For two decades now, Dancing with the Stars has been gracing our screens with glitz, glamour, and occasionally some drama. From jaw-dropping lifts to tear-jerking eliminations, the ballroom has become a stage where celebrities shine, but nothing compares to seeing that magic unfold in real time, and I got to witness it firsthand at the DWTS Live Tour.Â
The pros from DWTS were originally supposed to grace the stage at the Altria Theater back in January, but due to the Richmond water outages and a conserve water advisory, it was postponed until further notice. On February 5th, it was announced that the tour would be extending until April 19th and would be coming to Richmond on April 13th. During the 3 month wait, I kept myself occupied by enjoying the iconic TikToks pro dancer, Ezra Sosa, had been making and keeping up with pro dancer, Gleb Savchenko, and his celebrity partner from this past season, Brooks Nader’s whirlwind romance. The wait tested my ability not to lose my tickets, but it gave me something to look forward to between seasons.
Finally, the day of the show had come, and my friend and I made sure we got to the show early. To pass the time, we got in line to check out the merchandise, where we both got some DWTS swag. In the halls, there were posters of the pros, and we were both sad to see Rylee Arnold’s poster, knowing that she wouldn’t be a part of the rest of the tour since she had injured her ankle a couple of weeks ago. Rylee was replaced by Kailyn Rogers, who’s a part of the DWTS troupe, and while Rogers did a fantastic job on stage, it just wasn’t the same without Rylee.Â
As the show was beginning, I had a moment of shock that I was seeing these pro dancers, who were actually real and didn’t just live on my TV.Â
The opening number was incredible, as it brought all the enchantment, while introducing each dancer with the same announcer voice from the show. With fantastic entrances, each being a silhouette of the dancer on a screen before they get pulled onto the stage. My favorite entrance was a toss-up between Pasha Pashkov’s with Daniella Karagach, which highlighted the real-life married couple’s striking chemistry. And Ezra Sosa’s entrance, which showed off his iconic, bold, and playful personality. Pro dancer Emma Slater, Olympic Gymnast and 4th place celebrity from this past season, Stephen Nedoroscik, were great as the hosts with Emma’s charismatic and warm nature, and Stephen bringing sweetness mixed with comedy.
 They had acknowledged that Richmond was originally supposed to be the premiere night of the tour, but despite being postponed a couple of months, they were still going to treat it as such. While it was a running joke throughout the show as to whether Stephen could be considered a pro by now, after seeing him recreate his jive to Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” with Kailyn Rogers, I don’t think anyone can say that he hasn’t improved greatly since his time on the season.Â
The show included movie-themed dances, including Grease, to the song “Hand Jive,” taking me back to Rydell High with the retro vibe, with good, playful use of balloon props. The other movie dance was James Bond themed to the song “The Name’s Bond… James Bond”, with sharp choreography and a sophisticated tone, perfectly channeling 007. Some dances gave the audience some spice with Gleb Savchenko specifically being highlighted for his charisma and sensual dance style, which gets all the girlies and gays swooning.
 Pasha Pashkov and Daniella Karagach performed one singular dance that stood out to me as they performed a spicy salsa to the song “Quimbara” by Celia Cruz and Johnny Pacheco. I personally love these two, as Daniella is such a strong dancer with incredible choreography that you can’t take your eyes away from. And Pasha is so underrated because while he’s a phenomenal dancer, he tends to be paired with weaker celebrities, causing him to get eliminated early on in seasons. When dancing together, they have such a natural chemistry with trust and synchronicity that takes their dances to another level.Â
As someone who enjoys country music, I personally enjoyed the western-themed dances, showing off the dancers in their denim outfits with sparkly boots. During these dances, the pros like to pull people from the audience to join them on stage. This show featured a celebrity guest appearance by DWTS Season 32 champ and Virginia native, Jason Mraz! He was paired to dance with Pasha, his former partner Daniella’s husband. It was clear that he hadn’t lost a step since his time in the ballroom, and his overall appearance added a layer of excitement that made the Richmond stop feel extra special.Â
Once the show was over, inspired by TikTok, my friend and I tried to find where the best spot would be to catch the stars as they left to get back onto the bus, greeting fans as they passed by. First, we saw Alan Bersten taking his dog, Jeff, out for a quick walk. Next, we saw Brandon Armstrong, and lastly and best of all, we saw Pasha with his and Daniella’s adorable daughter Nikkita, who we were hoping would make an appearance all night! We would’ve stuck around longer to see more pros leave, but it was getting late, so we had to go. Seeing all the Dancing with the Stars magic and glamour unfold right here in Richmond made the long wait well worth it. It was truly a night I’ll replay in my head as I anxiously wait for the next season.