Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars
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Dancing with the Stars

"Dance like everyone's watching."

6.2
Yr 2005
Status Returning Series
Reality Family
Your Verdict
Unrated

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Series Brief

Overview

The competition sees celebrities perform choreographed dance routines which are judged by a panel of renowned ballroom experts and voted on by viewers. Enjoy sizzling salsas, sambas and spray-tans as they vie for the coveted Mirrorball Trophy.

Status

Latest

  • Val Chmerkovskiy pulled from Dancing with the Stars — October 17, 2026 (variety.com, deadline.com, avclub.com)
  • Kamri Peterson joins Season 35 dance troupe — August 2, 2026
  • ABC sets fall premiere date for Dancing with the Stars — July 27, 2026
Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 71 /100

Since its debut, Dancing with the Stars has been received as an improbable yet enduringly charming fixture of reality television. While early critics occasionally balked at its roster of marginal celebrities and hit-or-miss dance quality, the show quickly proved to be a lighthearted and thoroughly entertaining spectacle that defied skeptical expectations.

Reviews frequently highlight the competition's wholesome, family-friendly appeal and the genuine progression of its contestants. Critics and audiences alike appreciate the arc of watching untrained celebrities put in hard work and dramatically improve over the course of the season, cementing the series as a rare broadcast staple that has maintained a shared live-viewing experience across decades.

“an improbable, goofy delight, more fun to watch than the bombastic American Idol”

“this reality competition is a fun choice for families and has good messages for fans of any age about the rewarding process of taking on new challenges”

“While some stars dance about as well as the average garden vegetable, by the time the contest advances, the dancing is really quite good.”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Hulu
US
Disney Plus
US
Citytvplus Amazon Channel
CA
Why fans love it

Since debuting in 2005, this reality competition has anchored its format in the spectacle of pairing professional dancers with high-profile celebrities. The thrill stems from watching an amateur tackle complex choreography while trying to maintain composure under the gaze of a veteran panel of ballroom experts. It is a show built on the visible tension between intense technical training and the inevitable chaos of live performance.

