DWTS Con Panel w/ Val, Daniella, Pasha, Brandon, Sharna & Hailey

At the Dancing with the StarsCon panel, pro dancer Brandon Armstrong described the show’s judging system as one that often “ceilings off” contestants. “Week one, everybody’s getting sevens and eights,” he said. “Then your partner is actually developing and getting better, but in the scores, you can’t reflect that.” This tension between technical scoring and audience connection is a central theme the pros wrestle with every season.

The Real Metric: Passion Over Perfection

The panel was clear that the show’s voting audience rarely rewards the most technically proficient dancer. Val Chmerkovskiy put it bluntly: “If we were just numbers people and you look at all the seasons of Dancing with the Stars, I think more often than not, the person that’s the best dancer does not win the show.” The audience votes for relatability, vulnerability, and passion. As Brandon explained, a level playing field isn’t about dance experience—it’s about effort. “Everybody has access to care. Everybody has the ability to be passionate,” he said. The pros agreed that a celebrity who comes in with raw talent but no heart is far less valuable than someone with no experience who is willing to be vulnerable and give everything they have.

The Balancing Act of Social Media and Authenticity