Fall has arrived and it’s official! Thirteen new stars hit the ballroom floor for the newest season of Dancing with the Stars! The 25th season premiered on ABC on Monday, September 18th.
This season’s celebrities and their pro dance partners are listed below:
Barbara Corcoran & Keo Motsepe 1-800-868-3401
Debbie Gibson & Alan Bersten 1-800-868-3402
Derek Fisher & Sharna Burgess 1-800-868-3403
Drew Scott & Emma Slater 1-800-868-3404
Frankie Muniz & Witney Carson 1-800-868-3405
Jordan Fisher & Lindsay Arnold 1-800-868-3406
Lindsey Stirling & Mark Ballas 1-800-868-3407
Nick Lachey & Peta Murgatroyd 1-800-868-3408
Nikki Bella & Artem Chigvintsev 1-800-868-3409
Sasha Pieterse & Gleb Savchenko 1-800-868-3410
Terrell Owens & Cheryl Burke 1-800-868-3411
Vanessa Lachey & Maks Chmerkovskiy 1-800-868-3412
Victoria Arlen & Val Chmerkovskiy 1-800-868-3413
Terrell Owens, former Philadelphia Eagles football player (’04-’05) kicked off the premiere dancing a cha cha with his pro partner, Cheryl Burke. The couple scored a 5 from each judge, totaling out to a 15/30 for the night.
Head judge Len Goodman, and fellow judges Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli have returned to the ballroom this season. Newlywed judge, Julianne Hough, will not return for season 25.
Next up to dance was singer/songwriter Debbie Gibson. She danced a foxtrot with Dancing’s newest pro, Alan Bersten. Gibson says she’s “excited to find the joy in performing again” after being diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2013. “You don’t have to get stuck” she says, “You can live.” Gibson and Bersten scored a 17/30 from the judges.
Pretty Little Liars actress Sasha Pieterse and pro partner Gleb Savchenko danced a cha cha scoring an 18/30, while “Property Brother” Drew Scott scored a 16/30 on his foxtrot performance with partner and reigning champion Emma Slater, despite their one-foot height difference.
Barbara Corcoran, real estate mogul best known for her appearance on ABC’s Shark Tank, danced a salsa with her partner Keo Motsepe. The pair landed themselves at the bottom of the scoreboard this week, scoring a 14/30. “The execution needed much more attack,” said judge Bruno Tonioli.
Singer/actor Jordan Fisher, who was recently seen performing in Hamilton on Broadway, danced a tango with partner Lindsay Arnold. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba said, “You were in control of that dance from the moment it began to the moment it ended. “You guys are a partnership to watch.” The couple placed themselves at the top of the scoreboard with a 22/30, the highest score of the night.
Former 98 Degrees singer Nick Lachey and his wife Vanessa are both contestants this season, competing against each other for the coveted mirror ball trophy. It just so happens that they’re coupled up with Dancing’s newlywed couple, Maks Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd. Known as the “non-dancing boy-bander”, Nick scored an 18/30 with Peta, 3 points behind Vanessa, who scored a 21/30 with Maks. It seems as though we have some family rivalry in the ballroom this season!
Continuing the night, Frankie Muniz danced a foxtrot with pro partner Witney Carson. “For someone who’s been a performer his entire life, I’m actually really surprised that he’s super nervous”, said Witney. The pair scored a 19/30 from the judges.
Professional female wrestler Nikki Bella danced a tango with partner Artem Chigvintsev, scoring a 20/30, followed up by 5-time NBA champion Derek Fisher, who danced a salsa with pro Sharna Burgess, scoring an 18/30. Burgess said, “NBA players aren’t notorious for doing well on this show, but I’m hoping to change that with Derek.”
Paralympian Victoria Arlen shared her triumphant story of how she slipped into a 4-year coma at 11 years old and spent the next 10 years in a wheelchair, only re-learning how to walk one year ago. After scoring a 19/30 with pro Val Chmerkovskiy, Arlen told the judges, referring to her legs, “There’s no feeling at all. So it’s literally like dancing blindfolded and having no idea where my lower half is.” Judge Carrie Ann Inaba said their routine was “one of the most joyous routines I’ve ever seen. I can’t see wait to see what the next 10 weeks does for you.”
Finishing out the night, award winning violinist Lindsey Stirling danced a cha cha with Mark Ballas, who returned to the ballroom for his 19th season after taking time off for his Broadway debut. “It was crisp, it was clean, lovely hip action. For me, it was the dance of the night,” said head judge, Len Goodman. The duo tied Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold at the top of the scoreboard with a 22/30!
Dancing with the Stars airs Monday nights at 8pm ET on ABC. You can vote for your favorite couples after each show by calling their voting phone lines (listed above) or voting online here.