DWTS INTERACT: DWTS Season 25- Week 1 (Premiere) Dance Overviews

The season 25 premiere of Dancing With the Stars brought a whole wide range of dancing, and the judges were not letting the couples get off easy!

So, with thoughts on the first dances of the season, here are Paul Bentley, Julia Delbel, and Dwtsdreams!

Premiere Dances

The couples performed their first dances of the season with their brand new partners.

Terrell Owens and Cheryl Burke

Cha-Cha-Cha

Ain’t Too Proud to Beg by The Temptations

Bentley The music, lights, and colors were suitable for being a premiere opening number, but the actual dancing itself wasn’t all that exciting. While Terrell does have rhythm, especially in his shoulders and feet, he doesn’t quite know how to translate that into choreographed dancing. He had a lot of good filler movements between each step, but the steps themselves were sloppy and too relaxed. He also doesn’t shift his weight too well, which contributes to him looking like he dances too small. When he dances on his own, he looks good (even if the solo dancing wasn’t quite Cha-Cha), but when he gets into dancing with Cheryl, he seems to still be dancing on his own because of a lack of chemistry. There is, however, potential for all of this change, but being that this was one of the less memorable dances of the night for me (which is pretty bad when it is the first dance of season), I wonder if he is actually going to get the votes to get the time to improve.

Julia I’m not going to comment on the dances themselves that much this season because Bentley and Dreams are much better at that, though I will definitely weigh in if I have a different opinion than they do. I’m not really into Terrell and Cheryl as a team so far (one reason is because he’s been very late to rehearsal and didn’t seem to care) but I do think they were underscored on this. That’s probably because they were up first, though. I see them making it through Monday’s elimination but after that it’s up in the air; he’s just not dancing well enough or bringing the personality to the show he needs to stand out and motivate people to vote for him.

Dwtsdreams Growing up as a dancer, I had natural rhythm, but I never had the “groove” Terrell has. I had to teach myself that by taking lots and lots of hip hop classes. Anyways, Terrell does have a natural flow and groove but his technique wasn't the best. I'm sorry I being blunt but I think it is important not to sugarcoat. He actually danced excellent when he was doing that mime move and the beginning but once he started the actual cha cha portion I was disappointed. His basic’s weren't as clean as I wanted them to be and his hip action was sub par. Cheryl is strict teacher so I know she will help him improve tremendously! I do think there is a potential for him to grow because he has such a natural rhythm but his technique needs a lot of work.

The Judges’ Scores	Carrie Ann 5	Len 5	Bruno 5	Total 15/30
The Bloggers’ Scores	Bentley 5	Dwtsdreams 5	Julia 6	Total 16/30

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Debbie Gibson and Alan Bersten

Foxtrot

Lost in Your Eyes by Debbie Gibson

Julia Debbie didn’t make nearly as big a splash as I thought she would, but I think she did just enough to stick around past Monday. I wasn’t expecting her to be an amazing dancer right away but I thought we were going to see a lot more of her personality. I guess maybe she just didn’t stand out because she was up so early on in the show (though I do remember much more of what she did than Terrell or Sasha). I think Alan is doing a great job as a pro so far and he and Debbie are a good team; I just hope they stand out a lot more next week.

Bentley I’m a bit conflicted about this one. Debbie was elegant in some ways, like with how she held herself and how she connected with Alan, but in other ways, the elegance sort of got thrown off. Lost in Your Eyes isn’t exactly the best song for a Foxtrot, and because of how the music was a bit awkward for the style, it was clear that Debbie found it tricky to follow at times. And I might be incorrect about this, but it looks like she might have blacked out during a section or two when Alan seemed to be carrying her around a tad bit. But still, while Debbie didn’t necessarily make the biggest impression on me, I still found the dance sweet to watch.

Dwtsdreams I know how frustrating it is to want your body to do something that it can't as a result to an illness so I feel for Debbie. In some ways I am rooting for Debbie because I really want to see her get through these challenges! I am so proud of her for doing this even in the middle of a hard illness. Debbie has a long way to go on technique but it is a start! Her hold was weak and I would love to see her shoulders down and put tucked under more but I understand those movements are hard for her because she doesn't have a lot of strength. I would love to see her have more power when she dances and really to command that floor!

