Tuesday night marked the return of Dancing With the Stars, with Season 35 kicking off its first night of competition. A total of 15 couples stepped onto the floor to chase the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. The opening eight performances delivered drama, surprise and backstage warmth that the cameras didn’t catch. DECIDER was there to see it happen, and these are the five observations from the audience that viewers at home may have overlooked.
Hanson Fans Turn Up the Decibels
Taylor Hanson, a member of the one-hit-wonder group Hanson alongside brothers Isaac and Zac, made a huge impression in the ballroom. Fans declared they “ride at dawn” for him this season, and online speculation suggests his supporters crashed ABC’s voting system mid-premiere. Inside the room, no dancer, pro or judge came close to matching the decibel level of Hanson’s fans.
Len Goodman himself would have approved of the quickstep, according to Carrie-Ann Inaba, and the other judges pointed to his potential as a contender. The judges all agreed that this particular contestant should not be overlooked as a Mirrorball Trophy hopeful.
Grey’s Anatomy Cast Shows Up for Shum Jr.
The real family of Harry Shum Jr., star of Glee and Crazy Rich Asians, joined him in the ballroom, with wife Shelby Rabara and their seven-year-old daughter Xia dressed in flapper attire. He also counted on the support of his Grey’s Anatomy co-stars, Adelaide Kane, Trevor Jackson and Chris Carmack, who sat just in front of the band on the right side of the stage.
James Pickens Jr. and Alexis Floyd were present at the DWTS premiere party in Hollywood on September 10, extending the Grey family’s involvement beyond the night’s broadcast. This marks a full television family following Harry and Jenna’s progress throughout the season.
Demi Engemann and Mikayla Matthews Return
Demi Engemann, who left The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives in the middle of Season 4, returned to the Disney family briefly on Monday alongside SLOMW stars Mayci Neeley and Mikayla Matthews. They showed up to support Conner and Whitney Leavitt, though ABC didn’t shout out their appearance as in Season 34. Social media users were tipped off by a TikTok featuring Whitney.
The show is losing two members: Mikayla has stepped away, and Mayci is unsure whether she will return. The signs point toward a possible new MomTok.
Whitney Leavitt Reunites With Mark Ballas
Whitney Leavitt and her Season 34 partner Mark Ballas caught sight of each other from across the room before filming began, and they rushed to embrace one another. The pair placed sixth last season and went on to star together in Chicago the Musical on Broadway, with Whitney taking the role of Roxie Hart and Ballas playing Billy Flynn.
The Leavitt family will probably be cheering on Mark and his new partner, Maura Higgins, during the second night of the premiere, since Conner Leavitt was eliminated in tears last season.
Ezra Frech Fixes His Prosthetic Mid-Package
Daniella Karagach and Paralympian gold medalist Ezra Frech earned a score of 20 out of 30 for their tango routine. Frech, who is an above-the-knee amputee, told viewers during his package about the unpredictability of working with his prosthetic, explaining that he has almost no control over the instrument, which could come loose at any moment.
Fans did not catch Ezra making last-second fixes to his left leg just moments before dancing to Kelly Clarkson’s “Since You Been Gone”. The routine proceeded without a hitch, and even with limited control over that limb, he quickly positioned himself among the front runners, leading the dance and sitting near the top of the scoreboard.
A comment on YouTube stated: “For the first time in my life while seeing Daniella dance with a partner, I watched the person she was dancing with instead of having my eyes glued on her the entire time. Can’t wait to see Ezra’s journey on this show.”
What Night Two Brings
The second episode of Dancing With the Stars Season 35 premieres Wednesday, September 16, at 8 p.m. local on ABC and Hulu. That night, Maura Higgins takes the floor with Mark Ballas for her first-ever dance.
If you’re just getting started with Hulu, the base plan costs $11.99 a month, which comes with advertisements. Moving up to the version without ads raises the cost to $18.99 a month. For an even better value, DECIDER points to subscribing to one of the Disney+ bundles as the recommended path.
The Ballroom’s Unseen Drama
| Couple | Role | What We Missed |
|---|---|---|
| Taylor Hanson | Contestant | Fan decibel levels |
| Harry Shum Jr. | Contestant | Grey’s Anatomy co-stars present |
| Demi Engemann | Supporter | TikTok tip-off |
| Whitney Leavitt | Contestant | Season 34 reunion with Mark Ballas |
| Ezra Frech | Contestant | Prosthetic adjustment |
Key Facts Box
– Season: Dancing With the Stars Season 35
– Couples competing: 15
– First episode aired: Tuesday night, with eight performances broadcast
– Second episode: Wednesday, September 16, at 8 p.m. local on ABC and Hulu
– Maura Higgins’ first dance: Wednesday night with Mark Ballas
– Hulu base plan: $11.99 per month (ad-supported)
– Hulu ad-free plan: $18.99 per month
The opening night proved that the dance floor remains a spot where total strangers shout with delight, families come together, and former partners run into each other once more. No matter if the suspense endures or evaporates, the next episode has already been set aside to deliver the same kind of spectacle.
Before you keep watching, know this: the following contains spoilers from the first episode of Dancing With the Stars Season 35, which is currently available to stream on Hulu and Disney+.
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