'Dancing With the Stars' Season 35 Unveils Full Theme Lineup and Viral Hits Night Setlist

The Season 35 Theme Lineup

ABC confirmed the full slate of themed nights for Season 35 of "Dancing With the Stars" during the "Official DWTS Podcast" on September 18, 2026, with Season 34 alum Andy Richter hosting the reveal. The themes unveiled are Week 2's "Viral Hits," Week 3's "Yacht Rock" tribute to the soft sounds of the late 1970s and early 1980s, and Week 4's Mariah Carey Night, which is set to showcase vocal acrobatics and pop-cultural classics. Week 5 is listed as "TBA," with producers keeping the rest of the season's roadmap under wraps. The themed-nights structure will run from the competition's two-night premiere through to the mirrorball trophy ceremony.

Viral Hits Night Pairings and Early Eliminations

In advance of the September 22 episode, ABC released the complete song-and-dance pairings for Viral Hits Night, the first themed episode of the season. Among the announced assignments, Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik will perform a foxtrot to Billie Eilish's "What Was I Made For?"; Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess a salsa to The Kid LAROI's "Girls"; Giada De Laurentiis and Alan Bersten a salsa to Becky G's "CHULA"; Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy a jive to KATSEYE's "Animal"; Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach a cha-cha to Flo Rida's "Low"; and Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov a tango to t.A.T.u.'s "All the Things She Said."

Additional Viral Hits Night pairings include Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart performing a cha-cha to DNCE's "Cake by the Ocean," Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas a cha-cha to Earth, Wind & Fire's "September," and Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong a tango to "No Broke Boys." Further down the list, Jackson Olson and Emma Slater are set for a foxtrot to Gracie Abrams' "That's So True," Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson a paso doble to a Rihanna song, Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson a Viennese waltz to the Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris," Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa a tango to "The Door," and Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold a tango to "12 to 12" by Sombr.

The pairings were released shortly after the season premiere's double elimination. Conner Leavitt and first-time pro Adele Zaikman were voted off after a salsa to Tag Team's "Whoomp! (There It Is)," which scored 12 out of 30 from the judges. Sarah Jane Nader and pro Hailey Bills followed, eliminated after a jive to Avril Lavigne's "Sk8er Boi" that received 14 out of 30 and placed them at the bottom of the leaderboard. The remaining 14 couples will compete for scores from judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough.

Premiere Format and Cast Context

Season 35 opened with the show's first-ever male-and-female two-night premiere, an expanded format that sets the stage for the themed-nights journey. The 35th season features an eclectic cast drawn from reality television, music, sports, and Hollywood, with previously announced contestants including Summer House's Ciara Miller and Love Island's Maura Higgins. Savannah Bananas second baseman Jackson Olson is also among the competitors.

What Remains Unannounced

Week 5's theme remains listed as "TBA," with producers not yet identifying the night's concept or featured music. The themes for subsequent weeks beyond Week 5 have likewise not been disclosed in the available reporting.

Next Verifiable Milestone

The next scheduled episode is Viral Hits Night on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, airing on ABC and Disney+ at 8 p.m. ET, where the 14 remaining couples will perform the announced pairings before judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough.