By: Jayden Cohen

Local Editor

Dancing With the Stars (DWTS) is back in full swing for its 35th season. DWTS is a reality TV show where professional dancers teach beloved celebrities different types of Latin and ballroom style dances throughout the season. Hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough keep the show engaging every Tuesday night, and alongside them are judges Bruno Tonioli, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Derek Hough.

Each week one couple goes home after that night’s performance. The elimination depends on the judges’ scores and the audience’s votes. Each judge gives the couples a score from one to ten while the audience sends in their votes for their favorite dances and pairings. 

Within the past few years, social media has changed the game for DWTS couples. Pioneered by Rylee Arnold, one of the show’s pro dancers, DWTS has gained popularity on Tiktok, Instagram, and other social media platforms. Arnold joined the show in 2023 with a high social media presence which encouraged other pairings to hop online as well. Fan votes have started to make a huge impact on determining which partnerships are safe and which ones are out. 

With 16 couples competing for the Mirrorball Trophy, the 35th season has been and will continue to be a season to remember. There have been multiple iconic themes each week, including Viral Hits Night, Yacht Rock Night, Mariah Carey Night, Superbowl Night, Dedication Night, and many others coming up. Unfortunately, the show has already had to say goodbye to some of the couples. The celebrities eliminated so far include Sarah Jane Nadar, Connor Leavitt, Giada De Laurentiis, Taylor Hanson, Ciara Miller, and Guillermo Rodriguez. Amber Glen, Connor Wood, Ezra Frech, Harry Shum Jr., Jackson Olsen, Jenna Dewan, Julia Stiles, Maura Higgins, Tatyana Ali, and Tyler Cameron are all still safe and moving on to the next week. These stars are Olympic gold medalists, comedians, accomplished actors, reality TV show stars, and social media personalities.

So far, the top scorers for the judges have been Harry Shum Jr. and Pro Jenna Johnson, Amber Glenn and Pro Pasha Pashkov, and Maura Higgins and Pro Mark Ballas. Some of the most viral dances from this season include Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach’s week two cha-cha to the song Low by Flo Rida, Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson’s week two Paso Doble dancing to Where Have You Been by Rihanna, and Julia Stiles and Pro Ezra Sosa’s week six contemporary dance to Can’t Take My Eyes Off You by Frankie Valli.

Dancing With the Stars has become popular for a reason. With the internet breaking dances and people’s favorite celebrities, DWTS is a fan-favorite show to watch. Do not forget to vote and tune in on ABC every Tuesday night to watch your favorite couples dance it out to win the Mirrorball Trophy. 

(Sources: ABC, Today, The Hollywood Reporter)