No Elimination This Week<\/p>\n
48 minutes ago<\/p>\n
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At the end of the premiere, Julianne and Alfonso reiterated that there would be no elimination this week, but because of that, next week’s episode would be a double elimination.\n<\/p>\n
They also confirmed that this premiere received double the amount of votes as last year’s premiere.\n<\/p>\n
With the stakes even higher, the cast looked ready to take on their next challenge \u2014 and with the support of their fans behind him.\n<\/p>\n
Robert Irwin Closes Out the Show<\/p>\n
51 minutes ago<\/p>\n
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Robert joked that “crocs are my comfort zone, dancing is not” in his intro package before meeting partner Witney Carson.\n<\/p>\n
As the two kicked off rehearsals, he spoke in depth about the importance of a legacy \u2014 both about continuing the one his late dad Steve Irwin left and also creating his own.\n<\/p>\n
Robert and Witney danced to “Born to Be Wild” by Steppenwolf, and the judges were wowed by the routine.\n<\/p>\n
Bruno was on his feet afterwards, saying the routine was “great” and commended the pairing for their timing and being in sync.\n<\/p>\n
Derek, who won the mirrorball trophy with Robert’s sister Bindi Irwin in season 21, said he’s “so relieved” because Robert had “some big shoes to fill,” as he jokingly asked if Robert had been “practicing for 10 years.”\n<\/p>\n
“The best first dance I’ve ever seen on the show!” he declared.\n<\/p>\n
Robert said he’s “doing it” for his family in the audience before earning his scores, in which he tied Whitney and Mark for the top spot of the night.\n<\/p>\n
Score: 15\/20<\/p>\n
Hilaria Baldwin Gets Her Second Chance at Dance<\/p>\n
1 hr 1 min ago<\/p>\n
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Hilaria said she does “well with somebody who’s direct” after meeting partner Gleb Savchenko and expressed her excitement to take on the journey after breaking her hip years ago and having to give up dance.\n<\/p>\n
Husband Alec Baldwin also made an appearance in her package, calling his wife a “hard worker” as she rehearsed in New York City with her family and kids by her side.\n<\/p>\n
“I’m struggling,” she admitted, before noting, “Dance feeds my soul.”\n<\/p>\n
After their dance to “Let’s Get Loud” by Jennifer Lopez, Derek said it was “best Cha Cha he’s ever seen from a mother of seven” and called it “so sharp” and “so precise.”\n<\/p>\n
Bruno noted that her foot placement was “delicious” and commended her for “using the dance as a conversation.” Both judges also said they’re looking forward to seeing what Hilaria and Gleb do next.\n<\/p>\n
Before getting her scores, Hilaria told Julianne, “I said goodbye to this 16 years ago because I broke my hip… it’s just a dream come true. I’m just so grateful.”\n<\/p>\n
Score: 14\/20\n<\/p>\n
Andy Richter Isn’t Afraid to Do Some “Peacocking”<\/p>\n
1 hr 9 min ago<\/p>\n
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The former sidekick of Conan O’Brien and actor was thrilled about being paired with Emma Slater before admitting that he was nervous for his “legs holding up.”\n<\/p>\n
He also joked that he’s not afraid to look “like an idiot on TV.” Though he doesn’t think he’ll be “the best dancer here,” he said he fully intended to “sell it” and would be “peacocking” anyways.\n<\/p>\n
The two danced a Cha Cha to “Hold On, I’m Coming” by Sam and Dave, and the judges commended him for his efforts.\n<\/p>\n
Bruno said he “loved” him, calling him “cheeky and chappy.” He pointed out the timing was off but noted, “First baby steps, it can only get better!”\n<\/p>\n
Derek told him that “everyone in this room was rooting for you” and commended his humor, “joy” and “authenticity.” He added, “I loved watching you dance, I really did.”\n<\/p>\n
Later, he joked he took the plunge to dance because of the “paycheck,” before seriously noting, “I knew this would be good for me!”\n<\/p>\n
Score: 9\/20\n<\/p>\n
From Fifth Harmony to the Ballroom!<\/p>\n
1 hr 18 min ago<\/p>\n
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Lauren Jauregui\u00a0said she’s the third member of Fifth Harmony to compete on the show and has never done ballroom before as she joked, “There’s no turning back now!”\n<\/p>\n
The singer also said she’s excited to experience femininity of dancing and for “people to get to know me” outside of a girl group.\n<\/p>\n
After she and Brandon Armstrong danced a Tango to “yes, and?” by Ariana Grande, the judges were impressed with her talents.\n<\/p>\n
