Summary
- Celebs on DWTS can earn up to $300K, while pros make under $6K per week. Exposure can lead to more opportunities.
- Behind the scenes, pairs are chosen based on height, build, personality, and compatibility. Pros don't pick partners.
- Contestants must watch out for developing feelings on the show, as intense relationships have led to real-life couples.
In the past, several of the pros and celebs have spoken out about their time on the reality TV show, Dancing with the Stars. Cheryl Burke left behind a strong salary, while others like Chris Kattan admitted the show is unfair.
One thing that might be deemed as unfair is the pay difference between the celebs and dancers. We'll take a look at how large the difference really is on a per week basis. In addition, we're going to take a closer look at some of the lesser known behind the scenes rules, and what Cheryl Burke called a major problem between the pros and dancers.
We'll close things off by featuring Jordin Sparks' comments about her time on the show in the past. Although Sparks thrived during her experience, it turned out to be a lot more consuming than the American Idol star expected.
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Celebs Can Earn $125K For 2 Weeks And Even More Down The Line, While The Pros Are Making Under 6K
Back in 2019, Variety shared some of the details related to the income earned by celebs on DWTS.
The first two weeks of the show are profitable, with celebs earning $125K during the rehearsal period. That number is inflated over the course of the competition, and can max out at just under $300,000.
As for the dancers, Us Magazine revealed that the number is very different.
The publication writes, "The funds for the professional salaries range. According to reports, popular pros make up to $5,200 per week while newcomers start out with lower weekly wages."
Of course, although the salaries aren't as high for dancers per week, there really isn't a number on how important the exposure alone can be. With millions of viewers watching every week, the opportunity can lead to various other doors opening. In turn, more profits for the dancers.
Cheryl Burke's Brutal Body Dysmorphia During Dancing With The Stars Isn't The Only Time Her Health Has Suffered
Chery Burke struggled with some distressing health issues beyond the body dysmorphia that she faced when she competed on Dancing With The Stars.
Us Magazine revealed other rules and secrets fans didn't know about. Among them is what goes on behind the scenes when the show is selecting the couples. Former showrunner Rob Wade gave some additional details regarding the process.
- “Based on height, build and personality and compatibility.”
- He explained: ”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. That would just be a miserable experience for the celebrity, for us and the viewer. You don't want to see two people who don't like each other and, quite frankly, we have made that mistake pairing people up who didn't get on so well."
Dancer Mark Ballas confirmed that the pros don't get any say in who they get as a partner.
“They also try and make us compatible based on personality, and what they think will work well,” Ballas said. “Each one of the pro dancers has a different way of teaching, choreographing, and also just different personalities, as well as time-stamps on patience. They kind of try to pair us accordingly."
It truly is quite a process behind the scenes, with a lot going on. Regardless, the opportunity alone can change any career.
Cheryl Burke Offered A Waning Recently To Both Dancers And Celebs About Developing Feelings
Not only are there rules that couples on the show have to follow. But according to Cheryl Burke, pairs need to be on the look out in terms of their feelings for each other. Burke warned future contestants about catching feelings. She isn't wrong either, as several former couples have ended up together in real-life. Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev even have a child together.
- “It’s an arranged marriage,” she told guest Dave Quinn. “And it is black and white. Either love each other or hate each other for real.”
- She continues, “You’re not like, ‘Oh yeah, he’s cute. Like, no, no, I either like you or I don’t because you’re constantly [together] eight hours a day, seven days a week,” Burke said. “That’s insane. For three months?” “And you’re vulnerable,” Burke added.
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Burke also added that she had a suspicion of married partners on the show having an affair.
- “It’s so intimate, and you’re stuck with this person,” Burke said.
- “Like, you better try and make it work at least. You get close in so many ways.
- “These celebrities are so vulnerable because in order to succeed you have to strip it all down. And that alone? I bet you most of these married celebrities have never even done that with their wives.”
Just another thing future celebs and dancers have to think about when agreeing to the terms of the show.
Jordin Sparks Admitted Her Experience Was "Consuming"
Jordin Sparks expected her time on Dancing with the Stars to be difficult. However, she really didn't expect the experience to be as consuming as it was. The American Idol star admits the only thing that was on her mind was DWTS during her time on the reality show.
“I knew it was going to be tough because it’s something I don’t do, but I did not know it was going to be as all-consuming as it was,” Sparks told SheKnows. “I couldn’t think about anything but the show.”
Sparks felt all sorts of different emotions during her time on the show. During week 4, she felt particularly emotional during “Remember Me” from Disney’s Coco.
“I really wanted to be around for that night and so they were asking me what songs I would want to do and I was like, ‘I want to something that DJ loves’ and Coco is the song,” Sparks recalled. “I sing it to him every single night and it was [his] first time actually coming to see me live and so doing that song and having him there was a really emotional moment, I was just so overwhelmed.”
“My husband was there and DJ was there, the song is playing and I’m dancing, this is a lot of things happening all at once,” Sparks said.
Quite the experience, and Sparks hasn't shied away from reality TV since. Sparks revealed she is interested in replacing Katy Perry on American Idol.
