Val Chmerkovskiy Reacts to Ciara Miller Wanting Him as Her DWTS Partner
It's no secret that Ciara Miller brought the heat with the Summer House reunion look.
But that doesn't mean she is feeling so hot about her physical fitness as she prepares to make her debut in the Dancing With the Stars ballroom.
"Looks are not indicative of being in shape," Ciara exclusively told E! News at the fifth annual Las Culturistas Culture Awards in Los Angeles. "I do have some cop going up the stairs, so I gotta get back into the gym and work on my stamina."
And with the ABC reality competition series only a few months away from its season 35 premiere, the 30-year-old admitted she's "got a long way to go" in her training.
"I'm just trying to get in shape because I don't want to be wheeled out on a stretcher," Ciara jokingly added. "That'll be the saddest thing that happens."
But despite feeling a little behind schedule when it comes to her training, Ciara plans to do whatever it takes to win the coveted Mirrorball trophy.
"I feel determined to put up a good fight in the competition," the model noted, "so I'm definitely training myself. I gotta go to the gym and do the Stairmaster."
And, yes, Ciara—who will be competing against stars like Maura Higgins and Jackson Olson—is already planning some song choices for her upcoming dance routines.
"I am working on my playlist diligently," she teased. "I don't even know if I want to give people a preview, just remember I'm a '90s baby, and that's all the hints I'm gonna give you, because my playlist about is about to go f--king crazy."
Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images
In addition to fine-tuning her quick step and samba, the Bravolebrity also recently checked off another pinch-me moment on her bucket list: Starring in Shaboozey's new music video for "Cowgirl."
"I feel like I've manifested this, I've prayed for this," Ciara gushed. "Because I literally tell every single person that I know that I want to be in a country video one day. And I don't want to be in a boring country video."
As for how the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity came to be?
"I get a call from Shaboozey's team," Ciara recounted. "I literally flew from France to L.A. within two days and was like, 'Yep, let's do it!' I'm so excited for you guys to see the full video. It's honestly iconic. Shaboozey is amazing to work with. He is an insane director and I had a lot of fun."
Don't miss Ciara and more stars when the Las Culturistas Culture Awards hosted by Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang air Wednesday, June 17, at 9 p.m. on Bravo and Peacock. In the meantime, keep reading for surprising BTS secrets you probably didn't know about DWTS.
ABC/Paula Lobo
How Much Do the Celebrities Get Paid to Be on Dancing With the Stars?
Citing multiple sources, Variety reported in 2019 that Dancing With the Stars contestants make $125,000 for the rehearsal period and first two weeks of the show. If they progress beyond that point, the outlet continued, they earn more money each week. At the time, sources told the publication stars could earn a maximum of $295,000.
However, Bobby Bones said he made more than this when he won season 27 with Sharna Burgess in 2018.
"That show pays OK," the radio personality said on a Sept. 2025 episode of Jason Tartick's podcast Trading Secrets. "Like, first episode, no money. Second episode, $10,000. I think it's like, $10,000, $10,000, $20,000, $20,000. It ends up being $50,000 an episode if you last."
Also receiving a base salary of around $110,000, Bones continued, "I ended up making close to $400,000 from that show."
ABC has not publicly confirmed any of these figures.
Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images
What Do the Pros Get Paid on Dancing With the Stars?
Similarly, little has been shared publicly about how much the pros get paid. But as with the contestants, it seems like the longer they're on the show, the more money they can make.
But even if a pro is eliminated in the first round, they're not leaving the ballroom empty-handed.
"You're guaranteed until a certain amount of weeks," Jenna Johnson said on a June 2025 episode of Kelly Stafford and Hank Winchester's podcast The Morning After. "I think there's different contracts though. I can't speak for everybody."
Disney/Eric McCandless
Do Pros Get Paid More If They Win Dancing With the Stars?
Apparently not.
