How much do celebrities get paid for dancing with the stars
45 Rules 'Dancing With the Stars' Contestants Have to Follow
There's something extremely entertaining about seeing Wayne Brady do the cha-cha and Teresa Giudice dressed in sequins — and that's exactly why Dancing With the Stars has remained a fan favorite show for 31 seasons. But what goes on behind-the-scenes as the stars compete for the Mirrorball Trophy? From the grueling rehearsals to the makeup guidelines that often get pushback, we're breaking down all of the rules the Dancing With the Stars competitors have to follow.
Stars have to get an offer from the casting director.
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In Hollywood, DWTS is often seen as a great career move and celebrities clamor to get cast on it, but it's the producers's jobs to seek out only the most interesting celebs for the show. "For your marketing, for your career, this is like Willy Wonka's golden ticket," former DWTS executive talent producer Deena Katz told Slate.
They don't have to be a trending celebrity.
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Sometimes the cast of DWTS reads like a crazy dinner party from a dream. That's because producers purposefully includes a mix of celebrities from across the entire pop culture zeitgeist, choosing nostalgia picks, people in the news, and even people who "the idea of them dancing makes you laugh," Katz told Slate.
Being a fan could help a star get cast.
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Why? Producers specifically look for celebs who are fans of the show, because this increases the odds that the star will sign on and helps ensure a good attitude during the process.
Stars can't tell anyone they've been cast.
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Sorry, but the show doesn't want any spoilers before their big reveal! During the first few rehearsals, the celebrities on season 31 wore face shields to protect their identity from paparazzi as they made their way into the studio.
They aren't locked into the show after the cast reveal, though.
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With all the fanfare that goes into announcing the DWTS cast, one would think that the contestants would be locked into an iron-clad deal by the big reveal. Nope. There are always loop holes in show business that keep stars from actually filming.
Stars can (but shouldn't!) drop out at the last minute.
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"Vincent Pastore was the guy from The Sopranos and was rehearsing with Edyta Sliwinska but had heart issues, so that's when John Ratzenberger joined. And Mark McGrath dropped out and Rocco DiSpirito came in," Katz told Glamour.
Some stars are cast as backups.
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In the event that a celebrity contestant doesn't show up, there is usually a backup person to take their place.
When producers were afraid Master P wasn't going to show, they had Kill Bill star David Carradine rehearsed and ready to go in a trailer on set, just in case.
There's no disclosed age limit.
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Dancing with the Stars has never disclosed an age limit and the youngest contestant to ever compete was 14-year-old Willow Shields. ABC also produced a spin-off show, Dancing With the Stars: Juniors, for child stars and children of celebrities.
Stars are matched with their pro dancer strategically.
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Ever wonder how the DWTS pairings come to be? Former showrunner Rob Wade told E! News it's a simple formula, "based on height, build and personality and compatibility."
Producers try to make sure partners like each other too.
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After all, the stress and rigor of live ballroom dancing is enough to serve up plenty of drama for the cameras.
"We don't pair people who aren't going to get on. It's too intense. It's not like The Bachelor or something, we couldn't do that," Wade told E! News. "You don't want to see two people who don't like each other."
Cast romances are encouraged.
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Romances between contestants are a big topic of debate on DWTS and producers love them, because they help generate buzz for the show. While a host of legitimate relationships have come out of the reality show, most of the flings fade with the spotlight.
Stars don't get to choose their dancing partner.
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"There are some celebs that have wishes, and we always say we can't guarantee," Katz told Glamour. In the end though, the producers have the final say.
Dancers don't get to choose their star either.
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Although fans think they've spotted trends in partners — why are Mark Ballas's partners always young? — the professional dancers have no input on who they compete with.
Same-sex partners are allowed.
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In 2021, JoJo Siwa and Jenna Johnson made history as the very first same-sex duo on DWTS. "I think it breaks a wall that's never been broken down before," JoJo told press during the Television Critics Association summer tour. "I think it's really special that, not only now do I get to share with the world that you're going to love who you want to love, but also you can dance with who you want to dance with."
Producers choose the music for the dances.
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According to dancer Kym Johnson, the pros are allowed to suggest songs at the beginning of the season, but since there are so many pairs to coordinate performances with, producers take the lead on deciding who will dance to what.
Contestants can't choose their theme either.
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Whether it's cha-cha night or all about Disney, the teams don't pick the themes and they vary from season to season.
Everyone on the cast gets paid.