The Judges’ Scores	Carrie Ann 6	Len 5	Bruno 6	Total 17/30
The Bloggers’ Scores	Bentley 6	Dwtsdreams 5	Julia 6	Total 17/30

#TeamSonBerst 1(800)868-3402

Sasha Pieterse and Gleb Savchenko

Cha-Cha-Cha

Like That by Fleur East

Bentley I love Sasha’s energy and enthusiasm, so I was disappointed to see that the side of her that we saw in her rehearsal package didn’t translate onto the stage. It seems like her nerves hindered her performance, but the performance itself was a bit awkward. Sasha’s dancing consisted of her doing a Cha-Cha step or two, stopping for a microsecond in a posey way, and then doing another step. She has to dance a whole lot more fluidly for her technique to show, because if it weren’t for that, her technique seems like it would have actually been pretty good. She needs to move her whole body more when she dances, filling every second of the music that can’t be taught in the choreography-- it sort of just has to happen naturally when feeling the music to fill in all of the gaps. It might have been better if Gleb choreographed a less stop-and-go routine, but nonetheless, this team was hot and fiery; it was just everything in between that got in the way.

Julia I’m just gonna say it: If Sasha wasn’t 4 points ahead of the bottom of the leaderboard, she’d be the one leaving on Monday. She didn’t do anything outright awful, but nothing about the package or performance was memorable at all. I think she will have the opportunity to turn things around next week, she just needs to really go for it and ignite the fire within. If she’d done that this week she’d have probably gotten better scores, but her dance didn’t look like a performance; it looked like she was going over the steps while rehearsing them. Her personality and skills need to shine through next week or she’ll soon be out the door.

Dwtsdreams First off, I would like to say I know Sasha has a huge fandom base very similar to Normani’s last season. To any fan that might be reading this, whatever we say isn't a personal attack on Sasha, it is just some critique on her dancing and that is all. Regards to the dancing, I was a little disappointed. Sasha has such natural talent and I could tell she was really holding back. That girl looks like she has great hip action but was to afraid to really show it! I think wasn't she gets more comfortable in the ballroom and wall will come down and she will let loose. Gleb did put in a good amount of Cha-Cha content, but to be honest I want to see more. I think she has the potential to be so great she just needs the right tools and I think Gleb has a plethora of them.

The Judges’ Scores	Carrie Ann 6	Len 6	Bruno 6	Total 18/30
The Bloggers’ Scores	Bentley 5	Dwtsdreams 5	Julia 5	Total 15/30

#TeamATeam 1(800)868-3410

Drew Scott and Emma Slater

Foxtrot

Our House by Madness

Julia Have we ever seen this large a gap in quality between in-hold dancing and open work? I was super impressed by the bits Drew did in this dance that were side-by-side, but once he got into frame things quickly went downhill...and then got better again when he got out of hold, and so on. Drew’s natural charisma is going to make him entertaining to watch and keep him around for at least a few weeks, but it will only take him so far if his dance skills don’t improve soon. Despite the height difference, Drew and Emma have great chemistry together which I am excited to see more of soon!

Bentley I know that Drew has like a billion TV shows, but does he have some sort of talk show or something? If not, he needs to get one-- he is just so interesting to listen to, even when what he is talking about isn’t all that interesting to me. And that charisma that he has is showcased through his dancing, too. Julia is absolutely spot-on about the difference between his side-by-side dancing and his dancing in hold. It was kind of like Drew had so much pep inside of him that everything ended up being jumpy and frazzled. And the fact that he is a foot taller than Emma doesn’t help him, but as we’ve seen, it doesn’t make things impossible. The Foxtrot was a bit broken throughout, but at least he made his mistakes with style in a quirky and suave way!

Dwtsdreams I was so surprised that there was so much side-to-side action. This season lots of the contestants are in the same boat as Drew. He has a natural rhythm but once he got into hold, it was clear he needs a lot of improvement. His neck was driving me crazy; as a dancer, we’re are taught to use our heads and necks. Head and neck placement makes a huge difference as it makes you look longer and stronger. It gets lines and shapes. His neck was in the same place the entire dance and it was sticking out.His butt was out and seemed very bouncy. Although his technique was suffering his performance quality wasn’t. He has a natural joy when he is dancing and I am so happy he is paired with emma because I adore her. This partnership is cute but technique needs work.

