By Alfonso Ribeiro,Contributor,Monica Mercuri
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DANCING WITH THE STARS – “Premiere” (3401) – “Dancing with the Stars” returns for its 20th anniversary. Cohosted by Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough, with judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough, the ballroom welcomes 14 new celebrities for their first live performance. TUESDAY, SEPT. 16 (8:00-10:00 p.m. EDT) on ABC. (Disney/Eric McCandless) ALFONSO RIBEIRO, JULIANNE HOUGH
Dancing With the Stars kicked off its 20th anniversary season on Tuesday, Sept. 16, and this year’s competition is fiercer than ever. The premiere featured inaugural performances from all the celebrity contestants, who danced to hits like “yes, and?” by Ariana Grande and “Abracadabra” by Lady Gaga.
Unfortunately, the premiere had to go on without longtime judge Carrie Ann Inaba, who had to miss the show after recovering from an undisclosed illness. A few hours before opening night, Inaba informed fans via Instagram that she had to miss the show.
“I wanted to share that I will not be at the show tonight as I am feeling quite under the weather,” she wrote in a statement. “I’m resting up and can’t wait to be back next week in good health.”
ForbesWhere Is Carrie Ann Inaba? Why The ‘DWTS’ Judge Is Missing From The Season 34 PremiereBy Monica Mercuri
The episode kicked off with a dazzling opening number from the pro dancers and troupe to “Kill the Lights” by Whitney Myer, choreographed by Ray Leeper. The all-new troupe (Carter Williams, Hailey Bills, Onye Stevenson and Jaxon Willard) also took the ballroom for the first time and danced to “Just Keep Watching” by Tate McRae.
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Co-host Alfonso Ribeiro announced at the end of the show that the Season 34 premiere’s viewership doubled compared to Season 33, proving that this season will be one to watch. This has to be the best talent the show’s seen so far, which is especially fitting for the show’s 20th anniversary season.
Keep reading for the Dancing With the Stars premiere scores, what the judges thought about each dance and if any of your favorites were eliminated in Week 1.
What Were The Dancing With the Stars Premiere Scores?
DANCING WITH THE STARS – “Premiere” (3401) – “Dancing with the Stars” returns for its 20th anniversary. Cohosted by Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough, with judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough, the ballroom welcomes 14 new celebrities for their first live performance. TUESDAY, SEPT. 16 (8:00-10:00 p.m. EDT) on ABC. (Disney/Eric McCandless) DANCING WITH THE STARS
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa
Score: 10/20 (5, 5)
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa performed a Salsa to “BREAK MY SOUL” by Beyoncé. Hough called it an “amazing first dance,” but he said he wanted to see more Latin elements in the dance. He also hinted that the score might be lower than expected because he wants to leave them room to grow. Meanwhile, Bruno said he loved the Beyoncé references but noted that some of the dismounts were a bit wobbly. Overall, he called it a very good performance. Derek and Bruno both gave Chiles fives.
Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach
Score: 10/20 (5, 5)
Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach performed a Cha Cha to “Milkshake” by Kelis. Bruno quipped that his butt-shaking was “first class.” He added that during some moments of the routine, Dylan was very good, but at other times he was off on the timing. Derek agreed with Bruno that Dylan got ahead of the music, and suggested he try to be more of a leading man and show more strength. “Overall what a fantastic and surprising first dance,” Derek added. He also earned fives from the judges.
Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten
Score: 12/20 (6, 6)
Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten performed a Cha Cha to “Woman” by Kesha featuring The Dap-Kings Horns. Derek was at a loss for words. “You are amazing,” he said, adding that her dancing had a Broadway quality. Bruno agreed, calling her sassy, sexy, yet classy. Both judges advised Elaine to finish her movements completely. Derek concluded that her journey to reclaiming dance begins now. They earned sixes from Derek and Bruno.
Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas
Score: 15/20 (8, 7)
Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas performed a Tango to “Golden” by HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI & KPop Demon Hunters Cast. Bruno praised Whitney’s acting and dancing, calling the entire performance “incredible.” He described the routine as a “fantastic” tango, exactly as it should be. Derek also said it was beautiful. He noted that her frame should have been a little more consistent, and added that if Carrie Ann was here tonight, she would have loved the routine. Derek awarded them a seven, while Bruno gave the pair an eight (despite showing seven on the score card).
Baron Davis and Britt Stewart
Score: 10/20 (5, 5)
Baron Davis and Britt Stewart performed a Cha Cha to “U Can’t Touch This” by MC Hammer. Derek described the routine as “so fun” and praised Baron’s charisma and performance quality. Bruno mentioned that he loved all the hammer references. However, both judges pointed out his heel leads. Baron and Britt received fives across the board.
Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy
Score: 13/20 (7, 6)
Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy performed a Cha Cha to “Circus” by Britney Spears. Bruno said Alix did very well and she did everything she had to do. He does want her to improve on her continuity and connection. Derek called the dance “sharp, clean, precise and powerful.” But he warned her precision shouldn’t turn into stiffness. They received a seven from Derek and a six from Bruno.