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Both the dancers and stars are compensated for appearing on the show. According to reports in 2019, celebrities earned a $125,000 signing bonus and could earn up to $295,000 in total.
Stars can compete for bonus payments.
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How, exactly, do celebs make more than their $125,000 signing bonus? Their paycheck increases the more they advance on the show, with finalists reportedly earning up to $50,000 for the final two episodes. This creates an incentive to keep stars committed to the competition.
Pro dancers don't get paid as much as the stars.
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It's been reported that the professional dancers make close to $5,200 per episode, which adds up to about $100,000 per season.
Teams have to practice seven days a week.
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DWTS has a reputation for having a demanding rehearsal schedule and, as former Olympian Amy Purdy told The L.A. Times, there are "no days off." Celebrities meet and rehearse with their partner every day to prepare for the Monday night live show.
Stars have to use the show's hair and makeup teams.
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The show receives a lot of pushback on this rule. "Women have had this fear about [wanting] to have their own hair and makeup artists, but you can't have that here. Our team is award-winning and fantastic. Kirstie Alley had a really hard time with it and really fought it. Now Kirstie uses our makeup artist for her. I get that fear, but they just have to take a leap with all of it. We promise they're going to look great," Katz told Glamour.
The same rule applies to wardrobe.
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The wardrobe team is award-winning and is specially versed in ballroom dancing costumes.
Because of this, the show insists that all wardrobe decisions are made by their team.
Being flexible with wardrobe is a must.
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Former dancing pro Tony Dovolani says that costumes usually aren't finished until an hour before the show. "People don't get to wear their costumes until dress rehearsal," he told Glamour. "There are alterations being made from dress rehearsal until the live show."
Contestants have to get spray tans every week.
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The show's rumored "Spray Tan Sundays" are all too real — or, at least they were. The show's former head makeup artist, Zena Shteysel, revealed to People in 2013 that each contestant was bronzed from head to toe once a week in preparation for taping. Who knows if that's still true today!
Teams have to arrive early on the morning of the live show.
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Every pair must arrive at 7:45 a.m. ahead of the run through with the live band.
Pairs don't hear the band's arrangement until the day they perform.
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On show days, couples are finally able to practice along to the live version of the song. "Sometimes the band's arrangement will be a little different from the track," former executive producer Joe Sungkur revealed to Insider. "So it's very useful for the couples, because they might give notes to the musical director."
The dress rehearsal is mandatory.
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This is when producers and the show's director make sure the show is mapped out the way they want.
Know your angles.
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Another important part of dress rehearsal includes camera blocking. With 18 cameras operating at once, dancers need to practice their movements (as well as understand the camera movements) so that every step is captured on-screen.
Producers can change anything in a performance.
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During the dress rehearsal, producers and the director have control over the performance and are allowed to tweak any aspect of it — from wardrobe to lighting.
Stars are expected to contribute to the choreography.
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While the pro dancers take the lead, celebrities aren't just along for the ride. Both team members are expected to contribute — which often ends up being a great source of drama on the show.
For the group number, stars don't get a say.
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The group opening number that fans have come to love is choreographed by an on-staff head choreographer. Contestants don't have any say in the creative direction for this dance, but are required to participate each week.
Teams have to give an interview after every performance.
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As soon as the pair steps off of the dance floor, they're thrown in front of the camera for an interview. While it may be a welcome distraction for some of the stars, as they wait for their scores to be determined, it's also necessary for the show to get their reactions to their performance.
Producers have control over the storylines.
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However, Wade insists they only follow emerging storylines that develop from the contestants. To do this, producers keep a close eye on what’s going on with each team and build on any potential drama.
Dancers must be willing to be vulnerable on camera.
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The show's producers told Glamour that the cast opening up to viewers is one of the key parts of the show. "You have to open yourself up to the process. Seeing Maks [Chmerkovskiy] at his most vulnerable with Meryl [Davis] made people want to see his journey," Sungkur said.
And the stars can't be camera shy either.
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Both the judges and viewers loved watching Olympic gymnast Suni Lee break out of her shell in season 30. "Having Sasha, we’re complete opposites, he’s crazy outgoing and fun and all that and I’m super shy. I'm getting there," she told Access Hollywood at the time.
Contestants can't compete if they get injured.
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DWTS has survived 31 seasons, but not without a few injuries. Sometimes contestants are cleared to dance, but if an injury is deemed too serious, they're forced to drop out of the competition.
Stars can be replaced.
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Sometimes, the show must go on — with another star. In the case of Christie Brinkley, who broke her wrist and needed surgery, the model subbed in her daughter, Sailor Cook-Brinkley.
