Dancing With the Stars is stirring its biggest tease yet and fans have been piecing it together like pros on the dance floor. Between a surprise Good Morning America (Feb. 10) promo, a rush of pros in New York, and a steady stream of social-media Easter eggs, viewers have gone from curious to full-on sleuthing as DWTS teases something new for the franchise.

What we know so far DWTS Con 2026, the show’s first official fan convention, is already on the calendar (July 31 – Aug. 2 at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs), and producers have promised a three-day, fully immersive ballroom experience featuring past champions like Kristi Yamaguchi, Rumer Willis, Rashad Jennings, Hannah Brown, Xochitl Gomez and Joey Graziadei. Organizers say the event was greenlit by huge fan demand after Season 34’s finale became the show’s most-watched in a decade. Danielle Fishel called the convention "a celebration of the legacy of the show." 

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But the DWTS universe didn’t stop there. Late January and early February brought a flurry of activity centered in New York that set fans’ imaginations ablaze.

Former pro Lindsay Arnold set off speculation with a TikTok in which she revealed she was heading to New York for a project tied to Dancing With the Stars. Arnold said she’d received a call "about a week ago" about something in the works, hinted it "involves dancing," and teased that a big NYC promotion would play out on Good Morning America on Feb. 10. She also admitted she might be limited in her role because she’s expecting her third baby and will be newly postpartum when the project ramps up. 

@lindsarnold I'll guess we will find out if she's still got the moves 😅😂💃 #grwmchat #lifeupdate #pregnantmom #pregnancy #moms ♬ original sound - Lindsay Arnold Cusick

That single post sparked rapid follow-ups. Arnold documented that her sister, current pro Rylee Arnold, and Jenna Johnson were in New York, and social posts from other pros – Sasha Farber (Instagram Stories), Gleb Savchenko and Jan Ravnik were among them. Several pros currently on the DWTS tour were stopping in the NYC area the same weekend, making a GMA appearance logistically sensible.

Fans spot Easter eggs and scramble for answers Online communities went to work. On Reddit’s r/dancingwiththestars, fans compiled sightings and teased possibilities – a pro-focused reality competition, a documentary, a fan cruise, or even a major fan event. 

Insider Kristyn Burtt, also posting on TikTok, admitted even her sources were puzzled and cautioned against jumping to conclusions. She said this was not another "Juniors" or a spring season and hinted the reveal would be "something big that will thrill fans." 

@kristynburtt Search for the Next Pro Dancer! #dwts #realityshows ♬ original sound - Kristyn Burtt | Pop Culture

Bottom line DWTS has turned a handful of TikToks, Stories and Reddit sleuthing into a full-blown scavenger hunt and fans are loved every minute. With DWTS Con 2026 already set, the only certainty is that the franchise is building toward something designed to bring the ballroom even closer to its audience. Will you be attending? Let us know you Fan of View below! 

Photo Credit: @dancingwiththestars on Instagram.