AceShowbiz - Maura Higgins attended her first rehearsal for Dancing with the Stars in Los Angeles on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, Daily Mail reports. The reality star also made it clear that she does not want to be paired with professional dancer Gleb Savchenko due to disagreements over his attitude toward women.

Per Yoursun, Maura Higgins expressed loyalty to her friend Brooks Nader, a former contestant who previously dated Savchenko, which partly explains her unwillingness to work with him. Meanwhile, Daily Mail revealed that Savchenko responded by saying he had never heard of Higgins before being asked for comment and that her criticism seemed like an attempt to gain attention before the show begins. He added that he plans to focus on his work rather than engage in drama. E! News also noted that Higgins hopes to be paired with Valentin Chmerkovskiy, having danced with him before in a promotional video.

Dancing with the Stars, a long-running reality dance competition produced by BBC Worldwide and aired on ABC and Disney+, kicks off its 35th season this fall. Hosting duties for the new season will be handled by Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro, with judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli returning to the panel. Contestants like Higgins and Ciara Miller from The Traitors and Summer House have already been announced, setting the stage for a competitive season.

This development highlights the complex personal dynamics behind the scenes of Dancing with the Stars. Higgins’ public stance against partnering with Savchenko adds an unusual layer of tension before the season even begins, potentially impacting pairings and rehearsals. Given the show’s history of pairing celebrities with professionals based on compatibility factors, this early conflict could influence how the season unfolds both on and off the dance floor.

This article is based on reporting originally published by Dailymail.