Welcome to the start of another season of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. Season 18 brings a few changes, twelve new celebrities, but an added amount of cheese, sequins, and Bruno being inappropriate. I kid somewhat on the last one. It doesn’t seem all that long ago that Glee star Amber Riley was crowned the winner with her professional partner, five-time winner, Derek Hough. Now, it is time to pass that coveted mirror ball trophy to her successor. We have a few months before that happens though. Twelve new celebrities are ready to test out the ballroom waters in hopes of earning high scores from the judges and votes from you at home.
Erin Andrews joins the fun this season, replacing Brooke Burke-Charvet. Bandleader Ray Chew will replace Harold Wheeler and his orchestra and singers. Joining Sasha Farber and Lindsay Arnold in the Troupe will be Jenna Johnson from season ten of So You Think You Can Dance and Artem Chigvintsev, a professional on the British version of the show. Witney Carson and Henry Byalikov have graduated from the Troupe to being pros and Maksim makes his return to the show as a pro for the first time since season 15. A new twist called the “The Switch Up” will take place later this season, with America voting on who should be switched up with other partners. The twist (including how long it will last and other details) will be revealed as the season goes forward.
A new but important change also comes our way this season regarding the voting and eliminations for the show. Last season, the show combined the audience votes with the current week’s scores from the judges. Because of that, producers felt some couples were unfairly saved/eliminated due to the judges alone and wanted to give the power back to the people. So this go around, eliminations will be based on audience votes and scores from the judges of the PREVIOUS week. This means, the show will know who is eliminated every Monday night and despite the fact that everyone will dance again, there really is nothing a couple can do to save themselves. Each week, one couple will be dancing even though producers know they are about to be booted. Do I think this is a change for the better as compared to how it was done in the fall? In a way, yes. This is more like the way it was done when we had an actual result show on Tuesday nights. The couple with the lowest combined judge/audience vote score from Monday night was eliminated. The only difference here is that the couple will dance again (and spend the entire week practicing) for nothing. A bit harsh but without a result show, what can you do?
Tonight, the twelve couples are tasked to perform either the Cha-cha-cha, Foxtrot, or a Contemporary piece. The show, still scaled back to only one night a week that will encompass all performances, guest stars, and eliminations will NOT send anyone home in this first week. All the couples will return next week to perform, with the first elimination taking place at the end of the show. As usual, you can call in a limited number of votes based on how many celebrities are left and/or you can use the DWTS page at ABC.COM/Facebook. Information on how to vote for a specific celebrity will appear in the recap under their score from the judges. With all that said, let’s get the party started and see what kind of crop of dancers we have this season.
Jason Derulo opens the show accompanied by all the pros and Troupe members. He is performing “Talk Dirty.” The pros and Troupe members are getting all scandalous on the dance floor. Tom and Erin welcome us to the show. Welcome to the new band and singers. And here come the stars…
NeNe & Tony (dancing the Cha-cha-cha)
NeNe is already hysterical in rehearsals. She thinks the ice skaters are her competition. (Well, yes, NeNe, they are everyone’s). NeNe is giving this her all. A big smile on her face and she is having a ball. She has some very good moves but the dancing needs to be refined a bit. Her Cha-cha-cha steps are decent but you can tell that either nerves are there or she is too overly excited. Some of the footwork is a bit on the clumsy side but this is definitely an adequate first dance. I’m not sure of her long term potential but she is definitely one to give us laughs and give it her all. Damn, that was fast. I guess all of tonight’s dances will be quite quick due to limited time. Good job!
Len thought it was the perfect way to get the party started. He said NeNe needs a little more pressure in her feet and she flung her arms a bit but well done. Bruno feels like NeNe has so much to give. He loves her energy and enthusiasm but yes, wants her to work on the footwork. Carrie Ann says NeNe brought the personality but she wants her to dance bigger. She felt NeNe to was dancing small to match Tony.
Carrie Ann-7, Len-7, Bruno-7, for a total of 21/30
To VOTE for NeNe & Tony, call 800-868-3401, or use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.
12 vote limit per method/per ABC.COM/Facebook account.
