This season of Dancing with the Stars has continued to captivate audiences with its dazzling numbers and sequined ensembles.
But behind the scenes, woes over staggering wage reductions and unequal salaries serve to threaten the longstanding ABC series.
A ‘huge complaint’ has been brewing among the show’s professional dancers, as multiple insiders have laid bare the ‘massive pay cut’ that ignited competition among the tight-knit cast – and why they’re no longer ‘holding back’ from showing their true emotions this season.
Season 34 of DWTS premiered on September 16 with a record-breaking 5.5 million viewers.
This season has continued to rake in millions of fans each week, as viewers vote for their favorite dancing duo to make it to the next round of the competition.
The increased viewership may be due in part to this season’s star-studded cast, which includes Jordan Chiles, Danielle Fishel, Andy Richter, Robert Irwin, Elaine Hendrix, Alix Earle, Whitney Leavitt, Jen Affleck, Scott Hoying and Dylan Efron.
Dancing with the Stars professionals are ‘not holding back’ after taking a ‘massive pay cut’ and seeing disparities between cast members’ salaries, multiple sources have told the Daily Mail
Pictured: Mark Ballas and Whitney Leavitt. An inside source has shared that pro dancers earn on average ‘between $2,500 to $5,000 per episode’
Actor Corey Feldman was one of the first to be eliminated from the competition alongside NBA star Baron Davis – both in week two – followed by Fifth Harmony singer Lauren Jauregui in week three and Hilaria Baldwin in week four.
What may also be helping the ratings is the beloved dance competition’s return to ABC, where the show aired for a whopping 30 seasons before a streaming-only stint on Disney Plus in 2022. The departure received criticism from both fans and recurring cast members.
Not only did the move spark concerns about declining viewership, but the show’s rotating cast of professional dancers also took a ‘massive pay cut’ when the series moved to streaming for Season 31, an exclusive source told the Daily Mail.
While the insider shared that ‘the money is better’ now that DWTS has returned to network TV, there is still ‘a competition between the dance pros about who earns what.’
The Daily Mail has learned that each pro receives a $10,000 ‘bonus’ pay check at the start of the season to cover the costs related to photoshoots and various promotional expenses.
The pros then earn between $2,500 and $5,000 per episode – based on popularity and tenure – for as long as they last in the competition.
Then, it is a race to the finale as dancers receive a bonus for making it to the final round of the season, followed by another bonus for winning the competition.
‘On a winning season, they can make a decent amount, between $200,000 to $300,000,’ the insider told the Daily Mail.
The cast of Dancing with the Stars Season 34 includes Jordan Chiles, Danielle Fishel, Andy Richter, Robert Irwin, Elaine Hendrix, Alix Earle, Whitney Leavitt, Jen Affleck, Scott Hoying, Dylan Efron, Hilaria Baldwin, Corey Feldman and Baron Davis
Dancing pro Jenna Johnson won last year’s Mirrorball Trophy with The Bachelor partner Joey Graziadei
For each season’s crop of celebrities, the opportunity to appear on DWTS can not only bolster their status and open the door to future opportunities in Hollywood, but they can also earn a reported starting salary of $125,000.
But for the show’s slate of professional dancers, the stakes are far higher.
‘The pros are barely getting by with the network pay, and they put in a lot of hours – even more than what’s requested,’ a second source told the Daily Mail.
‘You can’t tell from watching, but it’s something they all stress about. Even though they love their jobs, they’re not making as much as they could get from other projects.’
While other opportunities, such as joining the DWTS tour, can help supplement their ABC paycheck, it still doesn’t match up to the ‘big pay difference between pros and celebrities,’ the second source added.
Perhaps that’s why cast member Jenna Johnson, who won last year’s DWTS with The Bachelor’s Joey Graziadei, hinted at tensions behind the scenes with her 2025 celebrity partner, Feldman.
The actor allegedly missed five days of rehearsals in the weeks leading up to the premiere, and his apparent lack of practice showed.
The couple were one of the first to be kicked off the show in a double elimination, in turn eliminating Johnson’s chance at earning a solid salary for the season.
Johnson hinted at tension with this season’s partner Corey Feldman when the actor missed five days of rehearsal. The couple were eliminated in week two of the competition
‘It sucks when you’re teamed up with someone like Corey because it could be the difference between making $20,000 and $200,000,’ our first insider told the Daily Mail.
A third source has told the Daily Mail that cast members are complaining about this season’s particularly low scoring from judges Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli.
‘It’s frustrating because the dancers work so hard that they expect 8s, 9s or 10s [out of 10],’ the third insider said.
‘When they get 6s or 7s, it’s a big bummer and they’re going to express that – they’re not holding back.’
As such, the dancers have decided to be ‘more vocal about the voting,’ the third insider added.
After all, a low score is what stands in the way of making it to the finale and receiving a six-figure paycheck.
A third source told the Daily Mail that cast members are complaining about this season’s particularly low scoring from judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli
On Tuesday evening, Hilaria Baldwin and partner Gleb Savchenko were the third couple to be eliminated from the competition
This isn’t the first time this season that rumors have swirled about backstage chaos.
Insiders previously told the Daily Mail that this season is ‘a s**t show’ with multiple stars failing to commit to the demands of the competition.
‘They chose a few stars – and I use that term loosely – who just don’t want to put in the work,’ the source said at the time. ‘Some just don’t seem as committed as others have in the past.
‘Yes, Corey is one of them. It takes work to win Dancing with the Stars. Rehearsals, practice, really immersing yourself, and a few people don’t seem to want to do that.’
Feldman wasn’t the only contestant to fall short, as some professional dancers felt ‘demoralized’ over their pairings.
‘It’s fun to watch a train wreck, but it sucks for the pro who is paired with them,’ another insider told the Daily Mail last month.
‘It’s demoralizing to be given someone who isn’t going to try, or has no chance. You feel like you’re being set up to fail.
‘You have to go out there and smile really big and hope that a miracle happens, and then just hope that the next season will be better. It’s not always fun.’
The Daily Mail has contacted ABC for comment, but has not heard back.
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .