DANCING WITH THE STARS SEASON 35 NEWSROOM

Amy Purdy Says Ezra Frech Is Taking DWTS Disability Representation “to a Whole New Level”

A new direct interview connects two generations of Paralympians in the ballroom and gives DMM a clearer historical frame for Frech’s Season 35 run.

In an interview published October 4, Season 18 runner-up Amy Purdy described watching Ezra Frech compete as deeply meaningful and said his presence is extending the visibility disabled athletes can have on a mainstream dance platform. Purdy, a double below-the-knee amputee who competed with Derek Hough in 2014, said the possibilities available to Frech now are broader than what she felt able to attempt during her own season.

Frech told People that Purdy’s support is “fueling” him and credited disabled contestants before him with helping make his own participation possible. He also emphasized the importance of normalizing disability rather than treating it as an exception. ABC’s official Season 35 biography independently identifies Frech as a two-time Paralympic gold medalist and disability advocate, while ABC’s Week 4 release confirms that he and Daniella Karagach will perform a rumba to Mariah Carey’s “Anytime You Need a Friend” on October 6.

Watch next: Frech enters Week 4 with scores of 20, 21 and 21. DMM will update this record after the October 6 rumba with the verified score, judges’ feedback and any new technical detail about how Karagach adapts the choreography.

Sources: People, Oct. 4, 2026 — direct interviews with Ezra Frech and Amy Purdy · ABC/Disney Television Press — official Ezra Frech biography · ABC/Disney Television Press, Oct. 1, 2026 — official Week 4 assignment.

Britt Stewart Breaks Her Silence After DWTS Elimination, Framing the Hanson Partnership Beyond Its Three-Week Run

After several days of reaction around her early exit, Stewart has now spoken for herself. Her message centers the creative partnership with Taylor Hanson rather than speculation about her future with the show.

In a statement shared October 3, Stewart thanked Hanson for trusting her and for showing up authentically throughout their Season 35 partnership. She said what they created together was bigger than the number of weeks they were given and that she would remain proud of their Dancing with the Stars journey.

Stewart also described the partnership as one she believes will have a lasting impact on her and thanked viewers for the messages and support that followed the September 29 elimination. The statement is significant because it is Stewart’s first extended public framing of the exit after several days in which judges, fellow professionals, the cohost and viewers had been speaking about the result around her.

Context: Hanson and Stewart were eliminated on Yacht Rock Night after their foxtrot to “What a Fool Believes” earned 18/30. Earlier October 3 reporting documented Alfonso Ribeiro calling the result especially difficult and praising Stewart’s work; this new entry adds Stewart’s own voice to that record rather than replacing the earlier report.

Source: Entertainment Weekly, Oct. 3, 2026 — reporting Stewart’s direct Instagram statement. Verification note: DMM is preserving Stewart’s confirmed statement and is not publishing unverified reports that she plans to leave the show.

Alfonso Ribeiro Calls Britt Stewart’s Week 3 Exit “Especially Difficult” as Her Finale Wait Continues

The DWTS cohost’s new comments turn Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart’s elimination into a professional-dancer development story as well as a competition result.

In an interview published October 3, cohost Alfonso Ribeiro described Hanson and Stewart’s Yacht Rock Night elimination as especially difficult and praised Stewart as an outstanding professional dancer. Ribeiro also pointed to a career fact that matters to DMM’s pro-development watch: Stewart has not yet reached a Dancing with the Stars finale as a competing professional.

Their run ended September 29 after a foxtrot to “What a Fool Believes” scored 18/30. Hanson has since disclosed that he danced through left-leg numbness during the season, while both partners have spoken about the strength of the working relationship they built in three weeks.

Media check: ABC/Disney Television Press has official Yacht Rock Night photography of Hanson and Stewart available through its press gallery. DMM has not re-hosted a new image in this update without a confirmed authorized press-asset workflow.

Sources: Entertainment Weekly, Oct. 3, 2026 — interview with Alfonso Ribeiro · ABC/Disney Television Press — Yacht Rock Night official photos.

Guillermo Rodriguez’s DWTS Run Is Becoming an Audience Story Beyond the Scoreboard

Guillermo Rodriguez remains at the bottom of the judges’ leaderboard, but a new national-television moment shows why DMM’s Development Watch cannot be measured by scores alone.

During the October 1 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, John Oliver said his children had never watched Dancing with the Stars before this season and are now invested specifically because of Rodriguez. Oliver described his younger son waking early to ask whether Guillermo had survived the elimination, while the conversation also singled out the crowd-pleasing physical comedy inside Rodriguez’s Week 3 foxtrot.

That attention arrives alongside measurable ballroom progress. Rodriguez and Witney Carson have moved from 10/30 in the premiere cha-cha to 12/30 on Viral Hits Night and 15/30 for their Yacht Rock foxtrot. Carson has also publicly emphasized his work ethic, saying he continues practicing during rehearsal downtime and genuinely wants to improve.

Watch next: Mariah Carey Night returns Rodriguez to Latin with a samba to “Obsessed.” After three consecutive score increases, the useful question is whether his foxtrot gains in timing, confidence and partnership survive the faster rhythm assignment.

Sources: Entertainment Weekly, Oct. 2, 2026 — report and direct quotes from the Oct. 1 Jimmy Kimmel Live! appearance · ABC/Disney Television Press — Oct. 1 Jimmy Kimmel Live! episode photos. Week 3 scores and Week 4 assignment are preserved in DMM’s verified Season 35 record.

Harry Shum Jr.’s Mariah Carey Night Tango Brings Him Back to a Song He Danced in 21 Years Ago

Week 4 now carries a piece of dance history: Shum has confirmed that he appeared as a backup dancer in Mariah Carey’s 2005 “It’s Like That” music video. On October 6, he and Jenna Johnson are scheduled to compete with a tango to the same song.

In a direct interview with E! News, Shum confirmed his appearance in the 2005 video and traced the opportunity to his work with choreographer Debbie Allen. ABC/Disney’s official Mariah Carey Night release independently confirms that Shum and Johnson will dance a tango to “It’s Like That,” featuring Jermaine Dupri and Fatman Scoop, on Tuesday’s episode.

The connection makes this more than a theme-night song assignment. Shum first encountered the record from the position of a commercial backup dancer inside a Mariah Carey production. Twenty-one years later, he returns to it as the named celebrity competitor, with ballroom technique and partnership now determining how the same musical history reads on television.

