Sarah Jane Nader calls DWTS Bills pairing ‘an honor’
Sarah Jane Nader says partnering with pro Hailey Bills on Dancing with the Stars season 35 is “such an honor,” marking the show’s third same-sex pair and second all-female duo. The Love Thy Nader star follows sister Brooks Nader into the ballroom while forging her own path.
Key Takeaways
- Sarah Jane Nader told People her same-sex pairing with first-time pro Hailey Bills is “such an honor” and a “crazy opportunity.”
- They are the third same-sex pair in U.S. DWTS history and the second all-female duo after Jenna Johnson and JoJo Siwa.
- Bills, Johnson’s niece and a season 34 troupe dancer, steps up as a full-time pro for season 35.
- Sarah Jane follows sister Brooks Nader, who competed on season 33, and says she wants viewers to know her as an individual.
- Season 35 premieres Tuesday, Sept. 15, and Wednesday, Sept. 16, on ABC and Disney+.
Why does Sarah Jane Nader call the DWTS pairing an honor?
In an exclusive interview with People, the 23-year-old model and reality star said being in a same-sex partnership is “such an honor” and a “crazy opportunity.”
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Nader said continuing that tradition has “meant everything to me.” She added, “I think it’s so cool to be the representation that I didn’t have growing up.”
“I’m just so honored to be here and be doing this,” she told EW. “And I hope that in a few years it’s very normal that two girls are dancing together on this show.”
How does Brooks Nader factor into Sarah Jane’s DWTS journey?
Brooks Nader competed on Dancing with the Stars season 33. Sarah Jane is now taking her own turn, and she has said she is excited for people to see her outside her sisters Brooks, Mary Holland, and Grace Ann of Love Thy Nader.
“Everything I’ve done so far, for the most part, has been with my sisters, and so I’m excited for people to get to know me as an individual,” she told People.
She also credited Brooks with “great advice,” telling EW her sister urged her to “make it my own and be myself and enjoy every moment because it flies by.”
Who is Hailey Bills, Sarah Jane’s DWTS partner?
Bills, 20, is a first-time pro after joining the DWTS dance troupe in 2025 (season 34). Per ABC News, she is the niece of pro Jenna Johnson, who danced with JoJo Siwa in the show’s first same-sex pairing in season 30.
“Iconic family behavior, by the way,” Nader told People of that link. She and Bills said they were “beyond thrilled” when they learned of the pairing, with Nader adding, “We’re the luckiest girls ever.”
Bills told People she is “so unbelievably excited” and called the role “the biggest job in dance I’ve ever had.” ABC News reports she shared a childhood note about dreaming of DWTS after her pro announcement. Season 31 also featured a same-sex pair: Shangela and Gleb Savchenko.
When does Dancing with the Stars season 35 premiere?
DWTS returns with a two-night premiere on Tuesday, Sept. 15, and Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, with episodes streaming the next day on Hulu.