Dancing with the Stars season 31 will premiere on Monday, September 19. But for the first time, the veteran dance competition will be streaming only on Disney+.
There are advantages and disadvantages. If fans want to watch, they need to cough up a monthly subscription to the streaming service. However, the advantages are that the show will air live across all time zones at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT, allowing fans to watch and vote together. Also, the series will air with NO commercial interruptions. And, because it’s not broadcasting, the show can go over or under 2 hours if need be.
Dancing with the Stars 31 Reveals Celebrity Cast and Pro Partners
Former winner Alfonso Ribeiro will join Tyra Banks as co-host. Fan-favorite pros Mark Ballas and Louis Van Amstel return to the dance floor! Sixteen couples will compete this season for the mirror ball trophy, including American Idol season 6 winner, Jordin Sparks. See the photo gallery below.
Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli return to the judges panel
Entertainment Weekly spoke with Conrad Green. He’s returned to helm the show after having previously produced DWTS between 2005 and 2014. Check out the highlights below.
Besides the already announced Michael Buble night on October 24, which will feature the singer as a guest judge, Week 2 will feature the music of Elvis Presley. Plus, Disney night is out. Disney+ night is IN.
“In week 2 of the show, we’re going to be doing an Elvis night. We’ve got full access to all of the Elvis catalogue.They will actually be doing a Disney+ night, not Disney, which is great because it means you’ve got this incredible catalog to look at. Everything from Marvel to Disney Pixar, all of the animated films, all of their live-action films.”
Lack of commercials forced a return to the DWTS two host format. The skybox returns (with Alfonso)
“…we needed a way of getting the people off the floor so that we can clear the floor because we don’t have ad breaks. That coincided with bringing back the skybox, which is the area where all of our celebrities can hang out and talk to Alfonso.” In other words, Tyra will introduce the dancers and stand with them during critiques, while Alfonso interviews them in the skybox (Former co-host Erin Andrews role)
Dance routine length will stay the same
“There’s a limit to how long you can make the dances simply because it’s really hard to learn and do them. They’re physically very taxing, and these are amateurs doing it. Also, if you watch it and it goes on for too long, they tend to lose a bit of form and focus.
But, in the past, you always had to hit exactly two hours for the show. You don’t have to anymore now that we’re on the streamer. There’s not another show immediately following us. It’s not like there’s dead air if we’re a little bit under.”
DWTS is international. Canadians can watch AND VOTE
“It’s live live live across the whole country. You can tune in at five o’clock in LA, you can tune in at 8 o’clock in New York. People in Canada are able to vote now as well.”
The studio audience returns, but with COVID-19 protocols in place
“We are getting an audience back. We’re trying to balance the safety of COVID while trying to also reflect the fact that people are starting to live their lives differently than they were. Everyone needs to be fully vaccinated and everyone will be tested before they come in. It won’t be quite as densely packed as it was in the past, but there will be an audience there.”
The DWTS troupe is returning
Fans knew that already, but the spoilers were slightly wrong. Originally, spoilers said Sasha Farber would not have a partner this season, but would dance in the troupe instead. Surprise! He’s actually dancing with actress Selma Blair.
Official: SYTYCD winner Alexis Warr, SYTYCD alum Ezra Sosa, dance coach Kateryna Klishyna and D’angelo Castro will make up the troupe. The troupe performs in between numbers, takes part in group dances and fills in when needed.
Dancing with the Stars 2022 Photo Gallery