Shum also described his earlier iPod silhouette work as requiring deliberately enlarged shapes so movement would read graphically. That history gives DMM another useful contrast for Tuesday: commercial dance can reward projection and scale; partnered ballroom can demand economy, precision and a different relationship to another body.

Watch next: DMM will compare the October 6 tango with Shum’s existing Season 35 progression (21 → 18 → 24) and update the Transfer Test after the judges’ verified feedback and score.

Sources: E! News, Oct. 2, 2026 — direct interview with Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson · ABC/Disney Television Press, Oct. 1, 2026 — official Week 4 assignment. Related DMM: Harry Shum Jr. Ballroom Transfer Test.

Hailey Bills Says Her DWTS Season Continues After Elimination — and She Is Already Learning for a Possible Next Pro Run

The first-time pro’s competition ended after one routine, but her professional development did not. A new direct interview gives DMM the clearest evidence yet for one of Season 35’s standing questions: what happens to new pros after the celebrity partnership ends?

In an interview published October 2, Bills told The Hollywood Reporter that she still has “10 weeks on the show” after her premiere-week elimination with Sarah Jane Nader. Bills said the early exit was difficult, but framed the rest of Season 35 as continued work rather than a reason to remain stuck on the result.

Bills’ path to the pro roster was unusually fast. She joined the Season 34 troupe, spent the 2026 live tour performing alongside established professionals and said producers told her during that tour that she would become a Season 35 pro. Her debut partnership lasted one competitive jive, but she is now back inside the larger show environment rather than disappearing from the season.

Status: Bills did not announce a confirmed Season 36 pro contract. She said that if she is fortunate enough to return as a pro next season, she would enter with more knowledge about building from the ground up with a celebrity partner. DMM is treating that as professional-development context, not a casting announcement.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Oct. 2, 2026 — direct interview with Hailey Bills. Background verification: ABC’s official Season 35 cast announcement identifies Bills as a first-time pro after Season 34 troupe work.

ABC Adds Three Pro and Troupe Performances to Mariah Carey Night

The official Week 4 release expands Mariah Carey Night beyond the 12 celebrity routines, giving DMM three additional ensemble performances to watch for choreography, staging and professional-dancer visibility.

ABC has now confirmed that the October 6 episode will also include additional professional and troupe performances to “Heartbreaker” featuring JAY-Z, “Loverboy” and “Always Be My Baby.” The announcement follows the previously confirmed 12 celebrity song-and-dance assignments.

Broadcast: Mariah Carey Night airs Tuesday, October 6, from 8:00–10:00 p.m. EDT/PDT and 7:00–9:00 p.m. CDT on ABC and Disney+, with next-day streaming on Hulu. ABC says viewer votes from the live voting window will again be combined with judges’ scores.

Media check: Disney’s official release provides a press-asset download portal. DMM is not inserting or re-hosting those assets in this master without confirming the applicable press-use terms for the selected files.

Official source: Disney Entertainment Television / ABC, Oct. 1, 2026.

Gleb Savchenko Calls Season 35 Absence a “Hiatus” — and Says DWTS Judges Should Score Harder

The longtime professional dancer says his absence from the Season 35 pro roster is a break rather than a retirement, while also weighing in on two questions already central to DMM’s season watch: judging standards and the value of prior dance experience.

In a direct interview published October 1, Savchenko described his time away from Dancing with the Stars as “a little break, a little hiatus, a little reset” and said he is not retired from the franchise. Savchenko, who first joined the U.S. series in 2013, was not included among the competing Season 35 professionals.

Watching from outside the ballroom has also sharpened his view of the competition. Savchenko said he does not believe the judges are scoring harshly enough and argued that lower paddles should remain available when the dancing warrants them. His comments arrive during a season in which judging format, compressed critique time and the relationship between judges’ scores and audience voting have already become recurring storylines.

Savchenko also rejected the idea that contestants such as Jenna Dewan automatically possess a decisive advantage simply because they have previous dance experience. His reasoning was technical: ballroom is partnered dancing, and learning choreography is different from creating connection, balance, frame and the push-pull relationship required between two dancers.

Status: Savchenko did not announce a confirmed Season 36 return. DMM is therefore recording his own description — hiatus, not retirement — without presenting a future casting decision as settled.

Source: Us Weekly, Oct. 1, 2026 — direct interview with Gleb Savchenko.

Taylor Hanson Reveals He Danced Through Left-Leg Numbness Before His Week 3 Elimination

The newly disclosed injury adds important technical context to Hanson and Britt Stewart’s three-week run: Hanson says numbness in his left leg had affected him since the opening week of competition.

In a post-elimination interview published October 1, Hanson revealed that he had been dealing with numbness in his left leg during Season 35. The issue was not publicly disclosed while he was still competing. He nevertheless completed the Week 3 foxtrot with Stewart, including the heel-led and traveling actions required by the style, before the partnership was eliminated on Yacht Rock Night with an 18/30.

Stewart praised Hanson for continuing to work through the physical limitation without allowing it to define the performance. The disclosure does not change the elimination result, but it changes how DMM reads the partnership’s technical progression: the audience and judges were evaluating a developing ballroom dancer without knowing that one leg was not providing normal sensation.

Editorial note: This update is based on Hanson’s own post-elimination disclosure as reported in a direct interview. DMM is avoiding speculation about diagnosis, severity or whether the injury affected the public vote.

Source: Entertainment Weekly, Oct. 1, 2026 — post-elimination interview with Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart.

Mariah Carey Night Assignments Are Set: Rumba Dominates the Week 4 Dance Card

The official DWTS podcast has revealed all 12 Week 4 pairings, songs and dance styles ahead of the October 6 episode.

DMM Choreography Watch: Four couples draw rumba, making control, sustained movement and emotional phrasing unusually easy to compare across the same episode. Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov arrive with a season-high 24 from their Yacht Rock foxtrot; Jenna Dewan/Val Chmerkovskiy and Ezra Frech/Daniella Karagach each scored 21 last week. Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson move in the opposite direction technically, from a 24-point jive into tango, while Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik leave ballroom frame for jazz after their 21-point quickstep.

That distribution gives Week 4 a useful transfer test: can the current leaders preserve their scoring momentum when the movement quality changes? DMM will watch particularly closely for how Glenn translates skating-derived line and control into rumba, how Frech manages slower sustained weight transfer with his running blade, and how Shum handles tango’s frame and attack after the looseness and speed of jive.

