It’s that time of year again to grab your sequins and your salsa shoes! That’s right, the Dancing with the Stars premiere is tonight and we are so excited about this season!
This season, we (Heather and Maddison) are going to give you our thoughts on the contestants and their cha cha! So let’s get right to it!
(ABC/Eric McCandless)
Calvin Johnson Jr. and Lindsay Arnold
It’s always the football players who come out and surprise us at the Dancing with the Stars premiere! Calvin Johnson Jr. has a smile that shines for miles! It lights up the whole room. I feel like with his personality, Lindsay and Calvin can go very far — even with his size 15 shoes! Which apparently get in the way!
Their routine was fun and youthful showing his personality to the fullest. Even his sister didn’t know he had it in him!
As the judges said, he does need a bit of work, but I have no doubt he is ready for the tough challenge he is up against!
James Hinchcliffe and Sharna Burgess
Let’s start with Sharna and James and their killer fox trot to “Live Life.” I’ll admit I wasn’t expecting much from James, but he completely surprised me. He was entertaining, sharp in his movements, and rocked that head to toe turquoise suit like it was his racing uniform.
With Sharna’s creative choreography and James’s competitive drive, I think these two will be shaking and baking all over the dance floor. Len said “You knocked me out James!” While Julianne says that we all need to keep an eye on him.
(ABC/Eric McCandless)
Amber Rose and Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Mother Muva could have went two completely different ways. She could have bombed completely or put her former “dancing girl” ways to use and surprised us all. Normally sporting leather and a sexier ensemble of clothing, tonight she looked like a beautiful princess, dazzling in hundreds of crystals.
It seemed as though the model and talk show host was a bit out of her element on the dance floor, but as we learned from Erin Andrews, she went blank midway through the routine. We’ll blame it on the first-time jitters and hopefully Amber can open up to the world and show her big personality!
The judges continued their pattern staying fairly consistent in the scoring tonight giving the pair four sixes.
Rob “Vanilla Ice” VanWinkle and Whitney Carson
Oh Em Gee. This made my night. I mean how could Vanilla Ice be on Dancing with the Stars and not do a cha cha cha to his famous song? I know there has been a lot of chatter on this very topic — should he do it first to get it out of the way, you know, in case he’s booted off. Or do they make America wait for it, forcing them to vote them each week. I think Rob and Whitney got it spot on tonight using it to their advantage.
Technicality aside, Whitney did an outstanding job choreographing this routine. Not even born yet when the song was popular in the 90’s, she nailed it right on the head. I definitely believe this secured his place for at least another week. After that, Ice needs to work on the technicality.
Laurie Hernandez and Val Chmerkovskiy
Of course we saved the best for last! Every year, Dancing with the Stars premiere has that one couple that you already know will have staying power. This year, that couple is Laurie and Val.
The couple’s energetic cha cha to “American Girl” was spectacular. I think I speak for America here when I say this routine could have not come at a more perfect time in the show. Laurie and Val’s number ended the night on a high note, after a Ryan Lochte protestor made quite the scene and put everyone on edge.
(ABC/Eric McCandless)
Nicknames the human emoji, Lauries’s bright smile, insane precision, and all-around fun attitude made this dance so much fun to watch. I think Laurie and Val are a force to be reckoned with on the dance floor.
Even saying “For the Olympics I trained 11-years for it. So this is kind of like my congratulations job after it. I’m just trying to enjoy it. You have to love her innocent honesty. She is so cute!
Val also wants to do his best to make sure she succeeds. He knows she is eager to learn and dance her way to a win. I think if the 16-year-old Olympic Gold Medalist’s first routine is any indication of how she will dance throughout the season, she will be setting the mirrorball trophy next to her gold medal on her mantel.
Well that wraps up Dancing with the Stars premiere for season 23! What were your favorite moments? Tweet us @PopHeartsTV or our personal Twitters below. Until next week, just keep dancing!
