Unlike most people, I typically don’t watch reality TV because I find it ridiculous that some of these people are famous for literally no reason (I’m talking about you Kardashian family), however when it comes to Dancing With the Stars or DWTS, I make an exception. Not only is it incredibly entertaining, it’s a unique competition that puts some of our favorite celebrities to the test. The following are 10 reasons why it’s such a great show—and has been for 22 seasons now.
1. Star-Studded Cast: From Olympians to movie stars to famous musicians, there’s a star for everyone to like. Some celebrities may surprise you, in both their skills and personality. DWTS can be very emotionally and physically exhausting so it’s interesting to see how they handle the challenges associated with learning and mastering a dance in less than a week.
2. Exposes a Different Side of the Stars: Not only do you get to watch your favorite celebrities dance their hearts out and test the limits of their resilience and flexibility, you get to see them in a completely different light. Who knew that football players were good dancers? Or that some musicians just don’t have the skills to keep up? Or that a racecar driver would be Broadway material? And who would’ve thought that Laurie Hernandez would actually have competition this season—from non-athletes too!
3. Unique Concept: Where else, other than maybe their weddings, can you see an Olympic swimmer doing a tango or a Brady Bunch star turn into a dancing queen? DWTS if a truly unique concept and some stars even strive to be on it—Laurie apparently dreamed of being eligible for it. Not to mention, the amount of effort, time commitment, and pressure that it takes to
4. Brings Attention to Ballroom Dancing: The elegant sport has lost its popularity, but DWTS sheds a very positive and glamorous light on it. Usually after I watch an episode I have the sudden urge to dig out my old tap shoes and enroll in ballroom dance lessons!
5. Creates an Emotional Connection: It’s practically guaranteed that you’ll become emotionally invested in at least one duo. This means you will take the judges critique very personally and will be incredibly heartbroken if they are eliminated. Also, you will probably be obsessed with the couple and follow everything they do…. Instagram stalking anyone? P.s. I’m still not over Maks and Meryl’s chemistry #goals.
6. Fabulous Costumes: I mean who doesn’t love sparkly dresses and shiny tuxedos? Obviously the best part is when the male pro’s take their shirts off…
7. Creative Themes: Each week the dances center around a specific theme, which makes it very interesting to compare and contrast the various approaches. From Disney to Cirque de Soleil to the stars Most Memorable Years, each theme displays a different type of dance and a different side of the stars.
8. Surprises Every Week: From unexpected double eliminations, special guest musical performances, protests on the dance floor, or surprise marriage proposals. Spoiler Alert: Emma Slater said yes when Sasha Farber proposed last night after sharing a special dance to Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars!
9. Mesmerizing Group Performances: Of course, the show is not only about the celebrities—the professional dancers are also the stars of the show and nothing is better than a group dance! Especially when Maks and Val have a dance-off and when Derek choreographs his own dance, makes his own music and then blows us all away.
10. Shocking Results: The great thing about DWTS is that both the judges and the fans determine the eliminations—so even if your favorite team didn’t get very high scores, they still have a shot at winning thanks to your votes. Unfortunately this also means that the underdogs might beat out the highest scoring couple…