Contestants can't wear logos on television.
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Due to licensing rights, no logos, brand names, or sports teams can be featured on any clothes on the show. But Master P got to break this rule. "I was at a couple of [meetings] when Master P threatened to leave," Sungkur told Glamour. "He wanted to wear this jacket with a logo on it and threatened to leave because of it, and I was like, 'OK, you can wear the jacket!'"
There's a strict no lift rule.
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DWTS judge Carrie Ann Inaba has made it clear that she supports the ban, "which was to keep the playing field level for the older and less physically strong contestants so that all the dances didn't just become show dances with lifts and tricks," she wrote in an essay for FEMESTELLA in 2013.
The teams aren't just scored by the judges.
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In 2019, DWTS debuted a new voting system, where live votes from the audience determines a bottom two and then the judges have the final say on who stays and who goes.
This choice was QUITE controversial.
Scores must be verified before being announced.
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After judges write their scores down, the papers are taken to the control room. "Standards and practices from ABC then verifies that everything is fair and checks those scores, and we then go to the judges to reveal their scoring and we double-check that the score they hold up reflects the score they wrote down," Sungkur told Insider.
Contestants have to be patient during live eliminations.
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In 2020, host Tyra Banks infamously told the wrong couple they were in the bottom two, later saying it happened because of a mix-up in the control room. It's live television, after all, so the cast has to be prepared for anything!
Contestants have to promote the show.
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There is a ton of press attention that goes with appearing on DWTS.
From revealing the team pairings to weekly elimination updates, the cast has to agree to doing the morning talk show circuit.
The winners take home more than just bragging rights.
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In addition to their salary and, of course, the title of DWTS champion, the winning team receives the Mirrorball Trophy, which they can take home and display wherever they like.
For some, the competition doesn't end at the finale.
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ABC puts on a live tour after the season wraps. The tour means that some contestants, whether they were Mirrorball Trophy winners or not, get more time on the dance floor.
Janaya Wecker Lifestyle Editor Janaya is a Lifestyle Editor for Hearst Magazines.
Dancing with the Stars Cast Salaries
Dancing With the Stars has been on television for literally (*breaks out old-lady-from-Titanic voice*) 84 years, aka 29 seasons, with the 30th season premiering at 8 p.
m. ET tonight on ABC. And no, the celebrities featured on the show certainly aren’t sashaying their way around the stage in humiliating outfits for free.
While I’m sure there are some “celebs” who would go on this show just for the press, Dancing With the Stars’ contestants get compensated. And the more effort they put into their dancing, the more checks they cash. Let’s break it down, shall we?
The First Two Weeks
The contestants are cut a check the second they sign their lives away. According to Variety, everyone on the show makes $125,000 for the rehearsal period and the first two weeks on air.
This season, DWTS is kicking things off with 15 contestants:
- Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kenya Moore
- The Bachelor’s Matt James
- Spice Girl Mel C
- Actress Melora Hardin
- Peloton instructor Cody Rigsby
- Influencer Olivia Jade
- Country music singer Jimmie Allen
- The Talk host Amanda Kloots
- Actor Martin Kove
- Actor Brian Austin Green
- WWE wrestler Mike “The Miz” Mizanin
- Entertainer JoJo Siwa
- NBA star Iman Shumpert
- Bling Empire’s Christine Chiu
- Olympic gymnast Sunisa “Suni” Lee
…meaning the show spent about $1.
Me cheerfully saying hi to my empty bank account.
Back in 2010 (so, a long time ago), Gawker reported that contestants earned $10,000 for weeks 3 and 4, $20,000 for weeks 5 and 6, $30,000 for weeks 7 and 8, and $50,000 for weeks 9 and 10. That’s clearly a lot of money, but here’s the thing…
Contestants Used to Make Way More
$295,000 is no doubt a huge sum, but in previous seasons, the winner of Dancing With the Stars could earn up to $345,000. Here’s to hoping they go back to that in season 29, because everyone’s literally dancing their way through a pandemic. Either way, we won’t find out who takes home the final paycheck till this season is over, but I’m personally rooting for Skai Jackson, who’s actually donating a portion of her earnings!
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Mehera Bonner Mehera Bonner is a celebrity and entertainment news writer who enjoys Bravo and Antiques Roadshow with equal enthusiasm, She was previously entertainment editor at Marie Claire and has covered pop culture for over a decade.
DWTS Salary: How much do celebrities and professional dancers get paid to dance with the stars?
