Lights, camera, dance! On June 1, 2005, Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) first premiered to families across America. While a lot has stayed the same over that time, including the judges, ballroom, and essence of the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, the show looks to take things to the next level each year. Over 20 years later, DWTS still captivates audiences and remains a staple in the media.
2026 marks the 35th season of the program. This season started with 16 couples and two new pros, Adele Zaikman and Hailey Bills. Season 35 also brought back Sharna Burgess, returning to the show for the first time in five seasons. Burgess is best known for winning the Mirrorball in 2018 with her partner Bobby Burns (justice for Milo Manheim!).
Spoilers ahead! If you’ve watched the premiere, or if you want to be caught up, read ahead!
Dancing with the stars Night one
The premiere spanned two nights, with the male-presenting stars dancing on Sept. 15 and the female-presenting stars dancing on Sept. 16. This premiere was different than recent years; there was an elimination at the end of each night of the premiere. A first-week elimination hasn’t happened since 2018, in season 27.
All couples danced to a song from the year they were born, with an emo-rock, 2000s throwback with “Sk8er Boi” by Avril Lavigne for model Sarah Jane Nader to the 1969 one-hit-wonder “Venus” by Shocking Blue for Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis.
Judges Carrie Ann Inaba and Derek Hough warned contestants that they would have to earn each point of their scores, with the lowest score any couple received being a seven. Yet, two couples still made it out on top.
Here’s a review of each dance, who made the judges want to dance along, and who had two left feet!
Jackson Olson and Emma Slater
Dancing first were Savannah Bananas player Jackson Olson and Season 24 champion Emma Slater. The two danced to “Wannabe” by the Spice Girls, doing the cha-cha. The couple stands to be a fan favorite, with Olson having pull for families, and DWTS fans are excited to see Slater with a younger partner. The couple received three fives for a total of 15 out of 30 points.
Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess
The Bachelorette finalist and returning mirrorball champion made their way to the ballroom with a slightly better score of 17 out of 30. Hough also notably called Tyler Cameron “Dylan,” which many believe to be a Freudian slip of last year’s fourth-place star, Dylan Efron.
Conner Leavitt and Adele Zaikman
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star and nepo-husband Conner Leavitt performed a salsa with Adele Zaikman, the recent winner of the DWTS spinoff, The Next Pro. Zaikman’s pro career was short-lived, with her and Leavitt going home the first night after receiving a score of 12 out of 30 points. Conner L took the L.
Guillermo Rodriguez and Whitney Carson
Last year’s Mirrorball champion teamed up with Jimmy Kimmel’s co-host to dance the cha-cha. The couple received the lowest scores of the night, with 10 out of 30 points, but, in my opinion, still danced better than Leavitt.
Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach
Paris Paralympian and gold medalist Ezra Frech danced the tango with his Season 30 Mirrorball winner partner, Daniella Karagach. They received the second-highest score of the night with 20 out of 30 points.
Frech is an above-the-knee amputee and a triple finger amputee on his left side. Frech and Karagach spoke about how leading on the left side was a challenge for this dance. However, the pair quickly became both a judge and fan favorite.
Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold
The social media star took the stage with season 33 finalist, Rylee Arnold, to dance the cha-cha. From a mechanical bull to bedazzled cowboy hats, Wood took the win with this dance. One of my favorites of the night, yet only received 16 out of 30 points.
Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart
The “MMMBop” singer and pro Britt Stewart were the second-to-last dance of the night with a quickstep. The dance was a great show, with many fans rooting for Stewart to hopefully make a well-earned appearance in this year’s finale. The judges saw Hanson’s potential, stating that he may be a threat, but ultimately scored the couple 16 out of 30 as well.
Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson
Finishing up the night was Beyoncé backup dancer, Glee, and Grey’s Anatomy star Harry Shum Jr. dancing with two-time Mirrorball champion Jenna Johnson. The two danced a cha-cha while receiving the highest score of any couple with 21 points. The judges noted the dance could have been more fluid, emphasizing Shum Jr.’s hip-hop dance background.
Dancing with the stars Night Two
For ladies’ night, the male-presenting star couples, barring Leavitt, sat in the front row cheering on the other half of the couples.
Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik
Last year’s new pro and Eras Tour alum Jan Ravnik took the stage with the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star Tatyana Ali. The two danced a jive and received not only a score of 12 out of 30, but also harsh comments from the judges, who looked forward to seeing Ali dance in a different style.
Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov
Olympic gold medalist Amber Glenn and Season 32 third-place pro Pasha Pashko performed a cha-cha, receiving a score of 18 out of 30. Their social media posts and Glenn’s fanbase present them as a favorite in the crowd.
Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong
The Summer House star and Season 33 finalist, Brandon Armstrong, danced an elegant foxtrot, gaining a score of 15 out of 30.
Giada de Laurentiis and Alan Bersten
The Food Network star is the oldest celebrity on the show this year and opened up about her physical limitations and struggles during practices. Laurentiis and Season 28 winner Alan Bersten danced a tango, receiving a score of 16 out of 30.
Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa
One of the first celebrities announced for this season, DWTS fan and 90s movie star Julia Stiles danced the quickstep with last season’s fourth-place pro, Ezra Sosa. The two danced to “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton and honored her memory with their dance.
The couple has quickly taken over DWTS social media and is, by far, a fan favorite, securing a spot next week and receiving an 18 out of 30 on their routine.
Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas
The Traitors co-stars traded the roundtables for the dance floor, dancing a Foxtrot and receiving the highest scores of the night. They tied for the top with Shum Jr. and Johnson.
Season 4 Traitors winner Rob Rausch was spotted in the audience with the infamous Birkin bag he bought Higgins after the finale of the reality show.
Sarah Jane Nader and Hailey Bills
Love Thy Nader star and model Sarah Jane Nader took the stage with the latest addition to the pros, Hailey Bills. The two danced a jive and received a 14 out of 30, the second-lowest score of the night.
Bills and Nader were the second couple eliminated, going home at the end of the night two. Bills will likely be joining the troupe in a lot of future dances, though.
Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovsky
The star of The Rookie danced with three-time Mirrorball champion Val Chmerkovsky. The couple did a tango, earning 19 out of 30 points.
With similar comments to Shum Jr., the judges told Dewan to watch her frame in the ballroom, but many see her becoming one to watch out for throughout the season.
That wraps up the two-night premiere of Dancing with the Stars’ 35th season. Keep tuning in every Tuesday at 8 p.m. EST on Disney+ to keep up!
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