This is a no-brainer: Dance experience IS necessary.
On the season opener of “Dancing with the Stars,” those with dance backgrounds got great scores and an edge in the competition.
Among the semi-pros:
• Actress Elaine Hendrix, who had “professional dancer” on her resume and got one of the best initial scores.
• Whitney Leavitt, one of the “Mormon Wives” and a former rival to one of the “DWTS” pros. She landed a 15, the night’s best score.
• Fifth Harmony star Lauren Jauregui, who got one of the night’s 13s, and admitted her stage performance experience helped quell the nerves.
• Hilaria Baldwin, who quit dance after a hip injury, married Alec Baldwin and is the mother of seven. She got a 14 and proved those hip screws are holding.
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A hands-down winner? Not yet. But former champ Bindi Irwin’s brother, Robert, got a 15 and had underwear sponsors feature him an ad early in the show. There was momentum – and an appearance by sis in the audience. He’s the one to watch.
As the oldest contestant, comic Andy Richter wasn’t afraid to bring the energy and got a 9.
“Goonies” star Corey Feldman tossed in a couple of moves from friend Michael Jackson and also got a 9.
Both should stay in because they have that “beloved” quality that plays well with audience voting. But next week’s “oldies” show could be nail-biting for both. Two are expected to go home next week.
The unknowns? How will two contestants from “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” split the vote? What effect does Taylor Swift’s dancer Jan Ravnik have on “pro” votes?
On Tuesday’s broadcast, judge Carrie Ann Inaba was absent due to illness. That made the assessments a bit anticlimactic and let judges Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli overstay their welcome. Clearly, a replacement should have been pulled in for the night. (Isn’t Paula Abdul available?)
Ones who have promise: Zac Efron’s brother, Dylan; “Boy Meets World” star Danielle Fishel; the “other” “Mormon Wife,” Jen Affleck, who had a baby eight weeks earlier; and Alix Earle a whip wielder who has a strong following on social media.
Strangely, athletes Jordan Chiles and Baron Davis didn’t quite have the confidence they needed to stand up to the others. Also, Pentatonix star Scott Hoying was the tallest contestant but not the most facile.
Our early pick: Robert Irwin. Dodging alligators and snakes has prepared him for something like this.
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