Plot Synopsis

American stars of entertainment, sports, fashion and pop culture are paired with professional dancers, and the dancing pairs compete against each other in weekly dancing elimination challenges. Each week the couple with the smallest number of points -- a combination of scores from a panel of judges and audience votes -- is sent home. Previous winners are: Kelly Monaco (Season 1); Drew Lachey (Season 2); Emmit Smith (Season 3); Apolo Anton Ohno (Season 4); Helio Castroneves (Season 5); Kristi Yamaguchi (Season 6); Brooke Burke (Season 7); Shawn Johnson (Season 8); Donny Osmond (Season 9); Nicole Scherzinger (Season 10); Jennifer Grey (Season 11); Hines Ward (Season 12); J.R. Martinez (Season 13); Donald Driver (Season 14: All-Stars); Melissa Rycroft (Season 15); Kellie Pickler (Season 16); Amber Riley (Season 17); Meryl Davis (Season 18); and Alfonso Ribeiro (Season 19); Rumer Willis (Season 20); Bindi Irwin (Season 21); Nyle DiMarco (Season 22); Laurie Hernandez (Season 23); Rashad Jennings (Season 24); Jordan Fisher (Season 25); Adam Rippon (Season 26); Bobby Bones (Season 27); Hannah Browne (Season 28); Kaitlyn Bristowe (Season 29).

Hosted by supermodel and businesswoman Tyra Banks, Season 29 of DWTS premieres on Monday, September 14, 2020 from 8-10pm ET/PT on ABC. Six-time Mirrorball champion dancer Derek Hough joins DWTS in a new capacity as a judge. Hough joins Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli at the judges table in the ballroom. Meanwhile, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Len Goodman is unable to judge this season live in the ballroom, though he still is a part of the show in a different capacity sharing his ballroom expertise from London. The new season features a cast of 15 celebrities, including a GRAMMY winner, a Bachelorette, a big-cat lover-turned-reality TV star and a pro-football legend, to name a few. The celebrities heading to the ballroom this season (in alphabetical order) are as follows:

Celebrities (with their dance and song on the season premiere):
- head coach Monica Aldama (CHEER): Foxtrot to "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts
- animal activist Carole Baskin (TIGER KING): Paso to "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor
- Kaitlyn Bristowe (THE BACHELOR; THE BACHELORETTE): Cha Cha to "Stupid Love" by Lady Gaga
- Super Bowl Champion Vernon Davis: Foxtrot to "All of Me" by John Legend
- TV and film actress Anne Heche: Cha Cha to "Don't Start Now" by Dua Lipa
- Disney Channel actress Skai Jackson: Tango to "Super Bass" by Nicki Minaj
- actress Justina Machado (ONE DAY AT A TIME): Cha Cha to "Respect" by Aretha Franklin
- Backstreet Boys singer AJ McLean: Jive to "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd
- host of THE REAL and correspondent on HOLEY MOLEY, Jeannie Mai: Salsa to "Tell It to My Heart" by Taylor Dayne
- TV and film actor Jesse Metcalfe: Quickstep to "Part Time Love" by Stevie Wonder
- rapper Nelly: Salsa to "Ride Wit Me" by Nelly
- TV host Nev Schulman (CATFISH): Foxtrot to "The Way You Look Tonight" by Frank Sinatra
- NBA superstar Charles Oakley (THE LAST DANCE): Salsa to "In Da Club" by 50 Cent
- actress Chrishell Stause (SELLING SUNSET): Tango to "Raise Your Glass" by P!nk
- Olympic figure skater and on-air commentator Johnny Weir: Cha Cha to "Buttons" by The Pussycat Dolls
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On Monday, November 23, 2020 from 8-10pm ET/PT, ABC premiered the Season 29 finale of DANCING WITH THE STARS. Four celebrity and pro-dancer couples dance and compete in the live season finale where one couple wins the coveted Mirrorball Trophy. Tyra Banks walks out to "I'm So Excited" by The Pointer Sisters. For this week, each couple repeats one of their favorite performances from earlier in the season with some new creative elements. Then, for the last element of competition, the couples perform the most anticipated dance of the season: the fan-favorite Freestyle. In addition, Nelly will perform a medley of his greatest hits including "Ride Wit Me," "Lil Bit" and "Hot in Herre" while his pro dancer Daniella Karagach dances with her husband, Pasha Pashkov. And Derek Hough will dance solo on the ballroom floor to "Let's Fall in Love for the Night." Also, a number of the couples who were eliminated earlier in the season will return to the ballroom.

The couples are as follows (with dances and songs):

- Kaitlyn Bristowe and pro Artem Chigvintsev will repeat their Argentine Tango to "Toxic" by Britney Spears, then a Freestyle dance to "Sparkling Diamonds" from "Moulin Rouge"

- Actress Justina Machado and pro Sasha Farber will repeat their Cha to "Respect" by Aretha Franklin, then a Freestyle dance to "Let's Get Loud" by Jennifer Lopez and "Bamboleo" by The Gypsy Kings.

- Rapper Nelly and pro Daniella Karagach will repeat their Samba to "Rhythm of the Night" by DeBarge, then a Freestyle dance to "Savage" by Megan Thee Stallion and "Hypnotize" by The Notorious B.I.G.

- TV host Nev Schulman and pro Jenna Johnson will repeat their Paso Doble to "Black Swan Swan Lake" by District 78, then a Freestyle dance to "Singin' in the Rain" by District 78.