“He’s in it to win it,” she recalled thinking. Britt Stewart says Taylor Hanson offered to sleep on a cot in the dance studio for DWTS practice “He’s in it to win it,” she recalled thinking. By Shania Russell :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/ShaniaRussellauthorphoto5934b684845d480caa4485648c39ef2b.jpg) Shania Russell Shania Russell is a news writer at , with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine. EW's editorial guidelines September 15, 2026 5:39 p.m.

“He’s in it to win it,” she recalled thinking.

Britt Stewart says Taylor Hanson offered to sleep on a cot in the dance studio for DWTS practice

“He’s in it to win it,” she recalled thinking.

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

EW's editorial guidelines

September 15, 2026 5:39 p.m. ET

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Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart for ‘Dancing with the Stars’. Credit:

Disney/Andrew Eccles

- Taylor Hanson is ready to give his all to *DWTS*, including the hours he spends sleeping.

- His pro partner Britt Stewart said that during their first conversation, the singer offered to sleep on a cot in the dance studio.

- “He’s in it to win it,” she recalled thinking.

Taylor Hanson understands that the Mirrorball Trophy doesn’t come easy.

Much to the excitement of his *Dancing With the Stars* pro partner Britt Stewart, the singer made it clear on day one that he was prepared to work hard as a competitor on the show’s 35th season. In fact, Hanson said he was willing to go to great lengths for their potential victory — during both his waking hours and while asleep.

“I kind of sighed in relief when he told me during our first meet, ‘I will do whatever you need me to do. If that means buying a cot and sleeping at the dance studio so we can rehearse all the time, that is what I will do,’” Stewart recounted to* **The Hollywood Reporter.** *“I was like, *Okay, he wants to work for this. He’s in it to win it*. That commitment is so important.”

Stewart shared that prior to the pairing, she was already familiar with the lead singer of Hanson, who formed the beloved ’90s band with his brothers Zac and Isaac Hanson. But, she acknowledged, there’s always lots of hope and expectations for the pro dancers of *DWTS* when it comes to getting paired with their celebrity partners.

“I’m a believer that everything happens for a reason,” she said. “When I met Taylor, I was like, *This is my partner*. *I 1,000 [percent] believe that he is meant to be my partner.”*

Stewart and Hanson celebrate the premiere of ‘DWTS’ season 35.

Ser Baffo/disney via getty

She gushed, “We have a lot of things in common. Our energy is very similar. It was only a few things that he said in our first meet, and I was like, *Ah, we’re gonna get along just fine*.”

With season 35, Stewart is heading into her seventh season as one of the show’s pro dancers. Thus far her highest finish was fifth place with actor Daniel Durant, whom she subsequently sparked a romance with and married in 2025.

Asked whether this will be the year that she dances her way to top prize on the competition show, Stewart said, “You never know.”

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She added, “I’m excited about my partner, and he is very teachable. He’s passionate about learning dance, and he wants to go all the way. So if we have the same goal, and he’s willing to work hard for it, why not? Why not put it out there that this year might be the season?”

Of course it won’t be easy. Her and Hanson’s celebrity competition includes the likes of Jenna Dewan, Julia Stiles, Harry Shum Jr., Tatyana Ali, Tyler Cameron, Giada De Laurentiis, Maura Higgins, Ciara Miller, Sarah Jane Nader, Guillermo Rodriguez, Jackson Olson, Ezra Frech, Amber Glenn, Conner Leavitt, and Connor Wood.

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our ******EW Dispatch newsletter******.***

Taylor previously told * *that he is embracing the *DWTS* journey and all of its challenges. “You have to not take yourself too seriously. This is fun. We’re having fun. We’re taking a leap,” he said of joining the show. “I’m glad I have a master there to show me the way. And then we figure out what happens. We just go for it.”

Stewart added that their dynamic has been “a give and take since day one,” adding that the biggest (and most important) aspect they share in common is “show[ing] up as our authentic selves.”

The *Dancing With the Stars* two-night premiere airs Tuesday, Sept. 15, and Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+.

- Dancing with the Stars Fandom

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Source: Dancing

Published: September 16, 2026 at 08:57AM on Source: MORNING MAG

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