History Trivia / DancingWiththeStars

* DuelingShows: A rare DualWielding version; ''Dancing'' is fighting off ''Series/AmericanIdol'' with one hand and ''Series/SoYouThinkYouCanDance'' with the other.

* StarMakingRole: Season 21 winner Bindi Irwin's popularity in North America ''exploded'' after she joined the cast. She literally went from being almost completely unknown outside the context of being Steve Irwin's daughter to one of the most dominant contestants in histry.

*** Something similar happened to Rumer Willis, who was in the audience for the Season 19 premiere and expressed her support for Janel and Val in a package during the results show. One season later, not only is she paired with Val but she also wound up winning the whole thing.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: The show has a "wish list" of celebs that they would like to be on the show and have contacted in the past (some have had to decline for various reasons, but did the show later, such as Melissa Joan Hart, Kirstie Alley and Nick Carter). Some of the ones on the list include Bill Clinton, Lindsay Lohan, and having Portia de Rossi in the show's first same-sex couple.

** In season 20, one of Willow Shields' dances was inspired by ''Franchise/TheHungerGames''.

* StarMakingRole: Bindi Irwin's popularity in North America ''exploded'' after she joined the cast. She literally went from being almost completely unknown outside the context of being Steve Irwin's daughter to far and away the most popular contestant of her season and ultimately winning the whole thing.

* DuelingShows: A rare DualWielding version; ''Dancing'' is fighting off ''Series/AmericanIdol'' with one hand and ''SoYouThinkYouCanDance'' with the other.
** And now it's fighting ''Series/TheVoice'' as well (Moreso than ''SoYouThinkYouCanDance'' and ''Series/AmericanIdol'' since it battles DWTS in both spring and fall seasons whereas SYTYCD and AI only has one season per year).

** And not just about the celebs! Longtime viewers of ''SoYouThinkYouCanDance'' will most likely recognize Witney, Lindsay and Brittany, among others.

** It was brought up again during Most Memorable Year Week in Season 21, though this time Bruno seemed a lot more comfortable about it.

* StarMakingRole: Bindi Irwin's popularity in North America ''exploded'' after she joined the cast. She literally went from being almost completely unknown outside the context of being Steve Irwin's daughter to far and away the most popular contestant [[spoiler:and ultimately champion]] of her season.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: The show has a "wish list" of celebs that they would like to be on the show and have contacted in the past (some have had to decline for various reasons, but did the show later, such as Melissa Joan Hart, Kirstie Alley and Nick Carter.) Some of the ones on the list include Bill Clinton, Lindsay Lohan, and having Portia de Rossi in the show's first same-sex couple.

** One of the celebrities present for Season 17's finale was ''TheWonderYears'' star and [[BrainyBrunette math wiz]] Danica [=McKellar=], an open fan of the show. One season later, there she was as an actual contestant -- and partnered with fan-favorite Val Chmerkovskiy to boot.

** One of the celebrities present for Season 17's finale was ''TheWonderYears'' star and [[BrainyBrunette math wiz]] Danica [=McKellar=], an open fan of the show. One season later, there she was as an actual contestant.

** One of the celebrities present for Season 17's finale was ''TheWonderYears'' star and math wiz Danica [=McKellar=], an open fan of the show. One season later, there she was as an actual contestant.

* StarMakingRole: Bindi Irwin's popularity in North America ''exploded'' after she joined the cast. She literally went from being almost completely unknown outside the context of being Steve Irwin's daughter to far and away the most popular contestant on her season.

* AscendedFangirl: In Season 21, Sharna, who was a huge fan of the BackstreetBoys as a teenager, was ecstatic to find out she was paired with Nick Carter.

* ThrowItIn: The couples can sometimes have an amazing ability to bounce back during a dance, such as Ralph Macchio catching Karina Smirnoff during a fall after his swinging coat knocked her to the floor, and Nick Carter literally bouncing back at the end of his jive after slipping and falling on his back.

** In the season 21 premiere, [[BackstreetBoys Nick Carter]] and Sharna's cha-cha dance included the famous claw move from the official choreography of "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)". Three weeks later, they performed a jazz to the song proper - once again, the claw move was included.
* AscendedFangirl: In Season 21, Sharna, who was a huge fan of the BackstreetBoys at the age of 13, is ecstatic to find out she was paired with Nick Carter.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: The show has a "wish list" of celebs that they would like to be on the show and have contacted in the past (some have had to decline for various reasons, but did the show later, such as Melissa Joan Hart and Kirstie Alley.) Some of the ones on the list include Bill Clinton, Lindsay Lohan, and having Portia de Rossi in the show's first same-sex couple.

* ThrowItIn: The couples can sometimes have an amazing ability to bounce back during a dance, such as Ralph Macchio catching Karina Smirnoff during a fall after his swinging coat knocked her to the floor.

** In the season 21 premiere, [[BackstreetBoys Nick Carter]] and Sharna's cha-cha dance included the famous claw move from the official choreography of "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)".

* ActorAllusion: The return of The Carlton Dance to Tom Jones's "It's Not Unusual" featured a lovingly faithful recreation of [[Series/TheFreshPrinceOfBelAir the Banks' living room]], as well as a CallBack to Jones's role as Carlton's idol and guardian angel.