The Secret Politics of 'Dancing With the Stars'

The Cast That Reflects Our Fragmented Culture

When I first saw the Season 35 cast of Dancing with the Stars, my initial reaction was pure bewilderment. Julia Stiles, once synonymous with Save the Last Dance, paired up with a Savannah Bananas player—how does that even work? But as I delved deeper into the lineup, it struck me how perfectly this chaotic mix represents the current state of American celebrity culture.

The season's cast reads like a geopolitical map of our entertainment ecosystem. There's Tatyana Ali from Family Matters, who brings her own nostalgic fanbase; Taylor Hanson, whose '90s teen idol status is a cultural touchstone for Gen X viewers; and then there are the TikTok creators, the Paralympians, the Bachelor Nation stars, and even Olympic figure skaters. Each contestant arrives with their own tribe of fans, yet they're all being assembled into one ballroom to dance together.

"Dancing with the Stars does something more old-fashioned and, given the time we live in, pretty revolutionary: it gathers those niches into the same brightly lit ballroom and makes them sit through one another."

This isn't just about celebrity. It's a fascinating experiment in how mass media can still function as a common ground in a world that's increasingly fragmented by algorithmic bubbles and identity politics.

Building Coalitions, Not Just Stars

The casting strategy is no accident. Casting director Deena Katz and executive producer Conrad Green have built their formula to appeal across generational lines—older viewers who remember when celebrities were defined by movies or TV shows, and younger fans who know the world of influencers, TikTok creators, and digital fame.

What's particularly interesting is how this approach is designed not just to keep existing audiences happy but also to attract new ones. As Green said after last season: "Katz builds casts that can appeal to the show's older viewers and its newer Gen Z audience at the same time."

And it's working. The Season 34 finale drew an impressive 9.24 million viewers, with over 72 million votes cast in one night—a testament to how successfully the show has managed to merge different cultural tribes into a singular viewing experience.

The Political Undercurrent

But here's where things get juicy. In a time when politics often feels like a battle between echo chambers, Dancing with the Stars presents an intriguing counterpoint: it doesn't require viewers to agree on who their favorite celebrities are ahead of time. Instead, it gives them a reason to watch each other dance.

This is where the political analogy kicks in. In electoral politics, it's often said that having a base is great—but winning over undecided voters is what really moves the needle. Similarly, in this ballroom competition, each contestant starts with their own core fanbase. But ultimately, it's not enough to just have those fans; contestants must prove themselves worthy of broader support.

The show's format forces a kind of weekly retail politics, where characters are developed through personal stories, setbacks, and growth. The professional partners become conduits for introducing these celebrities to audiences who might never have encountered them otherwise.

Shared Culture in a Fragmented World

One of the most striking aspects of Dancing with the Stars's success is its ability to create moments of unexpected connection. It's not about consensus—it's about curiosity. On the show, you might tune in to see De Laurentiis perform, but you also find yourself invested in Connor Wood's TikTok journey, or impressed by Amber Glenn's transition from figure skating to dance.

It's a reminder that in our hyper-specialized media environment, the idea of shared cultural experiences is becoming more precious. The show isn't asking us to come together in agreement. Instead, it's giving us a reason to come together and maybe even change our minds along the way.

As someone who's been watching TV since the days of Save the Last Dance, I can't help but marvel at how far we've come. In a time when our digital lives are increasingly curated by algorithms, this show reminds us that real human connection—whether in ballrooms or polling booths—is still possible.

What This Means for the Future

If you think about it, what Dancing with the Stars does is remarkably similar to what a good democracy should aspire to: bring different groups together under one roof and encourage them to engage with each other constructively. Sure, there's no health insurance at stake here, but that's exactly what makes the show so relevant to our current moment—it demonstrates how entertainment can be used as a bridge, not a barrier.

It's also a lesson in resilience. The show has been around for nearly two decades and continues to evolve with the changing tides of celebrity culture. Its enduring popularity isn't just about nostalgia; it's about staying ahead of the curve in an era where identity politics dominate, yet people still crave shared experiences.

So yes, let's be honest—this is a show that brings together a bunch of weirdly mismatched stars to dance for our amusement. But beneath all those rhinestones lies a subtle, powerful message: in a country where disagreements are common and divisions run deep, we still have the capacity to come together, even if just to watch someone else's journey on the dance floor.

And maybe, just maybe, that's something worth celebrating.