With regular staples like Bruno Tonioli bringing theatrical scrutiny to the ballroom floor, the production balances strict critique with the absurdity of competition. Success relies on finding a rhythm that appeals to both the judges and the voting public. It remains a consistent staple of the family television landscape for those interested in the transformation of its participants over the course of the season.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 4
Longest run 523 eps
Tyra Banks
Tyra Banks
as Self - Host
33 episodes
Carrie Ann Inaba
Carrie Ann Inaba
as Self - Judge
523 episodes
Bruno Tonioli
Bruno Tonioli
as Self - Judge
523 episodes
Len Goodman
Len Goodman
as Self - Judge
453 episodes
Tom Bergeron
Tom Bergeron
as Self - Judge
446 episodes
Erin Andrews
Erin Andrews
as Self - Contestant
148 episodes
Brooke Burke
Brooke Burke
as Self - Host
169 episodes
Samantha Harris
Samantha Harris
as Self - Audience Member
161 episodes
Show 67 more
Alfonso Ribeiro as Self - Trio Partner 73 episodes Julianne Hough as Self - Guest Judge 194 episodes Mario López as Self - Contestant 20 episodes Laila Ali as Self - Contestant 20 episodes Marie Osmond as Self - Contestant 20 episodes Drew Lachey as Self - Guest Judge 30 episodes Jason Taylor as Self - Contestant 19 episodes Emmitt Smith as Self - Guest Judge 38 episodes Lance Bass as Self - Contestant 21 episodes Warren Sapp as Self - Contestant 21 episodes Hélio Castroneves as Self - Contestant 27 episodes Mel B as Self - Contestant 21 episodes Gilles Marini as Self - Contestant 37 episodes Mya as Self - Contestant 20 episodes Kelly Monaco as Self - Contestant 28 episodes Kelly Osbourne as Self - Contestant 21 episodes Bristol Palin as Self - Contestant 28 episodes Kyle Massey as Self - Contestant 20 episodes Jennifer Grey as Self - Contestant 20 episodes Chelsea Kane as Self - Contestant 20 episodes Kirstie Alley as Self - Contestant 35 episodes Hines Ward as Self - Contestant 20 episodes Ricki Lake as Self - Contestant 20 episodes Rob Kardashian as Self - Contestant 20 episodes J.R. Martinez as Self - Contestant 20 episodes Kristi Yamaguchi as Self - Trio Partner 21 episodes Apolo Ohno as Self - Dancer 39 episodes Sabrina Bryan as Self - Audience Member 25 episodes Zendaya as Self - Judge 20 episodes Donny Osmond as Self - Guest Judge 22 episodes Shawn Johnson as Self - Audience Member 41 episodes Joey Fatone as Self - Contestant 27 episodes Ezra Sosa as Self - Dancer 27 episodes Derek Hough as Self - Judge 175 episodes Ashly DelGrosso as Self - Dancer 21 episodes Alec Mazo as Self - Partner: Toni Braxton 36 episodes Britt Stewart as Self - Partner: Eric Roberts 34 episodes Pasha Pashkov as Self - Partner: Danielle Fishel 25 episodes Brandon Armstrong as Self - Partner: Kenya Moore 36 episodes Sharna Burgess as Self - Partner: Jesse Metcalfe 33 episodes Louis Van Amstel as Self - Partner: Kelly Osbourne 70 episodes Peta Murgatroyd as Self - Partner: Nick Viall 26 episodes Keo Motsepe as Self - Partner: Charo 21 episodes Daniella Karagach as Self - Ensemble 38 episodes Alan Bersten as Self - Partner: Mirai Nagasu 45 episodes Kym Johnson as Self - Partner: Jerry Springer 108 episodes Gleb Savchenko as Self - Partner: Erika Jayne 38 episodes Lindsay Arnold as Self - Dancer 23 episodes Val Chmerkovskiy as Self - Partner: Xochitl Gomez 66 episodes Witney Carson as Self - Partner: The Miz 61 episodes Emma Slater as Self - Partner: Reginald VelJohnson 49 episodes Sasha Farber as Self - Partner: Justina Machado 34 episodes Artem Chigvintsev as Self - Partner: Jamie Anderson 27 episodes Karina Smirnoff as Self - Partner: Floyd Mayweather Jr. 107 episodes Jenna Johnson as Self - Guest 31 episodes Chelsie Hightower as Self - Dancer 37 episodes Maksim Chmerkovskiy as Self - Partner: Amber Rose 94 episodes Edyta Śliwińska as Self - Partner: Cody Linley 107 episodes Rylee Arnold as Self - Partner: Harry Jowsey 23 episodes Mark Ballas as Self - Dancer 120 episodes Anna Trebunskaya as Self - Partner: Steve Guttenberg 43 episodes Melissa Rycroft as Self - Contestant 22 episodes Lacey Schwimmer as Self - Dancer 47 episodes Cheryl Burke as Self - Partner: Wayne Newton 148 episodes Driton 'Tony' Dovolani as Self - Partner: Sara Evans 123 episodes Jonathan Roberts as Self - Dancer 51 episodes Dmitry Chaplin as Self - Partner: Holly Madison 28 episodes
Production Board

Crew

Camera Operator
Daryl Studebaker Matthew Gay Andrew Gerety Kary D'Alessandro
Makeup Artist
Alison Gladieux April M. Chaney Tyson Fountaine Lois Kawasaki-Harriman
Production Design
Florian Wieder James Yarnell
Thanks
Prince Whitney Houston
Hairstylist
Joe Matke Ryan Randall
Assistant Camera
Kerry Clemens
Director of Photography
Chris Furukawa-Burgon
Costume Supervisor
Howard Sussman
Makeup Department Head
Zena Green
Costumer
Sophia Phonsavahn Serra Geris
Set Decoration
John Sparano
Key Costumer
Eric J. Van Wagoner
Assistant Costume Designer
Candice Rainwater Juliette Kendall Polina Roytman
Costume Designer
Daniela Gschwendtner
Art Direction
Steve Morden Natasha Hatch
Set Costumer
Bianca Harrison Nicole D. Jones
Signal Match

Similarity

Where Dancing with the Stars overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

competition celebrity dance competition admiring
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
June 01, 2005
Status
Returning Series
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
143