Sarah Jane Nader Says Her Historic ‘DWTS’ Pairing “Feels Like a Win” Despite Week 1 Elimination (Exclusive)

If you tuned in for week one of Dancing With the Stars season 35, then you know that Sarah Jane Nader’s premiere didn’t exactly go as planned. In a devastating new twist, two couples were eliminated during the very first week, which meant the Love Thy Nader star and her pro partner Hailey Bills only got the chance to perform one number—a jive to “Sk8er Boi” by Avril Lavigne—before getting sent home.“I didn’t expect my spray tan to lasting longer than I did on Dancing With the Stars,” Sarah Jane jokes while chatting with Cosmo. “But in all seriousness, getting to step onto the ballroom floor with a force of nature like Hailey was truly an honor.” And while she may not have lasted longer than her older sister Brooks (who was sent home following week five during season 33), Sarah Jane still managed to make DWTS history.Sarah Jane NaderSarah Jane NaderAfter getting selected for the show, Sarah Jane (who opened up about her bisexuality during season 1 of Love Thy Nader) had a conversation with DWTS casting director Dina Cass about the possibility of doing a same-sex pairing, which has only ever been done by JoJo Siwa and Jenna Johnson during season 30 and Shangela and Gleb Savchenko during season 31.“She was so supportive about it,” Sarah Jane says of Dina, “and I was insistent and very excited about that possibility, because I think it’s so important to have that representation. Being the second female-female pair and being able to represent the queer community on a show this huge meant so much to me, and honestly, that alone feels like a win.”Sarah Jane NaderHailey may have been a brand-new pro this season, but she’s not new to DWTS, considering she was a troupe dancer during season 34…and also happens to be Jenna Johnson’s niece. Coincidentally, she and Sarah Jane crossed paths before getting partnered together, too.“So I walked the Sports Illustrated runway with my sisters [in May 2026], and Hailey walked it with Dancing with the Stars,” Sarah Jane explains. “She did not know she would be a pro, I did not know I’d be on the show, but we met briefly there and had no idea that we’d become so close.”She adds, “Getting to know her has honestly been one of my favorite parts of this experience.”Sarah Jane NaderIf you were sad not to see more of Sarah Jane this season, fret not, because fans will get to relive her DWTS experience on Love Thy Nader. “It will be definitely a huge part of the show,” she says, “and I think it will be a fun, insidery look into this process.”As far as regrets? Sarah Jane doesn’t have any. “There’s no greater feeling than getting to show up fully as yourself and be proud of who you are, regardless of what anyone else has to say,” she says. “I really felt that on the dance floor.”