James & Peta (dancing the Foxtrot)
The show hints at the rumors of these two dating. But of course, the show needs to make it awkward for the LOLZ. So they met, went on a date, and then he went on tour. Okay. James needs to relax. Like NeNe, either nerves are taking over or he is just way too excited. The Foxtrot needs to look elegant and it needs to flow. This does, at times, but then James goes a bit too hard with the flailing about. He has a lot of potential (I can see good musicality and he can obviously take difficult choreography because Peta put a lot in this) but he needs to really get in the moment and try not to be taken out of it. Another decent first dance.
Bruno loves the attack and how much was in the dance but he thinks James needs to make it look a bit more effortless. He thinks it was a good first effort. Carrie Ann is already swooning about James’ looks. She thinks James has elegance but wants him to keep control. Len makes a joke about being here for eye candy (him and James). He thought James did a good job. He found it a bit messy in places but he was pleased that James came out and sold it.
Carrie Ann-7, Len-7, Bruno-7, for a total of 21/30
To VOTE for James & Peta, call 800-868-3402, or use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.
12 vote limit per method/per ABC.COM/Facebook account.
Danica & Val (dancing the Foxtrot)
Winnie Cooper takes the ballroom! She wants this to be a journey where she can become a woman. Of course, she means that figuratively. This is a better Foxtrot than we saw previously. A little less content but the content here is more on point. Danica brings her acting skills to the dance and plays very well off of Val. I think she also has some nice musicality and can perhaps develop into a very strong dancer. Val did exactly what he needed to for her first dance- not too much but just enough to give you the sense that this girl is here to play.
Carrie Ann calls her adorable. She loves the enthusiasm. She wants her to be careful of her shoulders and her expressiveness with her mouth. Len loved the first impression, despite the shoulder issues. Bruno thinks Danica sold it very well but again, be careful of the shoulders and of getting too involved and throwing away her moves.
Carrie Ann-8, Len-8, Bruno-8, for a total of 24/30
To VOTE for Danica & Val, call 800-868-3403, or use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.
12 vote limit per method/per ABC.COM/Facebook account.
Sean & Karina (dancing Contemporary)
Geez. Sean needs to smile a bit. So darn serious in his rehearsal package. Well, contemporary needs seriousness so this may work well. Umm, so basically, Sean is just picking Karina up and putting her down. Contemporary needs to have this emotion and continuous movement where it pulls you in and never lets go as a viewer. It isn’t just about lifts and the male placing the female from one place to another. Or the female running into the arms of the male as she twirls her. It needs more. I’m not going to be too harsh on Sean because I want to see him do an actual ballroom routine. Contemporary is a tough dance to get right out of the gate because though it delights the audience, it doesn’t nearly impress as much as someone nailing a tough and intricate Cha-cha-cha or Foxtrot. I also give him a pass on the seriousness since the dance called for it but geez, dude needs to have fun on this show. If you look miserable, the audience will feel miserable.
Len loved the intensity and loved the lifts. But he thought it needed finesse. He thought Sean did well though. Bruno thought Sean would be a lump of ice but he wasn’t. He says the dance needed a bit more continuity. Carrie Ann thinks Sean is fascinating to watch. But he has to learn how to point his toes.
Carrie Ann-7, Len-6, Bruno-7, for a total of 20/30
To VOTE for Sean & Karina, call 800-868-3404. You can also vote via ABC.COM and/or Facebook.
12 vote limit per method/per ABC.COM/Facebook account.
Billy & Emma (dancing the Cha-cha-cha)
Eek. Billy has a list of medical issues. But he wants to do the show to prove something. I have to give him props for that. Oh boy. This is um…not good. If Billy ends up sticking around for a while, we are going to see a whole lot of better dancers lost at his expense. I give the guy credit but honestly, this is one of those routines where you watch and want to laugh. Not because the theme of the dance is funny but because the dancing is funny in that it isn’t very good. Emma tries to do as much as she can on her end but this isn’t easy. Billy doesn’t have much musicality or an ability to move very well. Maybe he will do better with slower dances if he sticks around. And yes, I think he will.
Bruno thinks the wrong character was played. He wanted bigger and more powerful. Carrie Ann says Billy is the most relaxed dancer but we need a little more from him next week. Len points out the positives and then goes on to point out Billy’s age and his medical issues.
Carrie Ann-5, Len-5, Bruno-5, for a total of 15/30
To VOTE for Billy & Emma, call 800-868-3405, or use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.
12 vote limit per method/per ABC.COM/Facebook account.
Meryl & Maks (dancing the Cha-cha-cha)
Derek is mentioned here by Val. Derek helped choreograph Meryl and Charlie’s Olympic routine. Wow. This is pretty darn brilliant, I must admit. Of course, I totally expected her to be amazing because she does do choreographed dancing for a living. But yes, Meryl definitely delivered. She has the steps down, her musicality is really fantastic, and she is expressive just as the dance requires. We could be looking at the champions here (it would be Maks’ first win). I know that is very early to say but honestly, it is going to take a lot to defeat her if she is this good in week one.
Carrie Ann loved everything. Len says it was terrific. Bruno calls Meryl the Queen of spins. He just wants her to watch her legs a bit. Maks covers her ears. LOLZ. Maks doesn’t want the judges to get in her head.
Carrie Ann-8, Len-8, Bruno-8, for a total of 24/30
To VOTE for Meryl & Maks, call 800-868-3406, or use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.
12 vote limit per method/per ABC.COM/Facebook account.
Candace & Mark (dancing Contemporary)
This is what I was speaking about earlier. This Contemporary routine had the lifts and all but it also had the added emotiona you need. I think the credit there needs to be shared by both Mark and Candace. Mark knows how to put together a good Contemporary routine and Candace sold it very well. It was short but to the point. Candace is an actress so I expected her to bring the emotion but when you are able to couple it with good choreography, it works in spades. A definite improvement over the previous Contemporary routine we saw. This didn’t seem like just lifts and attacks. It felt like a dance.
Len says well done and tells Candance she can dance. Bruno felt every minute of it. Carrie Ann wants to know where Candance came from. She wants to work with her and wants to see it again. Carrie Ann is very impressed.
Carrie Ann-9, Len-8, Bruno-8, for a total of 25/30
To VOTE for Candace & Mark, call 800-868-3407, or use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.
12 vote limit per method/per ABC.COM/Facebook account.
Cody & Witney (dancing the Cha-cha-cha)
Cody has a girlfriend and Witney seems upset about that. LOLZ. Ah, the energy in youth. So much energy. SO much. Cody and Witney are little energizer bunnies. What I like here is that Witney has given Cody the opportunity to add some of his pop moves into the routine- and that will please his fans. It feels like a very modern Cha-cha-cha. The problem with that is that it doesn’t allow for Cody to do as much technical work as he needs to do to show he has a grasp of the dance. For example, for as much Cha-cha-cha we saw, we just as much regular dancing that we would see if Cody was dancing with a boy band. There has to be a balance so that the judges score him well but he still gives his fans what they want. He definitely has the potential though and his age and determination will only help him as the show progresses.
Bruno thought it was fresh, cool, and spunky. He wants Cody to watch his basics (foot placement for example). Carrie Ann says the upper body is good but since Cody has big feet, he needs to work on them. Len loved the confidence and attack but the technique needs to be worked on.
Carrie Ann-7, Len-7, Bruno-8, for a total of 22/30
To VOTE for Cody & Witney, call 800-868-3408, or use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.
12 vote limit per method/per ABC.COM/Facebook account.
Drew & Cheryl (dancing the Foxtrot)
I have to say this. Cheryl needs NOT to try and make Drew comedic every week. I’ll tell you why. From watching his technique here, Drew can actually handle serious dances and intricate choreography. I’m not saying this was brilliant but what I am saying is that Drew shouldn’t put into a box where he needs to be funny every week. He actually has some really nice musicality and his dancing in this Foxtrot was above average. I get wanting to make a good first impression and I assume Drew’s fans were very pleased with that but in the future, I want to see Drew tackle even more because I actually believe he has the goods to at least last quite a while this season. Good job here though.
Carrie Ann says Drew is this season’s crowd-pleaser. Len enjoyed it very much. Bruno thought it had a nice mix of content (could have been better) and comedy.
Carrie Ann-7, Len-7, Bruno-7, for a total of 21/30
To VOTE for Drew & Cheryl, call 800-868-3409, or use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.
12 vote limit per method/per ABC.COM/Facebook account.
