It’s that time of year again when my life becomes consumed by one thing: Dancing with the Stars. Ever since my roommate got me hooked a couple of episodes into last season, I have been OBSESSED. Now every Tuesday at 8, my suitemates and our friends show up with blankets and popcorn to see what everyone brings to the table that night. After watching the first two episodes, these are the four contestants I think have final-four potential.
- Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov
Ever since the 2026 Winter Olympics, I have been obsessed with the Blade Angels. So when I found out that Amber Glenn would be competing this season, I was super stoked. Going into the episode, I was really interested to see how well Amber would do learning to dance off the ice. To say I was impressed would be a total understatement. Amber is very graceful and fun to watch, and I’m eager to watch her improve. She definitely has winner potential!
- Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach
This one took me by total surprise. I had never heard of Ezra before this season, but now he is one of my favorites. As someone who has experience learning how to tango, I’ve always had a special appreciation for it. However, watching Ezra do it gave me an even deeper appreciation for it. To be able to move like that on a prosthetic leg absolutely blew me away. Also, his chemistry with Daniella is honestly just so amazing. I just know he’ll do amazing this season.
- Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa
As someone who grew up watching 10 Things I Hate About You and Save the Last Dance, I have always been a big Julia Stiles fan. So, as soon as I saw her casting announcement, I had a feeling she’d become my favorite. After watching her in the premiere, she proved that to be correct! Her chemistry with Ezra and her passion for learning to dance is just so fun to watch. I cannot wait to watch her progress throughout the season; she definitely has major winner potential!
- Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold
This one is honestly unexpected for me. I didn’t really know who Connor was before this season. I only know of him because he came to Merrimack last spring for a comedy show. However, I think Connor has major potential to be a good dancer. He seems to be working super well with Rylee so far and is really charismatic. He is fun to watch both on the dance floor and behind the scenes. If he keeps it up, I could definitely see him in the final four!