I am not afraid to say it — I have never cared about ABC’s reality show “Dancing with the Stars.” It always seems like a weird mix of fading stars, fame-seeking wannabes (I see you Bachelor Nation) and retired B-list athletes (Simone Biles is an exception, of course).
On the other hand, I spent three weeks of my summer practically glued to the TV during the Paris Olympics. From water polo to beach volleyball to kayak cross, I discovered a newfound interest in sports I had never watched before.
I also followed the Olympics’ big-name sports, of course — and the social media darlings.
I watched (and re-watched) as American long jumper Tara Davis-Woodhall jumped into her husband’s arms after winning gold, as Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen bit into the now-famous Olympic Village chocolate muffins, as Turkish sharpshooter Yusuf Dikeç stepped up to his mark, hand in pocket, as “pommel horse guy” Stephen Nedoroscik won bronze for the U.S. men’s gymnastic team and as American rugby player Ilona Maher led the women’s rugby sevens team to its first-ever medal with a third-place finish.
So, when “Dancing with the Stars” announced that Nederoscik and Maher would be joining its cast for Season 33 (I immediately question any shows that have that many seasons), my interest was piqued.
My Instagram algorithm responded immediately, showing me clips from rehearsals, TikTok trends with Maher, Nederoscik and their professional partners and eventually, tapes of their performances.
For the first time, I actually care about this season of “Dancing with the Stars.” It’s certainly not the addition of professional athletes; athletes have been a part of the show since its inception and there was even an all-athlete cast in its 26th season.
Indeed, there are two other (retired) professional athletes on this season’s cast: football wide receiver Danny Amendola, who was part of the 2015 and 2017 Super Bowl-winning New England Patriots and basketball player Dwight Howard, whose 6’10” frame made him one of the best defensive players in the NBA during his career.
The difference is that Maher and Nederoscik are still in their prime, and I would argue they are still ascending to the peak of their athletic performance. So why come on the show?
In my opinion, they are bringing heightened attention to their respective sports outside of the Olympic cycle. Unlike football or basketball, not many Americans tune into the World Championships for rugby or gymnastics. I watch a lot of sports, and even I don’t pay much attention to Olympic athletes outside of the games.
Maher and Nederoscik were still riding their Olympic-fueled social media stardom when they announced they would appear on Dancing with the Stars, meaning their fame has only carried over into this season.
I can’t profess to tuning in when the show airs — the MLB postseason is taking up too much of my attention — but you can bet I’m scrolling through Maher’s feed for the first sign of that week’s dance.
Is the dancing great? No. I don’t think that’s the point. Is it entertaining? Abso-freaking-lutely.
As of right now, all four athletes are still dancing as the competition moves into its eighth week. For my part, I hope one of them hoists the Mirrorball Trophy.
