Preteen girl looking at a cell phone with her parents

Family movie night? There's an app for that

Download our new mobile app on iOS and Android.

Get the app
Parents' Guide to

Shake It Up

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Dance-themed series offers a simplified view of teen life.

TV Disney Channel Comedy 2010
Shake It Up Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

See all
age 10+

Based on 77 parent reviews

Lowe's man
Lowe's man Adult
February 10, 2014
age 7+

friendship and loyalty valued

If I could separate the seasons, I'd give the first season 4 stars, as this was before Gunther and Tinka got on. Those characters are annoying. VERY annoying!! Especially with their fake Russian accents! Having said that, this show is a good show, for it teaches valuable lessons about friendship and loyalty to friends. CeCe and Rocky are always there for each other, no matter how rough things get. Now that's loyalty! Academically the show is balanced too. Both try hard in school. Yet while Rocky does well in school, CeCe does not. Although most kids who try hard in school will do well, some will always have the same problems that CeCe does. Kids- and adults- need to know this. This show does a good service to point this out. Some life lessons to be learned here. May Zendaya and Bella Thorne have long dancing careers!
Taylor S.
Taylor S. Parent of 9-year-old
November 9, 2023
age 8+

Cute

Shake It Up is super cute! My 9 year old daughter wanted to watch a show that had dancing b\c she is on a dance competetion team and loves to dance. she watches this show a lot and I sometimes watch it with her. Cece is more of the rebellious one and Rocky is the "Goody 2 shoes" and worrys if their parents are going to find out their scheme. The Gunther and Tinka characters have a very fake russian accent. The show is funny and my daughter always gets the funniest comebacks from it ( me:"Do you need me to get you more water?" her:" If I wanted water I could just go outside to the hose and fill it up myself". Also the theme song is super cute and my daughter always dances to it.
See all 77 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Best friends and aspiring performers CeCe Jones (Bella Thorne) and Rocky Blue (Zendaya) get their big break when they land spots as backup dancers on the local weekly dance show Shake It Up, Chicago!. Overnight fame and weekly paychecks are just a couple of the perks of their new job, but it's not all fun and games. Their lives are a lot more complicated now that there are new routines to learn, responsibilities to juggle, and social pressures to deal with, but through it all, CeCe and Rocky hold tight to their friendship and rely on each other to navigate the choppy new waters.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (77 ):
Kids say (291 ):

Disney churns out another entertaining series for tweens in SHAKE IT UP, a buddy comedy that celebrates the triumphs and pitfalls of friendship. CeCe and Rocky's big personalities get them into plenty of offbeat adventures, but through it all, their affection for each other trumps the bad stuff and helps them work things out. They learn that it's not always a smooth road to achieving their dreams, but they are dedicated, determined, and willing to work hard if it means getting what they want.



This series has all the markings of a typical Disney hit: colorful characters, upbeat music, and positive vibes all around. What's more, Shake It Up features plenty of modern dance moves kids might want to emulate. Its overly sanitized view of life won't work for more worldly tweens, and it certainly doesn't offer kids much quality content to sink their teeth into, but it's mostly innocuous for kids...as long as parents follow up with a reality check now and then.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about setting and achieving goals. Kids: What are some things you hope to accomplish in your life? What skills or education will you need to acquire to achieve these? How can setting smaller goals help you stay focused on reaching the big ones?

  • Why is friendship important? How can a friend's presence help you through difficult times? How do you show that you're a good friend? What instances stand out for you as times when you helped a friend or (s)he helped you?

  • Do you think the TV shows you watch reflect realistic situations? How do characters' experiences in school, family, and with friends compare to yours? Can you still learn something from a show if it oversimplifies the characters' struggles? How do you think your life would translate to a TV show?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended tv lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate