Dancing With the Stars is officially back with Season 34! The dance competition returned on Tuesday, September 16, with 16 new celebrity contestants ready to show off what they’ve been working on with their pro partners for the past few weeks.
Week 1 featured the contestants dancing to one of four different styles: cha-cha-cha, tango, salsa, or jive. With Carrie Ann Inaba missing from the judges’ panel due to an illness, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli were the only two handing out scores.
Their scores from this week will be combined with viewer votes to determine who will be eliminated first (those results will be revealed in Episode 2). Follow along below as we recap all of the performances and to find out the judges’ scores for Week 1.
Jordan Chiles & Ezra Sosa — 10/20
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa were the first to hit the dance floor with a salsa to “Break My Soul” by Beyoncé. Her biggest hurdle was holding herself like a dancer, as opposed to a gymnast.
ABC
“Right out of the gate, all the flips and tricks, fantastic, Jordan! Really amazing first dance,” Hough told the Olympian. However, he urged Sosa to keep true to the assigned dance rather than “contemporizing,” and also warned the contestants that the scores may be lower than they hope since it’s the first week and the judges want to give everyone room to grow.
“I’m going to be tough because you did a lot of things well,” Tonioli added. “Some of the dismounts were a bit wobbly. You have to carry the hip motion through the body. You can’t just hit it, you have to express it. A couple things you have to work on, but very, very good first performance.”
Hough scored the dance a 5/10, while Tonioli gave it a 5/10 with “room to grow.”
Dylan Efron & Daniella Karagach — 10/20
Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach’s cha-cha-cha was set to Kelis’ “Milkshake.” Karagach was tasked with helping Efron come out of his shell and “loosen up a little bit.”
ABC
“Are you trying to distract me with the sex appeal?” Tonioli wondered. “Your shaking of the butt was first class. Seriously, some moments you were very, very good. The forward steps, with the hips and the legs, but then you were completely off. You need to be consistent. Don’t lose it halfway through.”
For his critique, Hough said, “I was pleasantly surprised. I didn’t know what to expect. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, he’s got some fluidity!'” However, he agreed with Tonioli that Efron lost the timing sometimes, and urged him to become the “leading man” to Karagach going forward.
From Hough, Efron earned a 5/10, and the same from Tonioli.
Elaine Hendrix & Alan Bersten — 12/20
Elaine Hendrix started her career as a professional dancer, so she’s back in her element with partner Alan Bersten. They danced a cha-cha-cha to “Woman” by Kesha.
ABC
Hough was speechless. “I don’t even know what to say! You are amazing. You had this Broadway quality to your dancing. It is so mesmerizing. That was amazing,” he said. His critiques? “Finish your movements off.”
Tonioli praised Hendrix for allowing them to see all the “nuances” in her performance, but agreed with Hough’s criticism and warned her to be careful of her shoulders. “Great performance, great potential,” he assured her.
For her scores, Hendrix received a 6/10 from Hough and a 6/10 from Tonioli.
Whitney Leavitt & Mark Ballas — 15/20
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Whitney Leavitt performed a tango to “Golden” by Huntr/x with partner Mark Ballas, who’s back in the ballroom after taking two seasons off.
ABC
“Your acting, not just the dancing, but your performance was incredible,” Tonioli raved. “Elegant, the attitude was perfect, the content. Thank you, Mark. A fantastic tango, as it should be. No messing around. Very, very, very high quality.”
Hoguh was also impressed. “That was so beautiful,” he said. “The neckline. The poise. So beautiful.” He gave some advice to Leavitt to “maintain the frame,” but also told her that Inaba would love the routine if she was judging tonight.
Hough scored the routine a 7/10, while Tonioli gave it an 8/10 (or, at least, that’s the score he locked in, even though he held up the 7 paddle).
Baron Davis & Britt Stewart — 10/20
NBA star Baron Davis and Britt Stewart did a cha-cha-cha to “U Can’t Touch This” by MC Hammer.
ABC
Hough told Davis that he “crushed” the routine and noted that it was “so fun,” adding, “You have so much charisma, so much performance quality.” He also said, “I can’t wait to see what you do next.”
Tonioli said he loved all the MC Hammer references, but said he wanted to see more of the cha-cha-cha in the dance. “No heel leads in the cha-cha-cha,” he warned. Hough and Tonioli both scored the dance a 5/10.
Keep refreshing because we’ll be updating this live blog with updates from all of the performances throughout the episode.
Dancing With the Stars, Season 34, Tuesdays, 8/7c, ABC and Disney+
For a more extended celebration of two decades of Dancing With the Stars, from exclusive interviews to retrospectives and must-see photos, pick up a copy of TV Guide Magazine’s Dancing With the Stars 20th Anniversary special issue, available for purchase online at DWTS.TVGM2025.com and on newsstands now.
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