Heavy/Getty Sharna Burgess.
Sharna Burgess is making a return to “Dancing With the Stars.” After a multi-season absence, the popular pro dancer confirmed that she will return to the ABC ballroom for the show’s 500th Episode on Tuesday, November 12.
In a TikTok post shared by Gleb Savchenko on November 11, Burgess appeared in a ballroom wearing sunglasses as Savchenko “reintroduced” her. The Australian dancer winked at the camera.
“Lets welcome @Sharna👸 into the ballroom! Tomorrow’s episode is about to be 🔥 @Dancing with the Stars #DWTS,” Savchenko captioned the clip.
Burgess replied in the comment section with, “Hi guys 🥰 it’s good to be home. x”
According to an ABC/Disney press release, the 500th episode special will feature “a thrilling nod to the past” with a pro dancer routine set to the first song that was featured on the very first episode of “Dancing with the Stars” back in 2005. In addition, the network teased the “dazzling return of some fan-favorite faces to the ballroom.”
Burgess last appeared as a “Dancing With the Stars” pro in 2021 during season 30.
Fans Spotted Other Clues About Sharna Burgess’ Return on Social Media
Burgess competed in 14 seasons of “Dancing With the Stars.” She scored a controversial win with Bobby Bones in season 27 and wasn’t asked back for season 28. She returned for seasons 29 and 30 but was absent from seasons 31 and 32.
Many fans had been hoping that Burgess would return for the show’s special 500th episode in season 33. Some found clues on social media.
On November 3, one DWTS fan posted a photo to Reddit that featured a screenshot from pro dancer Rylee Arnold’s Snapchat. In the pic, Arnold was dancing alongside another dancer who had bright red hair the same color as Burgess’ hair. “Rylee’s at pro opening number rehearsal and is this sharna??? no one else has the red hair lol!” the fan wrote.
In a TikTok posted by dancer Ezra Sosa, a woman with that same bright hair color could be seen in the background of a clip shot at a rehearsal studio.
And on November 11, dancer Sasha Farber posted to Instagram stories to show the dancers at a camera blocking session. Burgess was seen on the stage and she even smiled and leaned forward to get on camera. Thrilled fans reacted on Reddit.
“We WON TODAY. She is definitely gonna be dancing,” one fan wrote of Burgess.
Sharna Burgess Spoke Out About Being Snubbed by DWTS Producers
GettySharna Burgess.
Burgess’ return to the DWTS ballroom has been a long time coming, but some fans worried it would never happen.
On the debut episode of her podcast “Old-Ish,” Burgess explained that she purposely stepped back from season 31 after giving birth to her first child, Zane. But one year later, she was stunned when she was not invited back for season 32 after being assured that she would be.
“Because it was such a shock, because I wasn’t expecting it, it was tough,” she said on the podcast. “My last five years on the show have been rocky,” she added. “Not because of the show. I love the show deeply, but we had a new executive producer come in, I think five years ago now. I had just won with Bobby Bones and he decided to not bring me back.”
Burgess was also not invited to participate in a special ballroom tribute to late DWTS judge Len Goodman in October 2023. The emotional tribute, set to the song “Moon River,” featured all of the season 32 pro dancers as well as returning pros Mark Ballas, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Tony Dovolani, Kym Johnson-Herjavec, Edyta Śliwińska, Karina Smirnoff, Anna Trebunskaya, and Louis van Amstel.
According to E! News, Burgess expressed sadness over not being asked to participate in the tribute. “This hurt more than not being asked back and I’m working through it,” she shared on her Instagram story in October 2023. “Remember, two things can be true. I can love and support the show, feel joy for those who were there and also feel sad about me not being there.”
Victoria Miller is a contributor for Heavy specializing in TV and celebrity news. She can be reached at victoria.miller@heavy.com. More about Victoria Miller
English (US) ·