Live from Hollywood, “Dancing with the Stars” is back. “Dancing with the Stars” is a reality show featuring celebrities taking on new roles as ballroom dancers. The hit show premiered its 33rd season on Sept 17, 2024. The celebrities pair with professional dancers and compete against each other for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
The cast includes hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough and judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli. The celebrities include athletes, Danny Amendola, Dwight Howard, Ilona Maher and Stephen Nedoroscik. Other stars come from popular television shows: Joey Graziadei, Jenn Tran, Chandler Kinney, Phaedra Parks, Eric Roberts, ReginaldVel Johnson and Tori Spelling. Model Brooks Nader also joined the cast.
The most controversial celebrity of the season is Anna Delvey. Anna Delvey is a con artist who served four years in prison. In 2017, “New York Magazine” released an article that brought Delvey’s criminal past to the public eye. “Inventing Anna”, a TV show about Delvey’s wrongdoings, was released on Netflix. Delvey can be seen dancing with a bedazzled ankle monitor. She is partnered with the newest professional dancer to join the cast, Ezra Sosa. The pair danced a cha-cha routine to “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter, however it lacked energy.
The first dance of the night featured “The Bachelor” Star, Joey Graziadei. Graziadei had won over the hearts of millions of fans from his time on “The Bachelor” and won them again with his dance. The dance included classic ballroom steps with a country twang. His upbeat cha-cha to “Dancing in the Country” deserved a rose.
Dwight Howard is a former NBA player who has joined the cast of “Dancing with the Stars.” He is making an impact as the tallest contestant to compete. The six-foot-11 basketball player is partnered with five-foot-three pro, Daniella Karagach. Their entertaining salsa was packed with lifts and tricks. The couple earned 22 out of 30 points, moving them to the second-place spot for week one.
The highest-scored dance of the night belonged to actress Chandler Kinney. Kinney is best known for her acting roles in the movie “Z-O-M-B-I-E-S” and the TV show “Pretty Little Liars: Summer School.” Her dance background helped her jump to the top of the leaderboard. Her tango to “HOT TO GO!” by Chappell Roan was fun, upbeat and entertaining to watch. She had impressive technique and her score of 23 out of 30 reflected that.
The lowest scoring dance of the night was Eric Roberts with a 15 out of 30. His talents in his acting career did not translate well into the ballroom. His routine showed effort yet lacked rhythm. Although it is a rough start, there is room for improvement.
Reginald VelJohnson is an actor best known for his character on the TV show “Family Matters.” At 72-years-old, VelJohnson is the oldest contestant on “Dancing with the Stars.” His big smile lit up the dance floor, yet his dancing abilities dimmed it. The routine lacked any complex choreography and he hardly displayed movement.
From the Paris Olympics to the ballroom, Ilona Maher joined the celebrity cast of “Dancing with the Stars.” Maher represented Team USA in rugby this past summer. Her platform on social media is used to spread body positivity. On her social media, she shows that she can be a muscular woman and feminine simultaneously. Her dance to the song “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” upheld her life messages. The dance was not perfect but for the first week, it was entertaining and showed chances for growth.
Fellow Olympian, Stephen Nedoroscik had an amusing performance. Alongside partner Rylee Arnold, Nedoroscik gained support and love from fans. This past summer, he led Team USA to a bronze medal in men’s gymnastics. Nedoroscik became known as Clark Kent when he removed his glasses, he transformed into a spectacular athlete. He showed lots of potential in his first dance on the show, wearing a big smile.
As the weeks go on, contestants will start to be eliminated from the show. The first week had both entertaining dances and disappointing dances. The final winner will be chosen at the end of the season. Celebrities including Kinney and Graziadei have potential to make it to the end, whereas celebrities such as VelJohnson likely do not.
