Dancing with the Stars season 33 premiere: Recap explored

Dancing With the Stars (DWTS) season 33 premiered on September 17, 2024. The first episode brought a mix of new faces and familiar pros, all vying for the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.

Hosted by Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro, the show paired celebrities with professional dancers to compete weekly in various dance styles. This season's judges, Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli, returned to provide critique and guidance.

But how did the premiere go? From the first step onto the ballroom floor, it was clear that season 33 started with an exciting burst of talent and energy, promising a season full of fierce competition on Dancing with the Stars.

---

Dancing with the Stars season 33 premiere night overview

Dancing with the Stars season 33 judges (Image via Instagram/@dancingwiththestars)

Dancing With the Stars premiere night's format deviated slightly from previous seasons, with no eliminations to allow viewers a full introduction to the new cast. In this non-elimination episode, the celebrities danced to songs that were personally significant to them, showcasing their initial abilities and setting the stage for subsequent weeks.

Olympian Stephen Nedoroscik, former basketball player Dwight Howard, and actor Chandler Kinney delivered standout performances that caught the judges' attention in DWTS.

---

Competitive and notable performances

The celebrity contestants exhibited a spectrum of dance styles, paired with their professional counterparts. Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson began with a spirited Cha-Cha-Cha to Dancin’ in the Country by Tyler Hubbard, scoring 21 out of 30.

Supermodel Brooks Nader and her partner Gleb Savchencko performed a Tango act on Britney Spears' song Piece of Me. Judges gave them a total score of 18, hinting at room for growth.

Simultaneously, Reginald VelJohnson and Emma Slater's Salsa to Motown Philly by Boyz II Men received a score of 16, indicating areas for improvement. Bruno Tonioli commented on the need for more intricate steps in future performances.

---

Highlights and bottom performers

After the first night, Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong topped the leaderboard with their exceptional Tango, scoring 23 out of 30. Not far behind were Dwight Howard-Daniella Karagach, along with Joey Graziadei-Jenna Johnson, both delivering strong performances that the judges praised highly.

Conversely, Eric Roberts and Britt Stewart found themselves at the bottom of the leaderboard with a score of 15.

---

Full leaderboard overview

The premiere episode scores painted a clear picture of the initial standings:

• Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong - Tango to Hot to Go! by Chappell Roan, 23 out of 30
• Dwight Howard and Daniella Karagach - Salsa to This Is How We Do It by Montell Jordan, 22 out of 30
• Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson - Cha-Cha to Dancin’ in the Country by Tyler Hubbard, 21 out of 30
• Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold - Jive to Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen, 21 out of 30
• Danny Amendola and Witney Carson - Tango to A Bar Song (Tipsy) by Shaboozey, 20 out of 30
• Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber - Cha-Cha to Flowers by Miley Cyrus, 19 out of 30
• Phaedra Parks and Val Chmerkovskiy - Cha-Cha to I’m Every Woman" by Whitney Houston, 19 out of 30
• Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchencko - Tango to Piece of Me by Britney Spears, 18 out of 30
• Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten - Cha-Cha to Man! I Feel Like A Woman! by Shania Twain, 18 out of 30
• Anna Delvey and Ezra Sosa - Cha-Cha to Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter, 18 out of 30
• Tori Spelling and Pasha Pashkov - Foxtrot to Trustfall by Pink, 17 out of 30
• Reginald VelJohnson and Emma Slater - Salsa to Motown Philly by Boyz II Men, 16 out of 30
• Eric Roberts and Britt Stewart - Cha-Cha to Old Time Rock & Roll by Bob Seger, 15 out of 30

Looking ahead, the next episode will feature a double elimination, raising the stakes and heightening the competition on Dancing with the Stars. As the contestants prepare to dance to music from popular movies for Oscars night, anticipation builds for the dramatic exits and standout performances that will follow.

---

Tune in on Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+ to follow your favorite stars and their professional dance partners in Dancing with the Stars.