Hailey Bills has become one of the newest names attracting attention from Dancing With the Stars fans. The talented American dancer has spent years building her career, from competitive dance and Dancing With the Stars: Juniors to the DWTS troupe and, in 2026, the show’s professional cast. Her family connection to Jenna Johnson has also made her journey especially interesting.
Much of the recent interest around Hailey Bills also comes from her professional partnership with Sarah Jane Nader, earlier dating speculation involving Robert Irwin, and questions about her private life. Here’s a closer look at Hailey’s background, age, family, dance career, DWTS journey, relationships, and the facts behind some of the most common questions about her.
Who Is Hailey Bills?
Hailey Bills is an American dancer who has been performing and competing since childhood. Her career has developed through competitive dance, television, live performances, and the Dancing With the Stars franchise. She first appeared on DWTS: Juniors as a young professional dancer before eventually joining the main show’s troupe in 2025. In September 2026, she officially became a professional dancer on Season 35.
Bills’ progression is notable because she did not suddenly become known when she joined the main DWTS cast. She had already spent years training and competing before television audiences became familiar with her. Her experience includes several styles of dance, giving her the versatility needed for a show where professionals have to teach choreography, perform live, and adapt to different musical styles.
Her move into the professional cast was particularly meaningful because DWTS had been one of her childhood ambitions. ABC and ABC News coverage of her career announcement showed that Bills had written about wanting to appear on the show years earlier, even mentioning that she wanted to follow in the footsteps of her aunt, Jenna Johnson.
How Old Is Hailey Bills?
Hailey Bills was born on May 18, 2006, which means she turned 20 in May 2026. That makes her one of the younger professionals competing on Dancing With the Stars Season 35.
Her age is an interesting part of her career because she started working within the DWTS franchise at a much younger age. Bills appeared on Dancing With the Stars: Juniors in 2018, meaning she was only 12 at the time.
Years later, she returned to the franchise as a member of the main show’s troupe and then made the jump to the professional cast. Teen Vogue reported that Bills was offered the professional position while she was on the Dancing With the Stars tour in April 2026. She kept the news private until the official announcement in September.
The progression from a 12-year-old junior dancer to a 20-year-old professional is one of the most interesting parts of her story.
Hailey Bills’ Family and Parents
Family has played an important role in Hailey Bills’ life and career. Her mother is Stacey Bills, who has a background in dance, while her father is KC Bills. Hailey is also part of a larger family with younger siblings. Her family environment gave her an early connection to dance and performance.
One of the most significant family relationships is her connection to Jenna Johnson. Jenna is Hailey’s aunt, making Hailey her niece. This relationship is particularly relevant because Johnson is already an established Dancing With the Stars professional and has been part of the program for many years.
The connection between the two dancers existed long before Hailey became a professional. Jenna served as Hailey’s mentor when she competed on Dancing With the Stars: Juniors. That gave them an unusual opportunity to work together as both family members and dance professionals.
Hailey’s family background therefore became part of her DWTS story naturally, but her career has also included years of independent dance training and competition.
How Are Hailey Bills and Jenna Johnson Related?
Hailey Bills and Jenna Johnson are aunt and niece. Hailey is the daughter of Jenna’s older sister, Stacey Bills. This explains why viewers often search for the relationship between “Hailey Bills and Jenna Johnson.”
Their connection became even more interesting when Hailey entered the DWTS franchise. In 2018, Jenna was Hailey’s mentor on Dancing With the Stars: Juniors. Hailey danced with Tripp Johnston Palin during the junior competition while Jenna guided the pair as their mentor.
In 2026, the family connection came full circle. Hailey was announced as a professional on the main show, while Jenna remained part of the professional cast. ABC News reported that Hailey had even written years earlier about wanting to be like her aunt and appear on the show. Jenna responded emotionally when Hailey publicly announced her promotion.
This makes questions such as “who is Hailey Bills to Jenna Johnson?” easy to answer: she is Jenna Johnson’s niece.
Hailey Bills and Dancing With the Stars Juniors
Hailey’s first major connection to DWTS came through Dancing With the Stars: Juniors in 2018. The younger version of the franchise gave children and teenagers the opportunity to compete alongside young professional dancers while established DWTS professionals served as mentors.
Bills competed as a junior professional with Tripp Johnston Palin. Jenna Johnson served as their mentor. Although their time in the competition was short, the experience gave Hailey an early introduction to the production, rehearsal, choreography, and performance demands of televised ballroom dance.
The experience later became an important part of her professional story. Instead of leaving the franchise behind after the junior series, Hailey eventually returned to DWTS as a member of the main show’s troupe.
In 2025, she joined the troupe, performing alongside the main cast. Teen Vogue explained that troupe dancers have a different role from the show’s celebrity professionals. They perform during group numbers and support the production, while professional dancers are assigned celebrity partners and help teach them choreography.
Hailey Bills Becomes a DWTS Professional
The biggest milestone of Hailey Bills’ career came in September 2026 when she was announced as a professional dancer for Season 35 of Dancing With the Stars. ABC’s official cast profile confirms her position as a professional and lists Sarah Jane Nader as her celebrity partner.
