There’s a new pro in the Dancing With the Stars ballroom — and she’s no stranger to the dance floor.
Hailey Bills joined the pro roster for season 35, pairing up with model Sarah Jane Nader in a rare same-sex pairing.
While Nader is new to the competition, Bills isn’t exactly another DWTS newcomer. Her path to season 35 has been years in the making — and it runs in the family.
Keep scrolling to learn more:
From ‘DWTS Juniors’ to the Main Show
Bills first showed up on the franchise back in 2018, when she was cast as a junior pro on Dancing With the Stars: Juniors, the short-lived spinoff that paired child stars and the kids of celebrities with young dancers to compete for a star-shaped mirrorball trophy.
At age 12, Bills was partnered with Tripp Johnston Palin, the then-9-year-old son of exes Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston. The duo, who were the first couple eliminated, were mentored by longtime pro Jenna Johnson — who happens to be Bills’ aunt. (Bristol competed on DWTS season 11 and season 15, both times dancing with fellow pro Mark Ballas.)
“I think for being a non-dancer, he was able to retain [the steps] really well,“ Johnson told Us at the time of coaching Tripp. “It’s very hard for someone who has never danced before. This is a very daunting place. It’s covered in lights and cameras and costumes, so he did really well.”
Hailey Bills Joined the ‘DWTS’ Troupe Before Pro Promotion
Bills kept dancing in the years after DWTS Juniors, even performing with judge Derek Hough at a Savannah Bananas game in September 2025. That same month, Bills was cast in the DWTS troupe for season 34 alongside Onye Stevenson, Carter Williams and Jaxon Willard.
The DWTS troupe was introduced during 2011’s season 12 and has served as a launchpad for pros including Alan Bersten, Sharna Burgess, Witney Carson, Daniella Karagach, Britt Stewart and Johnson herself.
Hailey Bills’ History-Making 1st Partnership
Bills was named a pro for season 35 in September 2025 and paired with Love Thy Nader star Sarah Jane, whose older sister Brooks Nader appeared on season 33 of the competition. According to Sarah Jane, her sibling wasted no time sharing words of wisdom.
“She really just said to enjoy every moment and, like, soak it up and embrace the challenging [side] of it all,” Sarah Jane told Us. “[She said] don’t be scared to embarrass yourself. And so I’m really just leaning in.”
Fellow season 35 pro Emma Slater also told Us that she’s rooting for Sarah Jane and Bills, which is only the second time that two women have danced together. (Johnson previously partnered with JoJo Siwa in 2021’s season 31.)
“I’m excited to see Hailey and Sarah Jane dance together,” Slater gushed at the time. “That’s going to be really cool, too.”
This story was compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists.
