Reality TV has seen pushes for better representation over the years. For Dancing with the Stars, judge Derek Hough wants to see a wheelchair user come on as a dancer for the competition series. He told Insider that it would be “wonderful” if it could happen.
The interview with Insider with the Dancing with the Stars judge comes two months after he posted a video of dancing with Chelsea Hill, who was paralyzed from a car accident when she was 17. He wrote in the Instagram post (seen below) that it was a “pleasure” to meet her that followed up with an “impromptu freestyle moment.”
Dancing with the Stars judge wants a wheelchair dancer in a future season
While some may see the restrictions of a wheelchair, Dancing with the Stars judge Derek Hough doesn’t. While promoting his Teach the Love campaign with Southwest and Chase, he said how you can “do amazing, amazing works of art” by only “dancing using the apparatus.” By looking beyond what may be deemed as a restriction, he said that the “possibilities are endless.”
A post shared by Derek Hough (@derekhough)
He was a dancer and choreographer before becoming a judge for the reality series. He looked back on how much he embraces and loves “stepping into the unknown” when in season 18, he choreographed dances with partner Amy Purdy, a para-snowboarder who has won multiple medals at the Paralympics. That experience helped him learn to “innovate” on choreography.
While the Dancing with the Stars judge does not look at himself as “familiar” with the subject, he is “intrigued” by introducing a wheelchair dancer to the series. These experiences with Hill and Purdy opened his mind to make room for people who may not have a chance to be on the popular competition show.
Dancing with the Stars has migrated to Disney+. Despite issues of COVID cases and filling the time, its latest season has been sailing forward. New episodes air on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on the streaming platform.
