The Season 35 premiere of Dancing With the Stars delivered plenty of memorable moments as eight male celebrities took the ballroom floor on September 15. Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson quickly stood out, earning 21/30 and finishing at the top of the leaderboard. Harry’s extensive dance background had already sparked discussion before the premiere, with viewers debating whether experienced performers have an advantage over celebrities learning ballroom for the first time. Carrie Ann Inaba has explained that experience in styles such as jazz or hip-hop does not automatically translate to ballroom, which requires different technique, posture and movement. Still, Harry’s polished performance immediately made him one of the names fans were watching closely.

But the night was about more than the top score. Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach finished just one point behind Harry and Jenna with 20/30, and their routine generated an especially enthusiastic response from viewers. The Paralympic gold medalist brought a unique challenge to the ballroom, adapting his movement and balance while dancing with a prosthetic leg. Meanwhile, Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson received only 10/30, placing them at the bottom of the judges’ leaderboard, but Guillermo’s personality quickly won attention. After their dance, he praised pregnant Witney, saying women can do anything, and some fans said the heartfelt comment earned their support. The voting system also faced technical issues, with online votes from the first night not counting. When the elimination arrived, Conner Leavitt and Adele Zaikman were sent home despite scoring higher than Guillermo. The result showed that the judges’ numbers were only part of the story, as fan reactions and voting could completely change the outcome.