Disappointed with Dancing with the Stars

I watched the finale of Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) last night, but last year and this year, I’ve been disappointed.

I’ve been watching DWTS for years. I love the sophistication to ballroom dancing and the costumes. There has always been an elegance and style to the music, too, and I like when the judges comment on keeping to the dance style.

So You Think You Can Dance and World of Dance are shows that can show more variety in dance styles. DWTS is BALLROOM dancing and ballroom dancing is about classiness, refinement, grace, polish, charm… a lot of which is a bit lacking in today’s world and I miss it.

The network is cheapening ballroom dancing. It has become more about ratings, fads, and a popularity contest... which star has the biggest following. I fast forward through a lot. And, here in these days when sexual exploitation is frowned upon, it’s still being presented. Some of the costumes worn by host and women judges are awful; they don’t fit with the show. The low-cut styles with their boobs practically falling out, materials made to look like flesh, so they look half-naked… I don’t get it and don’t like it. (Is this just because I’m old now?)

It's gone from a dance competition with celebrities and professional dancers to part of the show being who can wear the most outlandish outfit between the women judges and the host. (Oh, I miss Tom Bergeron. He was so laid back and funny. Tyra Banks is too loud and over the top. She’s hyped up and yelling all the time. It seems the show is more about her than the dancers.)

And, along with the women and their costumes, the latest trend of the male dancers is to be bare chested (or wearing no shirt at all!) Again, this doesn’t fit in with the elegance of ballroom dancing – unless a particular dance, style, and costume warrant it. But for all the men ripping open their shirts – this isn’t Chippendales! (For me, the thought of touching a sweaty body – ewww!)

The music, too, seems off. I do not like the fast thump, thump, thump of today’s music. All the songs have the same underlying beat and sometimes I can’t see how the dancers are ballroom dancing to those beats. They must all be counting in their heads to get the right footsteps because sometimes their steps don’t match the beat of the songs.

I am sad because for years I’ve enjoyed the beauty and elegance of this show and now it’s been cheapened and is more about outlandishness. Am I alone feeling this way?