RILEY RAINS / ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR

For nearly two decades, “Dancing with the Stars” has captivated American audiences with its unique mix of celebrity glamor and viewer participation. With 33 seasons under its belt, the ABC hit show draws fans from all over the U.S. — especially college students who have grown up alongside it. 

BBC Studios Executive producer Richard Hopkins originally pitched the idea to ABC producers in an attempt to Americanize the British show “Strictly Come Dancing.” After some skepticism, ABC hosted the first “Dancing with the Stars” only having six “stars” and six professionals. 

The premiere was a hit, drawing 13 million viewers in 2005. For most USD sophomores and juniors, that means the show came out the year that they were born. USD sophomore Skylar Grani reflected on how long she has been enjoying the dances. 

“I have been watching with my parents since elementary school, but I didn’t really get into it until the past couple seasons,” Grani shared. 

“Dancing with the Stars” is largely successful because of viewer interaction. Since its launch, ABC made a point to include audience votes as a core part of the scoring process. After the couples perform, the judges distribute points based on technique, artistry and style. Viewers are invited to visit their website and cast their vote, which can be subjectively based on the dancers’ likability and overall improvement. The couple receiving the lowest combined total — of audience votes and judge’s points — is usually eliminated each week. After 11 episodes, the contestants are dwindled down to three remaining couples, until one stands victorious. 

This season hosts a variety of beloved celebrities. After six weeks, the remaining contestants are: “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives”  stars Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt, Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles, social media influencer Alix Earle, TV personality Dylan Efron,  actresses Danielle Fishel and Elaine Hendrix, Petatonix’s Scott Hoying, wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin and comedian Andy Richter. Stars who have already been sent home include retired NBA star Baron Davis, actor Corey Feldman, “Fifth Harmony” singer Lauren Jauregui and yoga instructor and author Hilaria Baldwin.

With 14 total “stars,” many Toreros have taken sides as to who is their personal favorite. 

USD sophomore Christiana Pellegrini explained why she is specifically rooting for Irwin. 

“Most people think it is because he’s hot, but I really like him because I am into wildlife conservation,” Pellegrini shared. “I have been interested in what his family does for a very long time, and I think it is very cool that he is following in his sister, Bindi’s, footsteps.”

Bindi Irwin won the mirrorball in season 21, about 10 years before Robert made his debut. 

Another notable player this season is Andy Richter, who despite lower scores from the judges, has danced his way into week seven with the help of fan voters. USD junior Annalise Bowman shared her thoughts on the reasons behind Richter’s success. 

“I think America keeps voting for him because he is very sweet and you can tell he is genuinely trying,” Bowman explained. “I also think it is nice to see someone with absolutely no  prior experience try something new with a good attitude, even if his dances aren’t perfect every week.” 

Alix Earle dancing with Valentin Chmerkovskiy during Dedication Night. Photo courtesy of @dancingwiththestars/Instagram

To keep viewers entertained, ABC hosts a variety of themed nights, a lineup including “Disney Night,” “Dedication Night,” “Wicked Night” and more. Songs given to contestants align with the theme, and performers are encouraged to take   their   own personal   spin on   the theme.  Grani is   looking   forward to  week  seven.

“I’m very excited for ‘Wicked Night,’” Grani exclaimed. “I’m personally a big fan of Wicked, Broadway and in person, so I’m really excited to see them do some dances to the music of Wicked.” 

During “Dedication Night” where “stars” dedicate their performance   to   honor   someone who has made a significant   impact   in  their lives.

Alix Earle spoke about her family, dedicating her dance to her half-sister, Izabel. Meanwhile, Danielle Fishel shone a spotlight on her former “Boy Meets World” co-star, William Daniels. Viewers also teared up watching Robert Irwin cry during his performance of Phil Collins’ “You’ll Be in My Heart,” honoring his single mother Terri Irwin. Irwin’s dedication especially hit Toreros hard — Pellegrini touched on this experience. 

“I started crying during Robert’s dance, which is kind of embarrassing,” Pellegrini laughed. “I thought it was a good move on his part to dedicate it to his mom rather than his dad. His mom is who raised him and made him and his sister the people that they are.”

Bowman preferred Elaine Hendrix’s dedication.

“Many    times for Dedication Night people do their dances for their parents or significant others,” Bowman said. “It was really cool to see someone celebrate female friendship in such a beautiful way.”

Hendrix honored her long-term friendship  with Lisa Ann   Walter by dancing to “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love).” Along with all of the other contestants  during week six, the emotional performance was enough to punch her ticket into week seven. 

Pulling on audience’s heartstrings is only half of contestants’ scores. The judges also play a major role in deciding who is going home and who will live to dance through the next week.

Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli have been judges since “Dancing with the Stars’” debut, and Derek Hough recently joined the judges in 2020 after his run as a professional dancer on the show. Carrie Ann has received harsh criticism for her brutal judging tactics, often initiating “boos” from the crowd. Pellegrini is skeptical of Carrie Ann’s approach. 

“I think  that Carrie   Ann has a bias,” Pellegrini   argued. “I think there’s something going on behind the scenes, maybe something in her personal life. I just don’t think her judging is fair across the board  — she shows favoritism towards the male contestants that are attractive, and doesn’t like the young successful women.”

Born in Hawaii, Carrie Ann got her start performing locally, then worked her way up as a pop singer in Japan, then finally became a U.S. choreographer. Bowman disagreed with Pellegrini’s critical take. 

“I don’t think Carrie Ann being critical is necessarily a bad thing,” Bowman said. “I don’t think it isn’t great when she isn’t equally critical to all the couples.”

As  the ABC  show continues to send celebrities home, excitement increases among USD students who are eager to discover the winner. Whether Toreros are rooting for Irwin’s emotional tributes or Any Richter’s earnest charm, only time will tell who will become the dazzling supernova of “Dancing with the Stars.”

Andy Richter pictured after his dedication for his daughter Cornelia Richter. Photo courtesy of @richtercommaandy/Instagram