The 35th edition of Dancing with the Stars burst onto screens in mid-September with a two-night premiere that split the 16 celebrity contestants by gender. Tuesday featured the male stars, while Wednesday, September 16, showcased the women’s first dances. Early technical hiccups saw the online voting platform overload after only two performances, but the glitch turned into good news: the show logged more than twice the vote count of last year’s opening night.
Amber Glenn’s breakout performances
Olympic gold-medalist Amber Glenn entered the ballroom with Russian-American professional Pasha Pashkov and immediately captured attention. Their cha-cha-cha routine, set to Santana’s “Smooth” featuring Rob Thomas, earned an 18-point score, tying them for third place with actress Julia Stiles and pro Ezra Sosa. The choreography highlighted Glenn’s signature athleticism: long, leg-extending steps, sensual body rolls, a dramatic split followed by a floor roll, and a daring hand-less cartwheel that prompted cheers and a shower of white confetti.
Glenn’s second outing proved decisive. The pair tackled a fiery tango to Harrison’s modern classic “All The Things She Said,” a track famously linked to a heated HBO scene. The narrative of longing and rejection was echoed on the floor as Glenn began opposite a shadowed female dancer, reaching out only to be denied, before Pashkov swooped in for a dramatic spin. Critics praised the performance’s precision, seductive slides, back-bending dips that showcased Glenn’s muscular strength, sharp kicks, and elegant spins. The tango secured a perfect 21, tying her with Jenna Dewan & Val Chmerkovskiy and paralympian Ezra Frech & Daniella Karagach for the evening’s top score.
Voting surge and historic firsts
Co-host Alfonso Ribeiro confirmed that the premiere’s voting surge reflected heightened audience engagement, reporting “over twice as many votes as last year’s opening night” after just the first episode. The season also marks several milestones: it features the third same-sex partnership in DWTS history—Sarah Jane Nader paired with pro Hailey Bills—following pairs from Seasons 30 and 31. New professional faces include troupe graduate Hailey Bills, who earned her first pro credit, and Adele Zaikman, the inaugural winner of The Next Pro competition, both of whom were eliminated in the opening week but will appear in group numbers moving forward.
Other notable debutants include Irish TV personality Maura Higgins, Paralympic track star Ezra Frech, and Step-Up alum Jenna Dewan. The show’s judges—Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough—continue their roles alongside hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough.
What lies ahead for Glenn and the competition
Glenn and Pashkov are slated to return on September 29 for Week 3, billed as “Yacht Rock Night.” While the exact dance style remains under wraps, the pair’s momentum suggests they will aim to defend their 21-point advantage. Meanwhile, the series will progress through themed weeks such as Mariah Carey Night, Horror Movie Night, and Disney Night, culminating in a semi-final and finale where the coveted mirrorball trophy will be awarded.
Fans can continue to influence the outcome by voting during the live broadcast via the official website or, for U.S. cellular users, by texting. International viewers can also cast votes online. As the season unfolds, Amber Glenn’s blend of Olympic precision and theatrical flair positions her as the frontrunner to claim the coveted trophy.
