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Shangela is Joining Dancing with the Stars as Show's First Drag Queen
She will be the first drag contestant on the U.S. iteration of the competition show.
Dancing with the Stars is shaking things up a bit with the new season, announcing this week that Shangela has joined the cast as the reality show’s first ever drag queen contestant.
The RuPaul’s Drag Race alum will be partnered with Gleb Savchenko for season 31 of the popular dance competition, and is more than ready to prove her moves.
“I feel so honored to be the first drag entertainer to compete on the show,” she wrote on Instagram. “It’s about darn time!!! So all y’all who’ve been in my corner all these years, tell a friend!”
“Let’s go win this Crown… I mean, Mirrorball!” she added.
\u201cGood morning America (and world)! I\u2019m so EXCITED to announce that I\u2019m the newest contestant on @officialdwts !!! From the backyard in Paris, TX to the ballroom on @DisneyPlus \ud83d\ude00 time to TURN IT!\u201d— Shangela (@Shangela) 1662651492
Fans of the drag queen were hyped for her over the announcement, and wasted no time yelling as much across social media.
\u201cShangela\u2019s super stardom trajectory is insane, this is the same girl that was eliminated first in her original season of Drag Race but has gone on to be in A Star is Born alongside Gaga and is now on DWTS\u201d— Tim (@Tim) 1662640742
\u201c@PopCrave SHANGELA FOR THE CROWN!!!!!\u201d— Pop Crave (@Pop Crave) 1662640490
\u201cShangela being on dancing with the stars is E V E R Y T H I N G\u201d— queen priyanka - stream taste test (@queen priyanka - stream taste test) 1662642024
\u201cSHANGELA IS ON DANCING WITH THE STARS\u203c\ufe0fI REPEAT, SHANGELA IS ON DANCING WITH THE STARS\u203c\ufe0f\u201d— ray \u2728 (@ray \u2728) 1662645289
While Shangela may be the first drag queen on the original U.S. iteration of Dancing with the Stars, Australia beat us to the punch by including Courtney Act on their show in both 2019 and earlier this year, for an All Stars edition.
Dancing with the Stars, like many well-established reality shows, has been slow to catch up to the inclusivity of modern times. It was just last year that JoJo Siwa became the first female contestant to compete with a female dance partner on the show. But seeing these steps continue in the right direction rather than halt or wind it back is promising, at least.
Season 31 will also see Wayne Brady, Selma Blair, Jordin Sparks, Cheryl Ladd, Daniel Durant, and Trevor Donovan join the cast, along with Jessie James Decker, bodybuilder Joseph Baena, weatherman Sam Champion, TikTok influencer Charli D’Amelio and her mother, Heidi, The Bachelorette’s Gabby Windey, Jersey Shore’s Vinny Guadagnino, and The Real Housewives of New Jersey’s Teresa Giudice.
Tune in on Monday, September 19 to see Shangela shine!
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Rachel Kiley is presumably a writer and definitely not a terminator. She can usually be found crying over queerbaiting in the Pitch Perfect franchise or on Twitter, if not both.
Rachel Kiley is presumably a writer and definitely not a terminator. She can usually be found crying over queerbaiting in the Pitch Perfect franchise or on Twitter, if not both.
