“Live from Hollywood, this is Dancing with the Stars!” blared from my TV every Tuesday at 8 p.m. this fall. From influencers to reality TV stars, the show displayed a wide variety of talent and contained a star-studded cast, making it one of the most rewarding seasons of the series to date.
“Dancing with the Stars” is a competition reality show that pairs celebrities with professional ballroom dancers. Each week’s theme affects the song choice, costumes and set design. New themes this season included “Prince Night” and “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Night.”
Celebrities are graded on a scale of one to 10 by a panel of judges. This season’s judges were dance professionals Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli. Viewers have 10 votes per contestant each week, and they vote by texting their favorite dancers’ names to a specific phone number. To calculate the final vote, the judges’ scores are added to fan votes. Every week, the contestant with the fewest amount of votes goes home.
The biggest shock of the season for me was the longevity of contestant Andy Richter. The 59-year-old comedian had a historic run, staying for eight weeks. This left some fans, including me, angry with how long he remained on the show, as he was not a very good dancer and offered little personality.
The return of ballroom dancer Mark Ballas this season surprised me, as it continued his legacy as a three-time Mirrorball Trophy champion. He joined “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star Whitney Leavitt after a four season hiatus. Leavitt was joined by reality TV star Jen Affleck, with whom Leavitt had a rocky relationship on “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” She also stirred up major noise online after it was revealed she majored in dance, although I believe her experience isn’t as large of an issue as many fans think it is.
This season included some of the best dance numbers yet. Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles performed a flashy Cha Cha to “Get Up” by Ciara during the 20th anniversary show. Reality star Dylan Efron performed a dramatic waltz to “Can’t Help Falling in Love” on Halloween night. Actress Elaine Hendrix performed a narrative contemporary dance to “Defying Gravity” on “Wicked Night.” The power in these dances and the emotion they evoked left me mesmerized.
I expected influencer Alix Earle to take home the Mirrorball Trophy. Being a large social media influencer and the host of the “Hot Mess” podcast, Earle has dominated viewers’ social media platforms and, up until the finale, swayed the audience’s votes in her favor. Personally, I was rooting for Earle, as she is a great performer.
In the end, Robert Irwin took home the Mirrorball Trophy. Honestly, it was one of the most satisfying wins the show has had. He was constantly improving and had a shining personality that won over the audience. Irwin’s win was also heartfelt because his sister Bindi took home the trophy in Season 21. Irwin proved that authenticity can triumph on a show often driven by popularity. Overall, each performance was truly one of a kind, masterfully showcasing the contestants’ talents and individuality.
Published and digitized December 2025.
