Jan Ravnik is returning to Dancing With the Stars for season 35 — and even he admits he didn’t expect to get another chance so soon.
The 31-year-old dancer told The Hollywood Reporter that he had never watched DWTS before joining the show and said becoming a pro dancer was never something he had originally planned.
“I’m still a little bit shocked that I’m back,” Ravnik admitted.
Ravnik first joined the DWTS pro lineup for season 34 in 2025 after executive producer Deena Katz spotted him while he was working as a backup dancer on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.
His casting quickly became controversial because he did not come from a traditional ballroom background.
Veteran DWTS pro Maks Chmerkovskiy publicly criticized the decision last year, arguing that Ravnik lacked the technical foundation and partnership experience expected from a professional ballroom dancer.
Ravnik and his season 34 celebrity partner, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Jen Affleck, eventually finished in ninth place after being eliminated during week seven.
Looking back, Ravnik said one of the biggest lessons from his first season was learning how to ignore outside criticism while staying humble.
He also said the experience taught him how much goes on behind the scenes of the competition.
According to Ravnik, many DWTS pros spend time in the troupe before becoming full-time partners, which gives them a chance to understand how cameras, music, choreography assignments and production decisions work.
Ravnik didn’t have that same preparation.
He said that during his first season, he often simply accepted whatever dance style or song he was given because he didn’t realize how much input he could have.
Now, Ravnik says he is approaching season 35 very differently.
This time, he is partnered with The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actress Tatyana Ali.
Before the competition started, Ravnik said he brought Ali into the studio and tested several different dance styles, speeds and frame positions so he could better understand her strengths and weaknesses.
That preparation has made him more confident about speaking up when he believes a particular style or assignment is not right for his partner.
Ravnik said he now feels comfortable telling production when he thinks a dance should be saved for later in the season rather than attempted too early.
For him, season 35 represents an opportunity to apply everything he learned during his difficult first year and prove that he belongs in the ballroom.
Following its two-night premiere, Dancing With the Stars season 35 airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+.
