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Dancing With the Stars contestants with dance backgrounds have an obvious advantage. Longtime fans of the show have polarizing takes on whether it’s fair to the other contestants when a seasoned dancer like Charli D’Amelio or Nicole Scherzinger secures the Mirrorball Trophy. Season 34 of DWTS continues to fuel the debate as several contestants have dance backgrounds. Here’s who likely feels more comfortable on the ballroom floor:

Which celebrities on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ season 34 have dance experience?

Having some dance experience from school, clubs, or non-ballroom genres doesn’t necessarily translate to being ready for ballroom competition. However, the contestants with strong dance backgrounds likely have a bit of an edge. A few others have performance-related skills that can help them practice and perform.

Alix Earle danced competitively in high school. Although she’s not specifically versed in ballroom dancing, the social media star and longtime fan of Dancing With the Stars used to watch it with her grandma. “I was so in love with dance,” she told Good Morning America. “I danced when I was little until my sophomore year of high school. It wasn’t like I was that great or anything, but at least I know an eight-count in dance, and I would like to say I have some rhythm, maybe, possibly. But I’ve never really done ballroom dancing or danced with a partner before. So that’s going to be a venture for me. And I might’ve lost a little bit of my flexibility and skills over the years.”

Whitney Leavitt might be the one to beat concerning dance experience before DWTS. The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives cast member has danced “her whole life” and even holds a bachelor’s degree in dance from Brigham Young University. With significant formal training, Leavitt trained for 40-50 hours weekly throughout high school. (Check out one of her performances above.)

The mom of three told People, “Dance was such a big part of our community. Some of my favorite memories are late-night practices with friends, long weekends at competitions, and the pure joy of performing on stage … In a lot of ways, TikTok prepared me for DWTS because it reignited my love for performing and gave me the confidence to step back into the spotlight.” Viewers might assume that the mom of three will make it far during season 34. Will she buckle under the pressure?

Hilaria Baldwin has a background in competitive ballroom dancing, as demonstrated in the video above. Alec Baldwin’s wife participated in a ballroom dance team at New York University until a hip injury forced her to stop competing. Now a mother of seven, Hilaria took the injury as a wakeup call to slow down and focus on yoga. The breathwork, flexibility, and body awareness fostered by yoga likely helps Hilaria on DWTS.

Elaine Hendrix has a background as a classically trained modern and contemporary jazz dancer. The Parent Trap actor attended Atlanta’s Northside School of Performing Arts and danced in music videos and with Gary Harrison Dance Company before transitioning to acting. Hendrix credits her performance background with helping her land roles in films like Superstar and Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion.

Lauren Jauregui does not have formal ballroom training, but she has extensive movement and dance exposure via her time with Fifth Harmony. The “Worth It” singer performed extensive choreography with the girl group. Jauregui also grew up “casually” salsa dancing with her family at get-togethers. Her DWTS dance partner, Brendan Armstrong, told People, “Look, she grew up doing this. This is her arena.”

Which celebs on ‘DWTS’ season 34 have no dance experience?

Most of the DWTS season 34 cast have no publicly reported dance training. But everyone is used to being in the public eye to some degree.

Although not a trained dancer, Jordan Chiles has excellent body control, spatial awareness, and physical discipline from years as a gymnast. The Olympic gold medalist has demonstrated dedication and adaptability on Dancing With the Stars.

Scott Hoying, in particular, performs onstage regularly with a cappella group Pentatonix. The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives‘ Jen Affleck rose to fame in part because of her viral #MomTok dances. The rest of the cast — Robert Irwin, Dylan Efron, Scott Hoying, Danielle Fishel, Andy Richter, Baron Davis, and Corey Feldman — truly lack any experience with fancy footwork.

As of publication, David and Feldman have been sent home. As the competition continues to intensify, the remaining contestants strive for the coveted Mirrorball Trophy.

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