It’s the event we’ve all been waiting for: Dancing with the Stars premiered live on ABC and Disney+ for its 32 season on Tuesday, Sept. 26 and made shockwaves in the best way possible. Here is the comprehensive breakdown you’ve definitely been waiting to for since last year:
After last year’s winner, Charli D’Amelio, was the least surprising person to take home the mirror ball trophy since I’ve started religiously watching the show, I’ve entered this season with cautious optimism. But in a positive turn of events, the premiere well surpassed my expectations.
To start, the only new pro dancer this year is 18-year-old Rylee Arnold, who is not only following in her older sister Lindsay Arnold’s footsteps as a member of the show, but is the youngest pro dancer to compete in the history of “Dancing with the Stars”, with Rylee being born only five days after the show first hit the silver screen in 2005.
Though Arnold and her partner, Too Hot to Handle’s Harry Jowsey, certainly have their work cut out for them after receiving all fours across the board, it was refreshing to see a non-dancer stepping out onto the floor. The team only received a score of 12 out of a possible 30 points overall, but they definitely have potential. One of my biggest criticisms last year was that there was a lack of non-dancer stars. Though the lack of natural talent this year received overall lower scores from judges, it was almost more entertaining than watching trained dancers take the floor, and I appreciated it as an audience member.
Though the lack of natural talent this year received overall lower scores from judges, it was almost more entertaining than watching trained dancers take the floor, and I appreciated it as an audience member.
— Rachel Olefson '25
In terms of who’s most likely to win the newly renamed Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, I think that two teams are clear contenders. The first is singer-songwriter Jason Mraz and partner Daniella Karagach, who won in season 30. The two seemed super comfortable with each other dancing a cha-cha to Mraz’s own song, “I Feel Like Dancing”, and received a hat trick of straight sevens from the judges.
The next likely pair of winners is made up of “Vanderpump Rules’’ Ariana Madix and her partner Pasha Pashkov. The two danced a tango to “Love Myself (Riddler Remix)” by Hailee Steinfeld as an homage to a recent scandal in which Madix’s husband, Tom Sandoval, cheated on her with their co-star Raquel Leviss. To start, the performance was full of technique and a massive demonstration of the pair’s potential this season. But the best part of all was Madix’s costume, which was a near exact replica of her revenge dress that she wore following the scandal. This team has something to prove and I’m loving every minute of it. Ariana and Pasha also received a score of 21.
Overall, this season is shaping up to be one of the best in recent years, and I’m excited to see who comes out on top in the end. So far, it seems like the contestants this year are all pining for a win!