The Judges’ Scores	Carrie Ann 6	Len 5	Bruno 5	Total 16/30
The Bloggers’ Scores	Bentley 6	Dwtsdreams 5	Julia 6	Total 17/30

#TeamHotProperty 1(800)868-3404

Barbara Corcoran and Keo Motsepe

Salsa

Money Maker by Ludacris featuring Pharrell

Bentley Barbara is a completely different person on Dancing With the Stars than she is on Shark Tank, and I am absolutely loving it! She is clearly a weaker dancer this season, but for what she doesn’t have in technique, she makes up for it in show-stopping energy and personality! Yes, she was off time for most of the dance and completely off from Keo, but hey, she actually did quite a bit of Salsa content, and she did it fast, which I can’t say for some of the other couples during the night. She is absolutely in love with Keo, and it’s quite amusing to watch them together, which makes me think that even though she got the lowest score of the night, she just might make it through the first elimination!

Julia It’s all fun and games until someone’s crotch gets grabbed. Yes folks, this is the second premiere in a row with a case of groping, and no, I’m not gonna talk about anything else here because it kind of overshadowed everything else she did for me… Barbara has given various stories on whether or not it was intentional and it’s not really clear what the real story is. However, it is obvious that she’s making Keo uncomfortable. It’s okay to joke around about flirting with your pro a bit if you’re both laughing, but Barbara has taken this way too far and it’s become creepy. I was supporting her at first, but now I just want her gone (and Keo to get someone really good next season!).

Bentley Whoa, I did not know about that crotch grab… maybe Barbara should take it down a few notches…

Dwtsdreams To be honest I don't have that much too say about Barbara. She has a fun personality, but she is taking the whole Keo is sexy way too far. I don't think it is okay to grope a man or woman and say it's okay because it is not. Keo needs a raise. I just want him to have a good partner- like seriously, producers, why do you do this to him?

The Judges’ Scores	Carrie Ann 5	Len 4	Bruno 5	Total 14/30
The Bloggers’ Scores	Bentley 5	Dwtsdreams 4	Julia 5	Total 14/30

#TeamSharkeo 1(800)868-3401

Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold

Tango

There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back by Shawn Mendes

Bentley This was definitely the dance of the night for me! This performance showcased exactly what the Tango is all about. Sometimes it feels like the ballroom styles on this show get more and more diluted every season, but this routine stayed true to the traditional style while bringing in a refreshing, youthful trait to it. Jordan was calm when he needed to be, intense when he needed to be, and most importantly, stable in his frame throughout. The few minor critiques I do have for this routine are that his turns lost a bit of control, and despite his stable frame, he still had a slight case of Latin shoulders when there wasn’t supposed to be. But those are such minor things for an otherwise stellar routine.

Julia Here’s where the show really took a turn for the better! Jordan fared well with a difficult dance style the first week, and I agree with Bentley that he has been doing everything right so far. I see these two sticking around for the long haul this season for sure!

Dwtsdreams I screamed when Jordan did that dance. I wasn't surprised; I expected him to kill it, but it made me so happy. As I have said before, Jordan has dance experience himself and has worked in projects with some of the biggest choreographers and dancers such as WILDABEAST and Phil Wright. Jordan has been a fan of dance for a long time and he understands what it takes to be dancer. This understanding of dancing will play a key role in his success. It was so special to him so excited when he complete a move during practice. He is discovering the reason why dance is so special. Regarding his technique it was impressed for Week 1. He had amazing body contact and great power. I JUST LOVE HIM. He for sure will make it to the finals without a doubt because he is so talented and he has so many fandoms rooting for him because he has done so many projects! He has WILDABEAST’s family IMMABEAST rooting for him which consists of over 300 dancers who religiously take class or are part of their company. He also has the Disney fandom, the Hamilton fandom, and just his own fandom, too! He just makes me so happy.

