The ballroom floor just trembled with history in the making. In a tear-streaked press conference streamed live from Los Angeles’ historic Orpheum Theatre, six Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) titans – Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Derek Hough, Julianne Hough, Cheryl Burke, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, and Witney Carson – gathered under a single spotlight to announce “One Last Ride 2026.” Billed as their final collective bow, this 50-city North American tour promises to be more than a swan song; it’s a seismic celebration of sweat, spotlight, and sisterhood, weaving two decades of Mirrorball magic into a tapestry of raw emotion and revolutionary routines. As confetti rained down and the group clasped hands in a spontaneous group hug, fans watching from living rooms to sold-out arenas knew: this isn’t goodbye – it’s the grandest grace note yet.
The announcement, timed to coincide with DWTS’s 20th anniversary reflections, felt like fate scripted by Tyra Banks herself. Maksim and Val Chmerkovskiy, the Ukrainian-born brothers who imported Eastern European fire to American screens in 2006, stood shoulder-to-shoulder, their trademark intensity softened by misty eyes. “We came here as immigrants chasing a dream,” Maks said, voice thick with accent and awe. “Now, we’re riding out together – one last time.” Flanking them were the Houghs: Derek, the six-time champ and recent TIME100 honoree, whose Emmy-winning choreography turns grief into glide; and Julianne, the two-time winner turned multifaceted mogul, beaming with the poise that’s carried her from ballroom to Broadway. Cheryl Burke, the OG pro who shattered ceilings as DWTS’s first woman of color to win twice, gripped the mic like a trophy: “This tour? It’s for every girl who laced up sneakers and dreamed bigger.” Rounding out the sextet, Witney Carson – the youngest at 32, with her four Mirrorballs and fearless fusion of hip-hop flair – added a spark of tomorrow: “We’re not fading; we’re firing up the next generation.”
What elevates “One Last Ride” beyond a nostalgia nod is its audacious ambition: a narrative-driven spectacle blending high-octane choreography with intimate vignettes, directed by Derek and choreographed collaboratively with input from Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell. Clocking in at 2.5 hours per show, the production unfolds in three acts – “Ignition” (the spark of discovery), “Velocity” (the thrill of triumph), and “Horizon” (the handoff to what’s next). Expect reimagined DWTS classics: Maks and Cheryl revisiting their fiery Season 2 paso doble, now laced with 20 years of hindsight; Val and Witney channeling their 2019 jive into a high-tech ensemble with LED floors pulsing like heartbeats; and a Hough sibling duet to “Unbreakable,” a contemporary piece that’s already leaking as “the one that’ll flood the front rows.”
Insider whispers hint at deeper layers. The tour isn’t just dance; it’s diary. Each performer gets a solo segment unpacking their arc: Julianne on imposter syndrome amid her Footloose revival; Derek honoring his late sister with a resilient rumba; Cheryl addressing her 2022 exit amid mental health advocacy; the Chmerkovskiy brothers reflecting on Ukraine’s resilience through a poignant quickstep; and Witney, fresh from maternity leave, on balancing motherhood with motion. “It’s vulnerable, it’s visceral,” Val teased in a post-announcement IG Live. “We’re stripping back the sequins to show the scars – because that’s where the real rhythm lives.” Guest spots from alumni like Mark Ballas and Jenna Johnson (from Derek’s overlapping “Symphony of Dance” tour) add connective tissue, while a rotating celebrity cameo roster – rumored to include Zendaya and Harry Styles – promises crossover chaos.
Tour dates, dropping pre-sale today via Ticketmaster, kick off January 15, 2026, at Miami’s Kaseya Center (a nod to Maks’s Latin roots) and sashay through hotspots like New York’s Madison Square Garden (Feb. 10), Chicago’s United Center (March 5), and a homecoming blowout at L.A.’s Crypto.com Arena (April 20). Wrapping June 30 in Las Vegas’ Sphere – with its immersive 360-degree visuals turning the finale into a cosmic whirl – the 50-show run includes intimate theater stops for that unfiltered feel. Tickets start at $59, with VIP packages offering meet-and-greets, choreography workshops, and a “Ride Along” digital journal chronicling the tour’s BTS. Proceeds funnel to the Dance Dreams Foundation, co-founded by the group, which has granted $5 million in scholarships to underprivileged youth since 2015.
The buzz is ballistic. #OneLastRide trended worldwide within minutes, amassing 3 million posts on X, where fans dissected leaked rehearsal clips: a viral TikTok of the ensemble’s group freestyle to “Viva La Vida” racked up 10 million views, captioned “DWTS Avengers assemble!” Alfonso Ribeiro, DWTS host and TIME100 peer, tweeted: “If this doesn’t make you believe in magic, nothing will. Proud of my family.” Even past tensions – those whispered Hough-Chmerkovskiy spats from 2010s fan wars – feel resolved in the reveal video, where Maks and Derek share a brotherly bro-hug mid-lift. Critics are already anointing it: Variety calls it “the Hamilton of hoedowns,” while Billboard predicts “a billion streams from the soundtrack alone.”
For these legends, “One Last Ride” is catharsis cloaked in celebration. Maks, 45, eyes Broadway directing post-tour; Derek, 40, expands his symphony series; Julianne, 37, preps a wellness empire; Cheryl, 41, launches a pros’ podcast network; Val, 39, dives into film choreography; and Witney, balancing life with hubby Carson McAllister and son Leo, mentors via her online academy. “Dance gave us everything,” Julianne said, dabbing tears. “Now we give it back – unfiltered, unbreakable.”
In a fractured world, this tour restores faith in rhythm’s redemptive power. It’s not an end; it’s an exhale – a collective curtsy to the fans who foxtrotted through life with them. As the confetti settled and the six icons bowed in unison, one truth lingered: legends don’t retire; they revolve, pulling us into their orbit forever.
Don’t wait – grab tickets now. Because some rides are worth every step, spin, and spotlight.
