“It all starts here, it started, it was a cooking school. It’s going to end up in a dance school”, jokes Camille Combal. During the fourth Dance with the Stars prime, on September 30 on TF1, comedian Thomas Da Costa tried his hand at rumba with his partner Elsa Bois. A duo that turned into a trio with the surprise arrival of actress Pola Petrenko, revealed in the same series as the candidate, for the evening of mystery dancers.
At the end of this evening, Thomas Da Costa and Elsa were among the three couples who received the lowest marks from the jury. After a last lap on a samba, the duo was saved by the public against the influencer Léa Elui in duet with Christophe Licata and the singer Eva with Jordan Mouillerac. The latter were eliminated from the adventure after a tie between the jury, Chris Marques having had the last word.
It’s no secret to any fan of the contest: Dancing with the Stars offers a share of exposure for the channel’s flagship series. Tomorrow belongs to us, Clem or Here it all begins… the passage in the show is an opportunity to highlight the favorite heroes of the fans on a dance floor. Like Lucie Lucas (alias Clem) and Aurélie Pons (ITC), semi-finalist of the 2021 edition, Azize Diabaté (revealed in Les Bracelets rouges) still Linda Hardy (ex-DNA) and Clément Rémiens, winner of the show in 2018 against Iris Mittenaere.
“TF1 tries every year to place its actors and actresses in the show to promote their programs. And, therefore, to create the most perfectly compatible product to appeal to as many people as possible”, assures Armand, videographer and fan of series, for Planet. Pointing as an example the advantageous physique of certain stars, more attractive in the eyes of the public.
If all the candidates are evaluated on their progress in dance during the DALS adventure, some would seem to benefit from greater support thanks to the votes of the public, the youth target and the housewives in mind. “Popularity obviously plays when the public votes”, assures Héloïse, faithful of the first season, for Planet. For Armand, he believes that the most popular candidates are “those with the biggest fanbase (community, editor’s note)”. And, to add. “There is a sympathy which makes you become attached much more quickly to these actors rather than to people who are not part of the TF1 team”.
Regarding the votes divided between the viewers and the jury, Héloïse is quite divided. “I think it’s good to involve the public. But, knowing that it is on dance performances, it would be better sometimes to leave that to the jury”. Some Internet users have not failed to voice their disapproval after unfair eliminations (Dita von Teese, Tonya Kinzinger, etc.) over the past seasons.
On the rating system side, the 20 Minutes site indicated that “the production therefore wants the public to understand who dances well or less well, who has potential, who progresses over the weeks or who does not work”, quoting the director of flow programs from TF1, Rémi Faure. “It goes largely through a jury with simple sentences and it also goes through dance choices that we can read, understand”. Will actor Thomas Da Costa experience the same coronation as Clément Rémiens or will he return to the stoves of the Auguste Armand Institute like Aurélie Pons, eliminated at the gates of the final in 2021? To be continued in the next episode…