Scott Hoying and Rylee Arnold
Score: 10/20 (5, 5)
Scott Hoying and Rylee Arnold performed a Tango to “Abracadabra” by Lady Gaga. Derek praised the dance as impressive and said that Scott looked comfortable during the side-by-side sections. However, he critiqued Scott’s arm positioning. Bruno playfully joked that Scott had stolen his suit before offering more feedback. He emphasized said the dance needed more authentic tango elements and encouraged Scott to work on his refinement.
Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov
Score: 12/20 (6, 6)
Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov performed a Tango to “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” by Kelly Clarkson. Bruno called the routine well done and admired Danielle’s fluidity and movement across the floor. Derek commented that the dance was beautiful to watch and called her a breath of fresh air. Both judges advised her to improve her shoulder line (which Derek said he’s going to tell the contestants week after week). They earned sixes.
Jen Affleck and Jan Ravnik
Score: 12/20 (6, 6)
Jen Affleck and Jan Ravnik performed a Salsa to “NUEVAYoL” by Bad Bunny. Derek said he couldn’t believe Jen just had a baby two months ago. “That was a great, great first dance,” Derek said, but noting that the lifts slowed down the routine a little bit. Bruno said that because she was good enough to do the lifts, he wants her to focus more on the steps. “One you get into it, push it,” he said. “Don’t keep it all locked in.” They received sixes from the judges.
Corey Feldman and Jenna Johnson
Score: 9/20 (4, 5)
Corey Feldman and Jenna Johnson performed a Tango to “It’s Still Rock & Roll to Me” by Billy Joel. Bruno said the performance was great, but he wants him to clean up the technique. Derek agreed. He said the dance was so much fun to watch, but he wants him to focus on the technique, form, and frame. Derek gave Corey a four, while Bruno awarded the couple a five.
Lauren Jauregui and Brandon Armstrong
Score: 13/20 (7, 6)
Lauren Jauregui and Brandon Armstrong performed a Tango to “yes, and?” by Ariana Grande. “Lauren, that was really good!” Derek exclaimed, calling the routine elegant and sophisticated. His only critique was for her to stick the landing at the end, and noted her legs could have been more elongated. Bruno appreciated her fluidity and ease of movement, but also advised her to finish her moves cleanly. “Well done,” he concluded. Derek scored them a 7, while Bruno gave a 6.
Andy Richter and Emma Slater
Score: 9/20 (5, 4)
Andy Richter and Emma Slater performed a Cha Cha to “Hold On, I’m Coming” by Sam & Dave. Bruno commented that the dance was cheeky and uplifting with the spirit of the cha cha , but added that the body wasn’t there. He noted some issues with Richter’s timing but encouraged him that it could only improve from here. Derek mentioned that everyone in the room was rooting for him and, despite issues with dancing and timing, he enjoyed watching Richter perform. Andy received scores of 5 from Derek and 4 from Bruno.
Hilaria Baldwin and Gleb Savchenko
Score: 14/20 (7, 7,)
Hilaria Baldwin and Gleb Savchenko performed a Cha Cha to “Let’s Get Loud” by Jennifer Lopez. Derek said that was the best cha cha he’s seen from a mother of seven. He loved her sharp and precise movies. Bruno said Hilaria “went for it like a fury and you won.” He also noted on her sharpness and said he can’t wait to see what she’s going to do. She earned sevens across the board.
Robert Irwin and Witney Carson
Score: 15 (7, 8)
Robert Irwin and Witney Carson performed a Jive to “Born To Be Wild” by Steppenwolf. Bruno said the performance was wonderful in the best possible way. “Absolutely brilliant.” he said. Derek added that he was so relieved because he had big shoes to fill with Bindi. He called it probably the best first dance he’s ever seen on the show. He earned one of the top scores of the night – an eight from Derek and seven from Bruno.
What Was The DWTS Leaderboard From The Season Premiere?
DANCING WITH THE STARS – ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” stars Robert Irwin and Witney Carson. (Disney/Andrew Eccles)
Here’s the final scoreboard from Week 1 of DWTS Season 34.
1. Robert Irwin and Witney Carson – 15/20
Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas – 15/20
Hilaria Baldwin and Gleb Savchenko — 14/20
Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy – 13/20
Lauren Jauregui and Brandon Armstrong – 13/20
Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov – 12/20
Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten – 12/20
Jen Affleck and Jan Ravnik – 12/20
Baron Davis and Britt Stewart – 10/20
Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach – 10/20
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa – 10/20
Scott Hoying and Rylee Arnold: 10/20
Andy Richter and Emma Slater: 9/10
Corey Feldman and Jenna Johnson: 9/10
Who Was Eliminated In Dancing With The Stars Week 1?
DANCING WITH THE STARS – “Premiere” (3401) – “Dancing with the Stars” returns for its 20th anniversary. Cohosted by Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough, with judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough, the ballroom welcomes 14 new celebrities for their first live performance. TUESDAY, SEPT. 16 (8:00-10:00 p.m. EDT) on ABC. (Disney/Eric McCandless) DANCING WITH THE STARS
No one was eliminated during the premiere of Dancing With the Stars Season 34. Instead, the scores from Week 1 will carry over to next week, where not one, but two couples will be ging home. Want your favorites to remain in the competition? Be sure to vote each week so they can advance further.
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Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+. Episodes are available to stream the next day on Hulu and ABC.com.
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