One hot topic in the world of reality TV is the idea of better representation when it comes to inclusion.
This has been a big deal on Dancing with the Stars for many years, with some fans noticing the lack of support for POC when it comes to the voting and the actual representation of the show.
Things started to change recently when Dancing with the Stars hired its first black female pro for the show.
Britt Stewart joined the pros in Season 29, after DWTS had 28 seasons without adding a black female pro to their roster.
Britt Stewart on Dancing with the Stars
In her first season on Dancing with the Stars, Britt Stewart made it all the way to the semi-finals.
She partnered with Johnny Weir and they ended up in sixth place. However, it wasn’t an easy road.
In Week 5, they scored a 29, one away from a perfect score, and the next week ended up in the Bottom 2. In Week 9, they finished with their first perfect score and still ended up in the Bottom 2.
In Week 10, Britt and Johnny scored a 27 out of 30 and a perfect 30 and ended up eliminated.
Things were very tough for Britt in Season 30, as she ended up paired with 75-year-old Martin Kove and they were the first duo eliminated.
However, Britt has loved her time on the show and sees big changes made behind the scenes when it comes to breaking barriers on Dancing with the Stars.
Britt Stewart about breaking barriers on DWTS
Britt Stewart began dancing when she was only three years old. She was accepted into the dance program at the Denver School of the Arts.
After graduation, she was accepted into the contemporary and ballet program at Loyola Marymount University.
She has worked professionally on tours with Florence + The Machine, Rihanna, Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas, Selena Gomez, and Janet Jackson.
She has all it takes and finally earned a spot as a pro on Dancing with the Stars in Season 29.
“I just finished my second season with Dancing with the Stars, and I still pinch myself when people tell me, ‘Do you realize you are making history?’ or ‘You inspire me to start ballroom dancing,'” Britt told Chicago Defender.
She then said her goal is to appreciate this opportunity and to give back.
“It’s an honor to be that representation, and I don’t take it lightly,” Britt said. “It’s a big deal for someone to see a reflection of themselves on a major network television show.”
Britt also said that ballroom dancing is not diverse.
“Many of the dance styles, such as the cha-cha, foxtrot, and samba, are rooted in black and brown culture,” Britt explained. “It has become competitively a cultural thing for Russia, Europe, and Asia. So you don’t see a lot of diversity in that realm of competitive dance.”
She also pointed out that it is very expensive to ballroom dance in the United States, which limits who can learn it. This has led her to start a program to help others.
“Share the Movement is to increase diversity in the professional dance industry by providing financial, educational, and inspiration support to young BIPOC dancers,” Britt explained.
“We are starting at the foundational level for young dancers looking to further their dance training, career and aspire to be professionals one day but don’t have the means.”
Dancing with the Stars is on hiatus. The show should return to ABC in late 2022.