Dancing with the Stars season 33 hit the dance floor on Sept. 17, airing on ABC and streaming on Disney+ simultaneously. The premiere episode gave us all a pretty good idea at the partnership between the celebrities and professional dancers.
The first dance is always so telling. Fans (and judges) get to see the chemistry between the couples and can guess their chances of improvement. Take Joey, for example. He came in looking nervous, and his moves were also shaky, but the judges all agree that they can see the potential. Ready to dive into all the details? Join us on the dance floor!
Spoiler alert! Please note there are spoilers ahead if you have not watched the season 33 premiere of DWTS. Go stream it on Disney+ before reading ahead.
Joey and Jenna week 1 score: 21
Joey and Jenna kicked off the season by dancing the cha-cha-cha to “Dancin’ in the Country” by Tyler Hubbard. Joey was nervous and you could tell, but it didn’t get in the way of him showing the judges his potential. He looked great alongside Jenna so I’d keep an eye on these two! They got sevens across the board.
Brooks and Gleb week 1 score: 18
Time to tango! Brooks and Gleb changed gears from country to pop with “Piece of Me” by Britney Spears. Judges weren’t as impressed with Brooks and Gleb as they were with Joey and Jenna, as they scored a six from each judge for a total of 18. Not too shabby, though! I think they will improve.
Ilona and Alan week 1 score: 18
Another triple six were given to Ilona and Alan, who danced the cha-cha-cha to “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” by Shania Twain. What a fun little number! Even I had to snap my fingers and do a little shoulder dance. At the end of the dance, Alan picked up Ilona and swung her around. Okay, Alan, we see those biceps!
Reginald and Emma week 1 score: 16
Salsa time! Reginald and Emma were the fourth to dance. The duo danced “Motownphilly” by Boyz II Men and the score? Not so great. If you want my opinion, Reginald did not put his best foot forward. In fact, he didn’t move his foot at all. Come on, Regi! Give us a shimmy next time. I don’t see Reginald and Emma taking the trophy home, but they’ll entertain us each time they hit the dance floor, that’s for sure. They went home with the score of a 16. Eh, the judges were being too kind here.
Danny and Witney week 1 score: 20
Next up, Danny and Witney took over the dance floor. And we crossed our fingers that this duo would wash away the cringe feeling left behind by Reginald and Emma. Did it work? Yes! Danny and Witney danced the tango to “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey and David Guetta. Now, the judges don’t agree with me here. They had a lot to say about Danny’s performance, but he did end up scoring a 20.
Tori and Pasha week 1 score: 17
Pasha did all he could, but it didn’t help Tori’s nerves. Still, we are so proud of her for getting out there and giving it her all. I thought the judges were a little too harsh, but I suppose their score of 17 isn’t too bad for their for dance. You’ll return next week stronger, Tori, I know it! Tori and Pasha danced the foxtrot to “Trustfall” by Pink.
Jenn and Sasha week 1 score: 19
Dancing the cha-cha-cha to “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus was a bold choice that only Sasha could help execute to perfection! Can you tell he is one of my favorite pros? And Jenn with the revenge dance and dress? Yes, girl! For so much criticism, the judges gave Jenn and Sasha a 19, one of the highest scores of the night.
Chandler and Brandon week 1 score: 23
“Hot to Go!” by Chappell Roan is one of the most popular songs right now and I’m glad Chandler and Brandon were the duo that got to cha-cha-cha to this song. And they were AMAZING! The highlight of the season 33 premiere if you want my honest opinion. I mean, their score says it all – a 23! The highest score of the premiere. Chandler and Brandon are going far this season.
Dwight and Daniella week 1 score: 22
Dwight and Daniella brought the fun with “This Is How We Do It” by Montell Jordan. Now, they didn't beat Chandler and Brandon's score of 23, but a 22 is a very close second! Chandler and Brandon need to stay on their toes because they have some tough competition with Dwight and Daniella.
Eric and Britt week 1 score: 15
Britt deserves better! She's one of the best dancers and Eric is holding her back! We can't blame him too much, though, he tried his best. “Old Time Rock and Roll” by Bob Seger is one of my favorite songs and Eric almost singlehandedly changed that. However, the judges were not very fair with this score. Eric at least moved and showed he was having a good time, so why did he score lower than Reginald, who, may I remind you did not move a muscle?
Phaedra and Val week 1 score: 19
What's up with the scores, judges? Phaedra and Val got a score of 19 which, okay, it's not terrible, but they were so fun! The duo danced the cha-cha-cha to “I’m Every Woman” by Whitney Houston and received two sixes and one seven for a total of 19, but it should've been 20 if you ask me.
Stephen and Rylee week 1 score: 21
Doesn’t it seem like “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen is a song that is part of Dancing with the Stars season after season? I’m not complaining! I love it. And no one could have done it better than Stephen and Rylee. For starters, Rylee has the perfect spirit for the jive, but she also looks great alongside Stephen, who is overjoyed to be there. Now, you need more than joy to win, but Stephen showed a lot of potential. We can't wait to see this duo again next week.
Anna and Ezra week 1 score: 18
This is one dance fans couldn’t wait to watch after so much controversy about Anna Delvey joining the cast. Anna was partnered up with Ezra and danced the cha-cha-cha to “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter. It wasn't the best performance of the premiere, but it was also not the worst. With some practice, if given the chance, Anna can do much better next week.
Who was eliminated on Dancing with the Stars season 33 week 1?
There wasn’t an elimination this week, folks! Alfonso Ribeiro informed audiences as the show began that no one would be going home. That’s right, all couples will be back for week 2. Viewers were still encouraged to vote as votes from this week will carry on over to next week.