On Tuesday, Sept. 17, Dancing With The Stars premiered with the new 2024 cast of pros and celebrities. This season still has their three judges, Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli, along with co-hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro.
The first couple that took the stage was Eric Roberts, The Dark Knight actor, and his partner Britt Stewart. The two performed a cha-cha to “Old Time Rock-N-Roll. Despite his age holding him back, Roberts still had loads of fun as he sang along throughout the entire dance. Judge Derek Hough said, “I know it took us 20 years to get here, but it’s a pleasure having you.” Roberts and Stewart scored a 15 out of 30.
Tori Spelling, Beverly Hills, 90210 actress, along with her partner Pasha Pashkov, performed a foxtrot that was a bit shaky, but Spelling seemed genuinely happy to be there as she danced. Hough stated, “Dance is all about trust. Not just trusting your partner, but really trusting yourself and knowing that you can do this,” he added, “And you know what? You can. You definitely can.” The couple scored a 17 out of 30.
Reginald VelJohnson, Family Matters actor, danced a salsa to “Motownphilly” with Emma Slater. VelJohnson had a disadvantage, given his age, but he seemed to have captured the hearts of many voters. Throughout the dance, he let his partner shine as he mainly stood there for support. In spite of this, many fans thought he was a total sweetheart and want to keep him on the show. Judge Bruno Toniolo requested, “Moving forward, more steps, please?” VelJohnson and Slater scored a 16 out of 30.
Up next was a tango performed by Brooks Nader, model, and her partner Gleb Savchenko. The couple gave a very intimate performance, which sparked dating rumors between the two. Although Nader seemed a bit stiff, it was still a pretty well-executed dance and definitely had fans intrigued. Judge Tonioli seemed to have a problem with her balance throughout the dance, saying, “Sometimes you’re a little bit wobbly.” The two scored an 18 out of 30.
IIona Maher, Olympic Rugby Player, and her partner Alan Bersten stepped out onto the dance floor with a powerful cha-cha. Maher challenged the idea of a woman’s body image on her social media and grew many faithful followers. She started off really strong, but she definitely had some nerves that made her a little tense. Maher still showed the audience that she can move those hips and give it her all. She has many loyal supporters, giving her a good shot at making it to the finals. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba said, “Dancing is all about moving, and you know how to do that,” she continued, “You’re on day one. Well done for day one.” They scored an 18 out of 30.
Anna Delvey, along with her partner Ezra Sosa, performed another cha-cha to “Espresso.” Delvey has the right technique, but the dance was a bit lackluster. Many fans pointed out that Delvey didn’t seem happy to be there dancing. The so-called “fashionista” received lots of backlash from the fandom when she was first cast, and the hate continued during the premiere. Many fans don’t think a “con artist” should be allowed on the show. Delvey’s controversy gives her way less of a chance to make it far in the season. “You have the facility to be a really beautiful dancer,” Hough stated. He continued, “Overall, I was kind of surprised and a little lost for words, to be honest.” Delvey and Sosa scored an overall 18 out of 30.
Jenn Tran, current Bachelorette, came ready and vengeful with her partner Sasha Farber. The couple executed a charming cha-cha with obvious chemistry. After Tran’s heartbreaking ending as Bachelorette, many feel sorry for her and are ready to see her kill it on the dance floor. Even though she had an excellent performance, there is still room for improvement. Hough said overall, it was a “really great first dance.” The couple scored a 19 out of 30.
Phaedra Parks, The Real Housewives of Atlanta star, was extremely happy and giddy when she first found out Val Chmerkovskiy was her partner. The two really brought it to the dance floor with their bright and goofy personalities. Parks definitely has room to work with, but her level of confidence during their cha-cha truly outshined everything else. “You have all the elements,” Tonioli commented, adding, “You can sell it. I am genuinely impressed.” They scored a 19 out of 30.
Danny Amendola, Super Bowl Champion, danced a tango with Whitney Carson. This was Carson’s first year back after taking an absence from the show last season to give birth to her second son. The Super Bowl Champion is the perfect pairing for her since she has some experience dancing with pro ballers. They gave a promising performance, and it is clear that Amendola wants to succeed. Inaba stated, “I love your focus. You are very determined, and I loved it,” she added, “But you know what, it was very ambitious choreography, and you executed finely, but I want to see the fine personality.” They scored a 20 out of 30.
Joey Graziadei, Previous Bachelor, and his partner Jenna Johnson added a cowboy twist to their cha-cha. Graziadei brought out his hat, belt, and boots and blew everyone away. He was very fluid throughout the performance and showcased his talent for musicality. Tonioli stated, “The torso helps, by the way, but you don’t need it. You have timing. You have musicality.” The judges scored the couple a 21 out of 30.
Dwight Howard, NBA Champion, smashed it on the dance floor with Daniella Karagach as his partner. The height difference between the couple definitely made it harder, but it really was no challenge for Karagach with her creative choreography. The NBA star showed lots of rhythm during their salsa, and fans instantly became obsessed. Hough comedically said, “It was like a giraffe and a gazelle dancing together, but honestly, the height difference is big, but so is the performance.” The two scored a 22 out of 30.
Stephen Nedoroscik, Gymnastics Olympian, performed an energetic jive with his partner Rylee Arnold. The pommel horse specialist quickly picked up the choreography and impressed many fans and the judges. As the couple performed, the energy in the room was electric and were definitely the most entertaining. You could tell the couple worked hard to make it look perfect, and as Arnold put it in an interview, “He understands work ethic and how to work hard for things.” The main concern Inaba addressed was “to point those toes.” The couple scored an all-around 21 out of 30.
Chandler Kinney, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin actress, is the new rising star of the season and performed an impeccable tango with Brandon Armstrong. With her dance background, she had perfect technique and incredible timing. Inaba exclaims, “You’ve gotta be kidding me. That was amazing,” she adds, “You have set the standard for season 33.” Kinney and Armstrong scored a 23 out of 30.
During premiere night, there were no eliminations, and everyone had the chance to return the next week new and improved. The second week of Dancing With The Stars premiered on Tuesday, Sept. 24, with an “Oscar’s Night” theme.
No couples disappointed, and they all definitely improved since the first week. That night, a double elimination was held. The judges eliminated Delvey and Sosa and Spelling and Pashkov due to low scores and votes.
Most of the couples did a lot better than I expected, and I was very entertained by all the performances. The premiere did a great job introducing the contestants and hyping up the upcoming season. After watching the dances from night one, I already knew who my top 4 finalists were. I have a lot of faith in Graziadei, Nedoroscik, Kinney, and Howard to make it to the finals, but I’m going to tune in for the rest of the season to decide who I think will win the Mirrorball trophy.