Verification: Season 34 alumnus Andy Richter announced the lineup on the Dancing With the Stars Official Podcast. Entertainment Weekly published the complete assignment list on October 1. ABC separately confirms that the 12 remaining couples perform Mariah Carey Night on Tuesday, October 6 at 8 p.m. on ABC and Disney+.

Sources: Entertainment Weekly, Oct. 1, 2026 · Disney Entertainment Television / ABC, Oct. 1, 2026.

Yacht Rock Night Draws 7.12 Million Viewers — DWTS’s Best Non-Finale Episode in Six Years

ABC’s first Week 3 ratings report shows Season 35 building rather than fading after premiere week.

Disney Entertainment Television reports that the September 29 Yacht Rock Night episode drew 7.12 million viewers in preliminary Nielsen Live+Same Day measurement. ABC says that makes it the show’s most-watched non-finale episode in six years, dating back to the Season 29 premiere on September 14, 2020.

The episode rose 11% over the prior Tuesday’s 6.44 million audience and ranked as the night’s top entertainment program despite competing with the Yankees–Red Sox MLB Wild Card game on NBC.

Measurement note: The 7.12 million figure is Nielsen National Live+Same Day Preliminary Panel Only data for September 29. It should not be directly compared with the 9.98 million seven-day cross-platform premiere figure as though the measurements are identical.

Official source: Disney Entertainment Television / ABC, Oct. 1, 2026.

DWTS Season 35 Premiere Grows to 9.98 Million Viewers Across Seven Days

ABC’s newest seven-day measurement shows the Season 35 Tuesday premiere reaching nearly 10 million viewers across linear and streaming — 17 percent above last season’s premiere.

Disney Entertainment Television reported on September 30 that the September 15 Season 35 Tuesday premiere reached a 9.98 million total cross-platform audience after seven days. ABC says that represents a 17% increase over the Season 34 premiere, which reached 8.50 million viewers on September 16, 2025.

The seven-day figure is also 47% above the episode’s initial 6.77 million Live+Same Day audience. ABC says the 9.98 million result surpassed every Season 34 episode except the finale.

Measurement note: These numbers should not be mixed with earlier same-day ratings as though they are the same metric. ABC identifies the 9.98 million figure as Nielsen Linear + SCR data based on seven days of viewing from the September 15 linear air date plus streaming first-stream data. The 6.77 million comparison is the initial Live+Same Day audience.

Media rights: Disney’s ratings release includes an Eric McCandless image and states that its press photography is copyrighted, for editorial publicity use only, and may not be archived, altered, duplicated, resold or retransmitted outside the stated terms. DMM has therefore not inserted the image into this replacement without a confirmed authorized press-asset workflow.

Official source: Disney Entertainment Television / ABC ratings release, Sept. 30, 2026.

Jan Ravnik Restores the Quickstep Section DWTS Viewers Missed After Camera Cutaway

A production cutaway during Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik’s Week 3 quickstep obscured several seconds of choreography from the television audience. Ravnik has now published the missing section himself.

Ali and Ravnik performed a quickstep to Hall & Oates’ “Maneater” on Yacht Rock Night and earned 21/30. During the routine, however, the broadcast camera moved away from the couple to an audience shot. The missed choreography included the pair hopping across the ballroom before Ravnik executed a full split.

Ravnik subsequently posted footage of the unseen section to his own social channels, explicitly identifying it as the portion viewers did not see during the broadcast. The correction matters because the partnership’s 21/30 represented another measurable step forward after scores of 12/30 and 18/30 in their earlier appearances.

Media check: Ravnik’s own social post is the relevant primary-source footage for the missing section. DMM is not re-hosting or reproducing the clip; the Newsroom documents the correction while preserving the original creator/source context.

Source: Entertainment Weekly, Sept. 30, 2026 at 3:47 PM ET, documenting Ravnik’s primary-source post and the Yacht Rock Night broadcast cutaway.

DWTS Executive Producer Explains Why West Coast Viewers Still Have to Vote Before Seeing the Dances

A long-running voting problem is back in focus during Season 35: Pacific-time viewers can participate, but the voting window closes before the delayed West Coast broadcast lets them judge the performances for themselves.

Season 35 is performed in Los Angeles beginning at 5 p.m. PT and reaches Eastern viewers live at 8 p.m. ET. The West Coast television and Disney+ presentation does not begin until 8 p.m. PT. Because voting takes place during the live Eastern/Central broadcast and closes shortly after the final competitive dance, Pacific-time viewers who want their votes counted must generally vote before watching the performances locally.

Executive producer Conrad Green addressed the issue in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Green said the economics and importance of ABC’s local affiliates are a major reason the program is not simply made available at 5 p.m. PT across the West Coast. He acknowledged the frustration and said West Coast viewers can still participate by planning to vote during the earlier live window — effectively voting without having seen that night’s dances.

The official voting instructions remain the controlling source for each episode. Viewers should use the DWTS voting portal during the announced live window rather than assume voting remains open through a later local broadcast. This update does not represent a newly announced rule change; it documents the Season 35 system and the executive producer’s explanation for why the West Coast disparity persists.

Media check: No additional image is required for this format explainer. DMM is keeping the Newsroom focused on the voting mechanics and their competitive consequence rather than adding unrelated promotional imagery.

Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, Sept. 30, 2026 — interview with executive producer Conrad Green · ABC official DWTS voting portal.

DWTS Pros Rally Around Britt Stewart After Taylor Hanson Elimination

The Yacht Rock Night elimination has developed into a professional-dancer story, with multiple members of the Season 35 ballroom publicly emphasizing Stewart’s work, teaching and unrealized finale potential.

In post-show interviews published by Entertainment Weekly, Sharna Burgess said she wants Stewart to receive the kind of partnership that can carry her to a finale and allow audiences to see a Britt Stewart freestyle. Brandon Armstrong called Stewart an elite dancer and elite professional, while Daniella Karagach described her as a phenomenal teacher. Jan Ravnik likewise praised Stewart as one of the best dancers he has worked with.

The reaction adds context to Taylor Hanson and Stewart’s 18/30 foxtrot elimination. Stewart became the first Black woman to join the DWTS professional roster in Season 29. She has not yet reached a finale; her highest finish remains fifth place with Daniel Durant in Season 31.

