Why Olympic Gold Medalist Alysa Liu Doesn’t Want to Compete on ‘DWTS’
What To Know
- Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu has stated she is not interested in competing on Dancing With the Stars.
- Several other Team USA figure skaters have expressed enthusiasm about joining the show.
- Dancing With the Stars has not been officially renewed for Season 35, but interest among athletes remains high following the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Several Olympians have shared their desire to compete in Season 35 of Dancing With the Stars, but Alysa Liu is not one of them.
Liu became a breakout star at the 2026 Winter Olympics last month after helping the U.S. win gold in the team figure skating event, as well as securing her own personal gold medal in the women’s solo competition. Liu made history with her individual win by becoming the first American woman to win a solo medal in figure skating since Sarah Hughes in 2002.
For the latest event on her post-Olympics schedule, Liu attended the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 15. On the red carpet, she was asked by Entertainment Tonight whether or not she had interest in following up her Olympics success by taking home the Mirrorball trophy on the upcoming season of DWTS.
“Oh, I don’t know if I would do Dancing With the Stars,” Liu revealed. “I love dancing, and I think I’m good at dancing, but I don’t know if I would do it.”
When asked what she would say if the show’s casting directors approached her about joining, Liu shook her head. “At least for now, that’s my answer.”
DWTS has not been officially renewed for Season 35 by ABC, but several celebrities have expressed interest in appearing on the show. Among them is Liu’s fellow Team USA skater, Amber Glenn, who finished fifth in the women’s competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
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In a February 21 Instagram video, former Olympic skater and DWTS Season 26 champion Adam Rippon asked Glenn what was on her “post-Olympics bucket list.” She replied, “Dancing With the Stars for sure. I just love everything about it, [like] the costuming, the set design. I can’t wait to see and inquire about that.”
Team USA ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates also shared their excitement about the possibility of joining DWTS on the March 11 episode of Live With Kelly and Mark.
“I think we should trade our skates for some ballroom shoes. That might be fun,” Chock stated. “I would love to do Dancing With the Stars. I love that show. I’ve been watching it since it first started.”
Chock noted that she would love to follow in the footsteps of other Winter Olympians who have competed on the series, including Apolo Ohno and Kristi Yamaguchi, both of whom won their respective seasons.
Live cohost Kelly Ripa said she’s already rooting for the pair, even though they would have to compete with separate partners. “One of you will win!” she quipped. Chock added, “Instead of working together, we’d have to be working against each other.”
Other members of Team USA’s figure skating squad got a brief lesson in ballroom dancing when pro Rylee Arnold traveled to Milan for the Games. “I had the best time teaching these incredible Olympians a few dance moves! Now it’s time for them to teach me a few moves on the ice? 😉,” she captioned a February 19 Instagram video of herself teaching Ilia Malinin and Danny O’Shea some dance steps.
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