DWTS Introduction
Imagine you have a group project due Wednesday first bell and everything is done except for the part your friend promised she would complete. You call her but no answer. You call her again and again and again. Then you look at the clock, 8:00pm est, and you realize that her part isn’t going to be done until at least 10:00 after dancing with the stars (DWTS) has ended.
For many people, DWTS is more than just a show. For the 2 months it runs, it is a constant game of voting and judging from their couch. This year brought even more fans as the season brought a new round of celebrities. In fact, the last episode received a record breaking 72 millions votes, before crowing Robert Irwin and Whitney Carson the winners at the end of the night. The celebrities and unique show moments are what make this show’s following so large. Specifically, the celebrities that each bring their own spark to the show.
Fan Favorite
If someone wants Robert Irwin to win, they are probably the type of person to stand guard and die for his victory. As a wildlife sensation, he was well known long before he found a passion for dance. He continued his father’s (Steve Irwin) legacy in animal conservation at an Australian zoo. A poll taken of Harrison High School students on the DWTS competition found that most students were pro-Robert. And who could blame them? He just won the entire competition for a reason!
The thing that sets Robert apart from the rest of the competition is his personality. Honestly, it is his whole family’s personality. When he was on television, people adored Steve and visited the zoo simply to meet him. As his family expanded and he married Terri Irwin, their legacy continued to grow. Thus the family has been more than zookeepers for a long time. Steve voiced Trev in Happy feet, Terri wrote a book, Bindi (Robert’s older sister) won the 21st season of DWTS, and now Robert has become the 34th season winner. From every interview Robert’s incredible personality and pure heart shine through.
Robert is a great guy and there is definitely no doubt about
that, but to be fair people might have had other reasons to vote for him because well… he’s hot. After his commercial with Bonds underwear, some people began to see him as more. Senior Samantha Seimer said, “He’s the Labubu to my Dubai chocolate,” which demonstrates that fans of Robert are undoubtedly loyal. Robert’s dance on TikTok night (when he removed his shirt mid-dance) continues to be a fan favorite. Fans saw an edgier side of Robert, and he did as well. Who told Page Six he was disappointed to put his shorts back on?
“TikTok Night”- Robert and Whitney’s opening position
Most Controversial
Now, Dancing With the Stars is not all flowers and rainbows. Sometimes the competition can feel like more of a popularity contest than a dance contest.
For contestant Whitney Levitt that was her downfall, and the main reason she did not make it to the finale. Whitney Levitt was a skilled dancer and consistently ranked at the top of the leaderboard throughout the season. For example, she ended with the top scores during the first few weeks and even scored the first 9 of the season during her Wicked Night Quickstep.
However, despite her impressive dance skills, she was still in the bottom three and ripped apart online for multiple weeks during the season. People went so far as to vote for every other couple except her and Mark so that she would be voted off. Several factors drove this discourse.
First, her partner was Mark Ballas; although he is exceptionally talented, he is clearly favored on the show. It is well known that more experienced dancers are allowed to choose their partners; in the last few years, Mark has selected individuals whom he knows will help him win. Additionally, they usually receive the best songs, and when they make mistakes, they are more overlooked than any other couple.
Secondly, she is portrayed as a villain in Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. She is very open about her reasons for being in places and does not sugarcoat anything. So, when she says things like “I’m just here to audition for Dancing With the Stars,” it can look arrogant and cocky, even if she is neither of those things.
Finally, she has a much stronger dance background than the other contestants, as she majored in Dance at BYU. Now this is a double-edged sword because other contestants have also had dance experience, and that was just fine, like Charlie D’Amelio and Elaine Hendrix. So, this part of her critique does not have the most backing. Most people can recognize that she is a great dancer. Still, her approach to specific situations and her favoritism on the show have definitely made her the most controversial contestant this season.
“Wicked Night” – Whitney and Mat
Judges
For many viewers, the judges are the least appealing part of the show. Samantha agrees; she finds most of the judges obnoxious and disagrees with most of their opinions. When asked, she said, “The girl is the least obnoxiously annoying of them, but I don’t like any of them; they instill within me a rage that consumes my soul”.
Rage that consumes one’s soul is a pretty high level of dislike. By “the girl,” Samantha is addressing Carrie Ann Inaba, a longtime running judge who has been on the show for 30-plus sessions. In an almost backward way, I suppose Carrie Anna is Samantha’s favorite judge.
DANCING WITH THE STARS Week 6 – Judges – Carrie Ann, Derek, and Bruno (in order)
“Bruno is the best because his accent is funny,” said senior Malia Faulkner. She also finds the judges the most annoying part of the show and considers their comments unreasonable and unnecessary. She thinks the show would be much more entertaining and less annoying if the judges just went away. Malia finds it amusing when Carrie Ann falls out of her seat and is hurt, and she finds Bruno at least somewhat tolerable. However, she utterly hates Derek.
The judges are the best she has seen, so they get a 2. If you know, you know. Whenever the judges come on stream, Malia apparently just tunes them out and just waits for the next dance to come on, as everything the judges say is pure rage-bait.
The Final
Now it is no surprise that the winner of season 34 of Dancing With the Stars was the one and only Robert Irwin. Robert Irwin has had America’s heart since the beginning, especially with who his family is, and he brought a lot of energy and joy to the show. He has clearly been the winner before the season even started.
However, the win was not as easy for him as we all thought it would be. He was a good dancer, but he was not the best. Other contestants like Alix Earle, Elaine Hendrix, and Whitney Levitt all have previous dance experience and definitely threatened him for that Mirrorball win.
Going into the finale, Robert was definitely a top three dancer, but there was no guarantee of his win, especially after he had injured his ribs just before the finale.
Alix Earle and Jordan Chiles both came into the finale strong and had fantastic dances that scored multiple perfect scores throughout the night. Jordan’s Freestyle and Alix’s Samba showcased their talent and became fan favorites, putting both dancers in direct competition for Robert.
There were also fans having voting wars, which added more tension to the final votes. However, what really sealed the deal was Robert’s freestyle dedicated to his family and his dad’s legacy, which won him that Mirrorball trophy. His hot and steamy looks, great attitude, wholesome family, and cute accent, all mixed with his determination, were the perfect package deal for the Mirrorball trophy.
