Dancing with the Stars announces first-ever holiday special: Who will perform on Dancing With the Holidays?

Dancing with the Stars has also announced its inaugural holiday trip, and it is called Dancing With the Holidays, which will illuminate the screens one week following the season 34 finale, which named Robert Irwin and Witney Carson as champions.

This one-hour ABC broadcast arrives on Tuesday, December 2, at 8 p.m. ET, with next-day streaming on Hulu and Disney+, transforming the familiar ballroom into a realm of festive splendor.

Viewers can anticipate pro dancers executing holiday-infused routines, alongside musical showcases and seasonal salutations from familiar faces.​

Dancing With the Holidays: Broadcast details

The news in the finale of the Dancing with the Stars Season 34 episode was filled with promise, with co-hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough announcing the contours of the special on air. Ribeiro declared, 

“Next Tuesday night, we are decking the halls and the ballroom for our first-ever holiday celebration. We’ll have exciting dances from our pros, surprise guests, and a performance from Pentatonix.”

Hough joined in the reveal, confirming their own roles in the festivities, while an ABC press release elaborated: 

“The ballroom comes alive with holiday magic as ‘Dancing With the Stars’ celebrates the season with festive-themed routines, dazzling musical performances, and special holiday greetings.”​

This marks Dancing with the Stars' inaugural standalone holiday program, distinct from past finale flourishes or group numbers.

Earlier seasons nodded to the season through opening acts or finale closers, such as the Season 32 pros' rendition of “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town,” which drew in guests like Witney Carson—then sidelined by newborn duties—Helio Castroneves, Rashad Jennings, and Hannah Brown.

Yet the shift to a single-night format had dimmed such moments until now, with Dancing With the Holidays reclaiming that ground as part of ABC's stacked holiday slate, including “CMA Country Christmas” and “The Wonderful World of Disney: Holiday Spectacular.”​

Pentatonix steps into the spotlight as a confirmed act, tied directly to Season 34 contestant Scott Hoying, the group's baritone, whose a cappella prowess earned Grammys and chart peaks.

Ribeiro spotlighted them explicitly, signaling their role amid the pros' displays. Production notes from on-site observers confirm the taping wrapped pre-finale, emphasizing pros, hosts, and guests without celebrity contestants competing.​

Season 34 Echoes in Dancing With the Holidays

Robert Irwin's Mirrorball win capped a finale of high-wire freestyles and instant challenges, where he and Carson drew perfect 30s on a cha cha to “Cake By The Ocean” by DNCE and a freestyle blending “Black & Gold” by Sam Sparro with “The Nights” by Avicii.

Irwin reflected post-victory, echoing his sister Bindi's words: “Thank you for changing my life.” Carson added, “I'm so grateful for Robert, and I feel like I won already with him as my friend.”

Other finalists like Jordan Earle and Sasha Chmerkovskiy hit 30s on “Maneater” by Nelly Furtado, while Simone Chiles and Luca Sosa closed with “Motivation” by Normani.​

Speculation swirls on crossovers, given the timing and Hoying's link, though no Season 34 celebrities join the pros for dances.

Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough anchor the hour, fresh from hosting duties that saw them tease the special amid finale fervor.

Their prior holiday ventures, like “Deck the Halls” and “Holly Jolly Christmas” in Disney specials, hint at seamless continuity.​

Dancing with the Stars has long woven seasonal threads into its fabric—finales at The Grove with Christmas openers in two-night eras, or that vivid Season 32 group number.

Dancing With the Holidays elevates this to center stage, sans competition, focusing on the craft that defines the show: precise lifts, synchronized spins, and the raw discipline beneath glittering costumes.​

The special slots into ABC's December bounty, broadcasting live from the ballroom where Season 34 battles unfolded, ensuring that holiday magic inherits the same polished floor.​

As December 2 nears, Dancing With the Holidays stands as Dancing with the Stars' boldest seasonal stride, channeling the precision and surprise that have sustained the franchise through decades.

Stay tuned for more updates.