Dancing with the Stars Season 34 has officially kicked off. Fourteen stars took to the ballroom for the first time Tuesday night in hopes of beginning their journey to winning the Mirrorball. While all of the celebrities put in a lot of effort, some scored notably higher than others. Since it was night one, no one was eliminated. However, there will be a double elimination next week.
Several stars had an impressive first dance, although one shone far above the other. This dance was the jive, performed by wildlife expert Robert Irwin and his partner, Witney Carson, at the end of the night. If Robert continues on the path he’s on, there’s a good chance he will win Season 34.
Robert Irwin topped the leaderboard with partner Witney Carson during Dancing with the Stars Season 34, Episode 1
Robert and Witney were the final performance of the Season 34 premiere, and production certainly saved the best for last. The pair performed the only Jive of the night, which is an upbeat and fast beat dance. This is often a difficult dance for contestants later in the season, and it was definitely a big challenge for the first week. Robert tackled the challenge full on and performed an excellent Jive. He kept up with Witney at every step and looked like a pro himself while doing it.
Since Carrie Ann Inaba was out sick this week, there were only two judges. Robert received an 8 from Derek Hough and a 7 from Bruno Tonioli, totaling 15 points. He tied Whitney Leavitt at the top of the leaderboard, although her score was controversial. Bruno had punched in an 8 for her, but held up a 7 paddle. It wasn’t clear which score he intended to give her; however, she received a 15 since scores go by what’s punched in by the judges before the reveal.
While Robert and Whitney both received 15s, Robert received an undisputed 15. To make his score even more impressive, Robert has no dance experience, whereas Whitney does. He topped the leaderboard after an amazing first dance. Derek even went as far as declaring it was the best night one dance in DWTS history. Robert certainly made an impression and is currently the star to beat on Season 34.
Robert has a huge fan base
Scores are only half of doing well on DWTS. The other component is the fan votes, which can go a long way. Even contestants with lower scores have been able to make it to the finale with the help of votes. However, with high scores and a lot of votes, contestants are that much closer to winning. If Robert can keep topping the leaderboard while bringing in votes, he has an excellent chance of winning the Mirrorball.
Robert has a huge fan base, possibly one of the biggest this season. When all of the dances were posted on social media following night one, Robert’s post got substantially more likes than the rest of his competition. Robert’s post currently has over 400,000 likes on Instagram, with none of the other contestants exceeding 200,000. While this isn’t a direct representation of votes, it’s safe to assume Robert will be getting plenty.
Robert’s older sister Bindi Irwin won Dancing with the Stars Season 21
DWTS loves the Irwin family, as Robert’s older sister Bindi Irwin won Season 21. Bindi was partnered with Derek, who is now a permanent judge. While Bindi’s success doesn’t guarantee Robert a win, it could help him out. Bindi likely has tips on things like how to practice or how to pick up choreography, which could help Robert in the competition.
Robert’s family name can also help him when it comes to voting. Voters helped Bindi to win ten years ago, and they can certainly do the same for her little brother now. Of course, votes for Robert are for him alone based on his dancing and likability. However, Robert’s family is part of what makes him so likable, as everyone loves the Irwin family!
While any of the contestants have a shot at winning DWTS Season 34, Robert winning currently seems like the most likely outcome!
Dancing with the Stars is available to stream on Disney +.
TELL US – WHAT DID YOU THINK OF ROBERT’S NIGHT ONE PERFORMANCE? DO YOU THINK HE COULD WIN THIS SEASON?
