Everyone on Dancing With the Stars Wants to Be Maura Higgins

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Last fall, I was genuinely surprised by how huge Dancing With the Stars became. It’s been on TV for 34 seasons, but they really shook things up by putting episodes on both Disney+ and ABC, and they’ve leaned hard into social media – especially TikTok. It totally worked! While the celebrities get most of the attention, honestly, the pro dancers are the real MVPs. People like Witney Carson, Val Chmerkovskiy, and Ezra Sosa are pros at making even the most awkward celebrity look graceful week after week – they’ve built whole careers out of it, and keep the show running smoothly.

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Maksim Chmerkovskiy, a three-time champion, has been a part of the show since its second season, partnering with celebrities like Gabby Windey, Phaedra Parks, and Alix Earle. Last season, he and Earle finished as runners-up to Carson and Robert Irwin. Carson’s win in 2026 was her first in over ten years, following her 2014 victory with current Dancing with the Stars host Alfonso Ribeiro. Val Sosa quickly made an impact as a newer professional, forming a close connection with his partner, Anna Delvey, even outside the competition – she even let him decorate her ankle monitor before they appeared in a New York Fashion Week show! Sosa, who placed third last season, considered his reality TV breakthrough moment to be their elimination, which unexpectedly led to him becoming the top trending topic on Twitter, turning what could have been a disappointing day into one of the best of his life.

When did Witney and Val feel like they’d truly ‘made it’? Witney Carson says it was when she won Dancing With the Stars with Alfonso Ribeiro.

Val Chmerkovskiy: When I was able to buy my mom a car.

What’s the first thing everyone likes to buy when they get their first paycheck? V.C. recalls being 25 and earning a lot of money from her role on Dancing With the Stars. She says she likely spent it treating her friends to a night out.

This necklace is named Danielle, after Danielle Fishel. We were on tour together, and she has great taste in jewelry – she loves nice things! I told her I wanted a tennis necklace, and she basically acted as my personal shopper. She went to the store right before I got there and picked out a bunch of options she thought I’d love. I’ll never take it off because I’d be devastated if I lost it.

If you had to pick five words to describe the character you play, what would they be?

E.S.: Fierce, diva, energetic, joyful, and… well, the last word is ‘quoi.’ I’m not explaining that one!

Well, now I have to.
E.S.: No, you don’t need to know.

Je ne sais quoi?
E.S.: Next question.

Looking back at my career so far, a standout moment was being part of Alix Earle’s recent season. It was incredible to be involved as the show gained a huge new, younger audience on TikTok. During the freestyle finale, I performed a move called the “knee walks,” and it unexpectedly went viral! It was a special feeling because I dedicated myself to dance at a time when it wasn’t as popular.

Winning the Mirrorball trophy again was especially meaningful because it had been eleven years since my first win. Achieving that second victory in my thirties made me feel incredibly empowered and like I could accomplish anything.

You’ve had a remarkably long career as a dancer, which is incredibly physically demanding. What do you think has allowed you to stay healthy and perform for so long?

W.C.: I’m very thankful for my body’s ability to dance and let me pursue my passion. It’s given me a wonderful career and allowed me to have two children. I’ve continued to learn and grow, even through pregnancy and after giving birth.

If you could change one moment from the show, what would it be? W.C. says it would be the moment she broke down crying after a dance performance. She wishes she’d waited until the cameras stopped rolling, as it became a popular meme. However, she also acknowledges that it showed a real, vulnerable side of her, reminding viewers that the people on TV are just as human as everyone else.

Early in my time on Dancing With the Stars, I performed a pasodoble that involved a flamenco dance… and I wore a Speedo! It was a really fun experience.

If I could trade places with anyone on reality TV right now, it would be Maura Higgins. I just love the way she talks – I think she could say almost anything and people would let her!

I’d love to be on The Traitors! If I could swap places with anyone, it would be Maura. She’s got so much energy and I think that show would be amazing to be a part of.

I’d happily switch places with Maura before she went on The Traitors – I’d love to be on that show and actually win!

Who among reality TV stars is genuinely authentic on screen?

E.S.: Robert Irwin. He’s exactly as you see him – incredibly kind, funny, and always full of energy.

W.C.: Robert Irwin is just that nice and that magnetic. He’s everything that you see on-camera.

It’s surprising, but JoJo Siwa seems to be the most different from how she acts on TV. She and I are really close friends, and I see two distinct sides to her – the energetic ‘JoJo’ persona everyone knows, and the more reserved ‘Joelle’ that’s quite different.

Does every successful reality TV show require a villain?

E.S.: Absolutely. A villain creates a compelling storyline. I often find myself more interested in the ‘villain’ characters than the others. For example, I was captivated by Whitney Leavitt on the first season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, and now everyone else is too!

You know, people keep asking who the ‘villain’ is on Dancing With the Stars, and honestly, I don’t think there is one! I was so impressed with Whitney Leavitt. She had a reputation from her time on Mormon Wives, but coming onto our show, she completely transformed herself, and I thought that was just incredible to watch. It was a really positive thing, seeing her reinvent herself like that.

I almost said the judges are to blame, but they’re just doing what they’re paid to do. People often see them as the bad guys because they don’t give high scores, but they’ve got a job to do, and they need to get paid, just like everyone else.

What’s one thing you wish you could still do now that you’re famous?

W.C.: I miss the simple things, like running to the grocery store without any makeup on and just wearing comfortable clothes. I still try to do that sometimes, but I definitely feel more self-conscious now.

Because my family is also involved in this industry, it’s become harder to find time to spend with them as my career has grown. I really miss them and would give anything for just one day with my mom, sister, and brother.

I have a comfortable level of recognition – enough people know who I am, but not so many that I lose my privacy. I enjoy being able to be by myself even when I’m out in public.

What advice do you have for people who want to be on reality TV?

W.C.: I’d say find something you’re truly passionate about. Having a goal you’re excited to work towards is key.

E.S.: Oh, sis, you gotta know how to work it to the camera. That is essential with reality TV.

You brought up your win with Alfonso Ribeiro. How has your relationship evolved now that he’s hosting the show? Well, Alfonso and I are very close – he’s like a brother to me. I was really young, only 18, when we won together. He took me under his wing and taught me a lot about both the entertainment industry and life in general, even though I often challenged him.

You know, when I think back on Anna Delvey, one moment really stands out. It was during Fashion Week, and I just had to ask if I could bedazzle her ankle monitor with rhinestones. And she said yes! Honestly, as a gay man, it was a dream come true. We were even working on our walks – she was teaching me, can you believe it? – and ended up walking in a show together. It was… a Pornhub show, which, let’s just say, is a story for another time. But that whole thing? Totally iconic.

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2026-05-05 16:06