The Judges’ Scores	Carrie Ann 8	Len 7	Bruno 7	Total 22/30
The Bloggers’ Scores	Bentley 8	Dwtsdreams 8	Julia 8	Total 24/30

#TeamFishUponAStar 1(800)868-3406

Nick Lachey and Peta Murgatroyd

Cha-Cha-Cha

Come Get It Bae by Pharrell Williams

Bentley I know that a lot of people don’t care about the husband vs. wife thing, but after Monday night, I actually ended up really liking the Lacheys! Of course, the spouse rivalry gimmick is going to be played out this season, but besides that, I find them fun to watch. Nick in particular really plays up to the camera with a charming sense of confidence, and with that, he really pays close attention to detail. As Len mentioned, when Nick steps, he steps hard, which is great groundwork for future performances. He did seem like he was relying on Peta for some of the steps of the dance, plus he didn’t fully follow through with some of his movements, and then only slightly followed through with others. But at the end of the day, this is a good starting point for him.

Julia I agree that Nick was pretty uneven here, but he seems like he’s having fun and I think he’ll gain confidence throughout the weeks.

Dwtsdreams Nick really needs to up his performance game because Peta is such a strong performer. He seems a little stiff and rigid but overall, he does pay close attention to details. I am not sure how I feel about this team yet, but we will see!

The Judges’ Scores	Carrie Ann 6	Len 6	Bruno 6	Total 18/30
The Bloggers’ Scores	Bentley 6	Dwtsdreams 5	Julia 6	Total 17/30

#TeamMomAndPops 1(800)868-3408

Vanessa Lachey and Maks Chmerkovskiy

Cha-Cha-Cha

Woman by Kesha featuring the Dap-Kings Horns

Bentley From her package, I could tell that Vanessa is such a funny person-- and not the type of funny where people just make recycled jokes all the time. She seems so original and down-to-earth. In that sense, she kind of reminds me of Leah Remini from season 17, who I loved. Not only that, but didn’t Vanessa kind of look like Leah when she had her hair up, too? Anyway, I was a huge fan of her Cha-Cha-Cha, despite her balance being a little wonky (which ended up being a common theme during the premiere). Vanessa had everything from captivating facial expressions to some pretty extraordinary hip action; I would definitely say that she had the best hip action of the night out of all of the celebrities who did Latin dances! When compared side-to-side with Maks, though, Vanessa danced a little less sharp and a little less “full” than him. But that’s okay-- it’s good to start off with a need for improvement!

Julia I think Vanessa did kind of look like Leah! Vanessa did seem a little hesitant and off-balance Monday night, though she did have great technique for the first show! After this week I’m really glad I ended up choosing her for my last spot in the Finale, a well as a pick for my Fantasy Team. :P

Dwtsdreams Vanessa has such a funny personality that i really enjoyed! She has natural rhythm and has a captivating performance value. I do agree with Bentley that she fell off balance sometimes, but I could see her going to the semifinals.

The Judges’ Scores	Carrie Ann 7	Len 7	Bruno 7	Total 21/30
The Bloggers’ Scores	Bentley 7	Dwtsdreams 7	Julia 7	Total 21/30

#TeamBabiesAndBallroom 1(800)868-3412

Frankie Muniz and Witney Carson

Foxtrot

Sign of the Times by Harry Styles

Bentley Frankie was the biggest pleasant surprise of the night to me both personality-wise and dance-wise. He seems so friendly, and I completely relate to his awkwardness. But for Frankie, it adds to his charm. And his Foxtrot truly showcased that charm that he has. Even though it was clear that he had some pre-show jitters, he was so delicate with his motions and through his motions, he became unified with Witney. Frankie’s limbs need to learn to be a little more fluid like the rest of his body, and he needs to hold his frame a little better for future ballroom dances, but to me, that was overshadowed by the wholesomeness of the dance.

Julia I know it’s gonna cost me bootlist points, but I’m really glad Frankie isn’t going to be the first one out! I’m glad he was able to go out there and perform so well despite his nerves! I think this is the team I’m most excited about right now, since Frankie and Witney have great chemistry and seem to be having so much fun together!

