Los Angeles, CA – November 16, 2025 – The ballroom just got a whole lot more bittersweet as Dancing With the Stars royalty Julianne Hough stepped into the spotlight – literally – to announce her most poignant project yet: “One Last Ride,” a globe-spanning farewell tour set for 2026. But hold onto your sequins, because this isn’t a solo spin. Julianne, 37, is reuniting with her brother and fellow Mirrorball maestro Derek Hough, alongside DWTS legends Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Cheryl Burke, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, and Witney Carson for a collective curtain call. Dubbed the “most ambitious dance production ever mounted,” this ensemble extravaganza promises to blend high-octane choreography, raw nostalgia, and tear-jerking tributes into a spectacle that’s already got fans two-stepping toward ticket sites. “This isn’t goodbye,” Julianne declared in a tearful press conference at the iconic El Capitan Theatre, her voice echoing with the grace of a perfect paso doble. “It’s a celebration of every fan, every lift, every moment that made us move as one.”

The announcement, dropped like a perfectly timed drop in a contemporary routine, comes hot on the heels of the Hough siblings’ personal milestones – including Derek’s recent twin arrival – and feels like fate’s grand finale. Filmed against a backdrop of swirling LED projections mimicking a starry dance floor, the teaser video (now viral with 5.2 million views) shows Julianne in a flowing white gown, twirling into a spotlight as clips flash of her DWTS triumphs: that sizzling jive with Apolo Ohno in 2012, her judging perch dishing wisdom with a wink. “We’ve poured our souls into these floors,” she shared, flanked by the tour’s all-star cast. “From pros to partners, this ride has been magic. Now, we’re giving it one last, unforgettable spin – together.” Derek, 40, fresh from diaper duty with newborns Sage and River, added with a lump in his throat: “Julianne’s been my first partner, my fiercest rival, my forever family. This tour? It’s our love letter to dance… and to each other.”

What elevates “One Last Ride” beyond a standard send-off is its ensemble ethos – a rare convergence of DWTS titans who’ve collectively snagged 12 Mirrorballs and redefined primetime sparkle. Maksim and Valentin Chmerkovskiy, the Ukrainian brothers who brought fiery Latin flair to the show (Maks with 14 seasons, Val with two wins), promise “samba showdowns that’ll set arenas ablaze.” Cheryl Burke, the OG pro with three rings and a no-nonsense vibe, teases “quickstep confessions” unpacking her 26-season run. Witney Carson, the youngest champ at 22 with partner Alfonso Ribeiro, vows “fresh fusion” blending hip-hop heart with ballroom bones. It’s a family reunion on steroids: think group numbers recapping iconic routines, surprise celeb cameos (rumors swirl around Mark Ballas and Jenna Dewan), and interactive fan-voted encores. Production details? State-of-the-art holograms resurrecting past partners like Helio Castroneves, aerial silks for gravity-defying lifts, and a live orchestra fusing EDM drops with orchestral swells. “We’re not just dancing,” Val Chmerkovskiy grinned. “We’re storytelling – our scars, our spins, our sisterhood.”

Julianne’s arc to this apex is a masterclass in reinvention. Born in 1988 in Salt Lake City to a family of seven (five girls strong, with Derek as the lone bro), she traded Utah snow for Hollywood lights at 10, training under the International Latin ballroom elite. By 17, she was a U.S. junior champ, her partnership with Mark Ballas birthing routines that screamed prodigy. Landing on DWTS Season 4 in 2007 as its youngest pro, she clinched back-to-back wins with Ohno and Castroneves, her bubbly charisma masking a steel core forged in Rock of Ages Broadway bows and Emmy-winning hosting gigs. Off the floor? She’s a wellness warrior: launching Kinrgy, a “kinetic inquiry” dance therapy empire that’s empowered thousands through mindful movement. Post-2023, amid Derek’s Symphony of Dance triumphs and her own Broadway Potter stint as Olivia Green, Julianne’s hinted at evolution – more directing (her Burlesque cameos), less limelight. “Dance saved me through heartbreaks, pivots, everything,” she confided in a Variety sit-down. “This tour is my bow – but not the end. It’s the bridge to whatever’s next.”

Tour deets are dropping like confetti: kicking off February 14, 2026, at L.A.’s Crypto.com Arena (Valentine’s vibes, anyone?), hitting 45 cities across North America, Europe, and Australia. Highlights? Madison Square Garden (March 20, with a NYC ballet collab), London’s O2 (June 5, tea-time tango optional), and a Sydney Opera House finale (August 31) under southern stars. Stops include Nashville’s Bridgestone (April 10, country two-step special), Chicago’s United Center (May 15), and Toronto’s Scotiabank (July 12). VIP tiers? Front-row fever with post-show Q&As, custom Kinrgy sessions, and signed pointe shoes. Tickets launch December 6 via Ticketmaster, with presales for DWTS insiders starting November 20. Expect sell-outs in hours – #OneLastRide2026 is already surging, fans flooding X with montages of Julianne’s lifts set to her DWTS anthems.

The ripple? A DWTS renaissance. ABC teases a “Legends Night” episode saluting the tour, while streaming spikes for old seasons hit 300%. Celeb squad’s all in: Taylor Swift (“Julianne’s spins are my cardio inspo – ride on!”), Oprah (“From dance floor to life lessons, you’re gold”), even ex-partner Ohno (“One last gold medal moment? Count me in for a cameo”). For the Houghs, it’s poetic: Derek’s twins symbolize new beginnings, Julianne’s farewell a graceful exit. “We’ve lifted each other through it all,” she reflected. “Now, let’s lift the world one more time.”

In a TikTok-saturated era, “One Last Ride” harks to dance’s soul – connection, catharsis, community. Julianne isn’t vanishing; she’s evolving, leaving fans with sequins and stories. As the curtain teases rise, one truth pirouettes clear: Legends don’t fade; they finale fierce. Grab your tickets – the floor’s calling, and it’s the last dance.