Israeli Dancer Adele Zeikman Wins 'Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro'

Israeli professional dancer Adele Zeikman has won the debut season of "Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro," a spin-off of the popular American show, securing her spot as a professional dancer in the upcoming 35th season of the main program. The spin-off featured 12 professional dancers competing for a place on the flagship show, undergoing weekly challenges testing their technique, choreography, partnership, storytelling, and teaching abilities.

Zeikman, who will be paired with reality TV star Connor Luvit, expressed her elation at the win, stating, "I just feel like this is a celebration of all the sacrifices I've made. It's just a huge 'I did it' moment." Born in Israel to Ukrainian parents, Zeikman speaks Russian, Hebrew, and English and is now based in Los Angeles. She began dancing at age six, dedicating herself to the craft despite a challenging childhood and a diagnosis of scoliosis at 13, which required her to wear a back brace for 20 hours a day for two and a half years.

Despite the medical setback, Zeikman continued to dance during her four hours a day without the brace, describing those hours as the happiest of her life and crediting dance with saving her. She has a background as a competitive Latin dancer with international achievements, including winning an event at the Blackpool Dance Festival in England in 2022 and placing third there in 2019. She also achieved fifth place at the WDC AL Open World Championships in Dublin in 2019.

Zeikman's recent competitive partnership with Romanian dancer and instructor Catalin Coca concluded in August 2026, with Coca wishing her well in her future endeavors shortly before her participation in "Dancing with the Stars" was announced. Judges on "The Next Pro," including Mark Ballas and Shirley Ballas, praised Zeikman's talent, with one judge comparing her to a "Rolls-Royce" for her expensive and precise dancing. Zeikman's dream celebrity partner was Justin Bieber, but she will be dancing with Luvit when the new season premieres on September 15.