While Johnson—who won season 26 with Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon, as well as season 33 with The Bachelor's Joey Graziadei—says the pros don't get a larger paycheck if they take home what is now called the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, she noted there's still an incentive to make it to the finale (besides bragging rights, of course).
"If you make it all the way to the end, you're getting paid the whole season, which is amazing, and you get a bonus on top of that for making it to the finale," she explained on The Morning After. "If you win, it's not like you win a $1 million and split it with your partner. You're just getting a cute trophy together."
Instagram / Dancing With the Stars
Do the Troupe Members Get Paid as Much as the Pros on Dancing With the Stars?
That doesn't appear to be the case.
On a 2022 episode of Trading Secrets, Lindsay Arnold recalled how her salary was cut "more than in half" when she was demoted from pro to troupe member.
Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images
How Are Pros and Celebrities Paired Together on Dancing With the Stars?
The pros get little input when it comes to being matched with a celebrity.
"You get no say," Lindsay said on a May 2025 episode of Maggie Sellers' Hot Smart Rich podcast. "It's very much just, 'Here's your partner. Make it work.'"
In fact, Jenna said the pairing is often a secret until the last minute.
"They really want to keep it a secret until you meet them live," Jenna said on The Morning After. "They want that genuine reaction. So I think people always think we know who we have and we're keeping it a secret. Absolutely not. They do not tell us. They really don't even want us to know the cast. It gets leaked a lot, but they want it very hush-hush until you walk in and meet your partner."
As for what the Dancing With the Stars team looks for when making these matches?
"It's based on height, build and personality and compatibility," former showrunner Rob Wade told E! News in 2015. "We don't pair people who aren't going to get on. It's too intense. It's not like The Bachelor or something, we couldn't do that. That would just be miserable experience for the celebrity, for us and the viewer. You don't want to see two people who don't like each other and, quite frankly, we have made that mistake pairing people up who didn't get on so well."
Disney/Eric McCandless
How Often Do the Pros and Celebrities Practice on Dancing With the Stars?
Put simply, a lot.
"Every day we have four-hour rehearsals," Rylee Arnold, who was partnered with Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik on season 33, shared on a September 2024 episode of the Lightweights Podcast With Joe Vulpis. "It’s either 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. or 5:00 p.m to 9:00 p.m."
But the work doesn't stop once the rehearsal wraps. Rylee noted she might then meet with producers or the creative team, work on choreography or study dance videos.
"Literally my whole life is devoted to it," she continued, "but it's my passion and it's what I love. So, it makes me so happy."
Indeed, it's a no-days-off kind of gig.
"We have our show day on Tuesday and then it's Wednesday to Sunday, straight rehearsals," Rylee added. "And then Monday we have camera blocking and then Tuesday's show day again."
Instagram / Emma Slater
Do the Pros Get to Pick the Songs Each Week for Their Dance With Their Celebrity Partner?
"Mostly yes," Emma Slater and Britt Stewart revealed in a September 2025 Instagram video, "though it's a collaboration with producers."
Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty Images
What's the Process Like for Making the Costumes for Dancing With the Stars?
If you thought the quickstep was fast, just wait until you hear about the pace of the costume department.
"We meet with the set and lighting designers, dancers and talent and create a story [for each pair]," costume designer Daniela Gschwendtner told TV Insider back in 2017. "Then we sketch out ideas. We have five days, max, to make all the outfits. That’s half a day per costume, not including all the rhinestones. The fitting and trimming we do later. We have about 20 people in our department and then we have a separate tailor shop. It’s a big enterprise."
In fact, costume designer Steven Norman Lee said pairs usually try on their costumes for the first time just hours before showtime. And while the department "might use a pair of pants again for the boys," he continued, everything is generally made custom each week.
As Gschwendtner added, "We do reuse things for group numbers or promo shoots, but not for the competition. We don’t reuse things unless there’s a specific reason to do so. We try to keep everybody fresh and new in something different every week, so it stays interesting."
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