In a reality TV world that can easily be wrapped into drama, division, and chaos, it’s refreshing to watch Dancing with the Stars: a show that creates a community of dancers and celebrities who are growing each week in hopes of winning the Mirrorball Trophy.
Amid the social media promotions and the franchise’s weekly episodes, I’ve become a true fan who feels connected to the contestants and engaged in the friendly competition.
For a show that has been around for over 500 episodes, the spirit of the competition has remained strong throughout the years. There is great insight into what it really takes to try something new, discover a passion later in life, and create a community with people who seem to be polar opposites.
Take this season, for example: Olympic Rugby Medalist Ilona Maher and Bachelor star Joey Grazadei would likely have never crossed paths had they not been cast on the same season on DWTS. Now, they can now be seen making TikTok videos together, promoting the franchise’s weekly premiers.
This unexpected community created by the show fosters a renewed sense of unity and is refreshing for viewers to see such genuine connections between celebrities.
The proof of the show’s popularity speaks for itself; ABC released their numbers from the Halloween episode and reported a record-breaking 16 million viewer votes, only for that record to be surpassed the following week. That being said, the dynamic hosts, Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro, said on the episode this past Tuesday that they had yet again broken that record for those viewer votes.
Despite a seemingly niche concept–(dance probably isn’t everyone’s strong suit)–the show is much more than choreography. The recognition and appreciation shown for the professional dancers, who do more behind the scenes work than the average viewer may realize, is truly inspiring. I’m grateful that this group is getting the recognition that they deserve.
Between the long rehearsal days with their celebrity partners, choreography sessions, “camera-blocking” days, and entire productions brought to life on show day, this one-of-a-kind show keeps me and many other viewers on our toes. And believe it or not, all of this is done within a week.
Think Dance Moms – but instead of seasoned performers, the professionals are working with people who may not be athletic, have no dance experience, and occasionally forget the routine on show day. It happens.
I’m consistently in awe of the unique and innovative routines brought to the screen each week. It’s clear that each professional dancer pours their heart into creating captivating performances, tailoring the choreography to highlight their celebrity partner’s strengths while masking their weaknesses to continue to advance each week.
Dancing with the Stars just celebrated its 500th episode and will round out its 10 weeks of Tuesday night shows this week with the finale. Five “stars,” or celebrities, will dance hand-in-hand with the professional dancers to compete for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
The finalists – Danny Amendola, Joey Grazadei, Chandler Kinney, Ilona Maher, Stephen Nedoroscik – bring an exciting new energy to the 33rd season of the show, especially for the younger generations like me.
Not only has the show been breaking “viewer voting” records consistently this season, but the activity that’s taking place on social media allows the show to reach a wide variety of audiences who are in support of the celebrities. I, for one, am a new fan this season, but I’m excited to continue to support these incredible pairs and watch to see who will bring home the hardware tonight.