DMM Pro Watch: This is why eliminations cannot always be read only through celebrity placement. A professional dancer’s season determines which choreography audiences get to see, how long a teaching partnership can develop and whether that pro reaches late-season formats such as the freestyle. The response from Stewart’s peers turns her Week 3 exit into a broader question about opportunity: how much of a pro’s visible DWTS legacy is shaped by choreography and teaching, and how much depends on the competitive ceiling of the celebrity pairing?

Media check: The reporting includes Disney/Eric McCandless photography from Yacht Rock Night. DMM is retaining the verified credit but is not inserting the still without a confirmed press/publicity download path and editorial-use context.

Source: Entertainment Weekly, Sept. 30, 2026 at 10:02 AM ET — post-show interviews with Sharna Burgess, Brandon Armstrong, Daniella Karagach, Jan Ravnik and other Season 35 cast members.

Witney Carson Says Pregnancy Is Not Limiting Her DWTS Run With Guillermo Rodriguez

The reigning Mirrorball-winning pro directly addressed speculation that she wanted her Season 35 partnership to end, saying she is happy to continue and does not feel she is physically overdoing it.

Carson responded on her own social media after viewers interpreted her reactions during recent elimination sequences as disappointment that she and Guillermo Rodriguez were still in the competition. She explained that the expression viewers were seeing was sadness for the couple being eliminated, followed by celebration that she and Rodriguez were safe.

Carson also addressed questions about competing while pregnant with her third child. She said she knows how far to push her body, is following her doctors’ guidance, rests when necessary and does not currently feel physically overextended. She added that the show is willing to provide assistance when needed. Carson said she feels good, though more tired than usual.

DMM Pro Watch: The relevant competition issue is not the rumor itself but Carson’s confirmation that pregnancy is not presently restricting her participation or choreography with Rodriguez. That distinction matters when evaluating the partnership: unless Carson or the production reports a medical limitation, DMM will treat their dance choices as competitive and choreographic decisions rather than assume they are pregnancy-driven.

Rodriguez and Carson scored 15/30 for their Yacht Rock Night foxtrot to “Escape (The Piña Colada Song).” Carson praised his rehearsal work and said he continues practicing even while she is resting. They remain among the 12 couples advancing to Week 4.

Media check: The report includes Disney photography of Carson and the partnership, but DMM is not inserting a still without a verified press/publicity download path and confirmed editorial-use context.

Source: Entertainment Weekly, Sept. 30, 2026 at 10:47 AM ET, reporting Carson’s direct social-media statement.

Source link added Oct. 1, 2026: TODAY, Sept. 30, 2026 — Witney Carson reacts to speculation she wants to be voted off.

DWTS Announces First-Ever Super Bowl Night for October 13

Season 35 is adding a new theme to the franchise: the remaining couples will dance to music associated with memorable Super Bowl halftime performances.

The announcement was made Wednesday morning on Good Morning America by judge Derek Hough. Super Bowl Night is scheduled for Tuesday, October 13, and will honor the music, spectacle and memorable moments associated with the NFL championship game. It is the first Super Bowl-themed episode in Dancing with the Stars history.

The special arrives during ABC and ESPN’s broader lead-up to Super Bowl LXI, which ABC and ESPN are scheduled to carry on February 14, 2027. Before then, Season 35 continues with Mariah Carey Night on October 6. The announced October schedule also includes Dedication Night on October 20 and Horror Movie Night on October 27.

DMM Choreography Watch: The concept has stronger dance potential than a conventional artist theme because Super Bowl halftime shows are built around large-scale choreography, staging, formations and instantly recognizable performance moments. The key question will be whether DWTS asks its professionals to reference that movement history or simply uses halftime-show songs as a soundtrack. DMM will track the song and dance assignments when ABC releases them.

Media check: The announcement is verified, but no official Week 5 performance footage exists yet. DMM is not inserting third-party imagery or speculative media before an official usable asset is available.

Verification: Announced on Good Morning America, Sept. 30, 2026. The announcement and October 13 date are independently reported by Entertainment Weekly, The Hollywood Reporter and Us Weekly.

Yacht Rock Night Resets the DWTS Leaderboard as Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart Are Eliminated

Season 35 is down to 12 couples after a night that produced new season-high scores, two rehearsal injuries and another on-air reminder that judge feedback remains squeezed for time.

ABC News confirms that Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart became the fourth partnership eliminated from Season 35 after their foxtrot to The Doobie Brothers’ “What a Fool Believes.” The routine earned 18/30. Entertainment Weekly reports that Hanson and Stewart were called out for elimination after landing in the final group with Jackson Olson and Emma Slater and Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson.

Injury Watch: Julia Stiles sustained a rib injury while rehearsing lifts with Ezra Sosa. Despite the injury and an emotional rehearsal package following her 16/30 Week 2 tango, Stiles performed the Yacht Rock Night salsa and improved to 19/30. Amber Glenn’s rehearsal collision with Pashkov caused a bloody nose, but Pashkov returned to dance and the partnership went on to score 24/30. DMM will distinguish rehearsal incidents from competition-limiting injuries unless a contestant or the show confirms a continuing medical restriction.

Judging Watch: The Week 2 debate over compressed critiques did not disappear. During Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy’s samba, Derek Hough was played off by production music before completing his feedback. Alfonso Ribeiro acknowledged the interruption on-air. Hough had been explaining that Dewan’s choreography was difficult and that he wanted to see her eventually work in a smoother style with more room to breathe. Dewan and Chmerkovskiy received three 7s for 21/30.

DMM Dance Watch: Yacht Rock Night changed the technical picture of the season. Glenn/Pashkov and Shum/Johnson now share the season-high score at 24, while the five-foxtrot slate made differences in frame, travel and control easier to compare. Frech/Karagach remained competitive at 21 while translating the running-blade mechanics DMM has been tracking into foxtrot. The most important Week 3 story is therefore larger than the elimination: the early leaderboard is beginning to separate according to how quickly partnerships can transfer technique from one dance family to another.

Media check: ABC News and Entertainment Weekly published Disney/ABC photography from the episode, but DMM is not inserting a still without a verified press/publicity download path and confirmed editorial-use context. No unverified social-media rip has been added.

Sources: ABC News / Good Morning America, Sept. 29, 2026 · Entertainment Weekly Yacht Rock Night recap, Sept. 29, 2026 · Entertainment Weekly on Derek Hough’s interrupted critique, Sept. 29, 2026.

Carrie Ann Inaba Adds the Feedback She Couldn’t Give Giada De Laurentiis on Air

Inaba’s post-show comments extend the Week 2 debate over DWTS’ one-word judging format.

