ABC plans to announce the complete celebrity and professional lineup on September 2 during Good Morning America. Unless Dion appears in that announcement, the evidence remains exactly where Hough left it: an AI picture, a playful caption and an open invitation.
Why does Derek Hough want Dion in the ballroom?
Hough’s choice was not random. In a separate Instagram post on August 24, he recalled meeting Dion in Las Vegas several years ago while she was running late for her own show. They began talking about dance, and Hough said she immediately became animated by the subject.
As he prepared to leave, Hough told her, “Hey, if you ever want to dance, just let me know.” According to him, Dion responded by singing “Let me know” to the melody of “Let It Go,” before sharing a short dance with Hough and his wife, Hayley Erbert.
“She’s every bit as kind, funny, and genuine as you’d hope,” he wrote. Hough added that Erbert is Dion’s biggest fan and said the singer is always his answer when people ask whom he would like to see involved with the show.
“The invite’s open, Queen Céline,” he concluded.
Hough has enough ballroom authority to issue one. He won six Mirrorball trophies as a professional dancer before joining the judging panel in season 29. He and Erbert are also parents to 7-month-old daughter Everley Capri.
Who is actually linked to season 35?
Beyond the four celebrities confirmed by ABC, several reported names remain unofficial. E! News reported that Tyler Cameron, Jenna Dewan and Conner Leavitt have joined the cast. Us Weekly separately reported Leavitt and Sarah Jane Nader, but ABC has not confirmed any of them.
Leavitt would continue a recent family connection. His wife, Whitney Leavitt, reached the season 34 semifinals. Dewan, meanwhile, would arrive with considerably more dance experience than the average celebrity contestant. She previously worked as a professional backup dancer and hosted World of Dance, where Hough served as a judge.
ABC has confirmed one major professional return. Sharna Burgess will compete for the first time since 2021. “It feels so good to be coming home,” she said.
The mix reflects the show’s broad casting strategy, which increasingly combines reality television personalities, social media figures, relatives of previous contestants and established performers. The spinoff The Next Pro is also creating a televised route for new professional dancers. Apparently one casting process was not quite enough.
Why season 35 has room for bigger speculation
The program enters its new season with strong momentum. According to ABC, season 34 attracted 9.11 million multiplatform viewers, ranked fourth among broadcast programs and delivered the show’s most-watched finale in 10 years.
Those numbers help explain why casting speculation has become its own preseason event. A star of Dion’s stature would generate enormous attention, even if her schedule and health comeback make a full competitive run improbable.
A guest appearance, recorded message or future involvement remains possible because Hough did not limit his invitation to becoming his dance partner. For now, however, Dion has Paris concerts to prepare for, Hough has a judging seat, and the internet has another synthetic cast photo to examine as though it were an official press release.
