Is ‘Dancing with the Stars’ on Tonight, Oct. 1?
Dancing with the Stars has just kicked off its 33rd season. With two shows down and two celebrities exiting the ballroom, the remaining competitors’ stakes are higher than ever. What will happen during this evening’s show?
Is ‘Dancing with the Stars’ on ABC tonight?
During the series’ Sept. 24 episode, series host Alfonso Ribeiro shared details of episodes three and four. The performances focused on exciting new show themes: Soul Train and hair metal.
But there was a catch. The episodes wouldn’t air for another two weeks, and they would air back-to-back. This switch was due to a vice presidential debate between Tim Walz and JD Vance which airs during Dancing with the Stars‘ scheduled airtime.
Therefore, the competition dance series will return with two new installments on Monday, Oct. 7, when the celebrities honor the iconic dance series Soul Train, and Tuesday, Oct. 8, a night dedicated to hair metal music.
The celebrities’ songs and dances have yet to be revealed. Viewers can only speculate about the spectacular dances that will be performed for these two dynamic themes.
Soul Train greatly impacted the music industry by giving African-American performers and artists their own performance platform. Hair metal tapped into a generation of teenagers who felt like outsiders, allowing them a place where they could feel part of a like-minded community.
How will ‘DWTS’ celebrities interpret the dances ‘Soul Train’ made popular?
Soul Train was a 35-year-old network television series that showcased some of the most exciting and newest talent in R&B, Soul, and Hip-Hop music. The series was created by Don Cornelius, who served as its first and longest-serving host and executive producer.
Cornelius hosted every episode of Soul Train from 1970 to 1993. Following Cornelius’ exit, Mystro Clark hosted, followed by Shemar Moore and Dorian Gregory. Cornelius acknowledged Bandstand as a model for his program but would go on to make the series unique by introducing elements that became standard for the series.
The most beloved was the “Soul Train Line,” in which dancers formed two lines with a space in the middle for them to show off their latest moves. When The Jackson 5 introduced the “robot” dance on Soul Train in 1973, it was a move the group learned from the show’s dancers.
Other dances the show popularized were the bump, backslide (which later became the moonwalk), the Running Man, and the Roger Rabbit. It will be exciting to see how the pros and celebrities interpret the spirit and iconic music and dance styles of the long-running television series in their performances.
Thus far, the closest the series has gotten to a night dedicated to soul music was Motown Night during season 32, where the dancers incorporated a Soul Train dance line into the opening number. Expect a night of feel-good music when this episode airs Monday, Oct. 7, 2024.
Hair Metal night will bring lots of leather and smoke to the ballroom
Hair metal music dominated the mid-to-late 1980s and significantly changed the music industry. Bands associated with this genre were known for their elaborate stage productions, which included pyrotechnics, theatrical lighting, and complex stage setups.
Hair metal fans bands and their fans had a distinctive fashion sense, characterized by leather jackets, band patches, and long hair. These performers brought a more radio-friendly, pop-oriented approach to hard rock, blending heavy riffs with catchy hooks and anthemic choruses.
It was one of the first genres to fully embrace music videos. These bands perfected the formula for the “power ballad,” a softer, emotional song with big hooks that contrasted with their typical hard-rocking tracks.
Therefore, it will be interesting to see how the show translates this over-the-top genre of music into traditional ballroom dances. Fans should expect lots of smoke, dramatic makeup, and dances ranging from rocking tunes to slower anthems. This episode airs Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024.
Dancing with the Stars regularly airs Tuesday evenings at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+ and the next day on Hulu.
