Whether they’re romantically involved or not, former Dancing With the Stars partners Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber definitely made Us believe in showmances in 2024.
Tran came to DWTS following the heartbreaking conclusion to her journey on season 21 of The Bachelorette. After accepting a proposal from Devin Strader, Tran revealed live during a September episode of After the Final Rose that her ex-fiancé had called off their engagement while their season of The Bachelorette was still airing on television. Tran was cast in season 33 of DWTS one day later.
Paired with Farber, the two struck up a connection as Tran used her time on the competition series to start her “healing” journey through dance. She even credited Farber with helping to “ground” her following the dramatic split from Strader.
Tran and Farber sparked romance rumors from fans both on and off the show, even after they were eliminated from DWTS in week 6. Speaking with Us Weekly in September, when asked about their chemistry, Tran gushed over Farber and called him “such an amazing coach.”
“Every week we just grow stronger and stronger and closer and closer,” she told Us. “I really feel like we’ve built such a great foundation.” Tran even shared that she was (temporarily) crashing on Farber’s couch after the DWTS season finale in November.
Whether the dance partners have brought their relationship to the next level for real remains to be seen, but keep scrolling to see the moments in 2024 Tran and Farber had Us believing in true showmance:
Keeping Outfits Cute and Coordinated
Romantically involved or not, it’s no secret that Tran and Farber have been known to complement each other when it comes to their outfits. In November, the pair stepped out together at the Los Angeles farmers market dressed in chic, coffee-coded outfits. While Tran dressed in an orange, brown and cream blazer and gold jewelry, Farber sported a brown turtleneck sweater.
Earlier that month, the duo gave his-and-hers style vibes when they were seen together on another laid-back outing. While Tran stunned in a plum athleisure set and brown, oversized leather jacket, Farber charmed in sunglasses and a color-blocked cardigan.
Pet Names Abound
DWTS fans may remember where they were when Farber called Tran “babe” in a TikTok video shared in September, which ultimately sparked speculation that they were a couple. The video showed the pair playfully bickering over ice cream after they had ordered food at McDonalds.
But the pet names didn’t stop at “babe.” In another flirty TikTok video shared by Tran on November 24 — her birthday — the Bachelorette alum referred to Farber as “honey” while cozying up on his couch. “Honey, can you teach me a dance for my birthday?” she asked him, to which Farber replied, “No.”
While “honey” and “babe” are innocent enough, there’s one name that Farber would prefer people didn’t use. While appearing on a November episode of the “Sorry We’re Cyrus” podcast, host Tish Cyrus asked Tran, referring to the upcoming DWTS tour, “How fun to go on tour with your boyfriend?”
The Bachelorette alum, who would “love nothing more” than to be part of the tour, replied, “Oh, God. If you say boyfriend, he’s going to freak out.”
One Steamy Couple
Gene Simmons made a splash as a guest judge on the hair metal episode of Dancing with the Stars in October. He was particularly impressed by the chemistry between Tran and Farber. Despite his high praise, the KISS frontman gave them a low score for their paso doble to Europe’s “The Final Countdown.”
“Well, there’s no question you two make a steamy couple,” Simmons told the dancers. “Sasha is terrific as a professional does it every day, but all the pressure is on you. I have to say, besides being beautiful, you delivered.”
Tran and Farber weren’t fazed by Simmons’ commentary. “Listen, he’s an icon. It’s rock ‘n’ roll night. It’s Hair Metal Night,” Farber said after the episode. “And if you think icon, which icon would you think is bigger than Gene Simmons? No one. So to have him say that — I’ll take anything he says.”
Tran agreed with her partner, saying, “I’ll take anything he says. Listen, I don’t listen to heavy metal, whatever this is. But I know Gene Simmons, and that’s just how amazing he is.”
Private Rehearsals
Following their elimination from DWTS, Tran and Farber further fueled romance rumors by suggesting they would continue to dance together. Tran shared a TikTok in October knocking on Farber’s door, sending fans and DWTS costars into a frenzy. “Private rehearsals starting ASAP,” she captioned the clip, which showed the pair embracing after Farber answered the door.
DWTS judge Derek Hough commented on the video, writing, “I give this a 100. Happy for you two ❤ ️,” while DWTS star Ezra Sosa added, “I ship it.”
Hough previously said he “ships” Tran and Farber together during October’s “Disney Night” on DWTS after the pair danced to “Kiss the Girl” from The Little Mermaid. The routine ended in a chaste forehead kiss for Tran from Farber, much to the disappointment of the judges, who were hoping for a real smooch.
“We wanted to do the scene justice and do it the way the movie was,” Tran told Us at the time. “We don’t want to make up stuff that didn’t happen in the movie, that’d be crazy.”
Friends, Family and Costars Fuel Romance Rumors
It wasn’t just Tran and Farber fueling the rumors — it was their friends, family and costars as well. Jenn’s brother, James Tran, even joked in the comments section of a TikTok she shared in November, writing, “When’s the wedding rehearsal? 🤔.” The video featured a compilation of Jenn’s dances with Farber throughout their time on the show.
Beyond that, DWTS alum Kaitlyn Bristowe, who called Farber one of her “good friends,” further fueled speculation during an October episode of her “Off the Vine” podcast when she said, “[Jenn] and Sasha are dating, for sure.”
“I was like, ‘Well are you just loving your partner and time with Jenn?’ He was like, ‘I really am,’” Bristowe recalled of a conversation she’d had with Farber. “He was really hyping her up and I was like, ‘Is there flirty vibes?’ He goes, ‘It’s dancing, there’s always flirty vibes.’” However, Bristowe added that Farber was “defensive” about his and Jenn’s relationship status.
Either way, this didn’t stop the former dance partners from spending Thanksgiving together this year. The former Bachelorette and Farber attended DWTS cohost Alfonso Ribeiro’s Thanksgiving gathering with his wife, Angela, in November. “Cutest Couple: Sasha and Jenn,” Angela wrote via Instagram, alongside a photo of the pair eating by each other’s side.
