You're watching Dancing with the Stars. The lights dim. Suddenly, a dozen dancers flood the floor for a high-octane opening number that looks more like a Super Bowl halftime show than a standard waltz. You recognize the main pros—the ones paired with the C-list actors and retired athletes—but who are the others? The ones doing the backflips and filling out the massive group routines?
That is the DWTS troupe.
Honestly, they are the unsung heroes of the production. While the primary pros are busy teaching a rhythm-challenged reality star how to point their toes, the troupe members are the glue holding the live show together. They don't have permanent celebrity partners. Instead, they act as the show's elite "reserve" unit. They are the versatile, high-energy performers who jump in for bumper performances, back up the main couples during "Trio Night," and—most importantly—stand ready to take over if a main pro gets injured or tests positive for an illness.
What Exactly Is the DWTS Troupe Anyway?
Basically, the troupe is a small group of professional dancers hired for the season who aren't assigned a specific celebrity partner. Think of them as the "bench" in a sports game. They are incredibly talented, often just as skilled (if not more so in certain styles) as the main cast, but they serve a different purpose.
Their job description is chaotic.
One minute, they are practicing a 30-second transition dance that happens right before a commercial break. The next, they are learning three different routines because a guest musical performer needs backup dancers. You’ve probably seen them in the background of a Latin night, adding "texture" to the floor so the stage doesn't look empty when a couple is only dancing in one corner.
The history of the troupe is a bit of a rollercoaster. It was first introduced in Season 12. Since then, it has been cut, brought back, shrunk, and expanded based on the show's budget and the vision of the executive producers. Sometimes there are six members. Sometimes four. Sometimes, like in certain recent seasons, the show does away with the official "troupe" title entirely, only to bring it back when they realize the live show feels a bit thin without them.
The Training Ground for Future Legends
If you want to know who the next big superstar pro is going to be, look at the troupe. It’s the ultimate audition.
It’s where the producers watch how a dancer handles the grueling schedule of live television. Can they learn a routine in two hours? Do they have "the look"? How is their chemistry with the audience? Most of the household names you know today didn't start with a celebrity. They started in the back.
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Take Lindsay Arnold or Witney Carson. They were troupe members before they were champions. Sasha Farber spent years in the troupe before becoming a permanent fixture. Even Jenna Johnson and Alan Bersten had to pay their dues in the troupe before they were given the keys to a celebrity partnership.
It’s a smart system.
By the time a troupe member is "promoted," the audience already knows their face. They’ve seen them in the pro numbers. They’ve seen them filling in for a pro who had a freak ankle injury during rehearsal. By the time they get a partner, they aren't "the new person"—they’re a familiar friend.
A Brutal Schedule Nobody Talks About
Don’t let the sparkles fool you. Being in the DWTS troupe is a grind.
While the main pros are focused on one person and one dance style per week, the troupe has to be masters of everything. They are often the ones working with the show’s creative directors to workshop the massive group numbers that open the show. If a guest choreographer like Mandy Moore comes in, the troupe is the first group she works with to set the movement.
They also have to learn the "Sway" and "Bumper" dances. You know those 10-second clips of dancing right before the show goes to a commercial? The troupe has to nail those every single time. There is no room for error because the camera is often inches from their faces.
Why Did the Troupe Disappear (and Come Back)?
Fans get really heated about this. There was a period, notably around Season 28, where the show underwent a massive "refresh." They changed the host, changed the creative direction, and—to the shock of many—axed the troupe entirely.
The reasoning was mostly financial and structural. Without a troupe, the show saved money on salaries, costumes, and choreography fees. The producers wanted to focus more on the "journey" of the celebrities and less on the "spectacle" of professional-only numbers.
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It didn't last.
The show felt different. The energy was lower. Without the troupe, there was nobody to fill the space during set changes or provide backup for the main couples. If a pro got sick, the show was in a genuine crisis. Eventually, the powers that be realized that the DWTS troupe isn't just an "extra"—it's an insurance policy. They brought it back because the production simply runs smoother when there are extra bodies in the room.
The "Trio Night" Factor
One of the coolest things about the troupe is their involvement in themed weeks. Specifically, Trio Night. This is the week where the remaining couples have to add a third dancer to their routine. Usually, that third dancer is a member of the troupe.
This is where things get interesting.
The troupe member has to find a way to fit into a dynamic that has been building for six or seven weeks. They have to match the height, the speed, and the energy of two people who already have a "rhythm." It’s a massive test of their technical ability. Sometimes, the troupe member actually outshines the pro, which creates this weird, unspoken tension that fans love to dissect on Reddit.
Who Is Currently in the Troupe?
The roster changes constantly. It’s rare for a dancer to stay in the troupe for more than a few seasons; they either get promoted to a pro spot or they move on to other gigs like So You Think You Can Dance or world tours.
In the 2024 and 2025 cycles, we’ve seen a mix of returning favorites and fresh faces. Names like Alexis Warr, who won So You Think You Can Dance, and Ezra Sosa have used the troupe as a springboard to massive popularity. Ezra, specifically, became a social media sensation for his "behind the scenes" content, proving that you don't need a celebrity partner to be the star of the show.
The selection process is intense. The show’s casting directors look for:
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- Versatility: You have to be able to do a frame-perfect Ballroom Waltz and then flip into a Hip-Hop routine ten minutes later.
- Height: They often try to find dancers who "match" the height of the current pro cast so they can easily sub in.
- Personality: You’re on a reality show. You need to look like you’re having the time of your life, even if it’s 11:00 PM and your feet are bleeding.
The Replacement Rule
Here is a detail most casual viewers miss: The troupe is the reason the show doesn't fall apart when a pro gets hurt.
In Season 31, for example, several pros had to step away due to COVID-19 protocols or injury. Within 24 hours, a troupe member had to learn an entire routine, build chemistry with a celebrity they barely knew, and perform it live for millions of people. It’s high-stakes, high-pressure work. When a troupe member saves a celebrity’s season, it almost guarantees them a pro spot the following year. It’s the ultimate "break a leg" scenario.
How to Follow the DWTS Troupe
If you actually want to see what's happening on the show, stop following the celebrities and start following the troupe on Instagram and TikTok. They are the ones posting from the rehearsal rooms at 1:00 AM. They are the ones showing the "quick changes" happening under the stage.
Because they aren't as "protected" by the network's PR machine as the main pros, their content is often a lot more raw and honest. You get a real sense of the exhaustion and the camaraderie that exists in the ballroom.
Moving Forward: What to Watch For
Next time you tune in, don't just look at the couple in the spotlight. Look at the dancers in the shadows. Look at the ones doing the insane lifts during the musical performances.
To keep track of the DWTS troupe and their impact on the season, pay attention to these three things:
- The Pro Promos: Watch who the show features in the commercial bumpers. If a troupe member is getting a lot of screen time, they are likely being "tested" for a pro spot next season.
- The Trio Choices: When a pro picks a specific troupe member for their trio, it’s a massive sign of respect. It means that pro trusts that dancer with their celebrity’s life (and their scores).
- The Social Media Buzz: Fans often "campaign" for their favorite troupe members to get partners. If you see a name trending on Twitter (X) or TikTok, there’s a good chance the producers are noticing too.
The troupe is more than just a dance team; it's the heartbeat of the show’s technical production. They are the future of the franchise, waiting in the wings for their moment to shine. Whether they are filling the floor with color or stepping in at the last second to save a routine, the show simply wouldn't be Dancing with the Stars without them.
Keep an eye on the official DWTS social media handles during the preseason—usually around late August—as that is when the "official" troupe roster for the year is typically confirmed through cast photos and press releases.