Dancing With The Stars – The Cast, The Competition, The Ringers

So what you’ve been waiting for finally happened. The full cast was announced! On Good Morning America we saw Nick accompanied by what will inevitably be his competition in his quest for the mirror ball. While next week we’ll break down exactly how to vote for Nick and his partner Sharna (known as Team Backstreet Burgess now) each week, let’s focus on what he’s up against. For those who don’t watch the show regularly, we’ll break it down for you.

First, let’s start simple. Here is the full cast for Season 21 of Dancing With The Stars.

One thing is for sure, it’ll be a fun season!

So in Dancing With The Stars you always have the contestants you know are most likely to do well straight off. Like when Alfonso Ribiero was on, fans were reminded of his dance history. Nicole Scherzinger was another because she was a pop star, used to dancing intense choreography. You can never fully predict who will go far on the show. Personality, the chemistry the Star has with their pro, and how well the Star listens and learns has a lot to do with their success as well! But, there’s always a few you can look at and go…I can safely bet money he/she will get at least to the top five contestants.

The first episode has to do with a lot of that guessing as well. You can see how much coordination, grace and technique someone can put into their dances. Things are still new so if a lot of those qualities pop up early, you have your contenders. Once the first episode airs we’ll have a full recap for you about what this season might entail!

Okay, The Ringers…

Let me just put this out there. Nick is a ringer. I’m not saying this as a fan either. I’ve visited the DWTS fan blogs, I read the comments on his nae nae video. They’re all very similar. People are watching and thinking he and Sharna are going to be the power couple of the season. It’s easy to see why. He’s not only a boybander (thus used to choreography and lots of rehearsals), he’s an active boybander. That’s new. Most of the previous boybanders who’ve been on the show haven’t toured with their groups in years. Nick however is fresh off a worldwide tour that only ended this summer. So his endurance is high. He also has the nostalgia factor. The average viewer includes the average age of the BSB fanbase – you know, 90s children like ourselves. People will vote for Nick because he reminds them of their childhood (like Candace Cameron when she was on). He’s also a performer thus knowing exactly how to play the crowd.

Yes, we know Nick said he thinks his dance experience will work against him. Sorry Nick, we know better!

Andy Grammer is a ringer. He’s got the same aged fanbase Nick has. He’s also a performer and a popular one at that. If anyone is going to be Nick’s biggest competition I believe it’s Andy. I see him going pretty far, with Allison as his partner. He’s charming, funny, and if I wasn’t a BSB fan I would most likely be voting for him too. So see? Dangerous. He’s also performed on the show twice, the most memorable being this Charleston Nastia and Sasha did last season. See? Andy’s got moves. He’s the only other ringer in this season besides Nick. So don’t be complacent, if you’re Team Nick/Sharna!

And The Competition…

These are the ones who I think might get a lot of attention but perhaps aren’t immediate grabbers or ringers. They’re the growers. Bindi Irwin falls under this. She’s adorable but she’s not a performer and she’s never ballroom danced. However, she’s paired with Derek who’s arguably the most popular pro on the show. They will be adorable and garner votes based on that, let alone how skilled she might become. And I actually think she’ll end up being really good by the end of her run.

Carols PenaVega is another in this category. He’s from the Nickelodeon created Big Time Rush. Why isn’t he a ringer then? Because his wife, Alexa PenaVega is also on the show. The votes will be split between the two of them because you can’t save both! Things could change when inevitably one half of this couple ends up voted off the show. Not to mention, Big Time Rush never quite reached One Direction or even The Wanted levels of current day boyband fame. So there’s potential athleticism but no nostalgia. He’ll have to score high enough that he won’t have to rely on votes to squeak him by, is essentially what this means, to get around the split fanbase and lack of nostalgia.

I can’t stress enough how important nostalgia is on this show.

Stay tuned for more information! Next week we’ll post with exactly when and how to vote for the dancing pair you want to have stay on Dancing With The Stars! Don’t worry, we have you guys covered.

So what do you guys think about the full cast? Do you think Sharna can handle Nick? Do you think there’s more competition than what we listed? Come talk to us on twitter (@thedarksidebsb), the Forum, or in the comments below!