Dancing with the Stars turns 20: Selvaggia Lucarelli reveals the secrets between dance and plot twists

SThe schedules for the 2025/2026 television season have been officially revealed at the Rai studios in Naples: a mosaic full of proposals, innovations and confirmations. In the Prime Time Entertainment section, directed by Williams Di Liberatore, the highly anticipated twentieth edition of “Dancing with the Stars”, an authentic bastion of Public Service programming.

The talent show with the highest ratings, hosted by Milly Carlucci, will be broadcast every Saturday night on Rai 1, from September 27th to December 20th, and promises to blend the tradition that made it a cultural phenomenon with new creative ideas and cross-media content. The iconic jury composed of Carolyn Smith, Fabio Canino, Ivan Zazzaroni, Guillermo Mariotto and Selvaggia Lucarelli, who told exclusively for our newspaper her point of view on the program and her twenty-year experience as a judge.

“Dancing with the Stars” reaches the milestone of twenty years of broadcasting this year. What is the real secret of the longevity of this program?

"I believe the secret lies in the ability to read - and sometimes anticipate - the times. "Ballando" is a program that constantly transforms, remaining true to itself but adapting to the present. Milly Carlucci, despite a sometimes slightly baroque appearance, is actually a very contemporary figure. Don't be fooled by the elegant aesthetics, the chandeliers and the red velvets: "Ballando" may seem like a ballroom from another era, but the themes, the protagonists and the dynamics are a mirror - and often an anticipation - of our time"

Dance has always been the heart of the show as well as an evocative and primordial medium, as it sees the body as the protagonist and not the word. What value do you attribute to its communicative power?

“Dance is an art, but also a profound form of awareness of one’s body. Often people refuse to participate not because they fear dancing badly, but because they don’t feel comfortable with their image. I remember a person who, despite having interviewed and auditioned, gave up precisely because of the discomfort related to her body. It wasn’t the fear of technical judgment, but that of the public’s gaze. And yet, precisely in the most fragile moments we saw surprising competitors. We don’t need perfect bodies, but emotional truth”

Based on your experience, what is the ideal profile of a “Dancing with the Stars” contestant?

“The ideal competitor is not necessarily the most agile, but the one who has the right mental attitude. I am thinking, for example, of Federica Pellegrini: an extraordinary athlete but initially very weak in dance. Her strength was accepting the challenge, risking making a fool of herself on national television. She showed that even those who are used to winning can put themselves on the line without fear. This is the true beauty of the program: seeing someone overcome their limits, even psychological ones”

What convinces you to return annually to the role of judge?

“The jury, in turn, is a show within the show. Each year it has a different dynamic, almost as if it were a parallel series. There are tensions, alliances, small dramas, like in a soap opera that is rewritten episode after episode. We have experienced very strong moments, such as Mariotto's exit or the discussions that arose when my partner was among the contestants. The jury has a narrative identity that evolves from season to season, and is an integral part of the “Ballando” experience”

Some of your positions, both as a juror and as a journalist, are often the subject of criticism. How do you respond to those who accuse you of being too provocative or polemical?

“Today we are afraid of uncomfortable voices. Asking questions, doubting, investigating is labeled as controversy. But I still believe in a journalism that seeks answers, that questions, that is not afraid to say things. Let's take Pandorogate as an example, an investigation that generated millions of results online: for some it was a provocation, but for me it was just doing my job. I don't try to move the public, I try to inform them. And this, ultimately, bothers those who just want a comfortable chair”

In conclusion, in this new cycle of “Ballando”, what should we expect?

"A cast that, as always, will bring very different stories to the stage. I won't reveal anything, but there will be figures capable of creating powerful dynamics. And this year too, I believe, we will experience unforgettable moments both on and off the track"