Dancing with the Stars, a competitive reality television show where celebrities are paired with professional dancers to compete in various ballroom dance styles. The celebrities in question are from diverse fields—such as sports, entertainment, and music—trying their shot at some dancing. Originally premiering in the U.S. in 2005, the beloved show returns for its newest and thirty-third season in September 2024. DWTS will continue to air Season 33 simultaneously on ABC and Disney+, with episodes available the next day through Hulu.
The anticipated season features an exciting lineup of notable contestants. Among the contestants are NBA star Dwight Howard, reality TV personality Phaedra Parks, Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik, and The Bachelor star Joey Graziadei. Senior Gizem Gorduren explained, “I really liked previous seasons of the show, but I don’t really know any of the newest cast.” The professional dancers guiding these stars include fan favorites Daniella Karagach and Val Chmerkovskiy, putting their best foot forward (literally) to ensure their partners succeed in the competition.
A familiar trio is officially back behind the judges’ panel for the thirty-third season. Carrie Ann Inaba, a longtime judge on the show; Derek Hough, a former professional dancer on DWTS and a six-time Mirrorball Trophy winner; as well as Bruno Tonioli, a judge famous for his enthusiastic critiques. University high school senior, Leyah Eagar, is “excited to see the stars improve with each episode,” including that she’s “tuning in for the show’s fair share of drama.”
Every week, the couples perform one or more dances. Each performance is scored by the judges, who evaluate technical ability, creativity, and performance quality. The judges’ scores range from one to ten, with a maximum possible score of thirty. In addition to the judges’ scores, the audience can vote for their favorite couples. In the end, audience votes are combined with the judges’ scores to determine the couples’ overall rankings. The couple with the highest combined score wins the competition and is awarded the Mirrorball Trophy, the show’s top prize.
With that, may the best dancer win!