Alfonso Ribeiro will be returning to Dancing With the Stars for Season 35 on the 2026 TV schedule, marking his fifth season as co-host. Considering DWTS is live, one would think that hosting can get pretty intimidating at times, no matter how many times you do it. You never know what could go wrong, you never know what cues you might miss. However, Ribeiro shared the ritual he goes through before taping episodes.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alum joined DWTS as a co-host in Season 31 alongside Tyra Banks, who later exited and was replaced by former pro and judge Julianne Hough. The two co-hosts are definitely a force to be reckoned with, but even a few seasons in (and after many years of hosting AFV), Ribeiro still gets nervous ahead of live tapings. But it’s nothing a simple mantra can’t help, and he told People about his go-to ritual that seems to be just the thing he needs. As he put it:
The only ritual that I have ultimately is I will... tell myself before I walk onto that stage, you know, ‘Let it happen. Don’t try to think about something ahead of it. Just let it happen. Be there, be in the moment, and be ready to respond to everything that’s actually happening on the floor, not what you think is supposed to happen on the floor.
It’s hard to predict what could or could not go wrong and if everything will turn out perfect before a live show. Ribeiro telling himself to just let it happen and basically to go with the flow makes perfect sense. There is only so much he can do from his standpoint, and he can’t prevent anything that ends up going wrong. Making sure to put his focus on the performances in the ballroom rather than the ballroom as a whole is definitely helpful for him.
Of course, since DWTS is live, it’s not always perfect, and there have definitely been some things that have gone wrong or didn’t go exactly as planned. Whether it’s a judge putting in the wrong score, a performance not going the way it should have, or simply messing up the script, it happens. It sounds like Ribeiro has just the perfect way to not worry about any of it and just live in the present.
When Ribeiro first started hosting DWTS, though, he was as nervous as ever. He previously admitted that his first time hosting was one of the most terrifying moments of his life. Even though he already had plenty of hosting experience with America’s Funniest Home Videos by that point, with seven years under his belt, DWTS is live, as opposed to AFV, which is pre-recorded. He’s definitely gotten more used to it, but that doesn’t mean that he still can’t have a mantra to help settle the nerves.
People will be able to look forward to many more hosting moments from Alfonso Ribeiro when he returns to co-host Season 35 along with Julianne Hough. The two-night season premiere of DWTS airs on Tuesday, September 15, and Wednesday, September 16, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and with a Disney+ subscription.