Dwtsdreams Frankie was my childhood so I was so happy I got to seem him dance. He has such a cute personality and in a way reminds me of Robert Herjavec. He has such a charming awkwardness, and I was so proud of him for stepping out of his comfort zone and conquering that dance. He needs to work on fluidity and keep his shoulders down as it makes him look tenses. Overall this dance was sweet.

The Judges’ Scores	Carrie Ann 7	Len 6	Bruno 6	Total 19/30
The Bloggers’ Scores	Bentley 7	Dwtsdreams 7	Julia 7	Total 21/30

#TeamFrannyPack 1(800)868-3405

Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev

Tango

So What! by P!nk

Bentley I don’t know what it is about Nikki, but there is something that I really like about her. She has a really fun personality of somebody that I would want to hang out with, and that translates well with Artem as her partner. Their intensity is fierce, and I am loving every minute of it! As for the Tango, it started off a bit shaky, but Nikki eventually found her footing for the most part when she really got into it. The hold was clumsy, though, and it looked like Nikki kept breaking from Artem and that she was constantly readjusting. The energy of the ballroom probably got to her, but she definitely could have composed her stature better.

Julia I’ve been watching a lot of the stuff Nikki has been posting on social media and I don’t think the show is doing a very good job of capturing the fun she and Artem are having so far. I know this was only Week 1, but most of the package was way too staged for casual viewers to get to know them properly, which was a shame. I was expecting Nikki to knock this Tango out of the park and while she did do well I was let down a little (I think my expectations for her were probably just a little too high, especially after Jordan’s Tango earlier in the show). I think Nikki needs to work on the things Bentley mentioned as well as developing her chemistry with Artem.

Dwtsdreams I have loved Nikki Bella for a while so I’m so happy America gets to see her sweet personality outside the ring. Nikki is a strong independent woman in the ballroom and that translated in her dancing. This was a great first dance for her to show her power and strength. Nikki really needs to work on her fluidity and stay in one constant hold. She keep adjusting her posture and shoulders which I love but I want her to be able to maintain that the entire dance.

The Judges’ Scores	Carrie Ann 7	Len 7	Bruno 6	Total 20/30
The Bloggers’ Scores	Bentley 7	Dwtsdreams 7	Julia 7	Total 21/30

#TeamSmackdown 1(800)868-3409

Derek Fisher and Sharna Burgess

Salsa

Basketball by Kurtis Blow

Bentley Ugh - that Basketball song has been stuck in my head since Monday, and I just get more and more annoyed by it as time goes on. But that’s besides the point. Derek and Sharna’s Salsa was, well, not much of a Salsa at all. I thought that the basketball part in the beginning was pretty cool as well as the disco-y part in the middle, but it ended up taking away from the Salsa a bit too much. I’ve noticed that Sharna adds a lot of “filler” in her dances sometimes, and frankly, I would like it if it was toned down a bit. Derek did have a good feel for the music, though, even though he was too careful in his arms and legs. He also did a weird hunch thing that made his moves feel small at moments, but with everything put together, it had seamless transitions and somewhat refined steps, so even though I am scoring him lower for a few different reasons, I think that his technique is a tad more advanced than most of his competitors.

Julia I’m enjoying Derek and Sharna’s partnership so far but I agree with Bentley that this wasn’t really a Salsa. Derek executed the introductory bit and the tricks quite well, but the rest was pretty messy. I agree with you about the filler; I think we see a lot of it from a few pros in particular: Sharna, Maks and Val (and Mark, Keo, and Cheryl). Anyway, I think Derek will easily make it past a couple eliminations so he has a bit of time to improve before he inches closer to the chopping block. :P

Dwtsdreams After the horrors of Sharna’s last season, anything is better than that cowboy. Derek is hardworking and has worked with coaches his whole life which will help him take direction from Sharna. The dance was very messy and left me underwhelmed. I agree with Julia that there was so much filler choreo.

