Dancing with the Stars holiday special brings back Andy Richter and Reginald VelJohnson dressed as teeth

The 2025 Dancing with the Stars holiday special, Dancing with the Holidays, aired on Tuesday, December 2, bringing back fan-favorite contestants Andy Richter and Reginald VelJohnson.

In a fun surprise, the two former competitors entered the dance hall wearing costumes shaped like large front teeth, kicking off a lively act that was one of the evening’s standout scenes.

The return of Richter and VelJohnson as holiday-themed performers marks a shift from competition to celebration in this special edition of the show.

Dancing with the Stars: The Holiday Special Return

Dancing with the Holidays came back only seven days after Season 34 ended, where Robert Irwin won it alongside pro dancer Witney Carson.

Rather than being another competition episode, the special was billed as a one-hour celebration, scheduled for 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT, featuring holiday-themed routines, musical performances and surprise guest appearances.

The Tooth Fairy moment: Why fans are buzzing?

Among the various performances, the number that stood out featured former DWTS contestants Andy Richter and Reginald VelJohnson paired with pro dancer Emma Slater.

The three took to the floor following the classic holiday tune All I Want for Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth), with Richter and VelJohnson costumed as two front teeth dancing in sync.

The reveal, complete with full-tooth costumes, elicited enthusiasm. VelJohnson joked about returning to the ballroom, saying, “I prayed yes,” when asked if he ever expected to dance again.

Richter, too, acknowledged the unexpected yet joyful turn his DWTS journey had taken:

“Julianne, I’ve done a lot of things the last two months that I thought I’d never do.”

For many viewers, this performance encapsulated the holiday spirit, lighthearted, whimsical and a sharp departure from the intensity of the competitive season.

Wider cast & performers: Who else was there?

The holiday special featured an ensemble cast of current professionals from Season 34 as well as members of the troupe and former contestants.

The pros included names such as Witney Carson, Val Chmerkovskiy, Jenna Johnson, Alan Bersten, Britt Stewart, Ezra Sosa and more. Troupe members, including Hailey Bills, Onye Stevenson, Carter Williams and Jaxon Willard, also danced.

One of the night’s more touching moments came when Jenna Johnson and Val Chmerkovskiy shared the floor with their son, Rome Chmerkovskiy, performing to “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.”

In addition to dance numbers, the group was joined by the acclaimed vocal group Pentatonix, which performed “Holly Jolly Christmas,” bridging the worlds of dance and music for a full holiday spectacle.

Fan reaction & behind-the-scenes buzz

Fans have taken to social media and forums, expressing excitement over the return of Richter and VelJohnson in such a playful format. 

“Reggie is back!!! And Andy is involved!! Yes!!!! Looks like troupe is really involved, which is great,” a Reddit user wrote.

"Omg are Reggie and Andy the “two front teeth”? lol," wrote another.

"I’ve watched every season of DWTS for 12 years but I had no intention of watching the holiday special…until I saw that Reggie and Andy are going to be the two front teeth. Now I’m in," a Reddit user commented.

"I didn’t know how badly I needed a “Christmas dentist routine” in my life until just now, but I need it IMMEDIATELY," another person commented.

Behind-the-scenes photos shared before the show’s airing showed ballroom pros, troupe dancers and hosts decked in festive colors, all against a glittering ballroom backdrop.

The visuals alone sparked speculation that the “two-front-teeth” number would become a highlight performance.

Some fans also noticed the absence of certain pros, such as a missing past-season favorite, though no official explanation was provided.

Stay tuned for more updates.