After Viral Hits Night, Carrie Ann Inaba wrote that she was disappointed she could not give Giada De Laurentiis fuller feedback during the broadcast. She expanded on the one-word critique by praising De Laurentiis for entering the ballroom as a true beginner and for the courage and joy she brought to learning.

DMM Analysis: The follow-up reinforces why critique time matters. A one-word reaction may keep a live broadcast moving, but it can erase the technical and developmental context that helps viewers understand what a beginner actually accomplished. DMM will watch whether normal-length comments return with 13 couples.

Source: Entertainment Weekly, Sept. 25, 2026.

DWTS Week 3 Yacht Rock Night: All 13 Songs and Dance Styles Are Set

ABC/Disney has confirmed the complete September 29 slate for the 13 remaining couples.

Yacht Rock Night airs Tuesday, Sept. 29, from 8–10 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+, with next-day streaming on Hulu. The official assignments are:

ABC/Disney also says Yacht Rock Night will include additional professional and troupe performances to “This Is It” by Kenny Loggins, “Love Will Keep Us Together” by Captain & Tennille and “Baby Come Back” by Player. The release does not identify which troupe dancers will appear in those numbers.

DMM Analysis: The distribution is unusually ballroom-heavy: five foxtrots and two quicksteps put frame, travel and continuity at the center of the night, while the jive, salsa, samba, cha-cha and paso doble assignments create useful contrast. The additional troupe numbers also give DMM a concrete professional-dancer development watchpoint without assuming the lineup before ABC names it. DMM will not post Week 3 scores until the dances have aired and the results are verified.

Source: ABC/Disney Television Press, Sept. 24, 2026.

Pasha Pashkov and Daniella Karagach Put Two Athlete Partnerships Atop DWTS Week 2

Amber Glenn and Ezra Frech each reached 21/30 with choreography from the married professional-dance partners.

Good Morning America highlighted the Week 2 performances of Olympic champion Amber Glenn with Pasha Pashkov and Paralympic champion Ezra Frech with Daniella Karagach. Both couples scored 21/30 and shared the night’s top score with Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy. The report also notes Pashkov and Karagach’s long competitive partnership and championship background.

DMM Analysis: The parallel is worth tracking because the athletes bring very different movement systems into ballroom. The professional task is not simply to showcase athleticism; it is to reshape skating glide and track-and-field power into dance-specific weight transfer, partnering and musical structure.

Source: Good Morning America / ABC News, Sept. 24, 2026.

Ezra Frech Explains Why He Dances on a Running Blade That Makes Cha-Cha More Unstable

Frech has explained the equipment choice behind one of Season 35’s most distinctive movement challenges.

Ezra Frech said he is choosing his running-blade prosthetic for DWTS rather than his walking leg. The blade is designed around high-speed running mechanics and can leave him less stable in stationary or dance-specific movement, creating a different balance problem for ballroom and Latin choreography.

DMM Analysis: That detail changes how the audience can read the work. The technical question is not whether Frech can reproduce another dancer’s mechanics exactly; it is how he and Daniella Karagach build clear rhythm, weight changes, partnering and performance around the mechanics available to him.

Source: Entertainment Weekly, Sept. 23, 2026.

Derek Hough Responds After DWTS Viewers Push Back on One-Word Judge Critiques

The Week 2 timing device became a post-show discussion after viewers questioned how much useful feedback was being lost.

Derek Hough addressed criticism of the one-word judging rule used during Viral Hits Night. The rule compressed one judge’s response after each routine while the field still contained 14 couples, allowing the two-hour live show to move more quickly.

DMM Analysis: The production problem is understandable, but the dance cost is real: less time means fewer explanations of timing, frame, footwork, weight placement and performance choices. With the field now down to 13, Week 3 becomes the first test of whether the format was temporary.

Source: Entertainment Weekly, Sept. 23, 2026.

ABC Says DWTS Season 35’s Two-Night Premiere Was the Show’s Most-Watched Premiere in Six Years

ABC/Disney’s updated Nielsen release puts Night 2 at 6.44 million viewers and the revised Night 1 audience at 6.77 million.

According to ABC/Disney Television Press, Premiere Night 2 drew 6.44 million total viewers and a 1.32 rating among adults 18–49. The network’s updated figure for Night 1 is 6.77 million viewers with a 1.44 adults 18–49 rating. ABC says the two-night average represents the show’s most-watched premiere in six years.

DMM Analysis: The ratings do not tell us which dance stories are driving individual viewers, but they do establish that Season 35 opened with a large live audience. That makes the show’s treatment of technique, professional dancers and developmental arcs especially relevant to DMM’s coverage.

Source: ABC/Disney Television Press, Sept. 23, 2026.

Daniella Karagach Says Ezra Frech’s DWTS Crowd Reaction Is Something She Hasn’t Heard “in Years”

The pro dancer described the ballroom response surrounding Frech as unusually strong early in the season.

After Frech’s early Season 35 performances, Daniella Karagach described the in-room audience response as exceptional compared with what she has heard in recent years. Frech and Karagach then reached 21/30 on Viral Hits Night, tying for the Week 2 lead.

DMM Analysis: Crowd reaction is not a score and it is not a vote count, so DMM keeps it separate from competitive standing. What it does tell us is that this partnership is producing a strong live-room response while also progressing technically.

Source: Entertainment Weekly, Sept. 23, 2026.

Maura Higgins Broke Mark Ballas’ Tooth During a DWTS Week 2 Spin Rehearsal

A rehearsal mishap became a reminder of the physical precision required when speed and partnering increase.

Maura Higgins revealed that she accidentally chipped or broke part of Mark Ballas’ tooth during a Week 2 rehearsal spin. Ballas continued preparing the routine, and the pair later performed their Viral Hits Night dance.

DMM Analysis: The incident is more than backstage trivia when read through a dance lens: rotational timing, spacing and partner awareness have real physical consequences. DMM will keep rehearsal stories when they illuminate the work behind what viewers see on the floor.

Source: Entertainment Weekly, Sept. 23, 2026.

Jenna Johnson Explains the Choice Behind Harry Shum Jr.’s Viral “Iris” Scream on DWTS

The Week 2 performance moment was intentional choreography built around emotional release rather than an accident in the routine.

Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson explained the vocal moment inside their Week 2 routine to “Iris.” The scream was part of the performance concept and tied to the emotional release they wanted the routine to communicate.

