Prep your spray tans and grab your best sparkly ensemble. It’s time to see what the Season 34 cast of Dancing with the Stars brings to the dance floor! This season, 14 celebrities are competing to nab The Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. This also marks the series’ 20th year on the air, so fans can expect a big celebration later this season.
Our favorite judges, Bruno Tonioli, Derek Hough, and Carrie Ann Inaba are back for another whirlwind season. Unfortunately, Carrie Ann isn’t present for the premiere due to illness. And Mirrorball champion Alfonso Ribeiro and former DWTS pro and judge Julianne Hough will once again handle hosting duties. And a new pro, Jan Ravnik, has joined the cast for Season 34.
The DWTS premiere featured an energetic opening number, choreographed by Ray Leeper, set to Whitney Myer’s Kill the Lights. Plus, Derek, Bruno, Julianne, and Alfonso all hit the floor to get their groove on. The theme for the premiere is each celebrity’s personal anthem.
Who was eliminated in Dancing with the Stars Season 34 Episode 1?
No one was eliminated on the first night of Dancing with the Stars Season 34!
Since no one got the ballroom boot, the Week 1 scores will be combined with next week’s scores. That also means that next week, two couples will be eliminated from the competition. I’m looking forward to next week’s theme, which is One Hit Wonders. With so many promising competitors, it will be sad to see two couples exit the ballroom.
There were definitely some stand-outs already, and plenty of competitors with a lot of potential. As usual, some couples were shaky out of the gate. Comedian and actor Andy Richter and his partner, Emma Slater, had a rough start, as did actor and musician Corey Feldman and Jenna Johnson. Of course, their fans could help them make it past the first elimination.
Who got the top score of the night in Dancing with the Stars Season 34 Episode 1?
Robert Irwin and Witney Carson and Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas got the highest score in Dancing with the Stars Season 34 Episode 1.
Conservationist Robert Irwin and Witney Carson performed a jive to Born to Be Wild by Steppenwolf that set the floor ablaze. For someone with no dance or performance experience, Robert is natural! He demonstrated technique, charisma, and an infectious joy. “That was like probably the best first dance I’ve ever seen on this show,” Derek stated. I am calling Robert the early front-runner.
Of course, Whitney Leavitt from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, who does have dance experience, shone in a tango set to Golden by HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY, NUNA, REI AMI & K Pop Demon Hunters cast. She is paired with Mark Ballas. Bruno called the duo’s performance “very, very, very high-quality.” Both couples scored 15 out of 20 points.
What were the judges’ scores in DWTS Season 34 Episode 1?
- Robert and Witney (Jive) – 15 points
- Whitney and Mark (Tango) – 15 points
- Hilaria and Gleb (Cha-Cha) – 14 points
- Alix and Val (Cha-Cha) – 13 points
- Lauren and Brandon (Tango) – 13 points
- Danielle and Pasha (Tango) – 12 points
- Elaine and Alan (Cha-Cha) – 12 points
- Jen and Jan (Salsa) – 12 points
- Baron and Britt (Cha-Cha) – 10 points
- Dylan and Daniella (Cha-Cha) – 10 points
- Jordan and Ezra (Salsa) – 10 points
- Scott and Rylee (Tango) – 10 points
- Andy and Emma (Cha-Cha) – 9 points
- Corey and Jenna (Tango) – 9 points
I thought that Fifth Harmony member Lauren Jauregui and Brandon Armstrong’s tango was wonderful. Lauren has tons of personality and was graceful and powerful at the same time. I was also impressed with actress Elaine Hendrix’s cha-cha with Alan Bersten. Elaine was a professional dancer until she was tragically struck by a car. She hadn’t danced in 30 years, yet she exuded a magical quality while she moved across the floor.
Hilaria Baldwin, who danced with Gleb Savchenko, delivered a sizzling cha-cha, demonstrating great connection and technique. “You went for it like a fury, and you won,” Bruno raved. “Delicious.”
And influencer Alix Earle, who is partnered with Val Chmerkovskiy, performed a promising cha-cha. While she appeared a bit stiff at times, the duo also showcased a fun and flirty connection.
Meanwhile, Dylan Efron, who has zero dance or performing experience, went for a cheeky cha-cha (pun intended) set to Milkshake by Kelis. While he has issues with timing, with some hard work, I think that he has a shot of making it pretty far in the competition, especially with Daniella Karagach as his partner.
Final thoughts on Dancing with the Stars Season 34 Episode 1
Overall, the Season 34 premiere was fire! I will say that the judges’ scoring was a bit puzzling. Olympic medal winner Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa’s salsa deserved a higher score. After Derek explained that they were starting out with lower scores than usual to give competitors a chance to improve, they doled out some higher scores than necessary. Hopefully, we will see scores that are more uniform going forward.
I feel like Corey and Jenna could be in danger next week, along with Andy and Emma. However, I did love the humor that Andy infused in his performance and his enthusiasm. And it was fun to see The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives cast in the audience supporting their co-stars, Whitney and Jen Affleck.
While I feel like Robert and Witney and Whitney and Mark are the early front-runners, I still feel like they have some fierce competition. This season is shaping up to be one for the record books!
Dancing with the Stars airs on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC and Disney+. It streams on Hulu the next day.
TELL US – WHICH DWTS SEASON 34 EPISODE 1 ROUTINE WAS YOUR FAVORITE? WHO ARE YOU ROOTING FOR?
