The thirty-third “Dancing with the Stars” season premiered on Sept. 17, 2024, airing on ABC and Disney+.
Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough returned as hosts for the season, with Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough serving as returning judges.
The season featured a two-night special with guest judges: Rosie Perez appeared on Soul Train Night, Gene Simmons on Hair Metal Night and Mark Ballas joined as a guest judge for Dedication Night. All contestants were competing to win the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. The Dancing with the Stars Mirrorball Trophy was renamed the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy to honor the late judge, Len Goodman, who died in April of 2023.
“I was not surprised with any of the contestants this year. I think my top 3 favorite couples from this season would have to be Rylee & Stephen, Alan & Ilona, and Jenna & Joey,” Darby Ruff (11) said.
One of the popular stars, Joey Graziadei, a 29-year-old tennis pro from Collegeville, Pennsylvania, is making his mark on reality television as he is “Bachelor Nation” on “Dancing with the Stars”. After finding love on season 28 of “The Bachelor” with his fiancée, Kelsey Anderson, all eyes were on Joey as he took to the dance floor alongside his partner, Jenna Johnson. Fans eagerly anticipated his moves as he competed for the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
Graziadei’s most popular dance was his Samba to “Trashin’ the Camp” from “Tarzan: A Disney Night” performance from Graziadei and Johnson. It became a TikTok novelty in October with over 60.6 million people recreating it.
Another star featured this season was Ilona Maher. Accomplished Team USA Rugby Sevens bronze medalist and a two-time Olympian, having proudly competed for the United States in both the Tokyo 2020 and upcoming Paris 2024 Games.
Ella Cox (11) has the 2024 Dancing with the Stars season.
“Illona Maher and Alan Bersten were my favorite couple this season,” Cox said.
Beyond her athletic achievements, Maher has gained significant popularity on social media, where she shares her genuine and humorous experiences as a professional female athlete. Maher aims to promote body appreciation and grow interest in rugby through her platform. She competed for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy alongside her partner, Alan Bersten.
Ilona wowed audiences with their stunning tango moves to Miley Cyrus’ “Psycho Killer” on Halloween Nightmares Night.
Another star featured this season is Stephen Nedoroscik, widely recognized as the “pommel horse guy,” who recently made a significant impact in Olympic gymnastics by helping the U.S. Men’s Gymnastics team secure their first team medal, a bronze, in 16 years.
Addie Usry (11) says that she liked this season.
“If I could dance with any pro or star I would dance with Stephen Nedoroscik or Joey Graziadei,” Usry said.
In addition to his team’s success, Nedoroscik alone earned a bronze medal on the pommel horse. A graduate of Pennsylvania State University, Nedoroscik earned his degree in electrical engineering in 2020 and was partnered with Rylee Arnold.
Nedoroscik and Arnold achieved a near-perfect score of 29 out of 30 for their Viennese waltz dance during the seventh week of “Dancing with the Stars.”
On Nov. 12, “Dancing with the Stars” celebrated a significant milestone by airing its 500th episode and unveiling the contestants who advanced to the semifinals for Season 33.
“I have watched every Dancing with the Stars episode with my family since I was born,” Ruff said.
The episode kicked off with a vibrant opening number, “Crazy in Love,” performed by professional dancers echoing the same routine from the show’s premiere in 2005, adding a nostalgic touch to the festivities.
Dancing with the Stars crowned its Season 33 champions on Nov. 26. Star finalists included Chandler Kinney, Joey Graziadei, Ilona Maher, Danny Amendola, and Stephen Nedoroscik. Joey and Jenna emerged as the winners. Ilona and Alan finished as runners-up, with Chandler and Brandon taking third place. Stephen and Rylee finished fourth while Danny and Witney came in fifth.