DMM Analysis: This is the kind of choreographic detail DMM wants to preserve: a memorable moment works best when it is connected to the dance’s dramatic structure rather than added only for virality. The next test is whether theatrical choices continue to support, rather than obscure, ballroom technique.

Source: Entertainment Weekly, Sept. 23, 2026.

DWTS Used One-Word Judge Reactions to Keep Viral Hits Night on Schedule

With 14 couples still performing, Season 35 temporarily compressed part of the judges’ critique to keep the live show moving.

ABC-owned On The Red Carpet reports that the third judge speaking after each Viral Hits Night performance was asked to summarize the critique in one word so the broadcast could stay on schedule. The judges sometimes stretched the rule for humor, but the production change was visible throughout the episode.

DMM Analysis: This is a small format adjustment with a real dance consequence: when critique time shrinks, viewers hear less technical explanation about frame, timing, footwork and performance quality. As the field gets smaller, DMM will watch whether fuller judging commentary returns.

Source: ABC7 / On The Red Carpet, Sept. 23, 2026.

Jenna Dewan, Ezra Frech and Amber Glenn Tie for the DWTS Week 2 Lead at 21/30

Viral Hits Night reset the top of the Season 35 judges’ leaderboard, with three partnerships sharing first place.

Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy scored 21/30 for their jive, Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach scored 21/30 for their cha-cha, and Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov scored 21/30 for their tango. ABC-owned coverage specifically praised Pashkov’s tango choreography in the judges’ comments, while all three couples received three 7s.

DMM Analysis: The Week 2 tie matters because the premiere did not produce one stable front-runner. Dewan improved from 19/30 to 21/30, while Harry Shum Jr. moved from 21/30 to 18/30 and Maura Higgins from 21/30 to 19/30. The early leaderboard is moving with the dance assignment, not simply following celebrity dance background.

Source: ABC7 / On The Red Carpet, Sept. 23, 2026.

Giada De Laurentiis & Alan Bersten Eliminated on DWTS Viral Hits Night

The celebrity chef became Season 35’s third elimination after a salsa that left her tied at the bottom of the judges’ scoreboard.

Giada De Laurentiis and professional partner Alan Bersten were eliminated on September 22 after performing a salsa to Becky G’s “Bella Ciao.” They received 4s from Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli for a total of 12/30. ABC News confirms the elimination; ABC-owned On The Red Carpet confirms the score and reports that Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson also scored 12/30.

DMM Analysis: De Laurentiis entered Week 2 already managing the broken-toe story DMM had been tracking. Viral Hits Night became the point where the injury context, a difficult salsa and the combined judges’-score/viewer-vote format converged. The public results establish who went home; they do not disclose the underlying vote totals.

Watch the full Viral Hits Night episode on ABC →

Sources: ABC News / Good Morning America, Sept. 22, 2026 · ABC7 / On The Red Carpet, Sept. 23, 2026.

Adele Zaikman Addresses the DWTS Voting Failure After Her Season 35 Elimination

The first winner of The Next Pro is now speaking directly about the premiere-night voting problem that coincided with her and Conner Leavitt’s elimination.

Zaikman said on Fire Chats: The Mindfire Pod that she was disappointed her first flagship-season partnership ended after one routine, while accepting that elimination is part of the competition. Asked about the premiere voting problem, she acknowledged that “maybe the voting issue made it complicated” and said she is focused on moving forward rather than trying to relitigate a result she cannot change.

The context matters. ABC’s online voting system failed during Night 1, leaving text voting as the available viewer-vote method. Conner Leavitt also shared a nearly identical first name with fellow contestant Connor Wood, requiring voters to distinguish between the two text keywords. Leavitt and Zaikman scored 12/30 and were eliminated; Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson scored 10/30 and advanced.

Read DMM’s full elimination analysis →

Sources

• Entertainment Weekly — Zaikman addresses the elimination and voting issue, Sept. 21, 2026
• ABC7 Los Angeles — Night 1 voting failure, scores and elimination

ABC Confirms Season 35 Runs Through Nov. 24 — With Disney Night Moving to Monday, Nov. 2

The theme-night roadmap now has an official broadcast-calendar wrinkle: one November episode leaves the show’s regular Tuesday slot.

ABC’s official viewing guide now confirms that Dancing with the Stars Season 35 continues through Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2026. It also confirms a one-week schedule change: the show will simulcast live on Monday, Nov. 2, instead of Tuesday, Nov. 3, before returning to Tuesdays on Nov. 10.

That Nov. 2 broadcast aligns with the Disney Night position announced in the season’s official theme-night sequence. The remaining roadmap therefore places Grammy Night on Nov. 10, the semifinals on Nov. 17 and the finale on Nov. 24. Week 5 on Oct. 13 remains the one theme slot not yet identified in the official theme announcement.

Sources

• ABC Support — official Season 35 live broadcast schedule through Nov. 24 and Nov. 2 Monday simulcast
• ABC/Disney Press — Viral Hits Night, Sept. 22

Adele Zaikman & Hailey Bills Stay in the Ballroom: Both First-Time Pros Move Into Season 35 Troupe Work

The premiere eliminated both of Season 35’s first-time celebrity-paired pros first. Their professional season, however, is not over.

Carrie Ann Inaba has addressed the unusual Week 1 result after Adele Zaikman and Hailey Bills became the first two professional dancers eliminated with their celebrity partners. Zaikman entered the flagship cast by winning Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro; Bills moved up after troupe work and the live tour. Inaba called the coincidence sad but framed it as part of their development, saying both dancers have significant potential.

The more important professional update is what happens next: reporting following the premiere says Zaikman and Bills will continue performing with the Season 35 troupe, keeping them inside the broadcast ecosystem even though Conner Leavitt and Sarah Jane Nader are out of the competition. That gives DMM’s Next Pro tracker its first concrete post-elimination data point.

Sources: E! News — Carrie Ann Inaba reacts to the two new pros’ Week 1 eliminations; Deseret News — Zaikman and Bills will join the Season 35 troupe after elimination; ABC — official Season 35 cast and pro lineup.

Witney Carson Pushes Back on Guillermo Rodriguez’s 10/30 — as He Commits to Learning the Paso Doble

The reigning Mirrorball-winning pro says two of Guillermo’s premiere scores were too harsh. More important for DMM’s development tracker: the contestant who initially wanted to go home now says he wants to learn and improve.

