Producers want to push the envelope in Season 34 of Dancing with the Stars and want to find fresh ways to liven up the long-running series. Executive Producer Ryan O’Dowd revealed whether the show would ever consider having a male-male pairing.
Big Changes
In an interview with Deadline, O’Dowd reflected on DWTS. He was asked about Derek Hough and Mark Ballas’ groundbreaking performance. The two performed an Argentine tango together. The origins of the dance were originally meant for two male dancers. Would the show ever consider a male-male pairing in the near future? This is something that producers are looking to incorporate in Season 34.
O’Dowd admitted that he wants to do “things that have never been done before.” He was also a fan of that dance routine and admitted that the reality show is “constantly looking at the ways by which [they] can push the envelope.” Technically, the only time that a same-sex pairing competed was in Season 30, when JoJo Siwa danced with her pro partner, Jenna Johnson.
“As to your question, I would say we are constantly looking at ways by which we can push the envelope and produce a show that reflects and represents society as a whole,” O’Dowd hinted. “So, I wouldn’t rule it out. It’s something that we continue to discuss. [W]e try to consistently reinvent and garner new viewers. We are trying to push the envelope. And so there’s work to be done.”
The following season, Darius Jeremy Pierce, aka Shangela, danced with her male partner, Gleb Savchenko. However, she was dressed as her drag persona for the duration of the competition. The show hasn’t had two men who present themselves as males compete together.
Season 34 Premiere
DWTS will return in the fall of 2025. If it falls in line with last year’s schedule, it could premiere on Tuesday, September 23. So far, Australian conservationist Robert Irwin and influencer Alix Earle have joined the cast. Judges Carrie Anna Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Hough are likely to return, as well as co-hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough. What kind of changes would you like to see on the show? Let us know in the comments section.
