When it comes to Dancing with the Stars (DWTS), the celebrities get most of the glory. However, each year, those household names are put through the paces by their professional dance partners. Not only do the professional dance partners teach and critique the routines, but they also choreograph them.
It may be hard to believe, but DWTS Australia 2025 marks the show’s 22nd season, and many of the professional dancers have been returning to the stage year after year.
Some, like Aric Yegudkin — who’s partnered with Felicity Ward this year — have claimed multiple mirrorball trophies, while others, like Jess Raffa, now dancing with her third AFL player, tend to be paired with a similar type of celebrity season after season.
Now that we’re all familiar with the celebrities taking to the stage for DWTS 2025, we thought we’d take a closer look at the professional dancers behind the magic.
Craig Monley
Current partner: Brittany Hockley
Craig’s 2024 partner: Nova Peris
Fun fact: Craig won the show with Birdie Carter in 2007.
Ash-Leigh Hunter
Current partner: Shaun Micallef
Ash-Leigh’s 2024 partner: Shane Crawford
Fun fact: Ash-Leigh won the DWTS Australia Mirrorball Trophy with Phil Burton in 2023.
Aric Yegudkin
Current partner: Felicity Ward
Aric’s 2024 partner: Nikki Osborne
Fun fact: Aric is looking to score his third DWTS Australia win; he previously triumphed with Ada Nicodemou and Emma Freedman.
Gustavo Viglio
Current partner: Mia Fevola
Gustavo’s 2025 partner: Samantha Jade
Fun fact: Gustavo is married to Dancing with the Stars professional dancer Jorja Freeman, who was part of the 2024 cast.
Andre Gorbunov
Current partner: Karina Carvalho
Andre’s 2024 partner: Julie Goodwin
Fun fact: Andre has been dancing since the age of six, and his career has taken him to Singapore, New York and London.
Siobhan Power
Current partner: Harry Garside
Siobhan’s 2024 partner: Ben Cousins
Fun fact: Siobhan has her own wedding dance company, where she teaches couples their first dance for the big day.
Lily Cornish
Current partner: Kyle Shilling
Lily’s 2025 partner: Hayden Quinn
Fun fact: Kyle is Lily’s second Home and Away dance partner; she previously competed with Lincoln Lewis in 2021.
Natalie Lowe
Current partner: Michael Usher
Natalie’s 2024 partner: N/A
Fun fact: This is Natalie’s sixth season of DWTS Australia.
Sriani Argaet
Current partner: Osher Günsberg
Sriani’s 2024 partner: N/A
Fun fact: Sriani is in a long term relationship with Brittany Hockley’s dance partner Craig and the pair share a child.
Ian Waite
Current partner: Rebecca Gibney
Ian’s 2024 partner: Lisa McCune
Fun fact: Ian won his first DWTS Australia Mirrorball Trophy in 2025 with Lisa McCune.
Lyu Masuda
Current partner: Susie O’Neill
Lyu’s 2025 partner: Nadia Bartel
Fun fact: As well as being a professional dancer, Lyu has worked as a model and has walked for some of the top designers across the world.
Jess Raffa
Current partner: Trent Cotchin
Jess’s 2024 partner: Adam Dovile
Fun fact: Trent is Jess’s third AFL footballer partner. She was previously paired with Brendan Fevola and Anthony Koutoufides on DWTS.
Watch Dancing With The Stars Australia 2025 on Sundays from 7pm on Channel 7 and 7plus.
Want to CHATTR with us? Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more entertainment news.
