‘Dancing With the Stars’ Casting Process

Have you ever fantasized about performing a flawless rumba in your favorite celebrity’s arms? Or teach them to tango and perform before a panel of judges? Then it’s likely that you’ve fantasized about being a part of the “Dancing With the Stars” cast.

In addition to providing a fantastic chance to sway along with a well-known person on the dance floor, ABC’s reality competition series is an excellent platform for gifted individuals with aspirations. Many of the dancers and choreographers on the show start out as members of the troupe, entertaining crowds with group routines and filling in for other professionals in case one of them becomes sick.

However, these sideliners frequently advance to become series regulars as well. Consider Britt Stewart, a fan favorite. She became the first Black female pro in the history of the show when she joined the “Dancing With the Stars” ensemble on Season 23 and went on to become a pro on Season 29.

We’ll share what we know about the casting and audition procedures for the popular reality show in this guide. Additionally, we’ve compiled tales and advice from the cast to help you elevate your dancing skills to a level fit for the big screen.

What’s the story behind “Dancing With the Stars”?

The 2004 British competition series “Strictly Come Dancing,” which was produced by Richard Hopkins, Fenia Vardanis, and Karen Smith, served as the inspiration for “Dancing With the Stars.” Season 33 of the U.S. version, which aired on September 17, is now airing. It debuted in 2005.

Professional dancers collaborate with a wide range of celebrities on the show, including actors, comedians, singers, and athletes. Every week, the couples perform dramatic, sultry choreography in an effort to win over judges’ scores and spectators’ votes at home. Then, each week, at least one pair is removed based on the lowest total of both votes and points.

The team that receives the most votes and points at the end of the season is crowned the winner and is awarded the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. Since 2005, Goodman has presided over “Dancing With the Stars” as the chief judge.

After Season 31 concluded in 2022, he retired, and he died in April of 2023. Just before Season 32 debuted, the show revealed that the Mirrorball Trophy will now be named in his honor.

Despite Season 31’s transfer to Disney+, “Dancing With the Stars” made a comeback to ABC in 2023. Every episode airs nationally and is available for live streaming on ABC and Disney+.

Who makes up the “Dancing with the Stars” cast?

Over the course of its existence, “Dancing With the Stars” has featured a range of hosts, including Tyra Banks, Alfonso Ribeiro, and Erin Andrews in addition to Tom Bergeron. As Ribeiro’s new co-host for Season 32, Julianne Hough made a welcome return to the ballroom.

Hough is remembered by viewers of the show as one of the youngest professional dancers to ever join the cast. She went on to win the Mirrorball Trophy twice, and returned to the show many times as a guest judge and a permanent judge.

Season 33 saw the return of Hough and Ribeiro, who had won Season 19 with dance partner Witney Carson. Here’s a summary of the season’s hosts, judges, dancers, and celebrities.

Season 33’s judges and hosts are:

• Co-host Alfonso Ribeiro

• Co-host Julianne Hough

• Judge Carrie Ann Inaba

• Judge Derek Hough

• Judge Bruno Tonioli

The professional dancers for Season 33 are:

• Armstrong Brandon

• Arnold Rylee

• Bersten Alan

• Carson Witney

• Val Chmerkovskiy

• Farber Sasha

• Jennifer Johnson

• Daniella Karagach

• Pasha Pashkov

• Gleb Savchenko

• Emma Slater

• Zra Sosa

• Stewart, Britt

The stars of Season 33 are:

• Amendola Danny

• Delvey, Anna

• Joey Graziadei

• Howard Dwight

• Chandler-Kinney

• Maher, Ilona

• Nader, Brooks

• Nedoroscik, Stephen

• Parks, Phaedra

• Robert Eric

• Tori Spelling

• Jennifer Tran

• Reginald VelJohnson

Who is the casting director for “Dancing With the Stars”?

The main casting director of “Dancing With the Stars” is Deena Katz. She has had many parts in the popular series during her lengthy time with the show. Katz served as the show’s producer from 2006 to 2011.

She also held the positions of co-executive producer from 2011 to 2019 and senior talent producer from 2008 to 2013. Among his previous credits are “Celebrity Big Brother,” “Real Time With Bill Maher,” “Dancing With the Stars: Juniors,” and “The Masked Singer.”

The purpose of the show, as Katz explained to Slate, was to close a gap in the market for reality television. “Dancing With the Stars” was marketed as laid-back and approachable, in contrast to the gossipy, knives-out celebrity program format that was popular at the start of the twenty-first century (see “The Surreal Life”). Katz observed, “[People on the show] are never fighting with each other.” “They are merely upset that they aren’t picking up their quickstep.”

Katz’s task is to match a professional dancer and a celebrity each season as their competing partner. She told Heavy that while “basic ideas of height to make sure that everybody has the best chance” are part of the process, “it’s more about the personality.” Athletes sometimes require different coaching than actors or other professionals. Because I want every partnership to succeed, I meet each and every one of them.

