Dancing with the Stars 35 Recap: 2026 Premiere Live Blog
The fall TV season is here and Dancing with the Stars returns for season 35 with a two-night premiere event. Sixteen celebrity-pro pairs take the floor this season — tied with seasons nine and thirty-one for the largest cast in the show’s history — all competing for the Len Goodman mirrorball trophy. Tonight’s show showcased the male celebrities; the women will perform tomorrow. On both nights one couple will be eliminated. Themed for opening week: hit songs from the year each celebrity was born that topped a Billboard chart.
There are a few notable changes among the professional dancers. Adele Zaikman joins the pro roster following her win on The Next Pro, and former troupe member Hailey Bills also steps into a pro role. Sharna Burgess returns after last appearing in season thirty. Gleb Savchenko does not return this season, while most of last season’s professionals are back. Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough return as hosts, with Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli on the judging panel.
Voting opens at the start of the show and closes after the final dance. Viewers can vote online at dwtsvote.abc.com or by texting a celebrity’s name to 21523. You may cast up to ten votes per method for a maximum of twenty votes per couple. Note: technical problems during the broadcast later affected online voting — only text votes were counted for tonight’s results.
The evening began with a large, disco-style opening number choreographed by Jamal Sims, featuring all the pros and troupe members as Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own” set the party tone. After the opener, each male celebrity delivered their first competitive dance; below are highlights, judge feedback and scores from night one.
Jackson & Emma – Cha-Cha-Cha
Jackson opened the competition with an upbeat cha-cha that showcased his stage presence. Emma gave him classic cha-cha structure and theatrical touches. He displayed charisma and energy, though his lower-body technique and timing need refinement — he tended to rush a bit in places.
Judges’ notes: Derek pointed out issues with leg alignment and rushing; Bruno agreed on foot placement but praised the performance; Carrie Ann called him a potential crowd favorite while urging him to slow down. Score: Carrie Ann 5, Derek 5, Bruno 5 — 15/30.
To vote for Jackson: visit dwtsvote.abc.com or text JACKSON to 21523.
Tyler & Sharna – Tango
Tyler delivered a surprisingly solid tango for a first-week performance. Despite his height, he maintained posture and presence. He should refine body contact and tighten his frame in hold, and avoid a protruding back side in certain positions, but his musicality and willingness to learn were evident. It was also good to see Sharna back on the show.
Judges’ notes: Bruno complimented his musicality; Carrie Ann praised the commanding performance but deducted a point for a lift issue; Derek drew a comparison to Patrick Swayze while urging improvements in frame. Score: Carrie Ann 6, Derek 5, Bruno 6 — 17/30.
To vote for Tyler: visit dwtsvote.abc.com or text TYLER to 21523.
Conner L & Adele – Salsa
Conner and Adele’s salsa struggled with rhythm and musicality. Attempts at humor felt more like masking technical inconsistency than enhancing the choreography. The comedic elements made parts of the routine feel corny rather than clever.
Judges’ notes: Carrie Ann found it fun but chaotic and urged focus; Derek called it playful but lacking authentic salsa technique; Bruno noted uneven rhythm and weak hip action. Score: Carrie Ann 4, Derek 4, Bruno 4 — 12/30.
To vote for Conner: visit dwtsvote.abc.com or text CONNER L to 21523.
Guillermo & Witney – Cha-Cha-Cha
Guillermo leaned into charm and personality over precise footwork, continuing the show’s tradition of entertaining novices. His enthusiasm and warmth were endearing, though from a technical standpoint the dance was weak.
Judges’ notes: Derek described it as spicy but technically lacking; Bruno said the performance was unforgettable and hopeful for improvement; Carrie Ann emphasized intention and audience enjoyment. Score: Carrie Ann 4, Derek 3, Bruno 3 — 10/30.
To vote for Guillermo: visit dwtsvote.abc.com or text GUILLERMO to 21523.
Ezra & Daniella – Tango
Ezra delivered one of the night’s most impressive performances. His posture and strong upper-body lines stood out, and Daniella adapted choreography thoughtfully to accommodate his prosthetic leg. The result was technically strong and emotionally inspiring.
Judges’ notes: Bruno praised the focus and leading-man presence; Carrie Ann called it a special moment for the show; Derek encouraged continued exploration of what’s possible. Score: Carrie Ann 7, Derek 6, Bruno 7 — 20/30.
To vote for Ezra: visit dwtsvote.abc.com or text EZRA to 21523.
Connor W & Rylee – Cha-Cha-Cha
Connor blended cha-cha with country-inspired styling and even some line-dance flavor. The routine was charming and well-received, though he occasionally got ahead of the music. The performance showed personality and audience connection.
Judges’ notes: Carrie Ann appreciated his sweetness; Derek praised the energy but advised work on timing; Bruno found it charming and engaging. Score: Carrie Ann 6, Derek 5, Bruno 5 — 16/30.
To vote for Connor: visit dwtsvote.abc.com or text CONNOR W to 21523.
Taylor & Britt – Quickstep
Taylor tackled quickstep, one of the harder opening-week dances, and mostly succeeded. He moved quickly and delivered strong performance value, though he should tighten holds and sync more during side-by-side sequences.
Judges’ notes: Derek highlighted communication and asked for consistency in hold; Bruno called it a proper quickstep with substance; Carrie Ann advised viewers to watch him closely. Score: Carrie Ann 6, Derek 5, Bruno 5 — 16/30.
To vote for Taylor: visit dwtsvote.abc.com or text TAYLOR to 21523.
Harry & Jenna – Cha-Cha-Cha
Harry, with a background in dance, delivered the most technically polished routine of the night. His cha-cha blended strong technique with elements of his hip-hop and performance training. While his professional experience sets a different expectation, the routine was undeniably impressive.
Judges’ notes: Bruno praised the chemistry and warned against losing fluidity; Carrie Ann called him electric; Derek said he thoroughly enjoyed the routine. Score: Carrie Ann 7, Derek 7, Bruno 7 — 21/30.
To vote for Harry: visit dwtsvote.abc.com or text HARRY to 21523.
Judges Scores For Week 1, Night 1
Harry — 21
Ezra — 20
Tyler — 17
Taylor — 16
Connor W — 16
Jackson — 15
Conner L — 12
Guillermo — 10
Note: Due to technical issues with online voting during the broadcast, ABC announced that only text votes would be counted for tonight’s results.
Julianne Hough Group Number
Before results, Julianne performed a Paris-themed group number co-choreographed with Cassandra Chavez. The piece provided a graceful, theatrical interlude as the show prepared to reveal which couples were safe and which faced elimination.
Results
ABC reported significantly higher text voting than last season despite the online outage. The couples declared safe were: Harry & Jenna, Taylor & Britt, Jackson & Emma, Ezra & Daniella, Tyler & Sharna, Connor W & Rylee, and Guillermo & Witney.
Eliminated: Connor L & Adele. Connor said he’d had the most fun; Adele called the experience a dream come true. Adele will continue to appear on the show in troupe and pro-related segments.
Tomorrow the women of season 35 will take the ballroom for the second night of the premiere. With online voting down for night one, viewers are hopeful ABC fixes the issue. Which performances stood out to you? Who are you rooting for as the season begins? Thanks for following the premiere recap — see you for night two.