For the last 20 years, American Broadcasting Company’s (ABC) “Dancing with the Stars” (DWTS) has dazzled audiences and mastered the art of television marketing. The show casts celebrities from sports, music, and social media, as well as nostalgic favorites. This strategy engages every generation, from Generation Z (Gen Z) to boomers, giving them a reason to tune in. Since its premiere in 2005, “DWTS” has revitalized its success through demographic targeting, nostalgia economics, and digital virality, according to ceotodaymagazine.com.
In recent years, “DWTS” has experimented with format changes and fresh faces to stay relevant, according to The New York Times. Indeed, the cast is what makes the show shine, according to variety.com. In 2022, the show’s median viewer age was 63.5. Over the last three years, however, it has increasingly captivated younger audiences through its use of TikTok, the casting of younger dance professionals, and the virality of standout routines, according to The New York Times.
Ms. Deena Katz, Co-Executive Producer of “DWTS,” oversees casting, balancing celebrity appeal with those whose passion and stories resonate with audiences, according to variety.com. Although each episode runs for two hours on Tuesday nights, the dance performances average about one minute, the same length as a TikTok video. Behind-the-scenes clips and rehearsal footage continue to drive fan engagement online, according to The New York Times. Ms. Katz discussed the factors that play into casting selections each season.
“There’s a very fine line of reaching out so that Gen Z watches it, that we’re in their zeitgeist, but also making sure that we’re still giving what our core audience wants,” Ms. Katz said, according to variety.com. “A lot of shows go one way or another. You want the core audience who has been there forever still [to] get exactly what they want, and yet, modernizing it for everyone else to watch as well.”
In 2022, executives moved the show exclusively to Disney+, but after just one season on the streaming service (Season 31), it returned to ABC. That season also marked the return of longtime showrunner Mr. Conrad Green and the debut of social media star Ms. Charli D’Amelio, then 18. She capitalized on her dance background and massive TikTok following (140 million at the time) to win the coveted Mirrorball Trophy with her professional partner, Mr. Mark Ballas, according to The New York Times.
Season 32 paired Ms. Rylee Arnold, also 18 during her first season and the youngest professional in franchise history, with reality star Mr. Harry Jowsey. By Season 33, “DWTS” continued making buzzworthy casting choices, such as new professional Mr. Ezra Sosa partnering with convicted “fake heiress” Ms. Anna Sorokin, whose brief two-week run went viral, according to The New York Times. Senior Sherika Jiang shared how she thinks “DWTS” has improved with the addition of new professionals.
“I think the show has changed its audiences, especially with the addition of the younger pros Rylee and Ezra,” Sherika said. “The show [used to have] much older viewers, but since Rylee and Ezra joined, they’ve incorporated TikTok and [emphasized] the importance of viewer votes.”
The Season 34 premiere aired Tuesday, September 16, and drew in 5.5 million viewers. This marked a 6 percent increase from last year’s premiere and the most significant total since Season 29 in 2020, according to variety.com. Season 34 is also the third season with co-hosts Ms. Julianne Hough, a former professional dancer on the show, and Mr. Alfonso Ribeiro, who won the Mirrorball Trophy in Season 19 with his partner, Ms. Witney Carson, according to hercampus.com.
Tighter competition in recent years also makes the show less predictable and repetitive, according to hercampus.com. The winner is no longer clear in the early weeks, which encourages fans to vote and keep their favorite stars in the running. Accordingly, audience engagement with the show increased from 8 million votes in the Season 33 premiere to 21 million votes on opening night of Season 34, according to variety.com. Strong performances, casting well-known stars with loyal fan bases, and the strategic use of social media continue to expand the “DWTS” brand, according to newsweek.com. Ms. Jenna Guarneri, founder and Chief Executive Officer of JMG Public Relations, commented on the influence the stars have on the show’s success.
“Celebrities on the show who have a large following are now pushing and promoting the ‘Dancing With the Stars’ brand on their socials, encouraging fans to tune in and watch the program,” Ms. Guarneri said, according to newsweek.com. “By creating this buzz across a number of different social-media celebrity pages and platforms, contestants are helping amplify the ‘Dancing With the Stars’ brand and strategically drive that traffic back to their show, therefore increasing their viewership.”
Featured Image by Brianna Timlin ’26
