Dancing with the Stars has seen a lot of success in America, having been adapted from the United Kingdom BBC show Strictly Come Dancing. The show is so popular that it’s been adapted in more than 30 countries. The show pairs American celebrities, actors, and singers with professional ballroom dancers. A variety of dancing is done on Dancing with the Stars. Some of the most popular dances have been the cha-cha, the foxtrot, the tango, and the salsa. The couples then compete each week, facing a scoring and elimination. Viewers and fans of the show also get to cast their vote by phone and internet and the couple with the lowest combined score is eliminated that week. To date, eight seasons of Dancing with the Stars have aired, the last premiering in March of 2009.

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The winners of season 1, which aired in 2005, were Kelley Monoco and Alec Mazo. The first episode of this season drew over thirteen million viewers, which was a record for a summer reality television series debut. For its entire duration, Dancing with the Stars stayed number 1 in the ratings. Season 2, which aired in 2006, featured Master P, Kenny Mayne, Tatum O’Neil, and Drew Lachey. Ultimately, Drew Lachey and his partner Cheryl Burke won the competition, probably due to the professional dancing career of Burke and the years of experience Lachey had in 98 Degrees.

In season 3 of Dancing with the Stars the voting system was changed. Instead of fan votes counting for 50% of the total score, it was reduced to 25%. Interestingly, the results show of season three also featured a Slim Fast dance challenge with Tysonia Sichinga and Christian Perry. The challenge was designed to show how Slim Fast and exercise can aid in weight loss but Tysonia ended up gaining almost five pounds from drinking too much Slim Fast. The winners of season 3 were Emmitt Smith, an NFL running back, and Cheryl Burke for the second time.

Later seasons of Dancing with the Stars proved the long-lasting popularity of the show. Other stars that have appeared include Joey Fatone of N’Sync, Wayne Newton, Helio Castroneves, an Indy 500 racer, Penn Jillette, and Toni Braxton.

The popularity and long-lasting appeal of Dancing with the Stars can’t be denied. With 8 seasons under its belt, the show is expected to remain on the air and drawing millions of votes around the country for years to come.