Dancing With The Stars brought ballroom dance to mainstream American audiences starting in 2005, becoming ABC’s most successful reality competition and launching a ballroom dance renaissance in the US.
Show Format
Premiered: June 1, 2005 on ABC
Based on: UK’s “Strictly Come Dancing”
Format: Celebrities paired with professional dancers, performing ballroom and Latin dances weekly
Dance styles: Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Quickstep, Viennese Waltz, Cha-Cha, Rumba, Samba, Paso Doble, Jive, Contemporary, Jazz
Judges (classic era):
- Len Goodman (head judge, 2005-2022)
- Carrie Ann Inaba (2005-present)
- Bruno Tonioli (2005-present)
- Derek Hough (2020-present)
Cultural Phenomenon
Peak years: 2007-2012
Highest rated season: Season 5 (2007) with Helio Castroneves winning
Average viewers (peak): 20+ million per episode
Notable winners & moments:
- Apolo Ohno (Season 4, 2007): Olympic speed skater
- Kristi Yamaguchi (Season 6, 2008): Olympic figure skater
- Emmitt Smith (Season 3, 2006): NFL legend, first winner to prove athletes could dance
- Kelly Monaco (Season 1, 2005): First ever winner
- Jennifer Grey (Season 11, 2010): “Dirty Dancing” star coming full circle
Pro Dancer Stars
The show elevated professional dancers to celebrity status:
- Derek Hough: 6-time champion, Emmy winner, transitioned to judge
- Julianne Hough: 2-time champion, launched acting/music career
- Mark Ballas: 2-time champion
- Maksim Chmerkovskiy: Fan favorite, never won but became household name
- Val Chmerkovskiy: 2-time champion
- Cheryl Burke: 2-time champion (first two seasons)
These pros became influencers, launched dance studios, and appeared in movies/TV shows.
Impact on Ballroom Dance
DWTS single-handedly revived American interest in ballroom dancing:
- Dance studios reported 300-400% increase in adult ballroom class enrollment (2006-2010)
- Competition circuit grew exponentially
- Dancesport gained legitimacy in US athletic culture
- Wedding receptions began featuring choreographed first dances
The show made ballroom “cool” for the first time since the swing revival of the 1990s.
Controversy & Drama
- Season 11 (2010): Bristol Palin’s controversial finals appearance despite low scores (vote rigging accusations)
- Season 13 (2011): Chaz Bono as first transgender contestant (conservative backlash)
- Scoring disputes: Frequent accusations of judge favoritism
- Athlete advantage: Debate over whether athletes’ physical conditioning gives unfair edge
Decline & Transition
2016-2020: Ratings declined as reality TV landscape shifted
2020: Move to Disney+ changed distribution model
COVID impact: Adjusted format, smaller cast
2022: Len Goodman’s final season
Despite lower ratings than peak years, the show maintained dedicated fanbase and continued launching dance careers.
Legacy
- Made ballroom dance accessible to mainstream America
- Launched careers for professional dancers beyond competition circuit
- Created $200M+ industry around dance studios, merchandise, live tours
- Proved reality competition format could sustain 30+ seasons
- Influenced shows like The Masked Dancer, World of Dance
The “Dancing With The Stars Live Tour” continues annually, showing the show’s lasting cultural footprint.
Sources:
ABC - Dancing With The Stars Archive
Nielsen Ratings - DWTS Viewership
The Hollywood Reporter - DWTS Impact