Live from Hollywood | Sarah Barnes

Season 34 of Dancing with the Stars has started, and the internet has a lot to say. Professional dancers, referred to as “pros” in the show, are partnered up with celebrities and teach them how to ballroom dance. The partnership between the pros and celebrities is known as a couple. The pro choreographs a dance for their partnership based on a style of dance and song relating to a theme each week. Some of the themes for this season include Disney Night on Oct. 7, Wicked Night on Oct. 21, and Birthday Party Night on Nov. 11. These are just some of the 11 different themed nights this season. Dancing with the Stars’ Wicked Night is airing a month before the new Wicked movie, Wicked: For Good, is released. There are many songs from the original Wicked movie that will be used for dances, as well as some previews of the new songs. Wicked Night isn’t the only exciting theme night; Birthday Party Night is too.

Dancing with the Stars is celebrating 20 years on air with a 20th birthday party. This night is the last regular season episode before the finals, so it’s the perfect time to celebrate this milestone. Every Tuesday night, when the episodes air, three judges who used to be professional dancers judge the routines. The judges are Bruno Tonioli, Derek Hough, and Carrie Ann Inaba. Hough used to be a pro on Dancing with the Stars, and now he is there judging while his sister, Julianne Hough, is hosting with Alfonso Ribeiro. Julianne Hough was also a pro on the show from seasons four through eight in 2007-2009, and her co-host, Ribeiro, was also on the show. Ribeiro won Season 19 with his partner, Witney Carson, in 2014, who is still a pro on the show today. 

Some of this season's partnerships include Robert Irwin and Witney Carson, Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa, Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy, and Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach. Some of the couples this season have already sparked attention from the internet. Emma Slater and her partner Andy Richter, who is famous for his work as Morris, an associate of Walter Hobbs, in Elf, and Mort in Madagascar, along with being a comedian and talk show host. Although Richter isn’t the strongest dancer, he has been getting lots of votes from viewers at home. On TikTok night on Sept. 30, Emma and Andy did a Foxtrot to Northern Attitude by Noah Kahan. This Foxtrot was a slow dance, and it matched the song greatly. Even with an 18/30 score from the judges, the online votes from fans watching at home kept them in the competition. Brandon Armstrong and his celebrity partner, Lauren Jauregui, also got an 18/30 score from the judges on TikTok Night. People online are upset because they think it was very unfair for Emma and Andy to get the same score as Brandon and Lauren. Lauren was both performing and dancing at a higher level than Andy, so this upset the internet. This wasn’t the only event on TikTok Night that was upsetting. Lauren and Brandon getting eliminated because they weren’t getting enough votes to stay in the competition shocked everyone. The pros on the show, including Alan Bersten, were beyond flabbergasted by this elimination. Bersten is seen mouthing the words “WHAT!” and looking extremely upset. This shocked everyone, especially the pros, and they are seen with their jaws open after hearing the news. 

Even with the weekly eliminations, this dance reality television show is keeping viewers on their toes. Every Tuesday night show comes with surprises from Charli D’Amelio, season 31 winner, making a guest appearance, along with the shocking eliminations. Overall, Dancing with the Stars is such an exciting show that you should watch this year.