Sparks flew when Xochitl Gomez and Robert Irwin danced a jive relay on “Dancing with the Stars.” The show marked 20 years on air Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. Credit: Eric McCandless/Disney Via TNS
The two-night premiere of Season 35 of “Dancing With the Stars” aired Sept. 15-16 on ABC and Disney+, and featured the largest cast in the series’ history, with 16 celebrity contestants and their pro partners.?
The lineup was split across the two nights, with male stars hitting the ballroom Tuesday, and female stars dancing Wednesday. Across both nights, contestants performed their first dances of the season to songs released in the years they were born.
Conner Leavitt, from “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” performed a salsa to Tag Team’s “Whoomp! (There It Is)” alongside partner and first-time pro Adele Zaikman.?
Zaikman, who previously won the spin-off series, “Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro,” faced criticism from fans online regarding her choreography choices. One Reddit post criticizing Zaikman’s skill level said she is “not fully ready to be a pro,” and received more than 1,900 upvotes.?
Earning a score of 12 out of 30 — the second-lowest score of the night — the couple received heavy criticism from the judges, leading to their elimination as the first couple sent home this season.?
While Leavitt was the first elimination of the season, comedian and talk show personality Guillermo Rodriguez, best known for “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” ended Tuesday night at the bottom of the leaderboard.?
Alongside his partner Witney Carson, Rodriguez performed a cha-cha to Jean Knight’s 1971 classic “Mr. Big Stuff,” which earned him a score of 10 out of 30. Despite his low score, Rodriguez became an instant fan-favorite online for his humor and positive attitude, with fans on social media calling him “the people’s princess,” and his routine was dubbed “the most entertaining” of the night.
Shortly after the season premiered Tuesday, the online voting system used by viewers crashed. As a result, “Dancing With the Stars” producers decided to disregard website votes entirely, and focus solely on votes that were texted in.?
Host, and former Mirrorball champion, Alfonso Ribeiro reported on-air that, despite the glitch, the premiere had already doubled the number of votes received from viewers compared to the previous season’s premiere.?
Two-time Paralympic gold medalist high jumper Ezra Frech delivered an upbeat tango to Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone,” alongside his partner Daniella Karagach. Born with one finger on his left hand and a left leg that curved in toward his waist, Frech underwent a corrective procedure when he was 3 years old.?
“I had this insane procedure [that took] 15 hours,” Frech said during the episode. “They amputated my left leg right above the knee, and then they took my big toe and put it on my left hand.”
Inspired to join the show after watching season 18 runner-up, and fellow Paralympian, Amy Purdy, Frech scored the second-highest score of night one — a 21 out of 30.??
Actor and dancer Harry Shum Jr., best known for his roles as Mike Chang on “Glee” and Dr. Benson Kwan on “Grey’s Anatomy,” closed out Tuesday night’s episode with partner and two-time champion Jenna Johnson. Dancing a striking cha-cha to Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Let’s Groove,” the couple finished on top of Tuesday’s leaderboard with a second score of 21 out of 30. Judge Bruno Tonioli praised the performance.?
“Excuse me, look at me Dr. Steamy, I’m having a seizure,” Tonioli said. “Listen to me, the chemistry between you two is off the charts — sharp as a scalpel.”
Wednesday night, it was a dance from the? “10 Things I Hate About You” star that viewers were most eagerly anticipating. Alongside her partner Ezra Sosa, Julia Stiles performed a quickstep to Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5.”?
Following her performance, Stiles addressed radio host Andy Cohen, who referred to her as “not the greatest dancer on the planet” on his radio show in 2025. Stiles said the remark was “imprinted in [her] brain,” and gave her the motivation to join the show. Her quickstep earned an 18 out of 30, and judge Derek Hough said Cohen could “eat it.”?
Later that night, Cohen apologized to Stiles on his own show, “Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen,” according to a USA Today article.?
For the third time in show history, “Dancing With the Stars” featured a same-sex couple. Actress and model Sarah Jane Nader performed a jive to Avril Lavigne’s “Sk8ter Boi” with first-time pro Hailey Bills.?
Nader, who grew up in Louisiana and identifies as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, said she was inspired to dance with a female pro to provide representation that she lacked growing up.?
Nader previously appeared as a backup dancer on the series during a performance by her sister, Brooke Nadar, during Season 33. Her jive received heavy criticism from the judges regarding her timing, and the pair scored a 14 out of 30. They were eliminated at the end of night two.
The breakout performance of Wednesday night belonged to Irish reality television star and model Maura Higgins. Best known for her time on reality series“Love Island UK” and “The Traitors,” Higgins performed a foxtrot to Alannah Myles’ “Black Velvet.”?
Partnered with three-time Mirrorball champion and fellow “Traitors” contestant, Mark Ballas, the pair earned a score of 21 out of 30, tying with Shum Jr. for the highest score of the premiere.?
Rounding out Wednesday night’s performances, actress and dancer Jenna Dewan took the ballroom floor with partner and three-time Mirrorball champion Val Chmerkovskiy. Best known for her role in “Step Up,” Dewan faced pre-show criticism from fans arguing her background as a professional backup dancer gave her an unfair advantage.?
Despite her dance experience, Dewan said ballroom dancing is a “brand new technique,” and acknowledged her advantage over the other contestants during an exclusive E! News interview. Performing a tango to “Call Me” by Blondie, the couple scored a 19 out of 30 after judges noted minor technical flaws.?
Between early front-runners, technical difficulties and a shocking double elimination, season 35 of “Dancing With the Stars” is off to a chaotic start. As the remaining 14 couples move away from birth-year anthems to viral hits, the race for the Mirrorball trophy is officially under way.
Rating: 2.5/5
