Dancing With The Stars 

     Exploring this evolution of the dance industry cannot be touched without bringing up one of the most popular television shows currently holding a prime time slot. While there have been many dance reality television shows, the show that seems to bring about the most diverse audience is the ABC mega-hit, Dancing With The Stars. I will break down the basic concept of the show incase you’ve been under a rock for the last 13 seasons that have aired since 2005. Celebrities are paired with professional ballroom dancers and each week the couples compete doing different styles such as the Samba and the Cha Cha. Each week a couple is eliminated and the winner gets the famous “mirror ball trophy.” The concept is truly brilliant. Celebrities of many different calibers have appeared on the show, from football players like Emmitt Smith, to Soap Opera stars, to Pussy Cat Dolls like Nicole Sherzinger. By inviting such a diverse group of celebrities each season, the producers have been able to create a large and widespread audience. After all, who wouldn’t want to see their favorite celebrities “attempt to dance.” Some dancers are amazing and some are absolutely terrible, but either way it is entertaining. The fact that DWTS is incredibly entertaining does not take away from the credibility of the show, which is something that is a typical concern when “Hollywood” is involved. The professional dancers are all immensely talented and knowledgeable in their field. Many of them are winners of the most respected ballroom dance competitions in the World. The show also does a great job of educating the audience about the dance process. Before each performance, a clip is shown from the rehearsals. The clip gives a glimpse into the process, and allows everyone to see that practice really does make perfect (or at least practice create large improvements). The pros typically explain in the clips a little bit about the style they are performing, and where the idea for their choreography came from. The judges also are technically trained dancers themselves. That being said, they do a great job in describing what the dances SHOULD look like, and give great critiques. The professionalism and talent that is displayed along with the celebrity factor that draws so much attention has allowed for an amazing show. This hit has also done wonders for the dance industry and for the stars on the show. It has introduced so many Americans to dance. Many people that had no interest in dancing at all are now huge fans of the show. I also think this creates an overall appreciation for the dance industry in general. It has without a doubt helped dance studios, because, for example, seeing a football played become a great dancer encourages so many others to try it too. In many cases, the stars are on the show because they may have fallen off the radar, and this is a perfect PR strategy for them. Not to mention it has turned the professional dancers that are cast members on the show into recognizable, tabloid stars in their own right!

So as a dancer myself, I would like to personally thank DWTS for making dance “cool.”

 <3 Samantha

P.S. I had the privilege of taking a dance class from Alec and Edita, both pros from DWTS! 

(They were great teachers and I was quite "star struck.")

Myself and Alec

Posing with Edita