From a felon to two highly-respected Olympians, the Season 33 cast of Dancing with the Stars offers a diverse lineup of contestants. After a year of anticipation, the beloved series has returned, and fans are shocked by the wide variety of “stars” competing for this year’s Mirrorball Trophy. Each star and pro is eager to impress, after spacing hours in the rehearsal studio. Senior Bianca LoBosco remarked, “My first reaction to the cast was that this was going to be a good yet competitive season!”
Team “Arnold Pommel”: Rylee Arnold and Stephen Nedoroscik & Team “CUT-A-RUGby”: Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten
Olympians Stephen Nedoroscik, USA men’s gymnastics team member, and Ilona Maher, a key player on the USA women’s rugby team, are fan favorites. Maher is also making waves in the modeling industry, becoming the digital cover star for the 2024 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. Maher and her partner, Alan Bersten, seem to also be having a lot of fun on the dance floor. Stephen, known as the “specialist” for his outstanding pommel horse routine, is expected to perform well this season with his partner Rylee Arnold, an audience favorite last season.
Team “tWINning”: Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson & Team “Petal to the Metal”: Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber
Joey Graziadei and Jenn Tran, both from The Bachelor franchise, are also living in the spotlight. While Joey’s engagement ended happily, Jenn’s did not. However she remains upbeat after The Bachelorette. This is the first time two contestants from The Bachelor franchise have appeared in the same season. Senior Lucas McNally commented, “I can really see Joey getting there this season and potentially winning it altogether. From all of his dancing videos with Jenna on TikTok, the odds of him winning that Mirrorball Trophy look promising.”
Team “NOTguilty”: Ezra Sosa and Anna Delvey & Team “BEB”: Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko
Controversy surrounds Brooks Nader and Anna Delvey this season. Nader’s close relationship with her partner, Gleb Savchenko has raised eyebrows. As the two have been pictured and interviewed throughout the past weeks, it is questionable how unusually close they look and act despite having just met. Senior Catherine Jennings expressed, “Their whole relationship is a bit too much for me; although I like her as a contestant, this entire relationship thing/stunt is too much.” Meanwhile, as Delvey’s life story was previously portrayed on the hit Netflix show, Inventing Anna; the show illustrates how she was a con artist who posed as a German heiress, claiming to have a tremendous amount of money whilst scamming a plethora of socialites throughout New York City and was inevitably found guilty of eight different charges back in 2019. “I am not a huge fan of Anna, [not] solely because of the criminal aspect, but more because of her disinterest with the whole show,” Jennings added. Delvey’s partner, Ezra Sosa, is making his debut as a “pro” on the show after spending several years on the troupe team.
Team “Brightside”: Britt Stewart and Eric Roberts & Team Dancing Matters: Reginald VelJohnson and Emma Slater
Reginald VelJohnson, famous for is roles the hit show Family Matters and on the Die-Hard, and Eric Roberts, a prominent actor from the ‘70s and ‘80s, being most commemorated for his roles in Runaway Train, Star 80, and King of Gypsies, are both partnered with excited professionals. Emma Slater and Britt Steward seem thrilled to work with their iconic partners.
Team “PeachesANdCream”: Phaedra Parks and Val Chmerkovskiy & Team “Chan & Bran”: Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong
Women have dominated everyone’s television and movie screens for decades. Chandler Kinney, known for Zombies and Pretty Little Liars, and Phaedra Parks from The Real Housewives of Atlanta and The Traitors are ready to compete. Kinney and her partner, Brandon Armstrong, are excited, while Parks is thrilled to dance with last year’s Mirrorball winner, Val Chmerkovskiy.
Team Dancing WITDola: Danny Amendola and Witney Carson & Team DoubleD: Dwight Howard and Daniella Karagach Pashkova
National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Football League (NFL) fans might have to worry about their players switching from basketball and football to dancing after they watch Dwight Howard and Danny Amendola perform in this new season. Amendola’s partner, Witney Carson, is finally returning to the dance floor after taking a break. Alternatively, the height difference between Dwight Howard and his partner, Daniella Karagach, who stands a whole foot and three inches, is notable.
Team Tori: Tori Spelling and Pasha Pashkov
Tori Spelling, known for Beverly Hills 90210, is determined to show her family everything she can accomplish despite her age. Hopefully, Spelling’s partner, Pasha Pashkov, will provide her with an enlightening experience, much like the one he had last season with Arianna Madrix, which led them to a third-place finish.
Each year, the cast of Dancing with the Stars dedicates significant time and effort to their performances. The pros choreograph a dance and teach routines, while the stars learn new dance styles each week. The excitement begins as all teams compete for the first time on premiere day, while audience members cast their votes and begin predicting the season’s winners.
