Vivrelle, Vestiaire, White Fox, Boohoo, Shopbop and many more.
Follow Olivia Jade on Instagram and Twitter.
MATT JAMES – Charismatic and engaging, Matt James was the first Black Bachelor on ABC's 25th season of its hit romance reality series "The Bachelor." A total package with strong family values and a great career, the 30-year-old real estate broker, entrepreneur and community organization founder has used his growing platform for good. The North Carolina native went to Wake Forest University, where he majored in economics and played wide receiver for the football team. He went on to play professional football before moving to New York City, where he now resides. His love of food and passion for giving back led to his creation of an organization that is designed to find creative ways to engage kids from underserved communities in New York City, encouraging physical and mental wellness while also giving them opportunities for new experiences throughout the city.
Follow Matt James on Instagram and Twitter.
AMANDA KLOOTS – Amanda Kloots is a television host, bestselling author, Broadway actress and award-winning fitness entrepreneur. Kloots can currently be seen as a co-host of "The Talk," CBS' Daytime Emmy Award-winning talk show highlighting current events, pop culture, family, celebrity and trending topics of the day. Kloots recently released her memoir, the New York Times bestseller "Live Your Life: My Story of Loving and Losing Nick Cordero" that was co-authored with her sister Anna Kloots. A former Broadway dancer and Radio City Rockette, Kloots performed on a variety of stage, film and TV productions for over 17 years. Her love of dance and fitness led her to work and lead classes at one of New York's premiere fitness studios. Kloots developed the jump rope method after years of trying different ways to stay in great shape. In 2016, Kloots decided to focus full time on her AK! Fitness brand – her signature classes feature jump ropes and dance mixed with cross training to create a unique full-body workout. In addition to the AK! Fitness brand, Kloots and her sister, Anna, launched the apparel company Hooray For. A proud Ohio native, Kloots currently resides in Los Angeles with her son, Elvis.
Follow Amanda Kloots on Instagram and Twitter.
MARTIN KOVE – Seasoned actor Martin Kove is best known for his iconic portrayal of villainous karate sensei, John Kreese, in "The Karate Kid" trilogy. Kove recently reprised his role for season two of Netflix's breakout series "Cobra Kai" (based on "The Karate Kid" franchise and set 30 years later). "Cobrai Kai" has been lauded as the most in-demand digital original series in the world (with tens of millions of views in a matter of days). With over 100 films under his belt, some of Kove's most notable credits include "Rambo II," opposite Sylvester Stallone, and westerns such as "Hard Ground" with Burt Reynolds and the re-make of "Gentle Ben," both which appeared on The Hallmark Channel.
Follow Martin Kove on Instagram and Twitter.
SUNI LEE – Suni Lee is a three-time Olympic medalist, taking home the esteemed gold medal as the all-around champion in women's gymnastics at the 2020 Olympic Games. As the first Hmong-American Olympian, her story is more than just triumph, it's one of representation. Born and raised in Minnesota, Lee's journey now takes her to Alabama, where she will compete as a college freshman this fall at Auburn University. At just 18 years old, Lee hopes to inspire and empower her peers and the next generation to work hard toward their passions and achieve their dreams.
Follow Suni Lee on Instagram and Twitter.
MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN – WWE's resident Hollywood A-lister is ready for his close-up every time he enters the ring. Born in Cleveland, Mike "The Miz" Mizanin has made a career out of turning hurdles into his own personal trail of awesomeness. While in college, he auditioned for "The Real World" and went on to become one of the most popular cast members of the show's 10th season, "Back to New York." It was on this show where he debuted his wrestling alter ego: "The Miz." In the years following, he became a mainstay on MTV, hosting various popular shows on the network and competing on "The Real World"'s sister show, "Real World/Road Rules." After moving to Los Angeles, he auditioned for the WWE's "Tough Enough," where his performance impressed the WWE executives enough to grant him a developmental contract. In the 12 years and counting that followed, "The Miz" has become one of WWE's biggest stars. He has won the WWE, U.S., Intercontinental, and Tag Team titles (making him the 25th Triple Crown and 14th Grand Slam Champion in the history of the WWE). He also starred in films produced by WWE Studios, best known for playing Sgt. Jake Carter in "The Marine" franchises; and in the reality television series "Miz & Mrs." alongside his wife, WWE Superstar Maryse Ouellet.
Follow "The Miz" on Instagram and Twitter.
KENYA MOORE – Actress and producer Kenya Moore is best known for her role on eight seasons of the highly rated and über popular reality series Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Atlanta." Also an entrepreneur, she has grown her hair care line, Kenya Moore Hair Care, over the past four years into a national brand that is carried in over 2,200 Sally's Beauty Supply stores across the nation. The world was first introduced to Moore in 1993 when she made history becoming the second Black woman to be crowned Miss USA. Kenya is also the ambassador to the Baby Quest Foundation.
Follow Kenya Moore on Instagram and Twitter.
CODY RIGSBY – Born in California and raised in North Carolina, Cody Rigsby came to New York after college and worked as a professional dancer on projects including Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, Victoria's Secret, ELLE Magazine, SNL and more. This city, and the dance world within, gave Rigsby the tenacity to become a Peloton instructor; and his belief that life should be experienced authentically and fully is represented throughout his rides. Rigsby's personal fitness goals are to be driven by the intention to always present the best version of himself, while inspiring members to be the same. As the director of Cycling Content at Peloton, Rigsby reminds everyone in his class to push themselves, but have a good time doing it, because we all need to have a little more fun. To help everyone feel at ease, Rigsby has been known for his stage-worthy singing, dancing and overall silliness on the bike, all matched with uplifting and up-tempo playlists packed with Top 40 hits, house tracks and more. Outside of Peloton, Rigsby is a huge influencer across the board with over 1 million followers on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook combined.
Follow Cody Rigsby on Instagram and Facebook.
IMAN SHUMPERT – Iman Shumpert is a father, rapper, producer, entrepreneur, actor and NBA basketball player. He became a fan favorite in New York with his gritty defensive play and high-top fade haircut, reminiscent of past Knicks players. Drafted No. 17 by the New York Knicks in 2011, he played four seasons for the team. He went on to win an NBA Championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers and play for the Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings and Brooklyn Nets.
Known by music fans as Iman, he has made his own path to musical respect with his high-tempo flow and personal lyrics as seen in his most recent musical release "Joyride." In addition to writing lyrics daily, he continues to work on various musical projects and build his record label A Sinner's Peace. Iman surprised fans by appearing in BET's hit show "Twenties" last season and will be acting in a few additional television shows this fall. He won an Emmy for his participation in the MSG Network show "Beginnings." Iman and family have a new reality series, "We Got Love Teyana & Iman," premiering August 2021. Fashion and design is how Iman expressed his creativity while growing up outside of Chicago in Oak Park, Illinois, in the 1990s. From wearing and modeling clothes to designing, he has now developed his own clothing brand called Centerpiece. Iman wants people to be inspired to become the centerpiece of their family and their own life.
Follow Iman Shumpert on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
JOJO SIWA – JoJo Siwa is a global superstar, singer, television and film star, bestselling author and social media sensation. Siwa has over 60.5 million followers on social media and over 3.6 billion views on YouTube. In 2020, she was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People. A consumer products powerhouse, her famous JoJo Siwa bow has sold more than 80 million bows globally to date. Next, Siwa will star in and executive produce "The J Team," a new live-action musical premiering on Paramount+. Siwa also serves as creative director and executive producer of the upcoming series "Siwa's Dance Pop Revolution" on Peacock.
Follow JoJo Siwa on Instagram and Twitter.
"Dancing with the Stars" is the series in which celebrities perform choreographed dance routines that are judged by a panel of renowned ballroom experts. Andrew Llinares and Tyra Banks are executive producers.

