Every Tuesday night for the past 10 years, I have tuned in to “Dancing with the Stars.”Each year, celebrities partner up with professional dancers to learn ballroom routines, and later perform for a group of judges. Every week, I eagerly wait for 8:00 p.m., so I can watch all of my favorite dancers and celebrities fight it out for the mirrorball.
However, in the past few years, something has changed. Instead of “Dancing with the Stars” being my show, it is now millions of others’ top pick on TikTok and Instagram. As social media has continued to change the course of television with rapid advancements, I have watched the show drastically change, too.
Because of the media, the show has been more popular than ever, which in my opinion, has brought light to the artistry behind dance, and the true difficulty of putting together a performance. As a competitive dancer myself, I have watched dance continue to be unrecognized in the media. Now, talking to my friends, it is clear that “Dancing with the Stars” has highlighted the talent it takes to not only choreograph a dance, but teach it to someone inexperienced, and oftentimes uncoordinated.
However, I have recently noticed that the media has also been responsible for a variety of issues both on and off the screen.
In seasons several years ago, the decision of who would go home each week was up to the judges. Judges like Derek Hough and Len Goodman would exile someone based on the technique, performance and execution of a celebrity’s routine. I always appreciated how technical the competition actually was. Now, it feels like the fairness of the show has been taken away.
Currently, who goes home is only partially based on the actual dancing itself. The person with the lowest amount of votes each week goes home, and because of the show’s viral spike on TikTok, more people are voting for their favorite celebrities than ever, which takes away from the show’s true purpose. On Sept. 16, the premiere episode received 34 million votes.
It is frustrating to watch the show go from a dance competition, to a popularity contest. Having participated in multiple dance competitions every year, each judge has to go through multiple levels of testing to make sure there are no biases towards each team. This ensures that the competition is strictly based on dancing, and nothing else. On “Dancing with the Stars”, many fans are voting based on their prejudices towards the celebrities, which takes away from the whole purpose of the show.
To add on, every Wednesday morning, I open my TikTok to a whole world of hatred surrounding last night’s performances. Everything from the choreography, costumes and even the appearance of the pros and celebrities is criticized in what seems like an instant. The amount of criticism surrounding all aspects of the show has dramatically increased due to the increase of views.
No matter how many viral videos circle the media, “Dancing with the Stars” will always be my show. Many viewers have made the show one where millions are exposed to the true artistry of dance; however, many have also turned the show into a game of popularity. Although social media has brought the show into a new era, I will still continue to watch for the same reasons: the beauty, hard work, and dedication shown on the ballroom floor each week.
