Dancing with the Stars is finally back with Season 35. With 16 celebrities and pros, this season is tied with the show’s largest cast yet. It also welcomes two new pros and a returning pro back to the ballroom. There’s a lot to look forward to this season. There is the podcast with Andy Richter, the after show with Robert Irwin, and so much more. We’ll be breaking down every episode — what we loved and what we (maybe) didn’t — all season long.
MORE: Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro Gives Us a Finale We Didn’t See Coming (No, Not Like That)
What Are Your Overall Thoughts About the Premiere?
Shelby: The split premiere works—for the most part. This show is already long, and there are so many celebrities, so I get why they need more time and space to showcase them all. I like that the extra runtime makes room to spotlight the troupe and Julianne Hough and Tessandra Chavez’s number and The Next Pro dancers. The truth is that people watch this show for the pros, too, so it’s exciting to see them be spotlighted too.
Shana: I’ve seen too many awkward, corny men. This is with only a few going so far. It’s torture. If I was doing reaction gifs, it’d constantly be the “is this Hell?” one from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, after Buffy was brought back from the dead. Please don’t ever do this weird, gendered premiere split ever again. If it has to be done, I’m going to need the “that was a choice” performances broken up by “OMG YES” ones instead of leaving most of the stronger dancing for later.
I’m actually begging.
Also, I know Derek didn’t compare one of these dudes to Actual Dancer Patrick Swayze. Tell me I hallucinated that. He’s lucky Ghost was fiction, is all I’m saying.
What Was Your Favorite Dance?
Shelby: There were so many performances that really surprised me. However, Taylor Hanson doing a quickstep that packed with choreography (Britt Stewart!!!)during his first week is actually wild. He did an excellent job! I am more than excited to vote and get Taylor and Britt to that final. Let’s be honest, Britt Stewart is well due a mirrorball, and I think Taylor can get her there with a dance like this in the first week.
Shana: Ezra and Daniella. First of all, when Daniella has a terrible partner, her numbers are still some of the best of the night because of her. (If Daniella Karagach has no fans, I’m dead and completely incapable of haunting y’all.) Second, it was the first performance of the night that actually had real potential. I’m also really appreciative of Dancing with the Stars continuing to include disabled stars and athletes. Admittedly, the commentary from the judges sometimes gets a little bit on the “inspo p**n” side of things, but we’ve got to start somewhere.
I was fully prepared for Harry Shum Jr. to be the best performance of the night, especially considering he’s got Jenna for a partner, but I kept getting distracted by his weight being too far back in his heels. Once he irons that out, though? Unstoppable.
MORE: Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro Makes a Shocking Cut in Its Strongest Episode
Favorite Partnership?
Shelby: Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach work so well together. From their package with Daniella choreographing the tango to a side step to the pair in the skybox and Ezra saying that their plan is to “lean all the way into the disability” to figure out what works best, there’s just an open communication and trust there already that can take them far.
Shana: I’m going to go with the sentimental choice here. Guillermo and Witney were…well. Let’s just say Derek’s “was the technique there? No” about sums up the actual dancing. So, as a dancer and someone who’s super critical when she watches anything dance-related on TV, I’m actually surprised they’re a favorite. It’s just that he was living his best life, Witney was supporting him through it, and Guillermo sealed the deal for me when he started hyping Witney up and talking about how women can do anything. Because we can.
MORE: Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro’s Chemistry Test with Jenna Johnson Raises the Heat
The Premiere’s Most Memorable Moment?
Shelby: My favorite thing is that the judges are actually starting the scores lower. I always think they start so high that it becomes inconsistent by the end of the season — and they set the bar too high too early. The pros and their celebrities need that baseline and the critiques, which I’m thrilled to see, that come with it so they can improve all season long. So, even though it may be jarring for some viewers who aren’t used to scoring like this, it’s really great to see some 3s, 4s, 5s, and such. It’s like the old DWTS!
Shana: If we’re talking memorable and viral, it’s got to be Bruno imitating Guillermo’s “crazy, sexy grasshopper.” I’m pleasantly surprised to see low scores for the premiere when dances are definitely rough, but I do feel bad that one of those low scores went to him.
MORE: How ‘Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro’ Changes the ‘DWTS’ Format
Reaction to the Elimination
Shelby: I wish no one had to go home after just one dance. The celebrities and the pros don’t have the chance to grow from those first round of critiques, and this show is all about that journey. However, Conner and Adele’s dance was one of the weaker ones of the night. It just feels like a shame after all the effort that Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro went to, you know, to find a pro. Of course, Adele will still dance on the show, but it’s still tough.
I think a lot of people assumed that Guillermo would go home first, but popularity and the public votes are very much a thing, and Guillermo is a fan favorite. He has people cheering for him during that tense ending. I’m also thrilled that Connor Wood and Rylee get another shot because I’m such a fan of both of them — and them as a team.
Shana: I’m just gutted for Adele, honestly. It has got to be so hard to go through that whole spinoff series, win, get the gig, and then go home on the first night of a two-night premiere. She had so much potential as a pro (obviously, or else she wouldn’t have won that other competition), but now, we’re going to have to wait for it.
As far as the performance went, though? Not really surprising. It was pretty clearly going to be down to him or Guillermo, and the people love Guillermo enough to overcome those (earned) low scores from the judges. The real question is whether or not Jimmy Kimmel himself stuffed some figurative ballot boxes…
MORE: Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro Starts to Find Its Rhythm in Storytelling
—
