TV Series Brings Together Local Dance Community

By JULIA DelPOZZO
SUNY Institute for Local News
ONEONTA

Ever since its debut in the summer of 2005, the ABC network television series “Dancing with the Stars” has been a staple of American popular culture. A dance competition show where professional dancers are paired up with celebrities ranging from Olympic athletes (Simone Biles) to actors (Zendaya) to musicians (Billy Ray Cyrus), the program began broadcasting its 34th season back in mid-September.

Not surprisingly, the wildly popular national show has a dedicated audience here in central New York State, including amongst college students. On the evening of Tuesday, September 30, a group of 10 SUNY Oneonta students gathered at a friend’s apartment downtown for a “Dancing with the Stars” watch party. It is a must-attend weekly event for these undergraduates, who are all part of the multiple dance clubs on campus, including the Oneonta State Kickline and the Terpsichorean Dance Company, more commonly known as the Terps.

This season, the young dance fans are cheering for celebrity contestants including social media star Alix Earle, Australian wildlife photographer Robert Irwin (son of the late Steve Irwin, “the Crocodile Hunter”), and Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Jordan Chiles. The all-female crowd enjoys giving their own critiques and scores alongside the official ones delivered by the television judges.

“It’s fun to pretend to be a judge during the episodes because we do understand what it is that they’re doing,” said OSK and Terps dance member Abbi Brown. “We understand the technique and logistics behind the performances. As dancers, I think we also just love to give our input and express how we feel about each performance.”

And it is not only the dancers on campus who are excited about the show. Sororities and fraternities are also making brackets to see who can correctly guess the winners and the scores, much the same as fantasy sports betting.

Local Oneonta resident Tiffany Gardner says that “‘Dancing with the Stars’ truly brings together a community of both dancers and non-dancers.”

Gardner grew up dancing at Jillian’s Dance Arts on Oneonta’s West End and today she teaches at the dance studio.

Oneonta is home to a surprisingly vibrant dance community. The SUNY Oneonta campus supports no fewer than five student dance clubs. In addition to OSK and Terps, there is the Oneonta State Dance Team, RITMO Latin Dance Club, and Xclusive Dance Crew. There are also a handful of dance schools in the area catering to younger dancers: Jillian’s Dance Arts, Holbrook Wade School of Dance, Decker School of Ballet, and Elite Dance Academy among them.

Gardner enjoys watching “Dancing with the Stars” weekly with her friends. She is also a student at Oneonta and a member of the Oneonta State Dance Team. She says she “watches with her suitemates” and “it is interesting to hear the differing opinions between those of us who dance and those who do not.”

“I think it’s so cool that ‘Dancing with the Stars’ exposes the entire community to dance and the joy it can bring,” Gardner added.

A popular television program like “Dancing with the Stars” can be really inspiring and beneficial for young children, Gardner contends. She says that she herself has been watching with her family ever since she was a kid. It shows children that if they put their mind to something then they can achieve it, according to Gardner.

“Dancing with the Stars” airs on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. Eastern on ABC. Previous episodes stream on Disney+ and Hulu. Jillian’s Dance Arts is located at 396 Chestnut Street in Oneonta.

This story was created by student reporters through the OnNY Community Media Service, a program of SUNY Oneonta and the SUNY Institute for Local News.