New Season, New Cast… Who’s the Favorite?
Season 34 of “Dancing with the Stars” premiered on Tuesday, Sept. 16 and fans are already loud on social media. From yelling at judges, to who was too stiff in their moves, here’s a recap – along with my personal first impressions – of the season 34 premiere! To be clear, I have pretty much no qualifications to judge these dancers. I have been watching the show for years, but I am in no way a professional dancer.
week one Score overview:
Robert Irwin and Witney Carson – 15
Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas – 15
Hilaria Baldwin and Gleb Savchenko – 14
Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy – 13
Lauren Jauregui and Brandon Armstrong – 13
Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov – 12
Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten – 12
Jen Affleck and Jan Ravnik – 12
Baron Davis and Britt Stewart Durant – 10
Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach – 10
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa – 10
Scott Hoying and Rylee Arnold – 10
Andy Richter and Emma Slater – 9
Corey Feldman and Jenna Johnson – 9
Dance 1: Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa
Chiles and Sosa scored fives from both Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough, leaving them at a 10 for the premiere night. Chiles chose “Break My Soul” by Beyoncé for her anthem, and the pair performed a salsa to introduce her to the ballroom. Hough mentions her “flips and tricks” used in the choreography, saying that they were engaging, but wants her to be more confident in her dance moves. Tonioli says Chiles was “flawless” and noted she should work on her hip movement.
Personally, I would have scored this dance a five or six. I think it was very entertaining, but it was full of tricks, not really dance technique. The song was a great choice for the pair, and I’m glad to see Sosa with a partner who actually cares about the dancing. Hopefully, Chiles takes something away from the competition.
Dance 2: Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach
Efron and Karagach also scored a 10 for the premiere, with both judges giving the pair a five. For his anthem and cha-cha dance, Efron chose “Milkshake” by Kelis. Tonioli’s main qualm with the performance was that Efron tended to go off time throughout the dance. He encourages Efron to be consistent and to work through those timing issues. Hough also notices the timing and wants to see Efron “step into the leading-man role.” He also compliments Efron’s fluidity in the movement.
Controversial opinion: I actually liked this dance. People were hating on his song choice, but the whole reason Efron chose the song was to break out of what people expected from him. I admire his confidence in himself. Getting out there and having your first dance move of the season be shaking your butt in Derek Hough’s face must be nerve-wracking. The dance wasn’t perfect, but we can’t expect it to be. He gave me a very similar vibe to Danny Amendola’s dances in season 33.
Dance 3: Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten
Hough and Tonioli both gave this duo a six, leaving them with a 12 for the night. Hendrix chose her anthem, “Woman,” by Kesha, and she and Bersten performed a cha-cha with references to the iconic film, “The Parent Trap.” Hendrix shocked everyone, both audiences and judges, and Hough made sure she knew that. He commented on how he was “wowed” by the performance and praised her for getting back into her love of dance. Tonioli and Hough both encouraged Hendrix to work on finishing her motions and loosening her shoulders.
I absolutely loved this performance; I was really blown away. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but I truly loved every part of the dance. Channeling her inner Meredith Blake with the hat to start the dance was iconic, and including the handshake from the film was like a cherry on top of the performance. I think Hendrix has a lot of potential, and I can’t wait to see her get her dance groove back.
Dance 4: Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas
Now, this is where the scoring gets complicated. Leavitt and Ballas walked away with a 15, but only because Tonioli made a mistake when entering his score. Hough gave the pair a seven, and Tonioli thought he did as well, but he entered an eight by accident. Since they must follow the score entered and not the score on the paddles, the pair was awarded a 15 rather than a 14. Leavitt chose “Golden” from the film “KPop Demon Hunters” as her anthem, performing a tango to the song. Tonioli and Hough both mentioned how impressed they were with the high quality of the performance. The two called the dance beautiful and advised Leavitt to watch her frame while dancing.
I love Whitney, okay? But I do kind of think it’s weird that Ballas came back just to be her partner. I don’t know how to explain it, but it feels planned to me. Anyway, her dance was great, and Julianne Hough mentioned in the skybox that Whitney Leavitt and pro Witney Carson competed against each other at their dance studios way back when. I was not a fan of the song choice; it didn’t give Tango vibes to me, but overall, Leavitt was fantastic, and I think she will go far.
