"DWTS" Week 1 Recap: And We're Back!
Before this season even started, it was already the most dramatic season of “Dancing with the Stars.” Not only did we have to wait a year in serious anticipation, but once Season 28 was announced, the drama didn’t stop.
Between the revamp of the ballroom and the voting system, the loss of both the troupe and some of our favorite pros (we miss you, Sharna and Artem!), the controversy over certain stars joining the lineup, and then, just yesterday, the announcement that a last-minute mother-daughter switch-up would take place following a serious, in-rehearsal injury? Whew. We feel like we’ve had a season’s worth of action, and it’s only the premiere, folks!
But all that drama may have been worth it for how amazing last night’s premiere was. Because it was one of the most dance-filled “DWTS” episodes we’ve seen in a while. And, according to head judge Len Goodman (and the showrunners), that’s what we have to look forward to this season—tons of serious dancing.
And dance they did! Every single star brought it for real last night, performing some of the hardest routines we’ve seen in a season premiere. Here are a few of the best (and danciest) performances we saw.
Hannah Brown and Alan Bersten
In case you hadn’t heard, we over here at Dance Spirit are major Hannah B. stans. So we were delighted to see that our girl Hannah slayed last night with a tight, technical cha cha. Her partner, Alan Bersten, totally killed it with some content-heavy choreo, and helped Hannah dance herself to the second-highest score of the night, with a 20 out of 30.
Ally Brooke and Sasha Farber
Another Fifth Harmony contestant on “DWTS”! Ally came out of the gate running with a sexy, sassy cha cha. We loved Sasha Farber’s creative, challenging choreo, and thought that Ally brought all the right energy and footwork to the routine. However, the judges only gave her performance a 16 out of 30, placing Ally and Sasha somewhere in the middle of the leaderboard.
James Van Der Beek and Emma Slater
Dawson! Our hearts! We’re pretty sure that moms all over America (as well as Dance Spirit editors, no shame) fell in love with James during his serious, sultry tango with partner Emma Slater. James stunned with clean footwork and a calm confidence that we rarely see during the first week. So, it was no surprise when he was awarded the highest score of the night, a 21 out of 30.
Next week will bring the first elimination of the season, and we’re not ready to see any of these amazing couples go. What do you think? Which couple is headed home, and which is headed for the Mirrorball Trophy?
