Dancing with the Stars cast reunite to celebrate Thanksgiving with Alfonso Ribeiro

On November 28, 2025, the Dancing with the Stars team gathered at Alfonso Ribeiro's house in Southern California for their 11th Thanksgiving in a row, making his home the official DWTS holiday headquarters. This was only two days after they declared the new mirrorball champion, so everyone was presumably still delighted, exhausted, or both at the same time.

Also, to clarify, Dancing with the Stars is the show in which celebrities collaborate with professional dancers to perform dances each week, which are then scored by the judges and voted on by the audience. Many professional dancers moved to the United States without their families, and thus they gradually became each other's dance family.

Alfonso's wife, Angela, documented everything on Instagram, including outdoor tables under a tent, Disney bouncy castles, a trampoline, and an amazing Thanksgiving supper deserving of its own judging panel. The tradition began in 2014, when Alfonso won the show. He always liked Friendsgiving over conventional family gatherings, so he started inviting cast members who would otherwise spend the holiday alone. What started casually has become a genuinely meaningful annual reunion.

The Dancing with the Stars Thanksgiving celebration explored

Angela Ribeiro’s Instagram video kicked off with what basically looked like a whole food parade, and honestly, the question arises as to whether anyone was left hungry. The spread appeared to be exceptional. Outside the house, everyone was lined up at long tables under a big tent, looking like they were extremely ready for round two of Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, the kids were out living their absolute best lives in Disney-themed bounce houses and on a trampoline, which bought the adults a tiny window to eat, talk, and indulge themselves. The video wrapped with a massive group photo, proudly showing off year 11 of this whole tradition.

Dancing with the Stars pros Mark Ballas, Julianne Hough, Derek Hough, and Hayley Erbert were all spotted having a great time, and Val Chmerkovskiy, Jenna Johnson, Sasha Farber, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, and Peta Murgatroyd showed up too. Basically, dancers from every Dancing with the Stars era rolled in. Maks even dropped into the comments to say he was grateful and that this is his favorite tradition, which is pretty much the Dancing with the Stars version of a big cozy hug.

With both current and former cast members showing up, it’s pretty clear this isn’t just about whoever’s on the show right now. It’s about everyone, really. And it all goes back to when Alfonso Ribeiro won Dancing with the Stars in fall 2014 and somehow ended up hosting the holiday party everyone wants an invite to.

That win kind of plugged him deeper into the DWTS universe. In a 2018 Parade interview, he stated that he normally has Friendsgiving instead of traditional family celebrations and that he ultimately began bringing the DWTS team over. And 11 years later, they're still showing up for turkey, bounce houses, and each other.

Ribeiro had known the dancers and crew for years before taking on the job of co-host for Season 31 in 2022. During an interview on The Jennifer Hudson Show that year, he explained why the event was important. Many professional dancers are from nations such as Russia South Africa and Ukraine. Without family in California they must spend big holidays alone or away from loved ones.

The tradition’s impact

Ribeiro addressed this reality directly in his 2022 broadcast interview. He stated that the dancers became genuine friends for him and his wife, rather than simply coworkers, which is actually rather pleasant when you think about it.

And he continues to give his house every Thanksgiving since he understands that many of the dancers immigrated from other countries and made significant sacrifices to work in the United States so it's his way of doing something kind for them. The gesture provides them with a sense of belonging during a family-focused holiday.

Angela Ribeiro titled her video "Our 11th Annual DWTS Thanksgiving❤️#blessed," showing the pair considers hosting as a privilege rather than a duty. The tradition has now survived Ribeiro's tenure as a competitor and will continue through his shift to host. It represents how the Dancing with the Stars community extends beyond the ballroom into meaningful personal relationships that endure across seasons and career changes.

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You can watch Dancing with the Stars every Tuesday at 8:00 PM ET on ABC.

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