The troupe for Season 34 of Dancing With the Stars has been confirmed! ABC announced the four dancers who will be performing on the show this fall. While they won’t have celebrity partners, they will be utilized in various routines and perform in other capacities throughout the season.
The four troupe members are: Hailey Bills, Onye Stevenson, Carter Williams, and Jaxon Willard. Notably, Bills’ aunt is Jenna Johnson, who was previously a troupe member and is now one of the pro dancers (she’s partnered with Corey Feldman this season). Through marriage, Bills’ uncle is Johnson’s husband, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, who is a longtime pro on the show, partnered with Alix Earle this season.
Johnson posted a video of herself finding out the exciting news. She captioned the clip, “POV: It’s 2am in Paris and you find out that you and your niece are going to share the stage on DWTS this season!!!!!! So beyond proud of you @hailey.bills 🥹😭✨💘 You are beyond deserving of this moment. Can’t wait for the world to see you SHINE .”
Scroll down to learn more about Bills, including her dance background and how she’s related to Johnson!
Who is Hailey Bills?
Fans of Dancing With the Stars may recognize Bills if they watched Dancing With the Stars: Juniors back in 2018. Bills was partnered with Tripp Johnston Palin and mentored by Johnson. However, they were the first team eliminated.
“When I figured out [Johnson] was my mentor, I was just so excited because I can just act normal in front of her,” Bills told Access Hollywood. “The first time I saw her, I didn’t have to meet her and everything.”
Now, Bills is a Pro Assistant for Ovation Dance, Derek Hough and Julianne Hough‘s dance competition. She is also a student at Brigham Young University, where she is a member of the dance team and expected to graduate in 2028 (it’s unclear whether her new job on DWTS will change her timeline).
Bills has won Mini Best Dancer and Teen Best Dancer at The Dance Awards and has been dancing since she was 6 years old.
How old is Hailey Bills?
During her first season on DWTS, Bills will be 19 years old. She was born on May 18, 2006, and turned 19 earlier this year.
How is Hailey Bills related to Jenna Johnson?
Johnson’s sister, Stacy, is Bills’ mother, which is how Johnson is her aunt. Hailey is Stacy’s oldest child. Per Stacy’s recent Instagram post, she has four other children: Gracie (1st grade), Kade (5th grade), and Jake and Luke (10th grade).
“To the one who made me a mom…Thank you for being my best friend, for teaching me so much about myself, for being amazing at everything you do and allowing me to be along for the ride,” Stacy wrote on Instagram in honor of her daughter’s 19th birthday. “I adore you. My biggest compliment is when someone tells me that I remind them of her. Happiest Birthday!!!”
Dancing With the Stars, Season 34 Premiere, Tuesday, September 16, 8/7c, ABC
For a more extended celebration of two decades of Dancing With the Stars, from exclusive interviews to retrospectives and must-see photos, pick up a copy of TV Guide Magazine’s Dancing With the Stars 20th Anniversary special issue, available for purchase online at DWTS.TVGM2025.com and on newsstands August 29.