The promotion was reportedly offered months before the public announcement. Bills told Teen Vogue that a producer approached her while she was on tour and asked whether she would be interested in dancing with a female celebrity. She immediately agreed.
Her transition from troupe member to professional also meant taking on much greater responsibility. Instead of simply performing group choreography, she had to work closely with a celebrity contestant, teach dance technique, create and rehearse routines, and perform them during the live competition.
The opportunity was also a childhood dream for Bills. ABC News reported that she shared an old note in which she had written about wanting to appear on Dancing With the Stars and become like Jenna Johnson.
Hailey Bills and Sarah Jane Nader
For Season 35, Hailey Bills was paired with reality television personality Sarah Jane Nader. Their partnership immediately became one of the season’s most discussed pairings because they formed an all-female celebrity-professional team.
Nader is known from Love Thy Nader, the reality series centered around her family and sisters. Her older sister Brooks Nader had previously competed on Dancing With the Stars, giving Sarah Jane another family connection to the show.
Nader publicly discussed the significance of competing with a female professional and described the experience as meaningful representation. Entertainment Weekly reported that she hoped same-sex partnerships would eventually become a normal part of the show.
The pairing also represented an important moment in Hailey’s career because it gave the new professional a prominent role immediately after her promotion from the troupe.
However, their competitive run was short. PEOPLE reported that Nader and Bills were eliminated during the second night of the two-night Season 35 premiere.
Hailey Bills’ Sexuality and the Questions About Her Partner
Hailey’s partnership with Sarah Jane Nader has led to many questions about her sexuality. Searches about whether Hailey is gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer, or straight have increased because viewers sometimes associate a same-sex dance partnership with a romantic relationship.
However, a professional dance partnership does not establish someone’s sexual orientation. Bills has not publicly confirmed a specific sexual-orientation label in the available reporting. TV Insider reported before the Season 35 premiere that she had not publicly discussed her sexuality.
Sarah Jane Nader’s identity is separate. Nader has publicly discussed her bisexuality and spoke about the importance of being part of a same-sex DWTS pairing. That information should not be treated as evidence about Bills’ personal identity.
The same distinction applies to questions about whether Bills and Nader are dating. They were assigned as professional partners for DWTS, and their on-screen chemistry is part of their performance. There is no reliable public confirmation establishing them as a romantic couple.
Hailey Bills and Robert Irwin Dating Rumors
Hailey Bills was also connected to relationship rumors involving Robert Irwin during Season 34 of Dancing With the Stars. At that time, Bills was a troupe member while Irwin was competing as a celebrity contestant.
Fans noticed their interactions during the show and on social media. One particularly enthusiastic reaction from Bills became a talking point online, and a TikTok involving Bills, Irwin, and other troupe members added to the speculation. TV Insider reported that fans began wondering whether the two might be romantically involved.
The rumors remained speculation rather than a confirmed relationship. Social media comments and fan theories created interest, but neither those interactions nor the videos established that Bills and Irwin were dating.
This is why claims that “Robert Irwin and Hailey Bills are dating” should be treated carefully. Their friendship and interactions were publicly visible, but there was no confirmed announcement of a romantic relationship.
The attention also shows how quickly DWTS interactions can generate relationship rumors. Contestants and dancers spend significant amounts of time rehearsing, performing, traveling, and appearing together, which naturally creates close friendships and entertaining social-media content.
Hailey Bills’ Dance Career and Future
Hailey Bills’ professional journey extends beyond her recent DWTS appearance. She has trained in dance from childhood and developed experience across multiple styles. Her competitive background helped prepare her for the demanding schedule of professional television dance.
Her DWTS career now includes three distinct stages: appearing as a junior professional in 2018, joining the main show’s troupe in 2025, and becoming a professional dancer in 2026.
Her story also reflects how younger dancers can build long-term careers through the DWTS ecosystem. The franchise has provided opportunities for dancers to progress from junior competitions to troupe roles and eventually professional partnerships.
Hailey’s connection to Jenna Johnson gives the journey an additional family dimension. Jenna was once Hailey’s mentor, and years later both women became professionals on the same major television program.
Her future career may include television, live touring, choreography, performance projects, and other entertainment opportunities. For now, her promotion to the professional cast represents a major achievement after years of training and work.
Conclusion
Hailey Bills has built her DWTS career over many years rather than becoming an overnight television personality. She began dancing as a child, appeared on Dancing With the Stars: Juniors at 12, joined the main show’s troupe in 2025, and became a professional dancer in 2026 at age 20.
Her connection to Jenna Johnson is especially significant because Jenna is her aunt and previously served as her mentor on DWTS: Juniors. Hailey’s journey from junior dancer to professional therefore represents a remarkable full-circle moment for the family.
Her Season 35 partnership with Sarah Jane Nader also generated widespread attention because it was a same-sex professional-celebrity pairing. While Nader has publicly discussed her bisexuality, Hailey has not publicly confirmed a particular sexual-orientation label, and her professional partnership should not be used to make assumptions about her private life.
Likewise, the earlier Robert Irwin dating rumors remain unconfirmed speculation rather than an established relationship. What is clear is Hailey’s professional achievement: at just 20, she has already progressed from competitive dance to junior television performer, DWTS troupe member, and main-show professional.