Derek called it “elegant” and “sophisticated” and praised her for how her “frame was consistent throughout.” He urged her to “stick the landing” and added, “Holy! You put us all on notice tonight.”\n<\/p>\n
Bruno agreed and said she had a “wonderful fluidity” to her moves. He emphasized to “always finish your move cleanly” before adding, “Well done!”\n<\/p>\n
Julianne praised Lauren’s confidence after the performance before she earned her scores from the judges.\n<\/p>\n
Score: 13\/20\n<\/p>\n
Corey Feldman Makes His Mark<\/p>\n
1 hr 25 min ago<\/p>\n
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Corey joked he’s “seen it all” being in the business for the last three decades and said he was excited to learn how to dance. “Who better to be with than somebody who just won? Strike while the iron’s hot, baby!” the Goonies actor said.\n<\/p>\n
The star recalled his early days, from performing with Michael Jackson and being friends with Alfonso, before learning how to master his Tango routine. Corey ran into some issues though due to his scoliosis and admitted, “I have a lot to learn.”\n<\/p>\n
He and Jenna danced to “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” by Billy Joel, which the judges seemed to enjoy.\n<\/p>\n
Bruno commended him for “putting your personal spin” on the Tango and called the performance “great,” but advised him to “clean up the technique.” Meanwhile, Derek praised him as a “Hollywood icon” and said the performance was “fun to watch.”\n<\/p>\n
He added there was a “softness” to him but encouraged him to work on his technique.\n<\/p>\n
Speaking to Julianne after the performance, Corey said DWTS “is a gift” by helping him fix his scoliosis problem that he’s always wanted to make better.\n<\/p>\n
Score: 9\/20\n<\/p>\n
Jen and Jan Make Their Ballroom Debut!<\/p>\n
1 hr 32 min ago<\/p>\n
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Jennifer Affleck, one of the stars from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, entered rehearsals excited to be paired with Jan Ravnik and to tap into her Latin roots.\n<\/p>\n
The pro dancer was also making his debut in the DWTS ballroom after being a backup dancer in Taylor Swift’s Eras tour<\/a>, while Jen said she was excited to kick off this journey after welcoming her third child just a few weeks ago in July.\n<\/p>\n The two danced a Salsa to “NuevaYol” by Bad Bunny and wowed the crowd with their moves.\n<\/p>\n Afterwards, Derek said he “can’t believe” Jen had a baby a few months ago and officially welcomed Jan to the show. He said it was a “great” first dance but noted that the lifts “slowed the routine down a little bit.”\n<\/p>\n Bruno advised her to “go through the steps” and “don’t keep it all locked in ’cause you’ve got it!”\n<\/p>\n Jen later admitted it’s “a lot and my body hurts,” but noted she’s “doing it for my kids so they can do this too.”\n<\/p>\n Score: 12\/20\n<\/p>\n Danielle Fishel Hits the Ballroom<\/p>\n 1 hr 42 min ago<\/p>\n Copy The Link To This Blog Post<\/p>\n The Boy Meets World alum said fans likely know her as Topanga Lawrence from the hit sitcom, but she’s excited to take on a new journey after a challenging year.\n<\/p>\n “Having just survived cancer, this is my year of yes. Dancing with the Stars was one of my biggest yeses,” Danielle said.\n<\/p>\n Danielle and pro partner Pasha Pashkov danced a Tango to “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” by Kelly Clarkson, which got mixed reviews from the judges.\n<\/p>\n Bruno advised her to “check your shoulder height,” and acknowledged it’s the “hardest thing to do.” Derek called it a “breath of fresh air” and commended her for the way she “moved across the floor.”\n<\/p>\n In the skybox, Danielle joked to Julianne about the fandom from her Topanga days: “If you had a crush on me, you better vote. I’ll take it!”\n<\/p>\n Score: 12\/20\n<\/p>\n Scott Hoying Goes Gaga<\/p>\n 1 hr 42 min ago<\/p>\n Copy The Link To This Blog Post<\/p>\n The Pentatonix singer said he “was so excited” to have Rylee Arnold as his partner and admitted dancing wasn’t his strong point so he was looking forward to learning more from her. He was also excited to dance to “Abracadabra” by Lady Gaga.\n<\/p>\n Following his routine, Derek praised his “dancing chops” and routine, but urged him to master more “discipline” in his ballroom fundamentals. “For a week one dance, amazing!” he said.\n<\/p>\n Bruno also urged him to “refine what you do because it’s a little bit messy.”