Waltzing into season 22 of Dancing with the Stars
The cast list is out for season 22 of Dancing with the Stars. While hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews will be returning along with judges Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli, noticeably absent this season is the power sibling duo of Derek and Julianne Hough. Derek will be busy with his Broadway debut in Singin’ in the Rain, while Julianne will not return to the judges table. Instead, lovable Brit Len Goodman will be crossing the pond back to his judge’s seat.
With more athletes than ever before, some television stars and entertainment personalities, this season doesn’t have as many stand out names, but promises to be one you won’t want to miss, according to senior field producer Adam Raia.
“I’m with each celebrity for 10 weeks, so I really get to know them,” said Raia, who has been with the show for 13 seasons. “Mark Ballas is so creative…he always tells a story and it’s so visual. A Mark Ballas production needs to be seen because that’s amazing in itself.”
Ever wonder how the producers pick the cast for each season? Raia said that although his opinion is valued, the ultimate decision lies with the casting director.
“What’s cool about our show, if you’ve been on it long enough…they want to talk to you about it,” said Raia on potential celebrities, many of whom join the show to regain exposure, are relevant in the news or have always been fans and want their chance to foxtrot. “It’s about getting great personalities and it’s my job to tell those stories. Every week we tell a story so the audience gets to know the star better so when they’re watching the dance, they connect to the dance even more.”
For more dancing, see Behind The Scenes Of Dancing With The Stars.
