This year, the hit ABC show Dancing with the Stars will reach its 20th anniversary. The show first aired on June 1st, 2005, and has remained a household staple, despite its modifications over the years. The show has upgraded its planning, themes and episode count, now airing 10 plus episodes per season as opposed to the original 6. Regardless of the changes, it continues to produce a great cast list every year.
This season, the celebrity selections released during an interview with Good Morning America have stirred the interest of many watchers. Some notable celebrities to appear on this season include Scott Hoying from Pentatonix, Danielle Fishel from Boy Meets World and Alix Earle, a largely popular social media influencer. The rest of the stars on this season include, Jen Affleck, Hilaria Baldwin, Jordan Chiles, Baron Davis, Dylan Efron, Corey Feldman, Elaine Hendrix, Robert Irwin, Lauren Jauregi, Whitney Leavitt and Andy Richter. Along with all new celebrities, Dancing with the Stars also welcomes a new pro dancer, Jan Ravnik, previously known for dancing alongside Taylor Swift in the Eras tour. Three time Mirrorball winner, Mark Ballas, returns to the show after a two season hiatus. Changes did not happen to the hosts or judges which remain the same as recent seasons. The judge panel consists of Bruno Tonioli, Carrie Ann Inaba and Derek Hough. The head host is Alfonso Ribeiro and co-hosting with him is Julliane Hough. This exciting casting has fans talking about many possibilities, mainly communicating through social media.
The recent uptake of social media has proved to be a large benefit to the popularity of Dancing with the Stars. Moving the majority of the show’s promotions and its new seasons to large social media platforms has allowed for fans to become personally involved, letting them comment or engage in various ways. Dancers and pros also take it upon themselves to post content on their personal social media accounts, posting trends or popular dance videos. Their activity on social media has been a great way to win over voters. Social media is now deeply ingrained into the show and it is now used as a way to vote. In past years voting was only done by the judges, but now is also done by watchers at home. This accessibility has shifted the show from not only a dancing contest but also to a popularity contest.
This new exciting season should be very engaging with the return of judges, hosts and all new celebrities. With the amount of engagement the new season has already received, the show is likely to reach an all time high in popularity. In the end, Dancing with the Stars is not only about who wins, but also what everyone gains at the end. The start of the new season will bring many, both new and previous watchers, back to the ballroom.