\n<\/p>\n Before receiving his score, Scott said the feedback from the judges “makes me wanna work harder” because he has “so much respect” for them and ballroom dancing.\n<\/p>\n Score: 10\/20\n<\/p>\n Alix Earle Has Arrived!<\/p>\n 1 hr 56 min ago<\/p>\n Copy The Link To This Blog Post<\/p>\n The influencer and social media personality said the “last two years have been insane,” citing her movie and Super Bowl commercial. “But nobody has seen my competitive side yet, it’s about to go down.”\n<\/p>\n Alix met partner Val Chmerkovskiy and told him she was “such a big fan” beforehand. She also explained how dance was her “sport growing up” and she was excited to take on this journey with him.\n<\/p>\n As they rehearsed, Val admitted that this was “very overwhelming for her,” but Alix vowed to master the routine.\n<\/p>\n She danced to a Cha-Cha to “Circus” by Britney Spears and Bruno later commended her for “doing very, very well.” However, he urged her to remember the “continuity” and “connection” of the routine.\n<\/p>\n Derek called it “sharp, clean, precise and powerful,” and noted it was “not an easy routine” to have as her first dance.\n<\/p>\n In the skybox, Alix said she was “trying to ignore the cameras” and be herself in hopes that it would take her far.\n<\/p>\n Score: 13\/20\n<\/p>\n Baron Davis Heats Up the Competition<\/p>\n 2 hr 4 min ago<\/p>\n Copy The Link To This Blog Post<\/p>\n The retired NBA all-star said he’s “here to learn how to dance” and was inspired to do the show by fellow basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who competed in season 26.\n<\/p>\n Upon meeting partner Britt Stewart, she said she was thrilled to have an athlete as her partner. The two then rehearsed their dance to “Can’t Touch This” by MC Hammer as Baron said the song gives him “the energy” he needs to compete and be on his top game.\n<\/p>\n After the dance, Derek said he “crushed this” and called the performance “fun.” He also praised Baron’s “charisma” in the routine. “That was a great, great first dance. You should be so happy, so much potential!” he said.\n<\/p>\n Bruno was equally as impressed and said his MC Hammer references were “spot on.”\n<\/p>\n Afterwards, in the skybox, Baron told Julianne that his teammates “laughed for like, five minutes” when they learned he was competing on DWTS. He also admitted that he was eager to get the first dance done.\n<\/p>\n Score: 10\/20\n<\/p>\n Family Comes First for Robert Irwin<\/p>\n 2 hr 4 min ago<\/p>\n Copy The Link To This Blog Post<\/p>\n Before making his ballroom debut, Robert Irwin revealed his family was in attendance for the big night on Instagram.\n<\/p>\n “The fam has arrived for the live show! Dancing with the Stars premier here we go\ud83c\udf89\ud83c\udf89\ud83e\udea9\ud83e\udea9\ud83d\udc0a\ud83d\udc0a” he wrote alongside a photo of mom Terri Irwin, sister Bindi Irwin, Bindi’s husband Chandler Powell and his niece Grace, outside his trailer.\n<\/p>\n Whitney Leavitt\u00a0Takes #MomTok to the Ballroom<\/p>\n 2 hr 13 min ago<\/p>\n Copy The Link To This Blog Post<\/p>\n The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star vowed that fans will “see a different side” of her on DWTS before meeting pro Mark Ballas for the first time. She brought him up to speed about #MomTok and the playful rivalry between her and costar Jennifer Affleck before starting rehearsals.\n<\/p>\n She delivered a Tango to “Golden” from K-Pop Demon Hunters before Bruno commended her for her routine. He called it “elegant” and praised her content in the dance. “No messing around, very, very, very high quality!” he said.\n<\/p>\n Derek echoed Bruno’s comments, but advised her to keep “the frame consistent.” He also pointed out that Carrie Ann would’ve loved that routine if she were there.\n<\/p>\n Before receiving her scores, Whitney laughed about how long the dances are versus her #MomTok routines. She also said she fell in love with the song after “watching it with my kids one night.”\n<\/p>\n Bruno initially gave her a 7, making Whitney’s score a 14\/20. However, Julianne announced her score as a 15\/20 before clarifying that Bruno actually gave an 8 so her score had changed by one point.\n<\/p>\n Score: 15\/20\n<\/p>\n Elaine Hendrix Returns to Dance<\/p>\n 2 hr 24 min ago<\/p>\n Copy The Link To This Blog Post<\/p>\n Elaine said the dance studio was her “first love” and she “started her career as a personal dancer” before meeting pro Alan Bersten for the first time. In their first meeting, she brought Alan champagne that she said “we’re going to drink when we win.”