On the Dancing with the Stars Official Podcast, Witney Carson challenged the two 3s Guillermo Rodriguez received from Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli for his Night 1 cha-cha. The 10/30 total was the lowest score of the Season 35 premiere, but viewer support kept the pair in the competition.

Rodriguez also revealed that before the season began he repeatedly said he wanted to go home. Surviving Week 1 changed the assignment: he now says he wants to learn how to dance, practice and do better in Week 2. Carson said his rehearsal commitment has increased. Their next test is a Paso Doble on Viral Hits Night.

Sources: Comments were made on the Dancing with the Stars Official Podcast, which ABC identifies as the show’s official weekly podcast. People — Witney Carson on Guillermo Rodriguez’s scores, Sept. 19, 2026; Us Weekly — Guillermo on wanting to leave before the premiere and his Week 2 commitment, Sept. 18, 2026; ABC — Season 35 cast and Official Podcast information.

Derek Hough Explains the Premiere Solos: They Filled DWTS’ Live Vote-Tally Window

A viewer question about why Derek and Julianne Hough received showcase dances produced a useful look at how live DWTS television is built around the competition.

Derek Hough says the Hough siblings’ solo showcases during the two-night Season 35 premiere were used to fill roughly three minutes while the live vote was being tallied. With the competing professional dancers occupied with their celebrity partners, Julianne performed a Paris-themed jazz number on Night 1, while Derek danced a Paso Doble with Hayley Erbert Hough on Night 2.

Derek also clarified that his Paso Doble was newly choreographed for the television broadcast. It drew inspiration from material associated with the couple’s Symphony of Dance tour, but he said the ballroom number itself was created for the show.

Also on the pro desk: Emma Slater revealed a painful big-toe/nail injury after Week 1 but remains in competition with Jackson Olson. DMM has added her to Injury Watch alongside Giada De Laurentiis rather than treating the injury as a standalone breaking story.

Sources: Entertainment Weekly — Derek Hough explains the premiere showcases, Sept. 18, 2026; Entertainment Weekly — Emma Slater injury update, Sept. 18, 2026.

DWTS Week 2 Pairings Are Set: Viral Hits Night Puts Tango, Salsa and Cha-Cha Under the Spotlight

ABC has released the dance styles and music assignments for all 14 remaining couples ahead of the September 22 episode.

Tango: Amber Glenn & Pasha Pashkov; Ciara Miller & Brandon Armstrong; Julia Stiles & Ezra Sosa; Connor Wood & Rylee Arnold.

Cha-cha: Ezra Frech & Daniella Karagach; Taylor Hanson & Britt Stewart; Maura Higgins & Mark Ballas.

Salsa: Giada De Laurentiis & Alan Bersten; Tyler Cameron & Sharna Burgess.

Foxtrot: Tatyana Ali & Jan Ravnik; Jackson Olson & Emma Slater. Jive: Jenna Dewan & Val Chmerkovskiy. Viennese waltz: Harry Shum Jr. & Jenna Johnson. Paso doble: Guillermo Rodriguez & Witney Carson.

Notable music assignments include Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” for Tatyana Ali’s foxtrot, Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris” for Harry Shum Jr.’s Viennese waltz, KATSEYE’s “Animal” for Jenna Dewan’s jive, Teddy Swims’ “The Door” for Julia Stiles’ tango, and Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” for Maura Higgins’ cha-cha.

Verification: ABC released the Week 2 assignments for the September 22 Viral Hits Night. The full pairings were reported September 18 by Entertainment Weekly and Us Weekly.

DWTS Reveals the Season 35 Theme-Night Roadmap: Mariah Carey, Yacht Rock, Disney and More

The schedule now gives the professionals a map of the musical and storytelling constraints they will have to solve across the season.

The full Season 35 theme-night lineup was announced September 18 on the Official DWTS Podcast, hosted by Season 34 alumnus Andy Richter. Week 2 is Viral Hits, followed by Yacht Rock in Week 3 and Mariah Carey Night in Week 4. Week 5 remains TBA. The back half includes Dedication Night (Week 6), Horror Movie Night (Week 7), Disney Night (Week 8), Grammy Night (Week 9), the Semi-Finals (Week 10) and the Finale (Week 11).

Verification: The lineup was announced on the Official DWTS Podcast on Sept. 18 and reported as ABC’s Season 35 theme schedule by Us Weekly. Week 5 remains unannounced; DMM will not speculate on its theme.

Giada De Laurentiis Reveals She Danced the Season 35 Premiere With a Broken Toe

The injury DMM was already tracking as a bruised toe was more serious: De Laurentiis says Alan Bersten’s knee landed on her foot in rehearsal and broke her middle toe before her Night 2 tango.

De Laurentiis still performed the tango to Shocking Blue’s “Venus” on September 16 and received 16/30. Entertainment Weekly reports that she had been managing the injury with ice and Epsom salt for eight days. Bersten described his partner as a fighter for continuing through the pain.

Source: Entertainment Weekly — Giada De Laurentiis confirms broken toe, Sept. 18, 2026. DMM’s Sept. 15 rehearsal entry had previously documented the injury as a bruised toe based on reporting available at the time.

Maura Higgins Tops Night 2 With 21/30; Sarah Jane Nader & Hailey Bills Eliminated

The two-night Season 35 premiere is complete. Fourteen couples advance, and DMM now has a full opening-week scorecard.

Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas led the women’s premiere field with a 21/30 foxtrot to Alannah Myles’ “Black Velvet.” Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy followed with 19/30 for a tango to Blondie’s “Call Me,” while Amber Glenn with Pasha Pashkov and Julia Stiles with Ezra Sosa each earned 18/30.

The final three couples awaiting the result were Giada De Laurentiis and Alan Bersten, Sarah Jane Nader and Hailey Bills, and Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik. Sarah Jane Nader and Hailey Bills were eliminated after their 14/30 jive to Avril Lavigne’s “Sk8er Boi.” ABC News confirms that 14 couples remain after the two-night premiere.

Sources

• ABC News / Good Morning America — Season 35 elimination tracker, updated Sept. 16, 2026
• ABC7 / On The Red Carpet — Night 2 recap, scores, elimination and voting restoration, Sept. 17, 2026
• ABC/Disney Television Press — official premiere dances and songs

ABC Says the Season 35 Premiere Drew 6.67 Million Viewers — the Show’s Biggest Premiere Audience in Six Years

The first-night audience grew 24% from the Season 34 premiere, according to ABC’s release citing Nielsen preliminary panel data.

