A new (but familiar) face is hitting the Dancing With the Stars ballroom for Season 35. At DWTS Con on August 2, it was announced that Kamri Peterson will be one of the troupe members when the show returns in September.
Troupe dancers often perform in group numbers and sometimes appear in the competition dances as backup dancers to the stars and their pros. There are generally four troupe dancers, and those who are joining Kamri will be announced at a later date.
DWTS fans may actually recognize the up-and-comer from her time on Dancing With the Stars: Juniors in 2018. For a refresher on that and more to know about Kamri, scroll down.
Who is Kamri Peterson?
Kamri is a professional dancer from Utah. Per her Instagram bio, she is a world dance champion and 12-time national finalist. She is also a three-time Latin National Vice champion.
How old is Kamri Peterson?
Kamri turned 18 years old in 2026. She was born on May 22, 2008. When she was a pro on DWTS: Juniors, Kamri was just 10 years old.
What happened to Kamri Peterson on DWTS: Juniors?
On DWTS: Juniors, Kamri was partnered with Akash Vukoti, a Scripps National Spelling Bee participant. They were mentored by Witney Carson and finished in sixth place.
Kamri is not the first DWTS: Juniors pro to move up to DWTS. Rylee Arnold, who came in fourth place with Miles Brown on Juniors, is now a pro on DWTS, while Hailey Bills, who was first eliminated on Juniors with Tripp Johnston Palin, joined the troupe in 2025.
Jake Monreal, a contestant on Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro who was eliminated Week 1, also appeared on Juniors. He was partnered with Sophia Pippen, and they came in ninth place.
How did Kamri Peterson meet Malachi Barton?
Kamri is close friends with Disney Channel star Malachi Barton. They’ve been friends since she was 10 and he was 11. “He’s so sweet,” Kamri gushed in an interview. “My best friend forever. I’m so lucky to have him.”
Kamri and her mom appeared on the MOMager podcast with Malachi and his mom, Felicia Barton, in 2025, and Felicia revealed that the kids met for the first time at Disneyland.
Why is Kamri called ‘Uncle Kam’?
Kamri got her “Unc” nickname after making a TikTok with Felicia where they responded to fan comments. Felicia asked her one of the questions in the comments section, and Kamri’s joking response went viral.
“She asked me, ‘What are you and Malachi?’ Like, friends, cousins, siblings, dating? Whatever. And I just responded and I was trying to be funny, I was like, ‘I’m his uncle,’” Kamri laughed. “And people ran with it. Sprinted.”
Dancing With the Stars, Season 35 Premiere, Tuesday, September 15, 8/7c, ABC