In separate statements, the two longtime pro dancers announce that they won't be participating in upcoming season 31, which will be the first season of the show to air on Disney+ after airing on ABC for years.
- Sep 1, 2022
AceShowbiz - Sharna Burgess and Lindsay Arnold are not going to dance their way to "Dancing with the Stars" ballroom in upcoming season 31. In separate statements, the two longtime pro dancers announced on Wednesday, August 31 that they won't be participating in the season.
Sharna, who recently welcomed her first child with Brian Austin Green, shared the news in a series of videos on Instagram Stories. "I have some news that I have to tell you guys because I keep getting so many DMs about it," the Australian ballroom dancer said. "After long conversations and lots of thinking and really trying to sit with what was right, and many conversations with Deena Katz, who is our casting director but also a second mom to me, I made the really hard decision to not do this season of 'Dancing with the Stars'. There's been a list that was been released saying that I would be a pro and I won't be."
The 37-year-old, however, hinted that she will "be there in some capacity." She told her followers, "I am at 100% capacity with my body, I feel fit, I feel strong, I'm so ready to dance. I'm about to go to the gym right now. We're going to talk about what that means and how I can be a part of [DWTS] but I was not ready to spend a minimum of 10 hours a day away from [son] Zane."
"Because it's not just the time in the room, it's the travel time, it's the prep time, it's the hair and makeup time," she further elaborated. "Sundays and Mondays are full days away. I'm a full-time breastfeeding momma and not only that, I am so in love with just being a mom."
Meanwhile, Lindsay announced her departure in an Instagram post on the same day. "I wanted to let you all know that I have decided not to be a part of Dancing With the Stars this season," the 38-year-old dancer shared. "This has been one of the hardest decisions to make but ultimately, I have chosen what I feel is best for myself and my family."
Alongside a picture of her family, the "So You Think You Can Dance" alum added, "DWTS has been a part of my life for over 10 years now and when I say I love the show with all of my heart I mean it!! This show has changed my life forever and will always mean the world to me."
Noting that "doing what is best for [her] daughter is always going to be at the top of [her] list, Lindsay shared that it was hard for her to go back-and-forth between Utah and L.A. and leave behind her "husband Sam who works full time here in Utah." She continued, "We exhausted every option we could think of to make it work but at the end of the day none of the options felt good in my heart or felt like the right thing for our lives right now."
Marking the first season to air on Disney+, season 31 of "DWTS" will premiere on September 19.
