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Sheas Theater in Buffalo
Sheas Theater in Buffalo
Meghan Martin
Buffalo | Culture > Entertainment

We Ride at Dawn for Britt Stewart

Meghan Martin Student Contributor, University at Buffalo
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Buffalo chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

And just like that, Britt Stewart and her celebrity partner were sent home far too soon, before many other couples who, quite frankly, should not be in the competition anymore. There is a lot more to the story than a “lack of votes.” Dancing with the Stars is one of my favorite reality television shows, promoting acceptance, hard-work, and dedication. However, there has been a large elephant in the room since the beginning of the show’s existence, and that is the overt racism displayed by production. 

To start, I want to discuss the seasons past winners, and the race disparity among them. To start, out of 34 seasons (and 20 years), only eight black contestants have won the show—Emmit Smith and Cheryl Burke, NFL Running Back (season 3, 2006), Hines Ward and Kym Johnson, NFL Wide Receiver (season 12, 2011), Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd, NFL Wide Receiver, (season 14, 2012), Amber Riley and Derek Hough, Glee actress and singer, and the first and only black female winner (season 17, 2013), Alfanso Ribeiro and Witney Carson, Fresh Prince star (season 19, 2014), Rashad Jennings and Emma Slater, NFL Running Back (season 24, 2017), Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold, Disney and Broadway star (season 25, 2017), and Iman Shumpert and Daniella Karagach, NBA player (season 30, 2021). Besides these eight, there have only been seven other minority winners spanning from Latin America, Brazilian, and Japanese descent (Apolo Anton Ohno, Helio Castroneves, Kristi Yamaguchi, Nicole Scherzinger, J.R. Martinez, Laurie Hernandez, and Xochitl Gomez). That is only 15/34, less than half. 

Furthermore, there have only been three black professional dancers throughout the years. Keo Motsepe, the first black professional on the show, joining in season 19 (2014), was never given a Mirrorball, his best chance was in season 27 with Harry Potter’s Evanna Lynch, falling short to the infamous Bobby Bones. Keo did not return after season 29. Brandon Armstrong joined the show in season 24 (2017) and was promoted off of troupe in season 26. Brandon made history in season 33 with Chandler Kinney, Zombies star, by being the first all-black couple to make it to the finale. They, unfortunately, came in third after Illona Mahar and Alan Bernstein, and Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson. An interesting thing to note is that Armstrong has only ever danced with POC partners. Finally, Britt Stewart, the first black female pro, joined the show in season 22 (2016) and was promoted off the troupe in season 28 (2020). She has not made it to the finale yet, coming closest with her now husband, Daniel Durant, in season 31 (2022), making it to fifth place. All of these professionals have made DWTS history yet have no trophy. 

Sheas Theater in Buffalo
Meghan Martin

This brings me to this past elimination, Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart. Once again, Britt has been eliminated with a more than capable partner far too early. These two poured their hearts and souls into their performances every week. I, along with so many other fans, thought he was going to make it much farther in the competition.

It is interesting, however, that the Hanson fans crashed the voting website night one, yet were eliminated in week three. Hanson’s fan base directly correlates with DWTS’s primary audience, millennial women. Not to mention the cult following of Stewart as the kindest and most lovable pro on the show. There is no doubt in my mind that this couple had votes. So why were they eliminated? 

There has been speculation over the past few seasons of preplanned shock eliminations. This was recognized last season when Whitney Levitt was eliminated and then announced just a few days later that she was cast in Chicago on Broadway. Also, last season, Scott Hoying was eliminated right before his national tour started. This however has been occurring for years, in season 28 (2019) James Van Der Beek and Emma Slater were eliminated directly after his wife announced a miscarriage. In Season 11 (2010), Brandy and Maxsim Chmerkovskiy were eliminated in the most shocking elimination in DWTS history. ABC was actually accused of tampering with the votes. 

Historically, there have been early exits/losses of capable black/minority celebrities/professionals. Think Zendaya, Juan Pablo, Simone Biles, and Mel B for the celebrities, and Brandon and Britt almost every season. This leads me, and many other fans to believe there is overt racism involved behind the scenes. From the lack of professional representation throughout the years, to the notorious snubbing of minority celebrity contestants, it makes sense that Stewart and Hanson were upset about being the third couple eliminated this season. 

Needless to say, Britt is an amazing professional dancer, and I hope we do not lose her next season. The ballroom needs the light that she radiates, and the warmth of her kindness. 

Meghan Martin

Buffalo '29

Meghan Martin serves as Editor in Chief for the University at Buffalo chapter. A native of Cheektowaga, she is currently a sophomore majoring in English and Adolescent Education, where she is especially interested in helping students find confidence through reading and writing.

Outside the classroom, Meghan works as an assistant manager and a ballet teacher, balancing leadership responsibilities with her academic commitments. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and getting lost in a good book. She has a strong appreciation for classic literature (particularly Gothic and Victorian fiction) with Dracula remaining her all-time favorite.

As Editor in Chief, Meghan is passionate about building a welcoming, creative, and driven community within the chapter. She is excited to collaborate with fellow members, amplify diverse perspectives, and help create opportunities for others to grow as writers and leaders.

Meghan’s ultimate goal is to become a high school English teacher, where she can inspire students to engage critically with literature and express themselves with confidence. For now, she is focused on her studies and on successfully launching this chapter alongside a group of motivated and talented young women. She is eager to see the chapter thrive and hopes to connect with many new members along the way.

HCXO!