Meet The ‘Dancing With The Stars’ 2020 Cast, Contestant Refresher Before Season 29 Premiere

It’s been another year of waiting for the return of tv’s hottest dance competition, and more than ever, the fun of “Dancing With the Stars” will likely light up fans’ nights and TV screens when it returns in one short week. Now, with Season 29 making some major changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 15 celebs hitting the floor will be facing a competition like never before.

With big changes because of the pandemic, as well as new Executive Producer and host Tyra Banks, the show will be likely making its most shocking return yet, and while Seasons 27 and 28 certainly were full of surprises, Season 29 might be the biggest and most unexpected yet.

So who are the 15 celebrities and pros signed on to try and take the Mirrorball this time around? Get reacquainted with the celebs and the people who will be teaching them to dance (though the exact partnerships won’t be revealed until premiere night) below.

Pros:

Brandon Armstrong, Alan Bersten, Cheryl Burke, Val Chmerkovskiy, Sasha Farber, Jenna Johnson, Daniella Karagach, Keo Motsepe, Peta Murgatroyd, Pasha Pashkov, Gleb Savchenko and Emma Slater are all returning, along with Sharna Burgess and Artem Chigvintsev, who sat out Season 28. Also joining the pros for the first time is former troupe member Britt Stewart.

Celebrities:

Monica Aldama

The coach of the Navarro College Bulldogs cheerleading squad, which has won 14 NCA championships, is best known to fans through the Netflix Documentary “Cheer.”

Carole Baskin

Baskin, who rose to popularity on Netflix’s “Tiger King,” is the CEO of Big Cat Rescue and is still engaged in a feud with her jailed co-star, Joe Exotic.

Kaitlyn Bristowe

The former “Bachelorette” star, who is now dating fellow “Bachelor” alum Jason Tartick, was engaged to her winner, Shawn Booth, for three years before they split in 2019.

Vernon Davis

Davis, a former tight end for the San Francisco 49ers, won his first Super Bowl ring in 2016 after he was drafted to the Denver Broncos.

Anne Heche

Heche is best known for her roles in films like “Donnie Brasco,” “Volcano,” “Six Days, Seven Nights” and “Return to Paradise.”

Skai Jackson

Jackson, 18, is best known for her roles as Zuri Ross on the Disney Channel shows “Jessie” and “Bunk’d.”

Justina Machado

Machado is likely recognized for roles which include Penelope Alvarez on “One Day at a Time” and Darci Factor on “Jane the Virgin.”

Jeannie Mai

Mai, a fashion expert, is best known as one of the co-hosts on the daytime talk show, “The Real.”

AJ McLean

McLean, one of the Backstreet Boys, is following in former bandmate Nick Carter’s footsteps by appearing on the show—and has big shoes to fill. Carter placed second during his run, meaning McLean needs to win if he wants to one-up his bandmate.

Jesse Metcalfe

Metcalfe may best be known for his roles as John Rowland on “Desperate Housewives” and John Tucker in “John Tucker Must Die,” but he is also a frequent star on Hallmark Channel movies.

Nelly

Nelly is best known for his hit songs like “Hot In Herre” and “Ride Wit Me.”

Charles Oakley

Oakley is best known for his career in the NBA, where he played for both the New York Knicks and the Chicago Bulls.

Nev Schulman

Schulman, who rose to fame with the documentary “Catfish,” is now best known as the host and executive producer of the MTV series of the same name.

Chrishell Stause

Stause, who has had roles on soap operas like “All My Children” and “Days of Our Lives,” now stars on the Netflix realty series “Selling Sunset.” She is joining the show after a trying year that saw her divorce from “This Is Us” star Justin Hartley, as well as the deaths of both of her parents from lung cancer.

Johhny Weir