By Audrey Elwood, Chief Columnist 

“Dancing with the Stars” season 35 is set to premiere on Sept. 15 and with a new season, comes a whole new cast of celebrities. While there is already controversy, this cast is well-rounded, ranging from athletes to comedians. Nobody can predict who will win, but there are already some favorites for the mirrorball trophy. 

Out of the gate there are two favorites to win. The first is Jenna Dewan, who is from the dance movie franchise “Step Up” and who was a Janet Jackson backup dancer. The internet has claimed that Dewan’s dance background is unfair to the other contestants. She is also paired with veteran dancer Val Chmerkovskiy, who has won three mirrorballs and is a consistent finalist. However, it is important to note that Dewan is trained in contemporary and commercial dance, not the Latin and ballroom dance that the show focuses on. 

Julia Stiles, is an actress known for “10 Things I Hate About You” and “Save the Last Dance.” While she may have played a Julliard trained dancer in “Save the Last Dance,” she has never trained there, despite internet rumors. Her partner is three-time pro Ezra Sosa. While relatively new to the program, he has seen success with former partner and gymnast Jordan Chiles, reaching third place last year. 

A sleeper pick for the mirrorball is Harry Shum Jr., who was also, at one point, a professional dancer early in his career. The “Glee” alum has transitioned away from dancing, but he is definitely a male favorite this season. 

Some other notable cast members from the reality TV circuit are Connor Leavitt and Ciara Miller. Leavitt is following in his wife Whitney’s footsteps, who made it to fourth place last year, despite being a “villian” of the season. Miller is known for shows like “Summer House” and was most recently a co-host of Love Island’s “Aftersun.” “Love Island UK” alum Maura Higgins who is known for the viral betrayal from Rob Rausch in “The Traitors” is also dancing this season. 

When it comes to athletes this season, there is a smattering of different sports across the board. Gold medalist Paralympian Ezra French is dancing with pro Daniella Karagach, who has previously won the mirrorballwith basketball player Iman Shumpert.

Savannah Bananas player and TikTok star Jackson Olson is dancing with veteran Emma Slater. While he does plenty of dancing on the field, he has no formal training. Amber Glenn, Olympian ice skater, is joining the show this year, teamed up with Pasha Pashkov; she is a favorite among the athletes. 

Comedian and late-night fixture Guillermo Rodrieguez is also joining the cast. While it is unlikely he will go far, he is sure to bring some life to the season. 

While not every contestant is listed, there is sure to be a stacked competition. Although no one can say for sure who will win, here are some predictions. Shum Jr. will make it to the finals, Leavitt will get surprisingly farand Glenn will be the sweetheart of the season. Whether any of those predictions come true, America will surely be glued to their seats and chacha-ing their hearts out.