From the Halls to the Ballroom: Jericho’s Obsession with Dancing with the Stars

BY KONSTANTINA SACOULAS ’26

Tuesday nights might seem uneventful, but for many at Jericho, Tuesday nights are the highlight of the week. Why? It’s “Dancing with the Stars” Night!

“Dancing With The Stars,” affectionately known as “DWTS,” is a competitive reality TV show that gets viewers hooked as celebrities with little-to-no professional dance experience partner up with professional ballroom dancers to compete in themed choreographed dance routines. Even though there is a panel of renowned ballroom experts including Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough, viewers at home are able to vote for their favorite contestant to keep them from getting eliminated. “DWTS” consists of eleven episodes that take place in Los Angeles, California, and the winners are awarded the coveted Mirrorball Trophy in the finale which will take place tonight, on November 25.

This season’s finalists include wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin, social media personality Alix Earle, Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles, actress Elaine Hendrix, and content creator Dylan Efron.

Wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin lives in Australia and he lost his father, Steve Irwin, when he was three years old due to a stingray injury. Robert’s sister, Bindi Irwin, won the Mirrorball Trophy in 2015 alongside her partner and present judge Derek Hough, so Robert hopes to claim the victory that he watched his older sister win. 

Social media personality Alix Earle is known for her TikToks and her hit vlog-style podcast “Hot Mess” where she captures her lifestyle tips, relatable content, and beauty advice. “DWTS” has changed Earle as she was known for her “Get Ready With Me” videos, but now she is so motivated in winning this competition, that she practices dancing all the time, even when her partner, Val, is unavailable to help her train. 

Gymnast Jordan Chiles became one of the three Black gymnasts to sweep the podium at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships in 2022. Chiles has secured a silver medal for Team USA in 2020 while also playing a key role in leading Team USA to a gold medal at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Actress Elaine Hendrix is most known for her character, Meredith Blake, in the hit 1998 movie “The Parent Trap”. This season, Hendrix was hospitalized due to a rib injury and was not able to perform on Halloween Night, but that has not stopped her from continuing to grow as a successful dancer in the competition.

Dylan Efron is most famous for being declared one of the winners of the third season of “The Traitors,” a competitive reality show featuring a group of contestants participating in a social deduction game. Dylan dedicated one of his dances to his older brother, actor Zac Efron by dancing to his song, Rewrite the Stars, from the award-winning film “The Greatest Showman.”

Jericho High School Dance Teacher and Choreo Director Ms. Corbett believes that Dylan Efron has improved the most since the start because he is not as stiff and it is impressive how he has picked up the movements. Robert Irwin is Ms. Corbett’s favorite contestant this season because he has improved every week. According to Ms. Corbett, he has become a great performer, and he is very loveable.

Jericho High School Government and Psychology Teacher Ms. Hynes shares the same views as Ms. Corbett. Ms. Hynes believes that Efron has improved the most because in the first week, he clearly didn’t have any dance experience, but it was obvious that he was athletic from competing in marathons and pursuing rock climbing.

Irwin is also Ms. Hynes’ favorite contestant because he has shown growth, he presents positivity, and he takes the criticism very well, so it is clear that he is a great representation for this show. Ms. Hynes predicts that either Irwin or Earle will claim the first place win and the other will be the runner up while Efron will win third, Jordan will win fourth, and Elaine will win fifth.

Jericho will see if the teachers’ predictions are accurate tonight, as the final episode of “Dancing With The Stars” Season 34 will be streaming. This finale will include three dances for the contestants to perform: a freestyle routine, an instant dance, and a choice from the judges. This season honors the 20th anniversary of “DWTS,” and it has been filled with laughter, hope, and tears, surely a season that will go down in history!