The Judges’ Scores	Carrie Ann 6	Len 6	Bruno 6	Total 18/30
The Bloggers’ Scores	Bentley 6	Dwtsdreams 5	Julia 6	Total 17/30

#TeamHoopsNHeels 1(800)868-3403

Victoria Arlen and Val Chmerkovskiy

Cha-Cha-Cha

Born Ready by Disco Fries featuring Hope Murphy

Bentley Victoria ended up being so much fun to watch, both in her video package and on the dance floor. She is obviously an incredible person, and it’s nice to see that she humble along with her welcoming personality. Her Cha-Cha with Val was a nice in-your-face routine that I wouldn’t have minded seeing for the opening number, and it made for a great first impression along with her inspiring background story. And I give her all of the credit in the world for that. Victoria was all over the place, and was a bit too jumpy, but I liked seeing her dance big rather than small. At times, her arms were taking the backseat to her footwork, and it seemed like her upper body generally came secondary to it. And as for her lower body, Victoria stepped a bit too far and too wide here and there, which made it just the slightest bit awkward.

Julia Victoria was one of the highlights of the night for me, and I’m looking forward to seeing what she and Val do for the rest of the season. This was a great routine for her and I commend her for managing to bounce back from her slight oversteps here and there. She clearly has a lot to work on but I don’t see her going home anytime soon so I’m sure she’ll get there. :) I’m really glad they gave her to Val because I like seeing him challenged for once. He did a great job teaching and choreographing for her this week so here’s to keeping the momentum going! :)

Dwtsdreams It makes my heart flutter to see someone so happy to receive the gift of dance. Victoria is a huge inspiration and continues to push the boundaries. It is so insane that only a year ago she was learning to walk again. I mean she had cleaner foot action than a couple of the other contestants. I am so happy that she gets to experience this journey. She has a lot of technique to work on both this week I just want to focus on her heart.

The Judges’ Scores	Carrie Ann 7	Len 6	Bruno 6	Total 19/30
The Bloggers’ Scores	Bentley 6	Dwtsdreams 6	Julia 6	Total 18/30

#TeamViVa 1(800)868-3413

Lindsey Stirling and Mark Ballas

Cha-Cha-Cha

Don’t Worry by Madcon

Bentley First of all, I love how Lindsey and Mark play off of each other. But then again, they’ve already known each other for a while, so I guess that shouldn’t be too surprising. Their Cha-Cha was technically good as I think most of us were expecting, but as a personal taste, I’m getting sort of a Heather Morris vibe from Lindsey with her dancing. While she is arguably the best female celebrity dancer of this season thus far with how she truly “gets down” with each and every move with great precision, I just don’t feel like her personality is being showcased to its fullest extent. The dance was groovy, sexy, and electrifying, but it didn’t feel like Lindsey to me. Nonetheless, minus some jumbled feet towards the end, this was an A+ routine in my book-- I just want to get to know Lindsey as much as a person as I got to know her as a dancer.

Julia Lindsey wasn’t really standing out in my mind before the premiere, but I don’t think I’ll forget about her again anytime soon! She and Mark gel really well together and I’m excited to see how their partnership progresses. This was a good start for them, but like a lot of the other contestants on Monday night Lindsey seemed a little nervous while performing, and there were a couple times when she didn’t hit the moves as big as she probably should have. However, she still started off the season with one of the best performances of the night and I think she’ll improve quickly. :)

Dwtsdreams Although I adored that dance, I think Lindsey can work more on creating sharper movements and really engaging her core. This dance was so fun to watch and she by far is the best female star this season.

The Judges’ Scores	Carrie Ann 7	Len 8	Bruno 7	Total 22/30
The Bloggers’ Scores	Bentley 8	Dwtsdreams 7	Julia 8	Total 23/30

