All couples entered in 2026 who made the FINAL of the U.S. National Amateur Ballroom, Latin, and Smooth Championships in 2025 in Provo are exempt from dancing in the first round of their respective championship in 2026 provided the partnership is the same.  However, all couples, including the exempt ones, are required to take part in the opening ceremony of their respective championship.

Those couples who are eligible to be exempted from round one in 2026 (in alphabetical order) are:

AMATEUR BALLROOM (36 couples entered - 31 will dance the first round, with a recall of 19 into the second round.  The 5 finalists from 2025 will then be added to the second round for a total of 24 in that round, with a recall of 12 for the semifinal.)
Bohdan Aleksieiev & Michelle Yiu
Andrei Cutashevskii & Anna Vasina
Bohdan Dovhalov & Sonya Iudina
Roman Shchochka & Marta Tyutyunnyk
Nathan Zaytsev & Alice Bankova

AMATEUR LATIN (49 couples entered - 44 will dance the first round, with a recall of 31 into the second round.  The 5 finalists from 2025 will then be added to the second round for a total of 36 in that round, with a recall of 24 for the quarterfinal.)
Dave Firestein & Kennedy Eaton
Iakob Kupunia & Pallany English
Bumchin Tegshjargal & Michelle Klets
Mykyta Vasylenko & Lyndsey Vasylenko
Oleg Zugan & Michelle Itkin

AMATEUR SMOOTH (42 couples entered - 39 will dance the first round with a recall of 33 into the second round.  The 3 finalists from 2025 will then be added to the second round for a total of 36 in that round, with a recall of 24 for the quarterfinal.)
Parley Ford & Natalie Jolley
Wyatt & Serena Jennings
Maklain Shepherd & Ashlyn Burnside