Britt Stewart

Britt Benae Stewart was born on September 21, 1989, in Aurora, Colorado. She began her dance training in ballet and tap at the age of three in Seattle, Washington. After her family relocated to Colorado, she continued her dance education at the Artistic Fusion Dance Academy. Stewart attended the Denver School of the Arts, graduating in 2007, and later enrolled at Loyola Marymount University, double-majoring in dance and science, though she suspended her studies during her second semester to pursue professional dance opportunities. Her early career included roles as a principal dancer in Kenny Ortega’s ‘High School Musical’ films (2006–2008), followed by appearances in other films like ‘Fame’ (2009), ‘No Strings Attached’ (2011), and ‘Teen Beach Movie’ (2013). Stewart also performed on television shows such as ‘American Idol’, ‘Bunheads’, ‘A Capitol Fourth’, ‘Dancing Fools’, ‘Gilmore Girls’, ‘Glee’, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, and ‘The Voice’. She toured internationally with musicians, including Janet Jackson, Rihanna, Annie Lennox, Katy Perry, Selena Gomez, Florence and the Machine, Demi Lovato, and Nick Jonas. Notably, she served as Katy Perry’s backup dancer for three years, performing on her Prismatic World Tour and at the Super Bowl halftime show.

Stewart joined ‘Dancing with the Stars’ in 2016 as a troupe member during season 22, initially without formal ballroom dance training. She became a full-time troupe member in season 23 and remained in this role for five seasons. In 2020, Stewart made history by being named the first Black female professional dancer on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ for season 29. She was partnered with Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir, reaching the semi-finals and finishing in sixth place. In season 30, she partnered with actor Martin Kove, placing fifteenth. For season 31, Stewart partnered with deaf actor Daniel Durant, achieving her highest placement to date, fifth place, and subsequently developing a romantic relationship with him, leading to their marriage in 2025. She also served as Dance Captain and part of the Supervising Choreography Team for the DWTS 2022 Live national tour. Beyond performing, Stewart actively supports the dance community as President of Share the Movement, a non-profit dedicated to making dance accessible to BIPOC youth. Her work encompasses choreography, dance education, and expanding into hosting and public speaking engagements.