The Dancing With the Stars season 34 premiere threw Us a few curveballs as the latest group of celebs and pros officially hit the ballroom floor.
The first shakeup came hours before the Tuesday, September 16, broadcast began, with judge Carrie Ann Inaba revealing via social media that she wouldn’t be part of the first episode due to illness. Cohosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough addressed Inaba’s absence following the group number that opened the show.
“That’s how to set of a new season of Dancing With the Stars! … It’s great to have all of you at home joining us in the ballroom and wonderful to see our judges. Well, two of them,” Ribeiro, 53, said. “Carrie Ann is under the weather and hopes to be back with us next week.”
Olympian Jordan Chiles and pro Ezra Sosa kicked off the competition on the right foot with a high-energy salsa set to a Beyoncé hit. “It’s totally different when you’re flipping on a four-inch piece of wood than trying to partner dance,” Chiles admitted in her rehearsal package, “but I’m ready for it.”
How ‘DWTS’ Addressed Carrie Ann Inaba’s Season 34 Premiere Absence
Judge Derek Hough praised Chiles’ “fantastic” flips and tricks, but he also told the pair to “keep the integrity” of Latin dance in the future. The former pro later delivered a PSA about how dances will be scored this season.
“The scoring tonight, just be mindful, it might be a little lower than you’re expecting because there’s a long way to go,” he explained. “This is a marathon. We want to give you guys room to grow.”
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET. Scroll down for a complete breakdown of each couple’s scores from the season 34 premiere:
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