Dancing with the Stars has seen a boost in viewership and engagement in recent seasons, leaving fans to wonder if the introduction of younger pros such as Rylee Arnold and Ezra Sosa brought a new set of viewers into the fandom.
Dancing with the Stars Sees Higher Ratings, Votes
Season 34 of DWTS marked a new height of popularity for the long-running talent show. For instance, the season’s Wicked-themed episode drew a total of 6.63 million viewers, reportedly giving the show its best ratings since 2017.
This season also broke records in terms of voting, as the show received over 50 million votes per episode over multiple weeks of the competition. DWTS fans have noticed this apparent increase in the show’s popularity, posting about it on social media.
“It’s crazy how #dwts was getting cancellation allegations a few years ago and now getting 50m votes just in one night,” user @sapphicwylies wrote on X (formerly Twitter), calling it “a comeback story for the ages.”
User @albrandonhoe responded to the post, wondering if the show’s newfound popularity was due to “the Rylee effect,” referring to 20-year-old Rylee Arnold, who joined the show in Season 32. Arnold is the youngest pro dancer in the cast.
The second-youngest dancer in the cast, 25-year-old Ezra Sosa, joined the show as a pro in Season 33 after appearing as a troupe member and background dancer. Both Arnold and Sosa are active on social media.
It’s possible that the show’s introduction of Arnold, who has over a million followers on TikTok, drew a new crowd of younger viewers. However, fans have suggested other reasons for the shift.
Who Is Responsible for the Show’s Increased Popularity?
X user @albrandonhoe also suggested that TikTok star Charli D’Amelio might have attracted new fans when she competed in Season 31 of the show and ultimately took home the Mirrorball trophy with her partner Mark Ballas.
Season 31 also marked the first time the show was broadcast live on Disney+. As X user @skelygirly explained, they weren’t able to watch the show without cable until the show became available on streaming.
There were a few other suggestions about what sparked the comeback, including JoJo Siwa’s run in Season 30, when she and pro Jenna Johnson had the show’s first-ever same-sex partnership. Another user suggested that Rylee Arnold’s Season 32 partner Harry Jowsey might have attracted younger viewers as well.
It’s also possible that Season 34’s addition of Jan Ravnik as a pro alongside Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Jen Affleck drew more Taylor Swift fans to the show, as Ravnik was a dancer on Swift’s hugely popular Eras Tour.
Some people might see the increase in viewership and voting as a positive thing, but other longtime fans have actually expressed frustration about the influx of new viewers. As @albrandonhoe wrote in their initial post, “those annoying ass TikTok stans need to leave.”
User @positiveexpec27 seemed to agree, writing that “since there are no old seasons available and people are lazy, all the new fans are uneducated and horrid.”
What do you think about the show’s increased popularity in recent years? Let us know on X!
Words by:
Jill O'Rourke Jill O’Rourke is a contributor at Talent Recap, writing news stories and recaps for shows like ‘AGT,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘American Idol.’ She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and Film Studies, and has been writing about pop culture since 2012, with previous bylines at Crushable and A Plus. Jill spends her free time binge-watching sitcoms and daydreaming about life as a hobbit
