The first episode of “Dancing with the Stars” season 33 premiered on September 17th, 2024, followed by episode two on Sept. 24. The show, a favorite among entertainment enthusiasts, drew a massive audience of nearly 4.97 million to watch the competition between Olympic athletes, television stars, supermodels, and more. Although the show debuted in 2005, its popularity has stayed consistent.
“ I asked the students that I had because I wasn’t sure that your generation was still watching ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ and I was really surprised at how many students still actually watch it,” Social Media Marketing teacher Bridget Ciolkosz said.
Choosing Celebrities
“Dancing with the Stars” is known for creating an energetic and exciting competition between America’s beloved celebrities and talented pro dancers. The show features celebrities who agree to be in the public spotlight while learning to dance. Society always has celebrities, so the show has no difficulty finding popular contestants. According to the Columbus Dispatch, Deena Katz, co-executive producer of “Dancing with the Stars”, calls the show “the most bizarre dinner party you’ll put together.” This unexpected dinner party has kept fans engaged for the past 18 years.
“When they announce the next season, people anticipate who those 15 celebrities will be. As long as they continually get to people that are relevant, and the people want on TV, I think it’s always going to succeed. … You get people who are politicians, from celebrity chefs, and as long as you mix up the celebrities to appeal to the wider demographics, you’re going to get more people,” Entertainment and Sports Marketing teacher David Wiliams said.
Personal Connection
During the 2017-2020 men’s Penn State University gymnastics season and the 2024 Summer Olympics performances, American and Penn State fans developed a connection with a pommel horse athlete, Stephen Nedoroscik. At Penn State, Tony Beck was his assistant gymnastics coach while competing on the team. After creating a close relationship with him from his time at Penn State, Beck flew to Los Angeles, California, to watch Nedooscik compete on the show.
“I have really enjoyed watching Stephen come out of his shell and perform in something that is new territory for him. His growth over the past couple of weeks have been impressive and has been the most enjoyable thing for me to watch,” Beck said via email.
Creating Inspiration
The celebrities chosen to participate in the competition inspire fans as the season unfolds. Their dances and behind-the-scenes footage give fans insight into their personalities. Ilona Maher, a woman’s Olympic rugby player for the 2024 Paris Olympics, known for her muscular build, is a constant in the new season of “Dancing with the Stars.” She has been advocating for confidence on the show and her social media.
“She’s kind of changing standards in dancing because she is just as strong as her partner, if not stronger. And instead of being the one who’s being carried around or dipping, she’s flipping her partner instead, which I think is very inspirational,” freshman Addison Black said.
Viewers can be inspired to tackle a brand-new challenge after seeing their favorite celebrity tackle the challenge of dancing.
Social Media Advertising
With 1.9 million followers on Instagram, “Dancing with the Star’s” content across all social media platforms is capturing the attention of many viewers and inspiring many people to start watching the show.
“I think it probably brings in more people because, for example, I’ve seen Stephen’s dances, but not from watching the show. I’ve seen it on Facebook or YouTube, and it pops up as like a video option. So then I go and spend some time looking at other episodes after the weeks have gone on. So I think it’s a good way to get people who can’t commit to the whole time slot,” Ciolkosz said.
Social media becomes part of the season’s journey because dancers and celebrities can connect with their fans to earn more votes. The “Dancing with the Stars” account shares highlights of dances, behind the scenes clips of rehearsals, and can promote upcoming nights.
“People are going to comment on it and not necessarily watch the show. So it’s helping to gain their following from a social media standpoint, and not just a TV show standpoint,” Ciolkosz said.
Interactive Standpoint
TV shows often incorporate an interactive element to keep viewers entertained from the comfort of their homes. For example, “Dancing with the Stars” has the fans vote on their week’s top performance, determining which couples will be eliminated from the competition. The remaining couples are chosen from the combination of fans and judges scoring. Viewers feel a sense of personal connection with the show due to the participation of their votes and involvement of the interaction of the celebrities and pro-dancers trying to earn a fan’s vote. Fans will also feel more inclined to dedicate time to each episode of the show they are involved in.
“It’s competitive that they incorporate the fan voice because usually, the fans vote weekly who they keep and stay. So you get the consumers to buy in greatly. I think it empowers the consumer, so they know that they have a say in who will move on or not. That allows them to have a voice, and anytime anyone’s heard, that will make them feel important, satisfied,” Willams said.
To keep up with the show, tune into ABC network weekly to see new dances and performances. During the show, make sure to cast a vote for the best couple and performance. The entertainment industry heavily relies on popular TV shows like “Dancing with the Stars” to grow the fanbase of the entertainment world. Considering the strategies of success the show uses, the future of “Dancing with the Stars” should be expected to continue to shine.