'Dancing With the Stars' One of the longest running and most popular reality shows in the US. Since its debut in 2005, the show has been gaining momentum. Even today in 2020, Dancing with the Stars remains hugely popular, and it's likely that it's still many years away.
Fans of the show need no introduction, but for those of you unfamiliar with its format, Dancing with the Stars pairs a celebrity with a professional dancer and sees several such teams compete in pre-determined dance performances to win over audiences. . judges and the public. The couple that receives the fewest points from the judges and the fewest votes from the audience are eliminated from the tournament every week until only one couple remains and becomes the champion.
Dancing with the Stars has over the years seen celebrities such as Floyd Mayweather, Kim Kardashian, Denise Richards, Buzz Aldrin, Pamela Anderson, Zendaya and Bill Nye take part.
Since getting boxing legends, scientists and actors to compete in the dance competition is not an easy task, many fans have asked how much the show pays. If you're wondering how much celebrities and dancers earn by participating in the competition, we've got you covered.
How much do celebrity members earn?
Dancing with the Stars has been around since 2005, so it's important to note that payouts have changed over the 15 years of existence. Therefore, we will focus on more recent figures; according to Variety According to a 2019 report, celebrities who participate in the show earn $125,000 per person for the rehearsal period and the first two weeks of performance. As the show goes on and contestants drop out, the payouts keep going up for every contestant that stays.
However, it's important to note that as of 2019, the maximum amount a celebrity could take home was $295,000. All three finalists take home the full $295,000 - the winning couple's star member doesn't take home any extra money, but does win the Mirror Ball Trophy and earn bragging rights.
It should also be noted here that the maximum potential payout used to be higher at around $350,000 each for the three finalists. However, in 2019year it was revised and shortened due to budgetary problems. Hence, it also makes sense to assume that celebrities may have to receive lower payouts in season 29 as well, because the world is in the midst of a global pandemic and economic crisis.
How much do professional dancers earn?
While celebrities can certainly earn a lot by participating in Dancing with the Stars, their competitiveness is ensured by professional dancers who work with them in pairs. However, these pros don't earn as much as their celebrity counterparts, although it's fair to say that they still take home a lot of money after every season.
As of 2019, professional dancers can earn up to $100,000 per season (including rehearsal time) for appearing on shows and helping their celebrities reach the top of the competition. While this is significantly less than the $295,000 celebrity income limit, it's still a huge amount of money. That being said, it should be noted that the pros' actual payouts per episode are not in the public domain, and what we know about their season earnings comes from secondary sources such as reports and interviews.
Fees Freimut and Dimopoulos on "Dancing with the Stars", the producer revealed how much they pay for the show
All stars sign contract
October 23, 10:27 am
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The producer of "Dances with Stars" Vladimir Zavadyuk revealed the secrets of the project and told whether the stars are paid for participating in the show.
According to the producer, who works with the most popular shows in Ukraine, contracts with the stars who participate in the project are concluded long before the start of the show.
The project team begins to select participants for the next season a year before the start.
Zavadyuk notes that all the stars sign a contract, which contains clauses, for failure to comply with which the stars face a fine. According to the contract, celebrities are required to arrive on time, not to drink alcohol and drugs, to go to the floor in their right mind.
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So far, according to Zavadyuk, none of the participants have been fined, although he is sure that the stars managed to break the rules without the organizers knowing.
The producer makes sure that the show does not have a script, the artists share their stories at their own request. Stars go to the show to show themselves as individuals, so they are interested in being interesting.
Zavadyuk notes that all celebrities understand that "Dancing with the Stars" is an excellent PR and an opportunity to raise popularity. For the sake of PR, many stars are ready to participate in the project for free.
“Everyone has different arrangements with us. Even superstars are dancing for free this season. They just understand what they need it for, ”said the producer.
As you know, Olga Freimut, Santa Dimopoulos, Oleg Vinnik, Pozitiv from the Time and Glass group and other stars are participating in the project in the 2020 season.
Recall that the new fight between the scandalous Olga Freimut and Kukhar at "Dancing with the Stars": "Stop whining at the camera, and go to the hall!".
As Politeka reported, Dimopoulos from "Dances with Stars" excited the imagination in the neckline to the navel: "What a shot.
"
Politeka also wrote that the conflict between Freimut and Efrosinina at "Dances with Stars" will continue: "Olga Batkovna, hold on!".
Author: Alena Chernyavskaya
Tags: dances with stars Santa Dimopoulos Olga Freimuth
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