Dancing with the Stars
DANCING WITH THE STARS Season 35 Premiere: Which Male Impressed on Night One? Who Was Sent Home?

Dancing With the Stars season 35 got underway with their September 15 premiere on ABC, which for the first time split the male and female celebrity contestants over two nights.
So, night one saw 8 male celebs with their pro partners hitting the ballroom dance floor with their first routines of the competition. Tonight on September 16 (8pm ET/7pm CT), the women take to the dance floor with their pro partners.
For night one, the male stars performed dances to a number #1 hit from the year they were born. By the end of the night, one couple was sent packing by the combined judges scores (Bruno, Derek and Carrie Ann) and the viewers text votes only, because for the first time live, the voting at ABC.com was not working. Throughout the night, hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough would remind viewers to text their votes.
When the smoke cleared, there were definitely some early favorites, chief among them Paralympian Ezra Frech who wowed everyone, Harry Shum Jr., although we all expected the Grey’s Anatomy star to cut a rug on the dance floor with his longtime dance background, and even ‘Bachelorette’ alum, Tyler Cameron showed promise. Let’s run down night one of the competition and give a recap of gents performances alongside their scores, and in case you missed it, the video of their routine.

Photo: ABC
Jackson Olson & Emma Slater — 15/30
Savannah Bananas star Jackson Olson and his partner Emma Slater were first up. Emma was thrilled that she wasn’t saddled (although she would not say it that way) with another older man who can’t dance. Instead, she got Jackson who is just 28-years old and is athletic and a showman.
The duo performed the cha-cha to “Wannabe” by the Spice Girls. While their were some on-point moves, at other times it felt like Jackkon was just selling it to the audience with his looks and expressions, when the judges also wanted him to be more locked-in on his feet.
Judge Derek Hough explained to Olson, “The bottom half (of your body) needs a lot of work. The upper half, I quite enjoyed, actually. Let’s marry the performance with technique.”
Tyler Cameron & Sharna Burgess — 17/30
Having played football and being very tall, ‘Bachelorette’ alum Tyler Cameron revealed to pro partner Sharna Burgess, that he actually took some dance classes in his high school/college days. Burgess is back on the ballroom floor after five years away from the show. Together, they performed a Tango, to Lenny Kravitz’s “Are you Going to Go my Way.” Tyler delivered much promise.
Bruno Tonioli commented, “I’m very pleasantly surprised. He looks like a tank. I thought he as going to crash. In fact, you can move, man. You have natural musicality. A few hiccups here and there, but you have so much potential.”
Conner Leavitt & Adele Zaikman — 12/30
The husband of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and Season 35 contestant,Whitney Leavitt, felt compelled to enter the competition to bring his dad vibe/magician experience and humor to his dancing, so he says.
Conner was paired with Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro winner Adele Zaikman, and they danced a salsa for premiere night. They performed to “Whoomp! There It Is!” by Tag Team. Needless to say, his dance moves and mugging to the camera needed vast improvement.
Guillermo Rodriguez & Witney Carson — 10/30
Jimmy Kimmel‘s sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson did a cha-cha for his first performance. While he didn’t move much, he somehow got over with the judges and the audience.
Rodriguez and Carson performed to “Mr. Big Stuff’ by Jean Knight. In the judges scores, Rodriguez received 3’s from Derek and Bruno while Inaba was a bit more generous with a 4. Needless to say, Guillermo scored at the bottom of the leaderboard.
Ezra Frech & Daniella Karagach — 20/30
Paralympian Ezra Frech, who wears a prosthetic leg and only has two fingers on his left hand, along with his pro partner Daniella Karagach took to the dance floor in one of the most highly-anticipated out of the gate performances for the season premiere. They performed the tango to Kelly Clarkson‘s “Since U Been Gone.”
After a beautiful routine and performance, Carrie Ann Inaba expressed, “This is why I love Dancing With the Stars. This is what’s so special about our show. Showing people what’s possible in the face of adversity. Showing people new ways to move. Outside the box thinking. Outside the box moving.” Inaba also gave massive props to Karagach for “redefining” how Frech could move while doing the tango steps with a prosthetic leg. Carrie Ann said she was, “In awe!”
Connor Wood & Rylee Arnold — 16/30
Connor Wood, a comedian and podcaster, who is big on TikTok teamed with Rylee Arnold for their cha-cha to Tim McGraw‘s “I Like It, I Love It.”
Wood, who is from Texas, wanted to put a little two-stepping into the cha-cha and they did so. Wood did better than expected with Derek Hough sharing, “The performance is amazing, but let’s not forget the technique.”
Taylor Hanson & Britt Stewart — 16/30
Singer Taylor Hanson from the OG brothers/boy band Hanson, danced a quickstep with his partner Britt Stewart. They performed to Tell Her About It by Billy Joel. There was a distinct mishap in the routine where Derek Hough cited Hanson for a “great save,” and gave Taylor constructive criticism to improve his frame, but added, “You should be really happy, man, great first dance.”
Harry Shum Jr. & Jenna Johnson — 21/30
The final performance of the night came from Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson, who danced a cha-cha. Shum, who came to Dancing with the Stars from having danced during his time on the hit series Glee, and as a backup dancer for the likes of Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, and Mariah Carey and so much more, was ready to close night one in a big way.
Harry and Jenna danced to “Let’s Groove” by Earth, Wind & Fire. To us, Shum was a little too over the top with his moves, but that does not take away that he is the one of the most obvious threats to take home the Len Goodman Mirror Ball Trophy by season’s end.
Carrie Ann told Harry, “You are so electric when you perform. You light it up. But I’m going to call you out. You gotta watch where your axis, where your weight is. Don’t over-exaggerate the moves. That’s not always correct.” In the end, Shum scored 21/30, the highest scores of the night from the judges.
ELIMINATION TIME
When it was time for the results, five couples were announced as safe: Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson, Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart, Jackson Olson and Emma Slater, Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach, and Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess.
Three were left remaining: Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold, Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson, and Conner Leavit and Adele Zaikman. Then, it was revealed that the couple being eliminated is Conner Leavitt and Adele Zaikman. And, we are just fine with that result!
So, what did you think of night one of season 35 of Dancing with the Stars? Which male contestant impressed you the most? Do you think the right guy was sent packing? Let us know your picks and thoughs via the comment section below.
Taylor and Harry were excellent
Harry was the standout
I could not even watch all of Conner’s dance. I fast forwarded through most of it. And his wife primping for votes was very annoying.
Harry was fantastic. I also enjoyed Taylor and Jackson. Guillermo’s dance was fun, but he will not win.
Dancing with the Stars
DANCING WITH THE STARS: Guillermo Goes Home

