If you’re not tuning in to Dancing with the Stars every Tuesday night, what are you doing? The childhood favorite of mine has finally made a well-deserved comeback, and everyone is talking about it. Fans can’t get enough of the show’s mix of familial connections, competitive drama and, of course, captivating dances.
Fresh Faces
Over the past three seasons, Dancing with the Stars has integrated professional dancers that have quickly refreshed the show and brought a new youthful audience. By adding a pro to the group every season, the show gives fans a fresh face to root for. Bringing the unique choreography of Rylee Arnold, Ezra Sosa and Jan Ravnik to the ballroom has been a game changer for fans tuning in.
Rylee being the younger sister of former Dancing with the Stars Season 25 Winner, Lindsay Arnold, had fans immediately rally to support her once joining. Her addition to the cast also allowed for the Arnold sisters to keep their legacy alive within the competition. She wasted no time on becoming a household name after being the first DWTS pro to have a dance of their own go viral on TikTok. Her reputation of a young fun girl ignited fan support that pushed her all the way to the quarterfinals during her first season!
Ezra Sosa, a former member of the show’s troupe since season 30, was promoted to be a professional dancer in season 33. This same season his sister was hired as a cast member for the troupe – adding to the abundance of family ties on the show. Ezra’s first season as a professional was also memorable – even if only lasting two weeks – since his partner Anna Delvey’s post-elimination interview concluded her season by stating she had learned “nothing”. Using his sarcastic personality and social media platforms, Ezra then created numerous viral TikTok’s joking about the interview, even going as far as getting the word “nothing” tattooed on his back. His quick wit has made him a professional that fans are rooting for.
Jan Ravnik, the most recent addition to the team, has a preexisting following of his own thanks to his prior work with the present-day icon, Taylor Swift. As one of the former Era’s Tour backup dancers, he has had many eyes on him in recent years. However, joining Dancing with the Stars was one of the first times audiences got to see him in his own spotlight. The Swifite fandom followed Jan to DWTS, sure, but now he has fans tuning in for him, not just for Taylor.
Faster content
Another thing Dancing with the Stars has switched up in the recent seasons has been the outpour of social media content. Inspired by the success of Rylee Arnold and Harry Jowsey’s content creating a fandom during Season 32, many of the millennial pros saw the potential social media could bring to their own partnership.
Many of the stars keep up with content daily, which has allowed for fans to follow along on their journeys after seeing the highs and lows of the process. This has been especially helpful since recap packages on the show have continued to get smaller as the seasons continue, making it harder for viewers to connect with stars. Recently, Alix Earle posted a TikTok of her learning how to tango in the hopes of showing the audience her vulnerability and frustration that came with learning a new dance each week while also applauding her partner Val Chmerkovskiy for his patience. Other competitors Mark Ballas and Whitney Leavitt post lip sync videos that illustrate their vibrant personalities and strong bond. With the cast on social media feeds all the time, the viewers get constant reminders to tune in.
The professionals that get eliminated from the show have even made a joke out of the situation, as they now view themselves as the “Eliminated Pros Club”. As each pro gets eliminated, they continue making content about other eliminated pros as a series. The video series, originally started by Ezra Sosa, helps to keep the professionals relevant even after elimination. Dancing with the Stars has also expanded their social platforms by creating a post-show recap podcast hosted by season 33 winner, Joey Graziadei. Each episode features an interview of him with past contestants, winners, choreographers and hosts.
Front runners
Season 34 is especially special because of the influx of talent on the show this season! With Mark Ballas returning to the ballroom, eyes have been peeled with excitement to see what electric performances he is going to create. Being a three-time winner, expectations are set high for Mark.
Another interesting aspect of this season is its successful casting of stars. Producers were able to cast Danielle Fishel and Elaine Hendrix, two actors found memorable for their significant popularity in late 90s classics. Athletes including Jordan Chiles and Baron Davis have brought in a competitive edge with a dedicated audience. There are so many more huge names on the casting list, so anyone can have a reason to root for this season. In previous years, there have been select stars that seem more relevant than others, making the outcome of the show more obvious as the weeks carry on. This season, all stars have loyal and active fanbases supporting them, helping no one person to be too prominent of a front runner from the start. With an array of audiences from actors to influencers to athletes, the diverse casting brings in many different types of fans all looking to cheer through their screen.
As the weeks have carried on, the top of the leaderboard continues to fluctuate, leaving no one certain of the final outcome. Since season 34 is such a competitive season, viewers never know what is going to happen next!
So, if you’re not already tuning in every Tuesday night, consider this your sign to start. With so many bright new smiles on the dance floor, content to keep you doomscrolling for hours and the most unpredictable leaderboard we’ve seen in years, Dancing with the Stars is having a moment again. Grab your phone and start voting because this season is one you do not want to miss!