Brooks Nader has one clear message for her younger sister, Sarah Jane Nader, before she steps into the ballroom for Dancing With the Stars Season 35: stay focused.
Sarah Jane is preparing to compete in the upcoming season alongside professional dancer Hailey Bills. Before the competition begins, Brooks has offered her sister some advice based on her own experience on the show.
Brooks competed on Dancing With the Stars Season 33 in 2024 with professional dancer Gleb Savchenko. She and Savchenko were eliminated in ninth place.
Now, Brooks wants Sarah Jane to approach the competition differently.
Brooks Nader Wants Sarah Jane to Stay Focused
Brooks joked that her biggest piece of advice is simple: don’t get distracted.
During a New York Fashion Week appearance on September 10, Brooks explained that she had become distracted during her own DWTS experience. She encouraged Sarah Jane to learn from that experience and concentrate on the competition.
Her message comes as Sarah Jane prepares for a very different Dancing With the Stars journey.
Rather than competing with a male professional, Sarah Jane will dance with Hailey Bills. ABC confirmed the pairing as part of the Season 35 cast announcement.
Sarah Jane Nader Is Making Her DWTS Debut
Sarah Jane Nader is one of 16 celebrities competing in Dancing With the Stars Season 35.
ABC announced the full cast on September 3, confirming Sarah Jane’s partnership with Hailey Bills. The upcoming season also features names including Julia Stiles, Jenna Dewan, Tatyana Ali, Harry Shum Jr., Giada De Laurentiis, Taylor Hanson and Tyler Cameron.
For Sarah Jane, the competition also represents a chance to establish herself outside her famous family.
She and her sisters appear on the Freeform reality series Love Thy Nader. However, Sarah Jane has previously expressed excitement about being seen as an individual through her DWTS experience.
That makes the upcoming season particularly personal for the 24-year-old reality star.
Sarah Jane and Hailey Bills Make DWTS History
Sarah Jane’s partnership with Hailey Bills is another major talking point heading into Season 35.
Bills is joining the professional lineup this season, and her partnership with Sarah Jane creates another same-sex pairing in the history of Dancing With the Stars.
The show has previously featured same-sex celebrity-professional partnerships, including JoJo Siwa and Jenna Johnson in Season 30 and Shangela and Gleb Savchenko in Season 31.
Sarah Jane and Hailey’s partnership therefore adds another notable chapter to the show’s evolving representation.
ABC’s official Season 35 cast announcement confirms that Sarah Jane will compete with Bills when the new season begins.
Brooks Is Still Rooting for Her Sister
Although Brooks is giving Sarah Jane some tough-love advice, she is also excited to see her sister compete.
The Nader family is expected to support Sarah Jane as she begins her DWTS journey. Brooks has also made it clear that she wants her younger sister to go as far as possible.
There is even a playful sibling rivalry involved.
Brooks joked that she would never let Sarah Jane forget it if she failed to make it further than Brooks did. At the same time, she said she would happily celebrate if Sarah Jane surpassed her previous result.
That competitive family dynamic could make Sarah Jane’s progress especially fun to watch.
Brooks Nader’s DWTS Experience Still Shapes Her Advice
Brooks’ advice carries extra weight because she has already experienced the pressure of the ballroom.
During Season 33, she was partnered with Gleb Savchenko. The pair were eliminated in the fourth week and finished in ninth place overall.
Her experience also became notable beyond the competition itself because her relationship with Savchenko developed during their time together on the show.
Savchenko is not returning as a professional for Season 35. Recent reporting confirmed that he was left out of this year’s professional lineup.
That leaves Sarah Jane with a new partner and a chance to create her own story in the ballroom.
When Does DWTS Season 35 Begin?
The new season is scheduled to premiere across two nights on Tuesday, September 15, and Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
ABC says both premiere episodes will air live at 8 p.m. ET, with the show also simulcast on Disney+. Episodes will be available on Hulu afterward.
The Season 35 lineup includes 16 celebrities from entertainment, sports, reality television and music.
For Sarah Jane Nader, however, the spotlight will be firmly on her partnership with Hailey Bills and her attempt to make it further than her older sister did.
And if Brooks gets her way, Sarah Jane will keep her attention on the Mirrorball from the very first dance.
Sources and Context
ABC’s official Season 35 announcement confirms the celebrity-professional pairings and premiere schedule. Additional reporting from Entertainment Weekly provides context on Brooks Nader’s previous season and Gleb Savchenko’s absence from Season 35.