The Tuesday, October 13 episode of Dancing With the Stars brought with it the end of the line for a fan favorite, who for five weeks was able to hang in the competition for the coveted Mirrorball Trophy, due to the at-home voting, and not for his exceptional dance prowess.
With 11 pairs remaining, the couples hit the ballroom dance floor to songs by previous Super Bowl Halftime Show performers for “Super Bowl Night” with special guest judge ESPN’s Joe Buck.
The sports commentator joined Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli at the judges table to offer up his thoughts on the dance routines and athleticism set before him throughout the night.

Photo: ABC
THE RESULTS
When it time for the results following the final commercial break, DWTS hosts, Alfonso and Julianne, named Julia and Ezra, Maura and Mark, Jackson and Emma, Harry and Jenna, and Amber and Pasha safe. They were followed by: Ezra and Daniella, Jenna and Val, Tatyana and Jan, and Connor and Rylee.
That left the last two pairs on the stage, although not necessarily the bottom two in the voting between Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess and Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson. As the tension mounted, especially because Cameron had delivered his best dance of the season thus far, it was revealed that Guillermo and Witney were eliminated.
Speaking to the cameras following his elimination, the ‘Jimmy Kimmel’ sidekick, shared, “I want to say thank you to all the audience, thank you to everyone and Dancing with the Stars. I had a lot of fun, it was great. Witney, I love you for teaching me how to dance, thank you so much.”

Photo: ABC
LAST DANCE
Witney Carson. who has been pregnant while in the competition, said to Guillermo, “Thank you so much for making the season just so fun, so enjoyable.” She added, “He has taken care of me so much throughout this entire season, it’s felt like an empowering season.”
In their final routine, Guillermo and Witney Carson had performed a salsa to Bad Bunny’s “Tití Me Preguntó.” As the episode concluded, all of the celebrity contestants and pro dancers swarmed Guillermo and hoisted him in the air, celebrating his efforts throughout the competition.
As for who were the standouts on “Super Bowl Night” Paralympian Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach performed a salsa to “Hot in Herre” by Nelly to the top the leaderboard. along with The Rookie star Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy who peformed a paso doble to “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga. Each couple scored a 36/40 receiving straight 9’s from the judges, the highest scores thus far on season 35.
Now below, check out the top two routines of the night and Guillermo and Witney’s last dance.
Then let us know, are you glad that Guillermo was finally sent home, or were you hoping that somehow he would keep surviving in the competition week after week? Of the remaining couples, who did you think delivered the best routine on Super Bowl Night and who are you rooting for now to take home the Mirrorball Trophy? Let us know in the comment section.
Dancing with the Stars
DANCING WITH THE STARS: Britt Stewart Visibly Upset After Shocking Elimination with Taylor Hanson

The September 29 episode of Dancing With the Stars showcased the continued strengths of some couples, but showed the cracks in others, as the 13 remaining duos hit the ballroom dance floor to yacht rock songs in week 3 of the competition.
At the end of the night, the couple with the lowest combined judges’s scores and viewer votes was sent home, and this proved to be a sticking point issue with the voting.
During the results portion at the end of the show, the first five couples who were named safe were: Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy, Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess, Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas, Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong, and Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa.
They were followed by: Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik, Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach, Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov, Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson, and Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold.

