Lights, Camera, Dance!
The TV show Dancing with the Stars is celebrating its 20th anniversary and 34th season with new stars and special guests. Featuring this season are returning host Alfonso Ribeiro and co-host Julianne Hough, along with judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough.
First premiering on June 1, 2005, Dancing with the Stars has reached an exciting milestone. The show is celebrating this milestone with new celebrities such as The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt, author and wellness influencer Hilaria Baldwin, Olympic gold medalist Jordan Chiles, NBA All-Star Baron Davis, social media personality Alix Earle, social media and reality TV star Dylan Efron, actor and musician Corey Feldman, Boy Meets World star Danielle Fishel, film and TV actress Elaine Hendrix, Grammy winner Scott Hoying from Pentatonix, wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin, Lauren Jauregui from Fifth Harmony, and comedian Andy Richter.
Fans of the show will also see returning professional dancers from past seasons such as Jan Ravnik, Gleb Savchenko, Ezra Sosa, Val Chmerkovskiy, Daniella Karagach, Jenna Johnson, Pasha Pashkov, Alan Bersten, Rylee Arnold, Witney Carson, Brandon Armstrong, Mark Ballas, and Emma Slater.
Old, new, and interested fans can watch live on ABC, Disney+, or Hulu at 8 p.m. EST every Tuesday. Fans can also watch behind the scenes content on the official Dancing With the Stars TikTok, Youtube, and Instagram pages, along with a behind the scenes podcast hosted by Joey Grazidei. On the official Dancing with the Stars Youtube page, it explains Grazidei “Will bring exclusive cast interviews, behind the scenes insights and MORE each week!”
This season includes old and new theme nights. According to ABC Entertainment and the official Dancing with the Stars podcast Episode 1, the themes are: One-hit wonders night, TikTok night, Disney night, Dedication night, Wicked night, Halloween night, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame night, 20th Birthday Party night, Prince night, and then the season finale.
Three weeks into the season, there is already so much to talk about. The screen comes alive with memorable dances and dancers, like Irwins’ first dance to “Born to be Wild”, which makes him an interesting contestant to keep an eye on this season. Irwin is just one of many examples this season of what to look forward to. After watching the first four episodes, I am excited to watch the rest.The early episodes are full of an exciting energy that sets the mood for the rest of the season. I love the thought and emotion put into the dances, and I am so invested. With the show ending on Nov. 25, watchers have plenty of time to join the dance train that is Season 34 of Dancing with the Stars.
