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From the Zoo to the Ballroom: Robert Irwin (Finally) Makes His ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Debut

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

After many years of Dancing with the Stars fans begging and pleading on the internet for Robert Irwin to be a celebrity on the show, the time has finally come. Irwin is the first confirmed celebrity for Season 34 of Dancing with the Stars

Irwin, the Australian conservationist, will be a part of the show’s cast at 21 years old. His partner is not yet confirmed, but there’s speculation going around that Rylee Arnold will be the pro he’s paired with. Arnold has said on multiple occasions that she has asked for Irwin to be on the show, and specifically to be her partner. Now that he’s confirmed to be a part of the cast, Arnold’s wish might finally be coming true.

Personally, I’m most excited to watch Irwin perform the Jive and Viennese Waltz. The Jive is an upbeat, fast-paced style of dance, and seems very fitting for Irwin’s personality. The Viennese Waltz is a beautiful, elegant ballroom dance where performers seem to glide across the floor in a very graceful manner. This would show the audience a different side of Irwin. There are a ton of other dances performed on the show, and I’m so excited to see what Irwin brings to the table with his performances. 

Irwin is the son of the late Steve Irwin, known for his show, The Crocodile Hunter. He’s also the brother of Bindi Irwin, who was a celebrity on Season 21 of Dancing with the Stars. Bindi and her partner Derek Hough have previously won the mirrorball trophy together. 

Irwin has always been fairly popular in the United States because of his father. He was always known on the show as the cute toddler that loved animals and knew so much about them for his age. He has since regained lots of popularity through posting regularly on TikTok about animals and working at the Australia Zoo, honoring his father’s legacy, and following in his footsteps by educating people. He has also caught a lot of people’s attention with his most recent partnership with Bonds AU

Bonds AU is a brand that sells undergarments such as underwear, bras, and sleepwear. The brand put out an advertisement similar to Calvin Klein, and Irwin was the model. In his photos, he has all different animals on or near him. Irwin is professionally trained to handle these animals, but from the naked eye, it seems dangerous. Many people were surprised to see Irwin as a model for this brand, and seeing the sweet and innocent boy they once knew in a sort of “bad boy” lens made this campaign the talk of the town. Since then, he has suddenly become the newest heartthrob in the media. 

I think it’s fair to say that so many people are excited to watch Irwin dance and perform his heart out on the dancefloor this season. And who knows, maybe he’ll follow in his sister’s footsteps and win the Len Goodman mirrorball trophy!

Amanda Miano is a member of Her Campus at Pace University. She is currently a senior at Pace, and has been a member of Her Campus since 2022. She is originally from Long Island, New York, and she is majoring in Communications and Media Studies while minoring in Sports Marketing.

When she is not at Her Campus, Amanda is also involved with an organization called Cusp of Clarity, a student-run organization that raises money to donate the Urban Indigenous Collective, an organization that addresses the needs of the Urban Indigenous people.

Amanda enjoys writing about topics such as sports, fashion/makeup, and music. She is interested in all sports, mainly hockey, graphic design, and hopes to work as a social media manager. In her free time, Amanda enjoys thrifting, going to concerts, and watching hockey and baseball. Her favorite music artists are Harry Styles, Noah Kahan, and Taylor Swift. Amanda also loves the New York Rangers hockey team, and sees herself working with them in the future.