Dance 5: Baron Davis and Britt Stewart Durant
Davis chose to perform a cha-cha to his anthem “U Can’t Touch This” by MC Hammer. Hough and Tonioli both scored the pair with a five, leaving them with a 10 overall. Hough was very impressed by the dance, complimenting Davis’s energy and charisma. Tonioli, however, was tougher on the pair. He mentioned the heel leads and that Davis should work on his footwork. Moving forward, he wants to see more qualities of the dance style in the performance.
I love a dance choreographed by Stewart. She amazed me every time, and that marriage glow is hitting her line of work, too. I thought this dance was so fun, and it was clear that Davis was having the time of his life. My favorite thing is when the pros let their stars express themselves and choose elements they want to include, like the hammer pants as his costume. I’m really excited for this pairing!
Dance 6: Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy
The judges scored this pair’s cha-cha to “Circus” by Britney Spears a 13, Hough giving a seven and Tonioli a six. Both judges were impressed but still had notes for Earle. Tonioli wants to see her work on fluidity in the coming weeks and sees real promise in her dance skills. Hough wants her to focus on the precision of her movements, being careful not to let it turn into stiffness.
I’ve never been a huge Alix Earle fan, but I think I might be now. I was really impressed with her dancing. I could hardly believe she had no prior ballroom experience. Chmerkovskiy is an incredible choreographer, so I knew Earle’s premiere dance would be fantastic. I think she has great potential and I’m excited to watch her dance in other styles, particularly the tango.
Dance 7: Scott Hoying and Rylee Arnold
Performing a tango to “Abracadabra” by Lady Gaga left Hoying and Arnold with a total score of 10, receiving fives from both judges. Hough was very impressed but wants there to be more focus on the fundamentals of each dance style. Tonioli mentioned the dance was “a bit messy,” and agreed with Hough, saying there were not a lot of traditional tango elements in the dance.
I personally think the judges were a little hard on Hoying. They hold him to a certain standard, knowing he has a solid understanding of music coming from his group, Pentatonix. While this is true, Hoying is a vocalist, and this leads him to move to the lyrics more so than the beat itself. He was a bit stiff, but I think as the nerves pass and he gets used to that ballroom floor, Arnold will help Hoying blossom on the dance floor.
Dance 8: Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov
Fishel, who recently beat cancer, chose her anthem to be “Stronger” by Kelly Clarkson. Her and Pashkov’s tango scored a 12, with both judges scoring the pair a six. Tonioli and Hough both had a similar reaction, saying Fishel surprised them and that they were impressed with her movements. All they told her to work on was her shoulders and to loosen herself up.
I’m not going to lie, I almost cried watching her dance. Pashkov is one of my favorite pros, and knowing Fishel was so excited to be paired with him was so heartwarming. I was also impressed with her ability to move and follow the steps, but I did notice a few places where you could almost feel the energy dip. I think she will improve quickly, and I really hope she makes it through multiple weeks in the ballroom.
Dance 9: Jen Affleck and Jan Ravnik
Both new to the ballroom, Affleck and Ravnik performed a salsa to Bad Bunny’s “NUEVAYoL.” Both Hough and Tonioli scored the pair at a six, bringing them to a 12 for the night. They both said the dance and technique were great, but the amount of lifts slowed the routine down and distracted from the real steps of the salsa.
While I agree the lifts did slow the dance down, they were still very impressive. Affleck just had a baby eight weeks ago, and Ravnik performed on tour with Taylor Swift for nearly two years. I think it was a good dance, but toning down the lifts would help with their performance quality. I was in awe of Jen and I think she will do great in the coming weeks.
Dance 10: Corey Feldman and Jenna Johnson
Feldman chose to perform a tango to Billy Joel’s “It’s Still Rock & Roll to Me” for his first dance.