ABC reported 6.67 million total viewers for the September 15 Season 35 premiere, up 24% from 5.38 million for the Season 34 premiere. ABC also reported a 1.48 Adults 18–49 rating, up 40% year over year. The network described it as the show’s biggest premiere audience since Season 29 in 2020.

Source: ABC/Disney Television Press, Sept. 16, 2026. Figures are preliminary Live+Same Day panel measurements as specified by ABC.

Conner Leavitt & Adele Zaikman Eliminated After DWTS Online Voting Fails on Night 1

The first Season 35 result also became the first real test of the new premiere format — and of The Next Pro pipeline.

Conner Leavitt and new professional Adele Zaikman were eliminated at the end of the September 15 Season 35 premiere after scoring 12/30 for their salsa to “Whoomp! (There It Is).” Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson led the men’s field with 21/30 for their cha-cha to “Let’s Groove.”

The result came on a night when the show announced a failure of its online voting system. Viewers were directed to vote by text, and the online votes were not used for Night 1. ABC-owned coverage reported that the hosts nevertheless announced more than double the votes received for last season’s premiere, despite only eight couples competing on the first night.

Read the full DMM analysis →

Sources

• ABC/Disney Press — official Season 35 two-night premiere release
• ABC7 Los Angeles — Night 1 scores, voting failure and elimination

Season 35 Opens With Immediate Eliminations — Every First Dance Has Consequences

A two-night premiere splits the cast into separate men’s and women’s fields, and both nights end with someone going home.

Season 35 opens September 15 and 16, 2026, with the cast divided by night: male celebrities dance first, female celebrities follow on night two. One male and one female celebrity are eliminated during premiere week — the first premiere-week elimination format of this kind since 2018. Sixteen celebrity and professional partnerships are competing.

Mark Ballas publicly noted the unusual competitive dynamic created by splitting the cast into two separate fields. It is a real structural change: couples are no longer judged against the full season lineup on opening night, but against half of it.

Sources

• ABC/Disney Press — official two-night premiere release
• Entertainment Weekly — premiere elimination twist
• Entertainment Weekly — premiere schedule and how to watch

Related DMM coverage: Dancing with the Stars master guide  ·  Does prior dance experience win Season 35?

The Next Pro Returns to the Ballroom — But Only Adele Zaikman Has the Job

A reunion performance is exposure. A professional contract is employment. Season 35 is where that difference gets tested.

Adele Zaikman won the first season of Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro, and her prize was a professional position on Season 35. ABC’s Season 35 cast materials list her as Conner Leavitt’s professional partner — the contract is real and it is documented.

Premiere reporting also indicates that Zaikman, Allen Genkin, Selena Hamilton and Erik Linder prepared a reunion performance. DMM is not describing Genkin, Hamilton or Linder as newly hired Season 35 professionals. Appearing in a reunion number is not the same as being employed by the show, and unless ABC separately announces employment, this page will not blur the two.

Read the full DMM story →

Sources

• ABC/Disney Press — official Season 35 cast and pro partnerships
• ABC/Disney Press — The Next Pro
• Entertainment Weekly — The Next Pro crowns its first winner

Alfonso Ribeiro Sees Harry Shum Jr., Jenna Dewan and Julia Stiles as Early Season 35 Contenders

The host is naming names before a single score is read — and he has stood where these celebrities are standing.

Speaking around the 2026 Emmy period, Alfonso Ribeiro discussed Season 35 and singled out experienced performers he expects to be strong, naming Harry Shum Jr., Jenna Dewan and Julia Stiles, while also noting that other cast members have impressed him.

Treat this as preseason expectation, not evidence. Hosts see rehearsal footage and rehearsal footage flatters everyone. What it does establish is where the conversation starts: three contestants arrive already carrying a dance reputation.

Source

• Primetimer — Alfonso Ribeiro on Emmy recognition and Season 35

Related DMM coverage: Does prior dance experience win Season 35?  ·  Alfonso Ribeiro and Witney Carson, Season 19

Harry Shum Jr. Is the First Test of Season 35’s Dance-Experience Debate

Training gives a dancer a floor. The ballroom decides what it does not give him automatically.

Harry Shum Jr. is partnered with Jenna Johnson and brings substantial dance and choreography experience into the competition. He performs during the men’s premiere night; Jenna Dewan and Julia Stiles perform during the women’s night, which means the season’s most-discussed experience question opens on two separate evenings.

DMM has already laid out what previous training may give Harry. The premiere is where we start learning what it does not hand him — ballroom frame, partner connection under a judge’s eye, Latin hip action, and the specific discipline of dancing someone else’s choreography in a televised competition format.

Night 1 result: Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson danced a cha-cha to Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Let’s Groove” and received 7s from Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli for 21/30 — the highest judges’ total of the men’s premiere field. Inaba praised Harry’s electricity while cautioning against overexaggeration and emphasizing the required technique; Tonioli highlighted the partnership’s chemistry.

DMM checkpoint: the first evidence supports the distinction this tracker was built to test. Performance confidence and musicality transferred immediately; ballroom/Latin specificity remains the work.

Sources

• ABC/Disney Press — official Season 35 cast and pro partnerships
• Entertainment Weekly — premiere schedule

Related DMM coverage: Does prior dance experience win Season 35?

Head Bumps, Drops and a Bruised Toe: Season 35 Rehearsals Are Already Taking a Toll

Before the first score is read, the professionals are managing bodies that have never done this work before.

Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas bumped heads during rehearsal. Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess also knocked heads while working through a trick that involved a drop. Giada De Laurentiis sustained a bruised toe while preparing with Alan Bersten, and Ciara Miller has discussed significant soreness during training. Current reporting does not establish that any of these issues will prevent a couple from competing.

Sources

• Entertainment Weekly — rehearsal head bumps and drops
• Entertainment Weekly — Giada De Laurentiis injury
• E! News — Giada De Laurentiis toe injury

DWTS Opens Season 35 With Five Emmy Nominations and Renewed Industry Momentum

Recognition is context for the new season, not the headline of it.

Dancing with the Stars received five 2026 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Reality Competition Program — its first nomination in that major category in a decade. Alfonso Ribeiro publicly celebrated the recognition and emphasized the volume of work behind a live production.

Sources

• People — Alfonso Ribeiro on the DWTS Emmy recognition
• People — The Traitors wins Outstanding Reality Competition Program
• Disney+ — 2026 Emmy nominations guide