She compared the outcome to “the best dinner party.” Finding “the best partnerships possible” that the public “will fall in love [with] when [they] watch their journey” is ultimately what matters.

How are dancers cast for “Dancing With the Stars”?

For “Dancing With the Stars,” there are no on-screen auditions, in contrast to many other talent-based competition series. Before each season premieres, the show reveals the celebrities that will be guest stars along with their dancing partners.

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Every dancer chosen for the performance has received a great deal of instruction and training. Most have competed in national and international dance competitions since they were very young, and they have typically appeared on television before.

A majority of the series’ dancers originally appear on other dance-related competition shows, including “So You Think You Can Dance” and “America’s Got Talent.” Season to season, a large portion of the roster of professional dancers and choreographers changes, while many dancers stay with the program for a lengthy period of time.

The show occasionally hosts open auditions even though the casting department hires people directly. Meeting with the producers and filming a performance are both parts of the procedure. Prior experience is crucial, but prospects just need to meet the following minimal requirements to be eligible:

• Participants must be at least eighteen years old.

• You need to have a valid work permit in the United States or be an American citizen.

• For the auditions, your own travel fees are required.

• The producers should allow you to get a legal background check.

Present judge Derek Hough began his career as a professional dancer, setting a record six times in the process. Hough said, “I’m dynamic, charismatic, and I can bring many different styles and influences onto the dance floor,” on his 2006 audition tape.

I adore providing entertainment. I enjoy providing entertainment for others. Hough gave a dynamic interview and showed off an amazing spin on his tape. He added a ton of experience as well. He won the 2002 World Latin Championship of the World DanceSport Federation before he ever went on audition.

In addition to finding celebrity competitive dance partners, “Dancing With the Stars” also scouts for talent for other parts. A group of dancers from the show are hired to do solo routines that are shown during the show. Troupe members are frequently chosen by the casting department for the main competition as well.

For Season 33, Ezra Sosa made the switch from troupe member to professional dancer, and he was paired with Anna Delvey, a former false socialite. Every year, the brand hosts a live revue that travels the nation and includes a mix of professional and troupe dancers along with the biggest celebrity visitors of the season.

“Dancing with the Stars” is filmed where?

Every season of “Dancing With the Stars” is filmed at Television City, a Los Angeles studio. TV history includes Television City itself. The studio was first used by CBS in 1952, and since then, it has been the site of various well-known shows, such as “The Ed Sullivan Show,” “Wheel of Fortune,” and multiple soap operas.

Where can one locate casting calls for “Dancing with the Stars”?

There aren’t any open casting calls or auditions for new dancers as Season 33 has already aired.

Advice for “Dancing with the Stars” auditions and other dance competitions

“When you’re forming a partnership through dance, you have to build trust,” wrote former pro Cheryl Burke for Dance Magazine. “I’ve turned into my partners’ rock with so many of them. Even though they are extremely familiar with the stages, they may still feel uneasy, and we need to identify the true cause of their feelings.

Dance Dish With KB was informed by Alexis Warr, a dancer from the “Derek Hough Live!” tour who eventually joined the “Dancing With the Stars” ensemble and live tour, that her audition “mindset was to show [Hough] who I was as a dancer and as a human.” She also claims that she “felt great” after leaving the audition. I also reassured myself that things will work out as they are intended to. She got the gig.

Additionally, Warr was the first ballroom dancer who was ever a winner on “So You Think You Can Dance.” She gave her and the other tour artists Hough’s advice: “Derek spoke with us briefly about it because there is a lot of criticism and judgment in this field.

The dancing industry may put a lot of pressure on us at times. I ask myself occasionally, “Am I enough?” Are I acting appropriately? And what these dances and what Derek is saying—you are enough and you always have been and you always will be.”

A professional dancer needs to possess a great deal of talent, skill, and dedication. In actuality, the trip may be taxing. Brittany Cherry advises dancers to keep going rather than burn out because of this.

The capacity to check in with oneself as frequently as possible on a physical and mental level is, in her words, the hardest thing about being a dancer, especially after “going to eight-hour auditions just to hear another ‘Not this time,'” she told VoyageLA. Eventually, Cherry was able to secure a position with the dance team from “Dancing With the Stars.”

Even if something is uncertain, Erika Shannon, a movement coach and the auditions expert, advises dancers to be as prepared as they can be. “There is no reason why your body can’t be warmed up, your mind can’t be centered if you’re going to a dance call,” the woman notes, even if you don’t know what the choreography will be.

Thus, make sure to put your phone away, warm up, stretch, and prepare yourself before the audition. Don’t forget to eat, either! You won’t be able to remember the choreography or direction if you walk into an audition without eating.

Ultimately, the only path to becoming a cast member of “Dancing With the Stars” is to always be ready for your moment, whenever it may come. DancePlug was told by Evan DeBenedetto, a contestant on “So You Think You Can Dance,” that the audition procedure is quite demanding and time-consuming. It’s a lot of waiting. Although it can be stressful, you’re continuously having to prove yourself and demonstrate your value to be on the show. Hopefully, it will all be worthwhile.