Photo: ABC
AN UNEXPECTED TWIST
The remaining three couples awaiting their fate were: Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson, Jackson Olson and Emma Slater, and Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart. The couple sent home was Taylor and Britt.
Taylor and Britt performed a foxtrot to the the Doobie Brothers, “What a Fool Believes” during the night of competition and scored an 18 out of 30 from the judged. While it wasn’t the stand out routine on Yacht Rock night, it certainly wasn’t the worst.
With many expecting Guillermo and Witney to be sent home, when Britt and Taylor’s name was called, Stewart was visibly emotional and upset. After the shocking elimination, several of her pro partners spoke out and rallied around her and Hanson.
DANCING WITH THE STARS PROS SPEAK UP
Pro dancer, Sharna Burgess is hoping that next season, Stewart will make it to the finals. ]It should be noted that Britt is the first Black woman to be in the Dancing with the Stars pro company having joined in season 29 back in 2020, and she has never made it to the finale. Her highest placement was when she came in fifth in season 31 with her now husband, CODA star Daniel Durant.
“Knowing Britt and loving Britt, I just want to see her do a freestyle. I just want to see Britt, next season, get what our fans call a ringer, and we see her get to the end so we can have a Britt freestyle, expressed Burgess to EW.com.
Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong spoke out as being the couple who has spent the most time with Britt and Taylor during competition weeks. “I think Britt is an elite dancer, and an elite pro,” Armstrong continues, explaining that he and Miller were “gutted” when they heard the news. “It’s horrible,” said Armstrong. Miller shared she has chills” over it, and is “processing this elimination.”
Perhaps, Dancing with the Stars pro Jan Ravnik said it best, exclaiming everything is “going to be f—ed from now on” with them gone and more eliminations weekly. “I did love this partnership. I think they were incredible. I love Britt so much. I think she is one of the best dancers that I ever worked with.”
Now below, check out the dance routines from last night of Guillermo and Witney, Jackson and Emma and Taylor and Britt, and let us know if you think the right couple was sent packing via the comment section below.
Dancing with the Stars
DANCING WITH THE STARS Viral Hits Night: Who Was the Fiercest Couple of Them All?

In week 2 of ballroom dance floor action on Dancing With the Stars season 35, it was “viral hits night,” which had all the celebrity contestants and their pro partners going head -to-head with each other, unlike last week’s two-night season premiere where the men were solely on night one and the women on night two.
Now, the 14 remaining couples strutted their stuff and their routines on the September 22 episode, where it was clear that paralympian, Ezra Frech and olympian, Amber Glenn showed how balance and athleticism came into play. BUT, there was no one more than Frech, who with one prosthetic leg, just could get down on the dance floor better than the rest of us, anytime anywhere!
When the smoke cleared, three couples had the highest scores from the panel of judges, Carrie Ann, Derek and Bruno. Each received a 21/30 score and were a top the leaderboard ahead of the night’s final results.

Photo: ABC
The top scores belonged to: Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy who danced a Jive to “Animal” by Katseye, Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach who performed a cha-cha to “Low” by Flo Rida, and Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov who took to the floor performing a tango to “All the Things She Said” by Harrison, who was in the ballroom DJing the song!
WHO WAS SENT HOME?
At the end of the night, the results were revealed. The first six couples who were announced as safe were: Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik, Jackson Olson and Emma Slater, Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach, Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong, Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart, and Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov.
Also safe were: Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas, Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy, Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson, Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold, and Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa.
The bottom three were revealed as: Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess, Giada De Laurentiis and Alan Bersten, and Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson. In the end, Giada and Alan who were sent home.
Dancing With the Stars, Season 35, airs Tuesdays, 8pm ET/7pm CT on ABC and Disney+
Take a look at the top three highest scored dances from last night’s Viral Hits Night’s competition below. Then let us know, who you thought was the fiercest couple of them all, via the comment section.
-

Breaking News1 week ago53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Presenters Announced
-

Beyond the Gates1 week agoTabitha Brown and Kandi Burruss Guest Star on ‘Beyond the Gates’ for Dani’s ‘Welcome to Your Life’ TV Special; What Could Go Wrong?
-

Interviews6 days ago‘The Bold and the Beautiful’ Cast Dish on Steffy, Finn & Carter, Daphne Baby Drama! (Exclusive)
-

General Hospital1 week agoKin Shriner Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’ TV Daughter Kelly Kruger
-

Breaking News7 days ago2026 Daytime Emmy Awards: ‘Extra’ Partners with NATAS for Pre-Ceremony Red Carpet Stream; Week of Segments Leading to Ceremony and Post-Coverage
-
Beyond the Gates1 week ago‘Beyond the Gates’ and Daytime Emmy Nominee Mike Manning to Chat Live on the Michael Fairman Channel
-

News4 days agoY&R’s Jason Thompson and Mark Grossman Deliver the ‘Power Performances of the Week’
-
News1 week agoSusan Flannery and Ian Buchanan Visit the Set of ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’; Daytime Emmy Winners Reflect on Show Then and Now