Amy & Derek (dancing the Cha-cha-cha)
Damn. I have to give all the credit in the world to Amy. This girl is dancing with two prosthetic legs. So inspirational. I want to judge her just like the rest of the dancers this season, which I think is fair and only right. This is a solid Cha-cha-cha but I see a few issues. For one, Amy loses the music a few times. She picks it right back up fast. Like the first two contestants tonight, she is also going at 100 where she needs to be at around an 85. A little refining and this routine would be even better. She has a great ear for music and looks the part in the dance (great chemistry with Derek). I think she is good enough that people will end up voting for her because of the dancing more than the story. I just think this particular routine could have been even better.
Len says Amy got a gold medal in the Cha-cha-cha. Bruno calls her wonder woman. He loved the timing, shape, and performance level. Carrie Ann calls her a beacon of light in this world. Back to the dancing, she loved it of course.
Carrie Ann-8, Len-8, Bruno-8, for a total of 24/30
To VOTE for Amy & Derek, call 800-868-3410, or use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.
12 vote limit per method/per ABC.COM/Facebook account.
Diana & Henry (dancing the Foxtrot)
Aww. Sweet. Diana is actually quite decent in this. Sure, she is being careful and the dance is slow and a little by the numbers but Diana is attacking this so well. She actually has some solid moves and very decent musicality. This is very elegant and actually has nice fluidity. In terms of the elders in the group, Diana definitely has more potential than Billy. I do wonder (and fear a bit) how she will do in a fast dance but if she is able to attack it with as much determination as she did here, she might surprise. I can definitely say that without question, she exceeded my expectations. She should be very proud of herself.
Bruno calls her the million dollar mermaid. He says she still hasn’t quite found her footing but she is selling it well and going in the right direction. Carrie Ann calls her a slowly opening flower. She thought Diana needs to feel her feet more but she thought her hold was good. Len just thinks it needs more finesse and fluidity but he wasn’t expecting it to be as good as it was.
Carrie Ann-6, Len-6, Bruno-6, for a total of 18/30
To VOTE for Diana & Henry, call 800-868-3411, or use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.
12 vote limit per method/per ABC.COM/Facebook account.
Charlie & Sharna (dancing Contemporary)
Wow. So beautiful. Another solid contemporary routine. Charlie and Sharna are doing a fabulous job here. Great emotions, lifts, and a nice tone to the entire piece. Sharna needs to be complimented for her choreography. Again, it is amazing how much of a difference emotion + the usual Contemporary lifts can do to make a routine work on every level. In terms of the Meryl Vs. Charlie thing, Meryl had the standout performance tonight because she had the opportunity to actually do a ballroom routine. Charlie got to do Contemporary, which again, is crowd pleasing and probably comes a bit easier to him. But I’m not going to take anything away from him in terms of how good this was. One of the strongest dances of the night for sure. Let’s see how he does next week with a more traditional routine.
Carrie Ann says they are a perfect match. She calls it poetry in motion. Len calls it a good dance for Charlie in week one. He wants to see how Charlie does next week with a Latin ballroom. Bruno loves the attention to detail and the arc of the story. He loved it.
Carrie Ann-9, Len-9, Bruno-9, for a total of 27/30
To VOTE for Charlie & Sharna, call 800-868-3412, or use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.
12 vote limit per method/per ABC.COM/Facebook account.
TWIST – Before the show started, each celebrity told the producers which dances they were hoping to do on the show. And so, as should be expected, the producers are giving them the chance to do those dances- next week. So, it isn’t the pros choice next week. It is the celebrity. Here is what each celebrity wanted:
NeNe wants a Jive.
Amy wants a Swing Dance.
Meryl too choose a Swing Dance.
Candance wants to do a Rumba.
Danica wants to Samba.
Drew wants a Jive.
Sean wants a Salsa.
James wants a Salsa as well.
Diana wants a Cha-cha-cha.
Billy wants to Tango.
Cody also wants to Tango.
Charlie too wants to Tango.
Week One Judges’ Leaderboard:
Charlie & Sharna – 27/30
Candace & Mark – 25/30
Amy & Derek – 24/30
Danica & Val – 24/30
Meryl & Maks – 24/30
Cody & Witney – 22/30
Drew & Cheryl – 21/30
James & Peta – 21/30
NeNe & Tony – 21/30
Sean & Karina – 20/30
Diana & Henry – 18/30
Billy & Emma – 15/30
Well, that brings premiere night to a close. I’ll have a new post up in a few minutes with POLLS for everyone to vote and I’ll return here later with some closing thoughts on the show. MJ will edit in the videos in a bit as well. I hope you all enjoyed.