#TeamSTARK 1(800)868-3407

Dance Rankings

Bentley

1. Jordan & Lindsay

2. Lindsey & Mark

3. Vanessa & Maks

4. Nikki & Artem

5. Frankie & Witney

6. Victoria & Val

7. Derek & Sharna

8. Nick & Peta

9. Drew & Emma

10. Debbie & Alan

11. Barbara & Keo

12. Sasha & Gleb

13. Terrell & Cheryl

Julia

1. Jordan & Lindsay

2. Lindsey & Mark

3. Frankie & Witney

4. Vanessa & Maks

5. Nikki & Artem

6. Victoria & Val

7. Debbie & Alan

8. Nick & Peta

9. Drew & Emma

10. Derek & Sharna

11. Terrell & Cheryl

12. Sasha & Gleb

13. Barbara & Keo

Dwtsdreams

1. Jordan & Lindsay

2. Lindsey & Mark

3. Vanessa & Maks

4. Nikki & Artem

5. Victoria & Val

6. Frankie & Witney

7. Debbie & Alan

8. Nick & Peta

9. Drew & Emma

10. Derek & Sharna

11. Terrell & Cheryl

12. Sasha & Gleb

13. Barbara & Keo

Bentley I really like the cinematic opening numbers that the show has been doing for the premiere episodes lately. It gives a lot of hype for the show (even if it’s a little overhyped for what comes afterward), and it’s good that the show doesn’t overuse them. It gives a good preview for the personalities of the season, and in the case of this season, it made the celebrities seem like they are genuinely having fun, which I do think is the case for most of them.

Julia I want to see next season’s opener take a completely different route. The one we’ve seen lately have been fun, but are becoming awfully formulaic. Dancing on the streets as we introduce the cast! I want to see one that starts out small and builds into something big at the end. The desert thing was cool, but I felt like we went from one extreme to the other; I’d like things to move gradually and create suspense and excitement. Maybe one couple starts out doing some “little” moves very quietly, and then runs around to places and the other teams join them one by one until it’s a big loud dance party at the end!

Bentley I figured that a lot of the celebrities would be on the same playing field dance-wise this season, but boy oh boy, I didn’t realize that the playing field would be so...low. I originally thought that this season was going to be really competitive, but about half of these celebrities started off shaky. Obviously there is going to be a lot of progression as we go on, but I was kind of disappointed with a lot of the performances. There were a few stand-out dances on Monday, but overall, it was sort of a mediocre premiere.

Julia I told you these people weren’t ringers…. :P I’m glad they put together a cast of people who had potential but weren’t ringers, since it creates a more even playing field (and I think the GP really appreciates it too). Looking forward to seeing everyone grow and improve!

Bentley I hope that DWTS keeps the format that they had on Monday for future premiere episodes where only one judge gives his or her comments, and then the other ones give a little tip before reveal their scores. It made for longer rehearsal packages, and dances that were not terribly short and a little longer than a minute long. I also like that the judges were able to give full comments when it was their turn to give their spiel because they were able to give complete thoughts that actually gave some useful advice to the couples.

Julia I liked that but I kind of wished the couples got to chose who gave them their critique if it was only going to be one. If I was in that position and Carrie Ann Inaba was the only one judging me I’d feel pretty ripped off. :P

Bentley Hahaha, as much as I love ranting about Carrie Ann’s judging, I actually thought that her comments on Monday were appropriate. Maybe they weren’t as detailed as Bruno’s or as blunt as Len’s, but they they were still pretty good. XD

Julia Yeah, I thought she did well this week. I really hope we don’t have any situations like how she judged Simone last season ever again. That left a bad taste in my mouth. :(

Bentley So, we have Ballroom Night on Monday and then Latin Night on Tuesday. Both nights will have an elimination. I kind of like having two nights of dancing in the beginning just to feel out the couples (and plus, we get more dances!), but I also don’t really like that the first couple who is going to be eliminated won’t be able to perform their second dance on Tuesday, unless they allow them to perform it even after being eliminated anyway. However, I do like seeing the contrast of Ballroom and Latin on two different nights, and seeing how the couples adapt to that.

Julia If it has to be a double elimination week, I wish they would combine the scores and votes from Week 1 and Ballroom Night and eliminate two teams on Wednesday based on that instead of one based on Week 1 and one based on Ballroom Night. A lot of people seemed very nervous this week and I think it’d be nice to give them one more chance to prove themselves before eliminating anyone. I do like the complimentary themes for the double shows, though, and also that by the end of the week everyone left will have performed at least one Standard Ballroom and one Latin routine.

Dwtsdreams I just wanted to give a shout out to the troupe Monday night because I thought they killed it. It baffles me how much Hayley das grown on her journey with DWTS. She didn’t even know ballroom before she became a troupe member and know this girl is killing bachatas left and right. Hayley is such an incredible dancer and so is the rest of the troupe.

What did you think of the season 25 Dancing With the Stars premiere? Who do you think will be the first couple eliminated on Monday?