\n<\/p>\n Elaine said she stopped dancing because she was hit by a car. “The reality is I don’t know if I can do this… I close my eyes and imagine that I’m still 21 years old but my body might have different plans,” she said.\n<\/p>\n After their Cha-Cha to “Woman” by Kesha, the judges were shocked by her talents.\n<\/p>\n “You are amazing!” Derek said, noting she had a “Broadway quality” to her dancing. He suggested she “finish your movements off” and praised her “journey for reclaiming dance.”\n<\/p>\n Bruno called it “sexy but classy” and agreed with Derek about her movements needing to be complete. “Great performance, great potential!”\n<\/p>\n Speaking to Julianne in the skybox, Elaine admitted, “I’ve never done ballroom and haven’t trained in a studio in 30 years… I’m so grateful to be here.” She also acknowledged that she was feeling the pain from dancing, but “I want to prove to myself and prove to other women that age is just a number.”\n<\/p>\n Before receiving her scores, Elaine also taught Julianne the iconic handshake from The Parent Trap.\n<\/p>\n Score: 12\/20\n<\/p>\n Dylan Efron Goes from Traitors Champ to Ballroom Star<\/p>\n 2 hr 30 min ago<\/p>\n Copy The Link To This Blog Post<\/p>\n Dylan said fans would likely recognize him for “winning Traitors” or his “thirst traps on social media.” He also acknowledged that many people know him for being the younger brother of Zac Efron.\n<\/p>\n “I was his biggest fan,” he said of his brother, who he called “always the star” and “always the most charismatic.”\n<\/p>\n The outdoor enthusiast also said he was “excited to do something nobody would expect” from him. “What better way to do that than to go out there and shake my ass?”\n<\/p>\n Following his Cha-Cha routine to “Milkshake” by Kelis, Bruno commended Dylan’s ability to shake his behind but noted he was “on and off” at times and said “you need to be consistent.”\n<\/p>\n Derek said he was “surprised” by Dylan’s “fluidity,” but noted he “lost the timing,” and advised him to “step into that leading man role” with his partner Daniela Karagach. “Overall, what a surprising and fantastic first dance!”\n<\/p>\n Later, Dylan told Julianne he chose the song so he could “do something completely that’s not me” and “I’ve never danced in my life.” He also said his “heart is beating through my chest right now” after his routine.\n<\/p>\n Score: 10\/20\n<\/p>\n Jordan Chiles Is First to Go!<\/p>\n 2 hr 39 min ago<\/p>\n Copy The Link To This Blog Post<\/p>\n Ahead of meeting her partner Ezra Sosa, Jordan said in a confessional her fellow gymnastics teammates “set the bar high” and the “expectations were higher.”\n<\/p>\n Once she met Ezra, the two spoke about Jordan’s performance to “Break My Soul” by Beyonc\u00e9. During rehearsals, Ezra said she “holds herself like a gymnast,” which Jordyn acknowledged was true because it’s much different dancing versus flipping in the gym.\n<\/p>\n After their dance, Derek praised their “flips and tricks” in the routine but asked she “keep the integrity” of Latin dancing. He also warned that the scoring this evening might be lower than expected, but “it’s a marathon.”\n<\/p>\n Bruno also loved the dance, but noted she was “a bit wobbly” and advised her to “carry the heat motion through the body.” Overall, he called it a “very, very good first performance.”\n<\/p>\n Before receiving their scores, Ezra said it was “so much fun” dancing with Jordan, while Jordan called Ezra “amazing” and praised his “personality” for allowing her to be herself as well.\n<\/p>\n She also said Beyonc\u00e9 likely would’ve been “proud” of her routine. “She’s somebody that I look up to,” she added.\n<\/p>\n Score: 10\/20\n<\/p>\n The Night Kicks Off!<\/p>\n 2 hr 39 min ago<\/p>\n Copy The Link To This Blog Post<\/p>\n The energy was high in the ballroom as the evening kicked off with a dance from the pros. Hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro then introduced the judges and couples, before starting the night’s performances to each pair’s anthems.\n<\/p>\n The hosts also confirmed that nobody would be eliminated on night one.\n<\/p>\n Carrie Ann Inaba Makes a Surprising Announcement<\/p>\n 3 hr 16 min ago<\/p>\n Copy The Link To This Blog Post<\/p>\n From left: Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli at ‘Dancing with the Stars’ judging panel.<\/p>\n Eric McCandless\/Disney<\/p>\n Hours ahead of the season 34 premiere, Carrie Ann Inaba<\/a>\u00a0revealed she won\u2019t be in the ballroom on Tuesday night due to an illness.\n<\/p>\n