by Blair Seigle
A Dancing with the Stars pyramid created by college roommates in Athens, GA.
Twenty years after its premiere, Dancing with the Stars has redefined the public relations game by attracting an entirely new generation of viewers. After almost fading into the background of reality television, the beloved celebrity dance competition has made an amazing comeback – completely revamping typical Tuesday nights for millions of fans.
Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) is a competition series in which celebrity contestants are paired with professional ballroom dancers to perform weekly routines for judges’ points and audience votes. Over the years, though, the growing preference of streaming platforms compared to traditional cable television, the rising popularity of so many other reality TV shows, and the predictable nature of DWTS led to a decrease in viewership.
Recently, however, through their social media presence, strategic casting, and unpredictability, Dancing with the Stars has made an incredible resurgence.
DWTS as a Social Media Powerhouse
One of the most notable reasons for the repopularization of the show is its TikTok presence. Throughout the past few seasons, the professional dancers of the DWTS cast have become TikTok sensations. Now, in addition to training for each dance, they are also producing social media content for their fans, which has gotten even more people talking about the show. Even the eliminated pros are continuing to stay relevant through their social media platforms. Dancing with the Stars’ newest ballroom pro, Jan Ravnik, who previously danced for Taylor Swift on her Eras Tour, has recently been doing Q&A TikTok Live videos, where he simply responds to questions from thousands of fans with incredibly out of pocket and funny answers. Clips of these Q&As have been turned into TikTok compilations by fans who are obsessed with his witty personality. However, Jan isn’t the only one posting content. Fans of the show have started making and posting “pyramids” modeled after the iconic reality show Dance Moms in which Abby Lee Miller ranks her students’ performances each week. These “pyramids” are often displayed on the walls of apartments and houses in college towns, where friends gather weekly to watch the show and update their rankings.
Giving the Fans What They Want
In order to attract a larger audience, Dancing with the Stars has brought in a fresh variety of celebrities, giving everyone someone, if not multiple contestants, to cheer for. Whether it’s the nostalgia and regained popularity associated with actresses like Danielle Fischel, who played Topanga in Disney’s 1990s sitcom Boy Meets World, and Elaine Hendrix, known for her role as Meredith Blake in The Parent Trap, or by bringing in contestants like Robert Irwin and Alix Earle to attract Gen Z viewers with their popularity and good looks, Dancing With the Stars has hooked the attention of many people.
Weekly Upsets
The phrase “All publicity is good publicity” is really shining through this season. Unlike ever before, viewers, other cast members and even the judges have been spotted being utterly shocked when certain contestants have been eliminated. While this is disappointing for many, it draws people in as many viewers are confused by the discrepancies between the leaderboard and the final results of each episode. Additionally, as other celebrities make it through more rounds, they build a larger fan base, or in some cases, even gain haters who root for their elimination. Regardless, this publicity gets more people talking about the competition.
The People Behind the Show
It is clear the Dancing with the Stars PR team knows what’s up. DWTS consistently keeps people on their toes, creating more commotion surrounding the show. What they are doing is working, and through these tactics, Dancing with the Stars has put themselves back on the map!
