‘Dancing With the Stars’ gets nostalgic
“Dancing With the Stars” reminds me a bit of “The Lawrence Welk Show.” They’re legacy shows, passed down from one generation to the next, and they pack a nostalgic wallop.
Watch Welk, and you may remember your grandmother. Watch “Dancing,” and you may think of a departed parent.
Few current TV series carry that emotional tug, yet it’s stitched into the fabric of “Dancing,” which begins its 24th season Monday on ABC.
Sure, “Dancing” is flashy and corny, but there’s a real challenge behind it: Get out there and dance the best you can, no matter your abilities.
“Dancing” marks its 400th episode Monday, and shrewd casting has been central to the long run. The celebrity field this season ranges from veteran performers (Mr. T, Charo) to representatives
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from reality TV (Nick Viall of “The Bachelor,” Erika Jayne of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”).
The hopefuls come from TV comedy (Chris Kattan of “Saturday Night Live,” Heather Morris of “Glee”) and pop music (Normani Kordei of Fifth Harmony).
Athletes tend to do well because they understand training, and “Dancing” has lined up five: rodeo star Bonner Bolton, figure skater Nancy Kerrigan, NFL player Rashad Jennings, former Major League Baseball player David Ross and gymnast Simone Biles.
Going in, Biles would seem to have the edge because she is such a dynamic performer, she is paired with the thoughtful Sasha Farber, and she is following Laurie Hernandez, a fellow gymnast who won “Dancing” last season.
Winning, however, isn’t all in the world of “Dancing,” which makes an ugly mirrorball the top prize – and jokes about it.
Race car driver James Hinchcliffe, the runner-up to Hernandez last season, supplied as much entertainment as anyone. This year, Morris could be a surprise because of her dance skill and her pairing with fiery Maksim Chmerkovskiy.
“Dancing” is blessed in the host department with Tom Bergeron, who’s as quick on his feet as any of the professional dancers. You may come for the dance, and leave remembering his jokes. “Dancing” has supplied many laughs through the years, and priceless nostalgia, too.