Dancing With The Stars Cast: Why Celebrities Want To Appear On DWTS

Dancing With The Stars is so popular it even has it's own acronym. DWTS. Okay, maybe the television show just acquired the abbreviation because it has such a long title. Whatever the reason, the TV show draws viewers. Here comes Season 14 of the American version.

The new season premiered March 19. The cast includes a variety of celebrity singers, actors, and sports talents. When they already have "celebrity" status, why exactly are they clamoring to appear on Dancing With The Stars?

Let's put aside the draw to win the huge mirror ball trophy and instead focus on the other motivations.

Ahem, I clear my throat.

Many celebrities are well known in only one genre or for one look. Take Jaleel White, part of the 2012 DWTS cast. White became popular for his portrayal of geeky teenager Steve Urkel in the '90s television show Family Matters. His name is still identified with the clutzy character and he is definitely not known for his dancing abilities.

Given that Family Matters stopped filming several years ago and his associated image is less than suave, White likely wants to create a new look. Perhaps joining the DWTS cast will help viewers see him in a new light.

Dancing With The Stars gives celebrities the opportunity to step out of the talent spotlights for which they are well known. Viewers may see another side of them.

The stars also get the opportunity to speak directly to fans through the camera when their scores are given after their dances have finished. A personal and genuine side of the celebrity can be viewed by the audience.

The television show also gives stars the opportunity to appeal to a wider audience. For example, Katherine Jenkins in Season 14 is a classical singer from the United Kingdom. She admitted on the premier show that she is not well known in the United States, the country where the shows are taped.

DWTS gives Jenkins the chance to have airtime in front of US viewers. Her name and face get recognized when she is seen each week by regular viewers of the show. Her fan base and her popularity are likely to grow as a result of the exposure.

Many celebrities also seek out Dancing With The Stars for the challenges of the show. DWTS involves a lot of exercise. DWTS is a great environment for stars to gain body strength and sharpen their athletic abilities.

The show is also a challenge as many new dance steps need to be learned. Routines of the past seasons, for example, included the jive, foxtrot, tango and quickstep.

The routines need to be learned quickly, within the week between episodes. During that week the stars also need to be fitted for costumes and develop chemistry with their professional dance partners. The already busy schedules of the star need to be balanced with the rehearsals, making every minute count. Celebrities may also feel stress that they will be eliminated from the show due to low scores.

Celebrities may crave these challenges and therefore want to take on Dancing With The Stars.

Another reason why stars flock to Dancing With The Stars is because the dance routines are a great way to lose weight. The rehearsals for the shows involve practicing dance steps for long hours, which is a strenuous aerobic activity.

Former cast members Kirstie Alley and Ricki Lake have explained that part of the reason they joined the show was to meet their weight loss goals. The constant rehearsals with the professional dancers keep the celebrities on their feet for long hours, which burns many calories.

Money is another incentive for celebrities to join Dancing With The Stars. A substantial amount of money can be earned by dancing on the show.

According to Pop Eater's Rob Shuter, upon sign up each contestant gets $150,000 USD for six weeks of rehearsals and the first two shows. Each week after that two weeks is an extra $10,000, then $20,000, and so on. This means that the winner, who has survived the most weeks, receives $350,000!

Okay so that is further incentive to keep dancing! Especially if money is tight at home. Nothing like a week's worth of dancing for a cool $10,000 to motivate you to sign on the dotted line.

There are many motivators for celebrities to join the Dancing With The Stars cast. Now in Season 14, faithful viewers continue to watch the show. The show brings celebrities a few challenges, and it also increases their fan bases. Shedding a few pounds and earning more than a few dollars are nice rewards as well.

Given the various motivations, there are likely to be more seasons of Dancing With The Stars to come. Bring on the dance steps and bring on the celebrities!