‘Dancing with the Stars’ to feature same-sex dancing pair for the first time

By Sandra Gonzalez, CNN

An Olympic medalist and an internet personality are the first contestants to join the new season of “Dancing with the Stars” — and one of them is going to be making history.

Jojo Siwa will be dancing with a female pro, it was announced at a news conference Thursday during the Television Critics Association press tour. This is the first time two women will be paired together in the show’s 30 seasons.

Siwa said she’s proud that her choice to dance with a female “breaks a wall that has never been broken down before” and tells younger people you can “dance with who you want to dance with.”

Siwa, a singer and social media star, opened up about her sexuality in January, saying she was a member of the LGBTQ+ community and in a relationship.

Gymnast Suni Lee, a three-time Olympics medalist, joins the show after taking home the gold in the all-around competition at the recent Tokyo Games.

Additional cast members — and Siwa and Lee’s partners — will be unveiled on September 8.

The new season premieres September 20.

The-CNN-Wire
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