Sharna Burgess is back in the ballroom, and honestly, the timing feels a little chaotic in the best way. She hasn't been partnered with anyone since 2021, which is also the year she got paired with her actual fiancé, Brian Austin Green. That's not a normal dance dynamic. That's a "we're going to learn the samba while deciding what to eat for dinner" level of domestic pressure. So when the news dropped that she's returning for another season, my first reaction wasn't "oh, exciting." It was more like, "okay, but who is she *not* related to this time?" Because that's the real tea. The show isn't just bringing her back for her technique. They're bringing her back for the story. And the story is always better when there's a little emotional baggage attached to the sequins.
Here's the thing about Dancing with the Stars and its chaotic casting decisions: we pretend we watch for the footwork, but we actually watch for the awkward pauses, the last-minute rehearsal meltdowns, and the way two people who barely know each other have to fake a waltz about "connection." Sharna's last run was basically a live-action rom-com, and now we're supposed to just slide her back in like that wasn't a whole thing? No. We need context. We need a few episodes of her being visibly tired of someone's nonsense. And honestly, we need to see her win, not because she's the best dancer in the room, but because she's already survived the messiest partner situation the show has ever aired. If she can do a foxtrot with her life partner, she can do one with literally anyone else.
So what would I tell a reader who's asking, "Wait, is this a big deal?" Yes, but not for the reason you think. It's not about whether she'll be good. She will be. It's about the fact that she's walking back into a space that already knows her personal life better than she does. That's a weird feeling, and I think we're all a little fascinated by it. The practical takeaway here is simple: watch the first episode for the announcement, but stay for the moment she inevitably rolls her eyes at a judge's critique. That's the content we're actually here for. She's going to be polished, she's going to be professional, but she's also going to be carrying the unspoken weight of "remember when she danced with her boyfriend?" And that's not a downside. That's just good television.
The real question nobody's asking yet is whether she'll lean into the irony or try to play it straight. I hope she leans in. Give us a routine that starts with her looking at the camera like, "I've seen worse." Because she has. She's seen the worst partner scenario possible, and she married him. So this season isn't about the dancing. It's about watching someone reclaim the floor without the emotional weight of a partner who already knows her bad habits. That's the detail to watch. Not the scores. Not the outfits. Just the moment she realizes she gets to dance for herself again. That's the comeback I'm actually here for.