‘DWTS’ bosses reveal the secret behind 20 years of success — and it might change how you watch the show
It has been 20 years since ‘Dancing with the Stars’ first aired in 2005, and over the last two decades, through its 33 seasons, the show has managed to win millions of hearts. But it's not just dance that drives the show of the fan-favorite dance reality show. Showrunner Conrad Green and co-executive producer Deena Katz recently went candid about what goes on behind the scenes in making 'DWTs' work, and it is a lot more than just selecting the cast, the routines, and putting up a grand show for the audiences.
“But we were the first dance show on TV in the reality era. The chemistry between people, the ability for a pro to be able to help someone through a routine because they’re in a pair, not [dancing] solo, is huge. The format really helps you understand the stories behind people,” Green, who returned for the Season 33 premiere, told TV Insider in a recent interview, elaborating on what he believes is the “core entertainment staple” that helps the success of the show.
A few weeks ago, 'Dancing With the Stars’ co-host Alfonso Ribeiro offered a glimpse into what went behind selecting the pairings for Season 34. In a conversation with US Weekly on September 3, Ribeiro had said, "Typically, once we have a list of the pros that are gonna be on, we then, at some point, we’ll get the opportunity to hear who’s gonna be [on the show]. But it’s never final, right? It’s ever-changing, and there were some pairings that were different three weeks ago," adding, “Things continue to evolve as new people come in, and you realize, ‘Oh, actually, this is a better pairing than that pairing.’ And they work on it right up until the final day until [the stars and pros] meet each other."
Now, speaking to TV Insider, the 'DWTS' producers have revealed what led to the inception of the reality show that has become a household name for Americans. Recalling how the 2000s saw reality shows like ‘Fear Factor’ and ‘So You Think You Can Dance’, Katz expressed, “When people started watching ‘DWTS’ and fell in love with it, we became that show you could sit with your family and watch." Green, who was associated with ‘DWTS’ till Season 18, added, “It recalls a time that people look back on fondly—the golden era of Hollywood—with performances and entertainment that’s a little bit classy.”
Recalling the pre-social media era, Green noted how things have changed since the show first grabbed eyeballs. “When we launched in 2005, there was no Twitter, there was no social media, there was no iPhone. Television has changed. But the core concepts of what makes a good contestant and what makes someone relatable are the same now as they were 20 years ago,” he said. Green also recalled a time casting stars on ‘DWTS’ had felt precarious. Recalling Season 11, when Bristol Palin was on the show, Green said, “That got to the real mania point where people were calling in death threats. It was just insane, the reaction to that.”
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Green also spoke about the off-stage drama where the audience gets to see the stars being vulnerable during the practice sessions. He said, “You think you know someone, but you see him on our show and you get to know him differently.” Agreeing with Green, Katz added, “They’re learning how to do a cha-cha, but it’s really this journey and you’re finding out about these people in their most vulnerable state as they’re learning to dance live on television, which is so out of their comfort zones.” Looking at the success that ‘DWTS’ has garnered, Katz said, “I pinch myself every day that we’re lucky enough to be able to work on this and that we’re going stronger than ever.” ‘DWTS’ Season 34 will premiere on ABC and Disney+ on September 16, 2025.
