Who is returning to Season 19 of Dancing With the Stars? There were a few shakeups on the dance floor on Good Morning America on Wednesday as a few familiar names were left out of the competition this season.
Fans will be delighted to know that longtime favorites Karina Smirnoff, Tony Dovolani, Cheryl Burke and Valentin Chmerkovskiy were all present in the GMA studios to announce the new season. In addition to their familiar faces, returning pros are Mark Ballas, Emma Slater, Peta Murgatroyd and Witney Carson.
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There are a few new pros who were added to the list including Artem Chigvintsev, winner of the U.K.’s Strictly Come Dancing, a Season 18 troupe member on DWTS, Allison Holker of So You Think You Can Dance and South African dancer Keoikantse Motsepe.
A few names were glaringly left off of the roster including Charlie White’s partner from last season, Sharna Burgess, Season 18 pro Henry Byalikov and Season 17 pro Sasha Farber. Fan-favorite Maks Chmerkovskiy announced at the end of July that he was done with the show after winning last season with partner Meryl Davis.
According to Burgess’ boyfriend Paul Kirkland, the cast was given no warning of their inclusion or exclusion from the show this year.
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He tweeted an emotional response to fans who were in shock that she wasn’t a part of the show.
https://twitter.com/PaulKirkland01/statuses/499604384779493376
Kirkland also implied that pros with a larger Twitter following might have been favored over pros with a smaller fan base.
https://twitter.com/PaulKirkland01/statuses/499607791460708352
This was the first time ABC has done a GMA announcement of the pros. Normally the cast is introduced along with that season’s 12 participating celebrities. The celeb announcement won’t happen until Sept. 4 on Good Morning America.
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