Former Backup Dancer Shines on 'Dancing with the Stars'

In 2026, a former Taylor Swift backup dancer, Jan Ravnik, made his debut as a pro on the ABC series 'Dancing with the Stars'. Paired with 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' star Jen Affleck, Ravnik was eliminated in week 7 of the competition.

Reflecting on his first season as a DWTS pro, the 30-year-old dancer calls it a "great experience", though he remains coy about whether he'll return for season 35. Ravnik is currently focused on the remaining two weeks of the current season, as he continues to rehearse intensively ahead of the semi-finals on November 18th.

The dancer admits there was a definite learning curve, with his costume choices in the first two weeks being "hideous" by his own admission. Another challenge was having to smile constantly during the live shows, something Ravnik says was "hard" for him as he doesn't naturally like to smile all the time.

Once the season wraps up, Ravnik plans to take "a little break" and travel to Europe, where he has some other obligations to attend to. He says he's looking forward to experiencing the "holiday spirit" and seeing some snow.