‘Dancing With the Stars’ Is Proof We Become Our Parents
Growing up, one of my grandmother’s defining characteristics was her love of ballroom dancing. You can’t talk to him for five minutes without him making a reference to the foxtrot, commenting on how the song playing would make a great samba, or reminiscing about some kind of award-winning ballroom move he used to do. Of course, with her love of ballroom dancing comes a love of the pinnacle of ballroom dancing in pop culture—Dancing with the Stars. There’s nothing I love more than sitting on the couch with him and playing pseudo-judge, analyzing every dance on TV.
Although I love these memories with my grandmother, for decades, Dancing with the Stars just that: the show you watch with your grandma. It’s not something to make your group chat go crazy; it’s the TV series your parents like that you’re probably watching when you walk into the living room. But after 34 seasons, that has changed completely.
Currently, you can’t open TikTok without seeing something like that Dancing with the Stars fill. Voting records are being broken every week, and the collective obsession with the show has the potential to be one thing Gen Z and millennials agree on. But why is the most exciting TV show right now a show that just celebrated its 20th anniversary? Is a collective obsession with American Idol Next? I break down what’s actually different Dancing with the Stars this season—and why we can’t stop talking about it.
Why is that Dancing with the Stars more popular than before?
TikTok-ification of Dancing with the Stars
If you’re a new DWTS fan, it might feel like everyone suddenly started watching this season, but the show’s revival actually started a few years ago when Rylee Arnold—professional dancer and younger sister of former pro Lindsay Arnold—joined the cast as the youngest professional player. Posting his journey on TikTok, he brought in a lot of young fans who want to see him grow. Her pairing with reality TV star Harry Jowsey and rumors of her next gig have only made the internet even more obsessed. Plus, his best friend Ezra Sosa, member Dancing with the Stars The troupe (a group of dancers who act as backup for the professionals and perform short dances in between routines), also amassed a large TikTok following and brought in even more fans.
The following season, after Rylee and Ezra’s viewership boomed, the show promoted Ezra to a professional and reached online audiences in new ways. Casting director Deena Katz capitalized on TikTok’s newfound attention by casting internet celebrities and well-known figures (who could forget Anna Delvey’s brief but impactful stint in ballroom?). She even tapped into one of the strongest online communities, Swifties, by adding the internet’s favorite Taylor Swift backup dancer, Jan Ravnik, to this season’s professional lineup.
“Fan interaction, from voting to posting, is what has transformed DWTS from a show you’ve heard about but never really into a show that rivals HBO’s Sunday night slot.”
Once a show featuring D-list soap opera actors who emerged long after their careers had peaked and stepped into the spotlight for five more seconds, this season’s cast isn’t the ups and downs—but some of the internet’s hottest figures: Alix Earle, Whitney Leavitt, Robert Irwin, Jordan Chiles, Jen Affleck. Even older stars who aren’t influencers have had viral TikTok moments. Elaine Hendrix may be known as an actress, but Meredith Blake’s aesthetic (one of her most iconic roles) was once a major trend on TikTok. This season, the eliminated pros also started hosting TikTok live streams while the show airs, so you don’t have to leave the app to join in on the DWTS conversation each week. Instead of sticking to the old ways, the show is willing to meet its viewers where they are and showcase the people we all watch and love.
Everyone is involved in the conversation
The show doesn’t just give us an iconic cast and expect everything to go according to plan. They lean on something as important as the show itself: the post-show discussions that take place online. It’s not enough for the audience to like everyone who appears on the show. Fan interaction, from voting to posting, is what has transformed DWTS from a show you’ve heard of but never really adapted to a spectacle that rivals HBO’s Sunday night slot.
Apart from the TikTok live streaming, the event was also officially launched Dancing with the Stars podcast hosted by last year’s winners and Bachelor star Joey Graziadei. He interviews celebrities and professionals every week, giving fans more fodder for discussion. Professionals of the past have also followed this trend, using their own podcasts and social media accounts to summarize episodes, critique dances, agree or disagree with judges’ scores, and offer their professional views. Meanwhile, every professional and celebrity takes to social media to interact with fans and campaign for votes. With all the vlog content dropping every week, there’s something to consume every day between episodes. Not to mention the fans posting comments non-stop. All of this additional content has created a highly engaged and opinionated fan base that not only tunes in every week but is truly passionate about voting for their favorite competitors.
Production values are next level
All this fan discourse is important, but without a good show, it won’t be enough to retain an audience. Luckily the production values are insane. From the stage design, costumes, hair and make-up to the live band, this show is truly larger than life. Theme nights have also become a big part of audience engagement. With nights like Taylor Swift Night and Wicked Later that night, the show leaned into trending online moments that they knew fans were invested in, and they made it happen. Set design in Wicked A night alone rivals the set Evil: For Goodand that evening was complete with director John M. Chu as guest judge. The show was entertaining from start to finish, and in an era where 60-second TikToks push our attention to the limit, the fact that we were all sat through three hours by the end of the show is truly a feat.
Whether Dancing with the Stars hype is here to stay?
We are all obsessed with Dancing with the Stars nowadays, but is its popularity just a flash in the pan? As the finale approached, the entire internet mourned the loss of our favorite pop culture topic of the last ten weeks. But will we still be excited for the next season a few months from now, after new movies and shows grab our attention? Honestly, yes. DWTS has proven over the past few years how much it understands its audience, and its willingness to serve them—even when that means changing the show’s traditions—will ensure its future success. Trends always come and go, but for now, Dancing with the Stars once again a pop culture fixture. Maybe some of our parents’ other favorite shows will follow in its footsteps.
Lauren Blue, Assistant Editor
As Assistant Editor for The Everygirl, Lauren ideas and writes content for every aspect of our readers’ lives. Her articles cover the topics of must-read books, movies, home tours, travel plans—and everything in between. When she’s not testing the latest TikTok trends, she can be found browsing Goodreads for new releases to feature on the site.
The post ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Is Proof We Become Our Parents appeared first on The Everygirl.
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