Hi, DMD! I watched the premiere and week 2. Sharna is in dreamland. Her partner is also her boyfriend and they both look really happy!

JoJo Siwa has been saved for last both nights, if I recall. She and Jenna look really good dancing together. Jenna is really rising well to this same sex challenge and thus far her choreography has been spot on for engaging the audience.

The eldest contestant - the guy who played the nemesis of the Karate Kid decades ago — was the first to be eliminated.

But most of the rest of the cast are pretty good.

Tyra is a bit better this season, not so overwhelmingly present as she was last season, but she changes clothes about every half hour or so, I think, and they are dressing her in some outlandish costumes like the kinds of things designers make for the Met Gala.

Cheryl Burke has a really good dancer for a partner, but she announced that she tested positive for Covid so both she and her partner had to quarantine this week. Her quarantine will last ten days (she has been vaccinated and was not reported to be feeling sick). But even though he was exposed to her, he did not test positive so I guess they will give him a substitute pro for next week. This week they were scored on their performance at their last rehearsal.

There are quite a number of good and promising dancers this season— I have no favorites and have no idea who will win.

Have you been able to watch the show this year or just catch the YouTube videos?

Decided I would watch this year. Still can't stand Tyra, her fugly clothes or her treating it like it's her own personal catwalk. learning to ignore her.

i'm enjoying Sharna and Brian. Sharna looks so happy.

Not voting this season, just want to enjoy the dances... plus I broke my dominant arm in 3 places and recovery is a bitch.

Happy dancing to all. 

Peebeeb— broke your arm in THREE places? One break wasn’t enough? (Kidding). Ouch! How long does it take to heal something like that? I can’t imagine how difficult it is to do simple things when one arm is stuck in a cast! I feel bad for you!


DMD, I think the Covid situation might make it difficult to go whole hog on the glamour stuff. And yes, the dances are always too brief in the beginning. The network sells commercials for a good 30 minutes out of the two hour time block. BBC is commercial free in the UK. How does that work in Germany and Austria?

Speaking of BBC, is there any woman on planet Earth who can Samba as well as Oti? Man, watching her is a real treat. While other dancers might be technically experts at that dance, I think she brings something extra special to the performance.

Back to DWTS, Amanda Kloots got my attention this week. She is SO lovely - and a good soul who has been through hell and back again —. I would definitely like to see her make the finals. She dances quite well.

Amanda Kloots is on Broadway and is a very good dancer.

I think JoJo Siwa just might win this thing.  Jenna's choreo has been outstanding this season with her.  I think I have loved every dance they have done.

Amanda Kloots is being given a hard time by the judges because she was so good at the start, but she is still one of my favorites to watch.  Alan's choreography hasn't been especially creative this season, though, and I think Jenna ia showing him up on that score.

Sunni Lee is breaking out now.  It's so great to see her smile!  The one thing I wish she would correct is to stop pausing after she does a trick, like she is sticking a landing in gymnastics.  It is just a slight momentary pause but it messes with the fluidity of the dances.  Every gymnastics contestant we have had on the show has had the same problem, though. It might be so ingrained in their muscle memory that it's impossible to fully correct.

I was real sorry to see Jimmie Allen go.   He was one of my favorites.