Ladies and gentleman, prepare for some changes in the ballroom this season.
When the line-up of professional dancers were announced for Dancing With the Stars' upcoming 28th season, many were surprised to see two fan-favorites missing from the roster: Artem Chigvintsev and Sharna Burgess.
Sure, professional dancers taking brief hiatuses from the ballroom for a season or two is nothing new, but Artem and Sharna's comments about their departures seemed to suggest they were a bit blind-sided not to be included--and one of their exits may not be a temporary one.
Still, longtime fans of the ABC reality hit series have had to say goodbye to many fan-favorite dancers in the past, including Derek Hough, Mark Ballas and Cheryl Burke, with all three serving as some of the show's most celebrated competitors ever.
But what leads a DWTS pro to exit stage-left after years of winning mirrorball trophies and earning Emmy nominations for their work on the show?
Well, it all depends on the pro, as some have made the decision to leave while others have received a pretty uncomfortable phone call from the producers letting them know their services will no longer be needed...
DWTS returns Monday, Sept. 16 at 8 p.m. on ABC.