This article contains spoilers for the Sept. 17 episode of “Dancing With the Stars.”
The Season 33 premiere of “Dancing With the Stars” kicked off Tuesday night with controversial con artist Anna Delvey, popularized in Netflix’s “Inventing Anna,” dancing in a bedazzled ankle monitor. No one was sent home in Week 1, but co-host Alfonso Ribeiro announced that there would be two eliminations next week.
Delvey ended up in the middle of the 13 couples score-wise, but at the top of the leaderboard was “Pretty Little Liars” star Chandler Kinney, who performed a sizzling tango to “HOT TO GO!” by Chappell Roan with partner Brandon Armstrong.
Judge Bruno Tonioli told Kinney, “Oh my God, this was one of the best [first dances]” ever, while Carrie Ann Inaba told her it was “amazing” and that the actress had “set the bar” for Season 33. Derek Hough proclaimed her a “superstar.” She scored two “8” ratings and one “7,” for a total of 23 points, the best of the night.
Former Lakers star Dwight Howard danced a salsa to “This Is How We Do It” by Montell Jordan. Inaba told the basketball star that he “set the house on fire,” while Hough praised his “energy,” “charisma” and “chemistry” with partner Daniella Karagach. He scored 22 points, putting him in second place behind Kinney and Armstrong.
“The Bachelor” star Joey Graziadei and pro Jenna Johnson performed a cha-cha to “Dancin’ In The Country” by Tyler Hubbard and received a “7” from each judge for a total of 21 points. Hough said it was “fantastic” and praised his “sweet dance moves.” Tonioli called him a “cha-cha charmer” and praised his timing, while Inaba admired the energy of this partnership.
Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik (aka “Pommel Horse Guy”) and pro Rylee Arnold performed a jive to “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen. Although he wowed the crowd with an energetic dance that included kicks, splits and a wink at the crowd, the double Olympic medal winner scored just 21 points from the judges, tying Graziadei for third place.
Model Brooks Nader and pro Gleb Savchenko performed a tango to “Piece of Me” by Britney Spears for a total of 18 points, with a “6” from each judge. Inaba told her, “That was hot,” but urged her to work on her footwork. Hough concurred, telling her, “you have buckets of potential.”
Olympic rugby player Ilona Maher and pro Alan Bersten performed a cha-cha to “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” by Shania Twain. The judges urged Maher to show more of her personality on the dance floor. As Tonioli told her, “Let it all hang out!” The powerful athlete joked there were times when Bersten told her, “Please don’t break my arm.” She was thrilled to earn a “6” from each judge, saying, “You are all too nice.”
“Family Matters” actor Reginald VelJohnson and pro Emma Slater performed a salsa to “Motownphilly” by Boyz II Men. Hough pointed out that the 72-year-old actor “didn’t have a lot of footwork.” Tonioli added, “Moving forward, a bit more steps, please.” Meanwhile, Inaba told him there was “room for improvement,” but that he was “in the groove.” VelJohnson earned a “5” from both of the male judges, but a “6” from Inaba.
Super Bowl Champion Danny Amendola and pro Witney Carson performed a tango to “A Bar Song (Tipsy) [Remix]” by Shaboozey and David Guetta. Tonioli raved, “I see power, focus, determination,” but advised him to not be “skippy.” Inaba said she wanted to see more “joy” from the NFL star, while Hough wanted more “character.” They ended the evening in fourth place with 20 points.
Jenn Tran of “The Bachelorette,” who had the least time to rehearse, and pro Sasha Farber performed a cha-cha to “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus. Hough told her, “Forget about ‘The Bachelorette,’ because you found your perfect match here with Pasha.” She earned a total of 19 from the judges.
“Beverly Hills, 90210” star Tori Spelling and pro Pasha Pashkov performed a foxtrot to “Trustfall” by Pink. Inaba said that being 50 is “all about reclaiming your true self” and told her not to be so “timid.” Hough said the dance was a little “stiff,” but “had some beautiful lines.” She scored 17 points, landing her in 7th place — and also in the bottom three.
Phaedra Parks of “Real Housewives of Atlanta” and pro Val Chmerkovskiy danced the cha-cha to “I’m Every Woman” by Chaka Khan. While Tonioli had critiques, Hough called her a “phenomenal” performer. Parks told co-host Julianne Hough, “I may not be the best dancer, but I have a work ethic that can’t be beat.” The Real Housewife earned a total of 19 points.
Pro Britt Stewart was concerned when her partner, “Babylon” star Eric Roberts, told her he’d been in a serious car accident and that one side was “slower” than the other. They performed a cha-cha to “Old Time Rock and Roll” by Bob Seger. Hough said it was “a little bit like assembling IKEA furniture,” and that only some of the pieces fit together. Inaba warned him that her score was “not going to be great,” before giving him a “5” — the exact same score as the two other judges.
Delvey, whose exploits inspired the Netflix series “Inventing Anna,” and new-to-the-series pro Ezra Sosa performed a cha-cha to “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter. It pleasantly surprised Hough, while Tonioli said it “could be working.” Inaba spent her comment time asking viewers and the audience to give the former inmate a second chance. Delvey scored a total of 18 and said she was “glad she didn’t have to do that dance again.”
LEADERBOARD: Week 1
- Chandler Kinney & Brandon Armstrong: 23
- Dwight Howard & Daniella Karagach: 22
- Joey Graziadei & Jenna Johnson: 21
- Stephen Nedoroscik & Rylee Arnold: 21
- Danny Amendola & Witney Carson: 20
- Jenn Tran & Sasha Farber: 19
- Phaedra Parks & Val Chmerkovskiy: 19
- Brooks Nader & Gleb Savchenko: 18
- Ilona Maher & Alan Bersten: 18
- Anna Delvey & Ezra Sosa: 18
- Tori Spelling & Pasha Pashkov: 17
- Reginald VelJohnson & Emma Slater: 16
- Eric Roberts & Britt Stewart: 15
“Dancing With the Stars” airs live on Tuesdays on ABC and streams on Disney+ in local time zones and the next day on Hulu.
