Tuesday nights just got a lot more exciting for “Dancing With the Stars” fans. Since season 34 premiered on Sept. 16, the famous dancing show has already broken all of its previous records in terms of both voting numbers and viewer counts.
“Dancing with the Stars” is known for its dance partnerships—two-person teams with a professional ballroom dancer and a celebrity with no prior ballroom experience—who face off every week in the hopes of earning a high score from the judges. However, fans also determine the fates of these partnerships, as they control who is eliminated each week by sending in votes via text. Each duo’s goal is to make it to the finale with the goal of winning the Mirrorball Trophy.
It’s a shared experience among “Dancing with the Stars” fans to panic vote their favorite celebrities’ names up to 10 times. After voting closes at 11 p.m. on Tuesday nights, the couple with the lowest combination of fan votes and judges’ scores gets eliminated on the spot.
As the show began its recent season only a few weeks ago, old and new fans of “Dancing with the Stars” alike have been tuning in every week to ensure their favorite couples are safe. This season has been the most popular one yet. On Oct. 28, the Halloween-themed episode hit the biggest record this season with a total of 50 million votes sent in by viewers.
Fans get passionate about their favorite couples, filling the internet with intense reactions on Wednesdays following controversial eliminations. The two dancers who seem to be the most popular—both partnered with separate pros—are influencer Alix Earle and Australian conservationist Robert Irwin. Earle’s large following and incredible dance skills have made her very well-liked from week one, while Irwin has quickly become a fan favorite due to his cheerful personality and exhilarating dance performances.
“I am rooting for both Robert Irwin and Alix Earle,” senior Chase Miller said. “I have been watching every episode so far, and [I] think that Robert is the most naturally talented dancer on the show.” However, she added, “Alix has the best stage presence, and I love watching her dance every week.”
Another fan who is rooting for Alix Earle is senior Ellie Szczerba. “I am obsessed with Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy,” she said. “Their dance for dedication week had the sweetest backstory—I got goosebumps when Alix told the story about her little sister’s impact on her life, and how she fixed her and her father’s relationship once she was born.”
Ellie thinks that their skills will bode well for the remainder of the season. “I can already see the effort they put into their dances every week, and her improvement is amazing, which is exactly the attitude you need to win,” she said.
Although many Latin students are Alix and Robert fans, sophomore Coco Romano has a different favorite partnership. “I am rooting for gymnast Jordan Chiles and pro Ezra Sosa so far,” Coco said. “I love their energy and partnership, and [I] think, with [Chiles’] gymnastics background, [that] she brings so much excitement and personality to her dances.”
In addition to favorite partnerships, there are also many controversial couples who remain in the competition for longer than expected. An example is comedian Andy Richter, who is paired with pro Emma Slater.
“Andy Richter deserves to go home soon, because I think people are voting for him because they like the person, not the dancing, and it is unfair to the other couples,” senior Teagan Moroney said.
However, even Andy has a substantial fan base. “I am rooting for comedian Andy Richter so far,” senior Sam Micheli said. “But Witney Carson, who is paired up with Robert Irwin, is my favorite pro, so I hope they win.”
In fact, Andy’s fan support has kept him in the competition even though he has had the lowest judges’ votes every week. Viewers have expressed mixed emotions about his extended participation as his lack of dance skills means he only remains in the competition due to his fans.
All in all, every season of “Dancing With the Stars” draws increasingly bigger fandoms, driven by social media and the excitement of watching favorite celebrities compete week after week. Fans’ enthusiasm make the show what it is: a production that continues to glue viewers to their TV screens as they anxiously await the rest of the season.
