How Sasha Farber Will Be Included in ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 34
The show must go on—even without Carrie Ann Inaba.
While the Dancing With the Stars judge was forced to sit out from the ABC competition show’s season 34 premiere Sept. 16 after falling sick, hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough addressed her absence during the live broadcast.
“It’s great to have all of you at home joining us in the ballroom and wonderful to see our judges—well, two of them,” Alfonso said. “Carrie Ann is under the weather and hopes to be back with us next week.”
Julianne added, “Get well soon, Carrie Ann. We love you.”
In the meantime, Carrie’s fellow judges Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli held down the fort as the celebrity contestants—including Hilaria Baldwin, Jordan Chiles, Dylan Efron and Danielle Fishel—prepare to light up the ballroom alongside their pro partners for their debut performances of the season.
Earlier in the day, the choreographer—who has served on the DWTS judging panel since the series debuted in 2005—announced she would not appear for the premiere, though she expected to make a swift return to her chair.
“I wanted to share that I will not be at the show tonight as I am feeling quite under the weather,” the 57-year-old wrote in an Instagram post Sept. 16. “I’m resting up and can’t wait to be back next week in good health.”
“In the meantime, I wish all the contestants the very best of luck,” she added. “I’ll be cheering you on from home.”
Disney/Eric McCandless
In addition to Carrie’s absence, viewers may have also noticed Sasha Farber was not among the pro dancers to return season 34. But the series vet—who first competed with Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi in 2013—was still involved in the premiere, giving fans a backstage glance at the episode on the show’s official TikTok page.
And proving that he’s taking the switch-up in stride, Sasha previously shared his well-wishes for this year’s cast.
“I’m very excited for the new cast and celebrities!!!” the 41-year-old told E! News in a statement Sept. 3. “It’s going to be an epic season and I’m very grateful for all the fans’ support and love.”
Keep reading for some behind-the-scenes secrets you may not have known about Dancing With the Stars…
ABC/Paula Lobo
How Much Do the Celebrities Get Paid to Be on Dancing With the Stars?
Citing multiple sources, Variety reported in 2019 that Dancing With the Stars contestants make $125,000 for the rehearsal period and first two weeks of the show. If they progress beyond that point, the outlet continued, they earn more money each week. At the time, sources told the publication stars could earn a maximum of $295,000 (ABC has not publicly confirmed the figures).
Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images
What Do the Pros Get Paid on Dancing With the Stars?
Similarly, little has been shared publicly about how much the pros get paid. But as with the contestants, it seems like the longer they’re on the show, the more money they can make.
But even if a pro is eliminated in the first round, they’re not leaving the ballroom empty-handed.
“You’re guaranteed until a certain amount of weeks,” Jenna Johnson said on a June 2025 episode of Kelly Stafford and Hank Winchester‘s podcast The Morning After. “I think there’s different contracts though. I can’t speak for everybody.”
Disney/Eric McCandless
Do Pros Get Paid More If They Win Dancing With the Stars?
Apparently not.
While Johnson—who won season 26 with Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon, as well as season 33 with The Bachelor‘s Joey Graziadei—says the pros don’t get a larger paycheck if they take home what is now called the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, she noted there’s still an incentive to make it to the finale (besides bragging rights, of course).
“If you make it all the way to the end, you’re getting paid the whole season, which is amazing, and you get a bonus on top of that for making it to the finale,” she explained on The Morning After. “If you win, it’s not like you win a $1 million and split it with your partner. You’re just getting a cute trophy together.”
Instagram / Dancing With the Stars
Do the Troupe Members Get Paid as Much as the Pros on Dancing With the Stars?
That doesn’t appear to be the case.
On a 2022 episode of Jason Tartick‘s podcast Trading Secrets, Lindsay Arnold recalled how her salary was cut “more than in half” when she was demoted from pro to troupe member.
Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images
How Are Pros and Celebrities Paired Together on Dancing With the Stars?
The pros get little input when it comes to being matched with a celebrity.
“You get no say,” Lindsay said on a May 2025 episode of Maggie Sellers‘ Hot Smart Rich podcast. “It’s very much just, ‘Here’s your partner. Make it work.'”
In fact, Jenna said the pairing is often a secret until the last minute.
“They really want to keep it a secret until you meet them live,” Jenna said on The Morning After. “They want that genuine reaction. So I think people always think we know who we have and we’re keeping it a secret. Absolutely not. They do not tell us. They really don’t even want us to know the cast. It gets leaked a lot, but they want it very hush-hush until you walk in and meet your partner.”
As for what the Dancing With the Stars team looks for when making these matches?
“It’s based on height, build and personality and compatibility,” former showrunner Rob Wade told E! News in 2015. “We don’t pair people who aren’t going to get on. It’s too intense. It’s not like The Bachelor or something, we couldn’t do that. That would just be miserable experience for the celebrity, for us and the viewer. You don’t want to see two people who don’t like each other and, quite frankly, we have made that mistake pairing people up who didn’t get on so well.”
Disney/Eric McCandless
How Often Do the Pros and Celebrities Practice on Dancing With the Stars?
Put simply, a lot.
“Every day we have four-hour rehearsals,” Rylee Arnold, who was partnered with Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik on season 33, shared on a September 2024 episode of the Lightweights Podcast With Joe Vulpis. “It’s either 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. or 5:00 p.m to 9:00 p.m.”
But the work doesn’t stop once the rehearsal wraps. Rylee noted she might then meet with producers or the creative team, work on choreography or study dance videos.
“Literally my whole life is devoted to it,” she continued, “but it’s my passion and it’s what I love. So, it makes me so happy.”
Indeed, it’s a no-days-off kind of gig.
“We have our show day on Tuesday and then it’s Wednesday to Sunday, straight rehearsals,” Rylee added. “And then Monday we have camera blocking and then Tuesday’s show day again.”
Instagram / Emma Slater
Do the Pros Get to Pick the Songs Each Week for Their Dance With Their Celebrity Partner?
“Mostly yes,” Emma Slater and Britt Stewart revealed in a September 2025 Instagram video, “though it’s a collaboration with producers.”
Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty Images
What’s the Process Like for Making the Costumes for Dancing With the Stars?
If you thought the quickstep was fast, just wait until you hear about the pace of the costume department.
“We meet with the set and lighting designers, dancers and talent and create a story [for each pair],” costume designer Daniela Gschwendtner told TV Insider back in 2017. “Then we sketch out ideas. We have five days, max, to make all the outfits. That’s half a day per costume, not including all the rhinestones. The fitting and trimming we do later. We have about 20 people in our department and then we have a separate tailor shop. It’s a big enterprise.”
In fact, costume designer Steven Norman Lee said pairs usually try on their costumes for the first time just hours before showtime. And while the department “might use a pair of pants again for the boys,” he continued, everything is generally made custom each week.
As Gschwendtner added, “We do reuse things for group numbers or promo shoots, but not for the competition. We don’t reuse things unless there’s a specific reason to do so. We try to keep everybody fresh and new in something different every week, so it stays interesting.”
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