Natalie Jolley exits the competition
"Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro" reduced its field from nine to eight contestants after 20-year-old ballroom dancer Natalie Jolley was medically eliminated in Episode 3, which aired the evening of July 27, 2026. According to recaps published July 28, Jolley was accidentally struck in the face by fellow competitor Stephani Sosa during a group dance rehearsal, sustained an eye injury and was taken to a hospital for evaluation. Although she was originally expected to return for the episode's second team-choreography round, doctors ultimately did not clear her to compete. Her exit served as the episode's only cut, sparing the two dancers the judges had placed in jeopardy.
Group work as the night's theme
The episode was subtitled "You're Only As Strong As Your Weakest Link: Group Work With Britt Stewart," with current "DWTS" pro Britt Stewart joining as guest mentor and judge alongside regulars Mark Ballas and Shirley Ballas. Host Robert Irwin and the judges told the contestants that to "stand out more" this week they would need to "show off less," and Stewart led them through a high-energy group number intended to highlight individual skill within a collective setting. After roughly three hours of rehearsal — comparable to the time pros receive for opening numbers on the flagship series — Mark and Shirley assessed the group on the spot.
Tristen and Selena placed in jeopardy
Following the group performance, Shirley singled out Tristen Sanders as the weakest performer of the night, saying one dancer was "ahead by a whole bar of music," while Mark named Nina Mayster as his bottom pick for rushing the music and lacking spatial awareness. Sanders and Mayster were then named team captains and split the remaining eight dancers into two squads: Mayster's team performed a tango to Ariana Grande's "Into You," while Sanders' team delivered a paso doble to Lenny Kravitz's "Are You Gonna Go My Way." The judges awarded the win to Team Tango for its synchronization, placing Sanders and Selena Hamilton in the bottom of the standings, but neither contestant was eliminated because Jolley's medical withdrawal already filled the episode's elimination slot.
Mark Ballas weighs a Season 35 return
On a separate track, judge Mark Ballas discussed his own future with the flagship series in a USA TODAY interview published July 28. The three-time Mirrorball Trophy champion said he is "open to" returning for Season 35 but flagged scheduling concerns, noting that he is currently starring in Broadway's "Chicago" through August 16. He added that producers are "doing their process right now" and that whoever wins "The Next Pro" will be supported by a roster of "seasoned pros" once they join the professional cast.
Season 35 timing and what's next
Reports differ on the Season 35 launch timeline. One outlet cited a two-night premiere on September 15 and 16 on ABC and Disney+, with next-day streaming on Hulu, while another stated that ABC has confirmed a fall 2026 premiere but had not yet announced an exact date. The Season 35 cast reveal is scheduled for September 2, and several contestants have already been confirmed, including "Summer House" star Ciara Miller, Maura Higgins, Guillermo Rodriguez and Savannah Bananas player Jackson Olson. "The Next Pro" returns the following week with Jenna Johnson as the next guest mentor for Episode 4, a partner-selection challenge in which the remaining eight dancers will be paired off and the lowest-scoring pair will be eliminated.
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