DANCING WITH THE STARS – “Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night” – Get ready to rock! The remaining couples dance to classic hits celebrating the legends of Rock. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Flavor Flav joins the judges panel for a night packed with pure rock energy — yeah, boyee! TUESDAY, NOV. 4 (8:00-10:02 p.m. EST) on ABC. (Disney/Christopher Willard) ALAN BERSTEN, ELAINE HENDRIX
Disney
Dancing With the Stars’ biggest celebration of Season 34 is finally here, and it’s promising to be an evening full of nostalgia and surprises. From the return of the Relay Race Challenge to the comeback of fan-favorite pros, here’s everything to know about the star-studded 20th anniversary celebration.
The long-running dance competition first premiered in June 2005, and now, 20 years later, the show continues to evolve and attract new audiences. As of last month, it’s the first fall series in at least 34 years to grow its audience for five consecutive weeks following a season premiere, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
To celebrate the show’s twentieth trip around the sun, Tuesday’s episode is pulling out all the stops. Fans can look forward to the return of past Mirrorball champions and beloved professional dancers from as far back as Season 1.
In the first round, each couple will perform a new style to a song inspired by an iconic freestyle routine from past seasons. Then comes the fan-favorite Relay Dance Challenge, where two couples share the same song. The first pair performs the opening half, and the second completes it. Afterward, the judges will determine a winner for each relay and award two bonus points to the winning couples.
Keep reading for a full breakout of the songs and dances planned for DWTS’ 20th anniversary special, along with details on the guest judge, returning professional dancers, and the pairings for the Relay Dance Challenge.
When Is Dancing With The Stars On This Week?
DANCING WITH THE STARS – “One-Hit Wonders Night” – “Dancing with the Stars” brings some of music’s most iconic singles to the ballroom floor, when all 14 couples perform to songs from artists known for one unforgettable hit. TUESDAY, SEPT. 23 (8:00-10:00 p.m. EDT) on ABC. (Disney/Eric McCandless) CARRIE ANN INABA, ALFONSO RIBEIRO, DEREK HOUGH, JULIANNE HOUGH, BRUNO TONIOLI (Photo by Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty Images)
Disney via Getty Images
The next episode of Dancing With the Stars Season 34 will air on Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+. New episodes are available to stream on ABC.com and Hulu the day after they air.
What Is The Dancing With The Stars Theme For Week 9?
DANCING WITH THE STARS – “Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night” – Get ready to rock! The remaining couples dance to classic hits celebrating the legends of Rock. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Flavor Flav joins the judges panel for a night packed with pure rock energy — yeah, boyee! TUESDAY, NOV. 4 (8:00-10:02 p.m. EST) on ABC. (Disney/Christopher Willard) ROBERT IRWIN, WITNEY CARSON
Disney
The Week 9 theme of Dancing With the Stars is a 20th Birthday Party in honor of the show’s 20th anniversary.
The celebration will begin with an exciting opening number, choreographed by Derek Hough, to a reimagined live version of the “Dancing with the Stars Theme” by Ray Chew. The routine will feature the current pros and troupe, plus six original pros from the first season, including:
- Alec Mazo
- Ashly DelGrosso
- Louis van Amstel
- Jonathan Roberts
- Charlotte Jorgensen
- Edyta Śliwińska
The episode will also honor DWTS performers who’ve passed over the years with an emotional number to “Always Remember Us This Way” by Lady Gaga, choreographed and performed by Ezra Sosa and Rylee Arnold.
Who Is The Guest Judge For Week 9?
DANCING WITH THE STARS – “Episode 2111” – After weeks of competitive dancing, the final four couples advanced to the FINALS of “Dancing with the Stars” this MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET). The finalists competed in two rounds of dance. In the first round, one judge helped each couple choose the creative elements of each dance, which is a re-do to a new song. In the second round, in one of the biggest competitive dances of the season, the couples took on a freestyle dance featuring special effects, additional dancers and unexpected surprises. At the end of the night, the couple with the lowest combined viewer and judge votes from the previous two weeks was eliminated. (Photo by Adam Taylor/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
Tom Bergeron, who hosted Dancing With the Stars from 2005 to 2019, will be back in the ballroom as a guest judge. Bergeron’s return was announced on Good Morning America on Nov. 5, where the former host said he’s looking forward to being part of the monumental episode.
“Twenty years of any primetime show is amazing,” Bergeron said on GMA. “For a show 20 years old to also be having the ratings resurgence as they are, you’re more likely to see a zebra playing the piano than for that to happen.”
What Are The DWTS Relay Dance Challenge Partners?
DANCING WITH THE STARS – “Finale – 3211” In a series first, the finale episode will have five couples competing for a chance at winning the coveted “Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.” The finalists will perform a redemption dance and an unforgettable freestyle routine. The season 32 finale of “Dancing with the Stars” airs TUESDAY, DEC. 5 (8:00-11:00 p.m. EST/PST) on ABC. (Eric McCandless/DISNEY via Getty Images)XOCHITL GOMEZ, VAL CHMERKOVSKY
ABC via Getty Images
In honor of the 20th anniversary, the relay round will include a major twist. For the first time, celebrities will dance without their professional partners. Instead, they’ll be teaming up with a returning Mirrorball champion to perform a Quickstep, Viennese Waltz or Jive.
Check out the DWTS Relay Dance pairings below.
- Alix Earle and Season 33 winner Joey Graziadei
- Robert Irwin and Season 32 winner Xochitl Gomez
- Dylan Efron and Season 20 winner Rumer Willis
- Andy Ritcher and Season 29 Winner Kaitlyn Bristowe
- Elaine Hendrix and Season 24 Winner Rashad Jennings
- Jordan Chiles and Season 4 Winner Apolo Anton Ohno
So, what about Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas? Thanks to the couple’s top scores in the individual dance round during Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night, along with their strong cumulative judges’ totals throughout the season, they received immunity and will not have to participate in the challenge. They will also automatically earn two bonus points as part of their immunity.
What Are The Songs And Dances For The 20th Anniversary Party On Dancing With the Stars?
DANCING WITH THE STARS – “Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night” – Get ready to rock! The remaining couples dance to classic hits celebrating the legends of Rock. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Flavor Flav joins the judges panel for a night packed with pure rock energy — yeah, boyee! TUESDAY, NOV. 4 (8:00-10:02 p.m. EST) on ABC. (Disney/Christopher Willard) JORDAN CHILES, EZRA SOSA
Disney
Here are the songs and dances that the seven remaining pairs will perform during the 20th Anniversary Party on DWTS.
- Social media personality Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy will perform a Foxtrot to “Singin’ in the Rain” by Matthew Morrison.
- Wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin and Witney Carson will perform a Foxtrot to “Footprints in the Sand” by Leona Lewis.
- The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas will perform an Argentine Tango to “Cell Block Tango” from “Chicago The Musical.”
- Reality TV star Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach will perform an Argentine Tango to “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers.
- Comedian Andy Richter and Emma Slater will perform a Quickstep to “Puttin’ on the Ritz” by Robbie Williams.
- Film and TV actress Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten will perform a Salsa to “It Takes Two” by Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock.
- Olympic gold medalist Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa will perform a Cha Cha to “Get Up” by Ciara featuring Chamillionaire.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/monicamercuri/2025/11/10/here-are-the-dancing-with-the-stars-20th-birthday-party-songs-dances-and-twists/