Hough scored the pair a four, and Tonioli scored them a five, leaving them at a nine for the night, regardless of the “boo’s” echoing from the crowd. Tonioli praised Feldman for adding his own personal flair to the dance, referencing the moves Feldman did to honor Michael Jackson. He and Hough both told Feldman to focus on his technique, but acknowledged the entertainment value of the dance.
The older contestants always make me kind of emotional. It makes me so happy to see them so happy, and it breaks my heart when they are disappointed with their scores. Feldman and Johnson were actually not the level I was expecting them to be; they were much better.
Dance 11: Lauren Jauregui and Brandon Armstrong
The “Fifth Harmony” member chose “yes, and?” by Ariana Grande as her anthem, and she and Armstrong performed a tango for their premiere dance. The pair scored a 13, receiving a six from Tonioli and a seven from Hough. Derek Hough was sure to praise her elegance and grace in her movements, as well as her frame, but encouraged her to pay attention to her landings on moves. Tonioli echoed Hough and challenged Jauregui to finish each motion and be clean with her timing.
I actually loved every second of this performance. She amazed me, and Armstrong is such an amazing choreographer. I was so engaged in their motions and I really think Jauregui will go far. I also just love her attitude about everything and the confidence she has in herself. She really is an inspiration.
Dance 12: Andy Richter and Emma Slater
This pairing is one of my favorites. The two clearly adore each other, and Slater is always so kind and patient with her partners. They performed a cha-cha to “Hold On, I’m Coming” by Sam & Dave. Richter and Slater received the same score as Feldman and Johnson, as well as similar commentary, both from judges and online. Hough gave the dance a five, saying that everyone loved watching Richter perform and seeing how happy he was. Tonioli, on the other hand, was not impressed with the cha-cha. He scored the dance a four, and critiqued Richter heavily, joking that he and Slater were “dancing in different time zones,” leading him to receive a loud chorus of “boo’s.”
Like I said, I love this pairing, and I loved this dance. Richter was smiling and laughing throughout his whole performance, and he was very entertaining to watch. Many people online are comparing Richter to Reginald Vel Johnson last season, but I think Richter moved his feet and followed the steps much more in his premiere. Again, I was pleasantly surprised by their dance, and I can’t wait to see what else he does.
Dance 13: Hilaria Baldwin and Gleb Savchenko
Baldwin and Savchenko performed a cha-cha to Jennifer Lopez’s “Let’s Get Loud.” To no one’s surprise, Baldwin’s ballroom training added to her ability to follow Savchenko’s choreography, leading to a score of 14. Hough scored the dance a seven, praising Baldwin for performing “the best dance he’s seen from a mother of seven.” He also applauded her precision. Tonioli scored them a six, raving about Baldwin and calling the performance “delicious.”
I knew they would be good, I knew it. No matter how you feel about people with prior dance experience coming onto the show, no one can deny the talent Hilaria Baldwin so clearly possesses. I think that if people focus on the dancing and not public opinion, Baldwin and Savchenko will go far.
Dance 14: Robert Irwin and Witney Carson
Irwin and Carson blew everyone away with their jive to “Born To Be Wild” by Steppenwolf. The judges scored the dance a 15, and I think everyone can agree that the score was highly deserved. Tonioli immediately stood up and told Irwin that the dance “wasn’t good, it was great!” He scored the dance a seven and continued to praise Irwin and Carson for the kicks and flicks. Hough also raved about Irwin’s performance, saying it was “the best first dance” he’d ever seen on the show. He scored the pair an eight, and did so very confidently.
Wow. I mean, just wow. This dance was so incredibly impressive. I love Witney Carson and her choreography never fails to blow my mind. She plays so well to the strengths of her partner, and I think Irwin’s appeal is his entire personality. This dance has caused a lot of conversation on the internet, with some even claiming that the pair was underscored.
overall
The premiere for season 34 of “Dancing with the Stars” was one of the best in recent years. While the scores were a bit lower than usual due to the absence of Carrie Anne Inaba, each pairing held the attention of the judges, audience and viewers at home. Each and every one of these stars shows passion and has potential, and I, as a self-proclaimed DWTS superfan, cannot wait to see more and more amazing dances.