“Dancing with the Stars” Season 34 Episode 1

Leaves are falling, the air is getting cooler, classes are back in full swing, and “Dancing with the Stars” is back on our screens with Season 34.

Season 33 left the iconic series more popular than ever, with winners Joey Graziadei and his partner Jenna Johnson capturing the hearts of America.

This season, the cast is absolutely stacked.

Season 34 opened with an upbeat dance from the pros. Hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro then introduced each couple as well as the judges.

Judge Carrie Ann Inaba announced early Tuesday morning that she would not be in attendance at the premiere due to illness. There was no replacement judge, making the stars’ scores out of 20 rather than 30.

Hough and Ribeiro then revealed that there would be no elimination this week.

Week one kicked off with each couple dancing to the star’s self-proclaimed anthem. Pro Ezra Sosa and Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles started the season off with a bang.

The gold-medalist danced a salsa to Beyoncé’s “Break My Soul” that showcased her gymnastic skills, earning the duo a 10 out of 20.

“Traitors” winner Dylan Efron joined the ballroom with his partner Daniella Karagoch.

The couple danced a cha-cha to “Milkshake” by Kelis, which featured a lot of hip thrusts and twerking, earning them a 10 out of 20 as well.

Elaine Hendrix, star of “The Parent Trap,” danced a cha-cha to “Woman” by Kesha. The 54-year-old actress shocked the judges with her performance quality and technique.

She and partner Alan Bersten included the iconic handshake from “The Parent Trap” in their dance and earned a 12 out of 20.

Next to hit the floor was one of two “Mormon Wives,” Whitney Levitt, with returning pro Mark Ballas.

The “MomTok” star danced a tango to “Golden” from “K-Pop Demon Hunters,” and if there’s one thing Ballas is going to do, it’s choreograph a stellar routine.

Judge Bruno Tonioli meant to give the reality star a seven, but locked in an eight instead, making her score a 15/20.

Another athlete hit the floor in retired NBA all-star Baron Davis. He performed a cha-cha to “Can’t Touch This” by MC Hammer, sporting ballroom-style parachute pants for the fun and playful dance.

He and his partner, Britt Stewart, earned a 10 out of 20 for their dance.

Mega-influencer Alix Earle was up next, dancing a fiery cha-cha with her partner Val Chmerkovskiy to Britney Spears’ “Circus.”

Fans were excited to see Alix take to the floor, given she was one of the stars who was revealed early. Her technique was shockingly great, earning them a 13 out of 20.

Pentatonix singer Scott Hoying chose “Abracadabra” by Lady Gaga as his anthem as he and partner Rylee Arnold performed a tango.

The Grammy-winning artist earned a 10 out of 20 for his performance, but he has strong potential in the competition.

Taking the floor next was “Boy Meets World” star Danielle Fishel and her partner Pasha Pashkov.

The duo danced a tango to “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” by Kelly Clarkson, as the actress stunned viewers with her talent, earning them a score of 12 out of 20.

The other half of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” Jen Affleck, then danced a salsa to “NuevaYol” by Bad Bunny.

She earned a 12 out of 20 with her partner, Jan Ravnik, who is a new pro joining Season 34 after accompanying Taylor Swift on “The Eras Tour” as a backup dancer.

Reigning mirrorball champ Johnson is paired with “The Goonies” star Corey Feldman. The actor chose “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” by Billy Joel as his anthem, dancing a tango, which earned them a nine out of 20.

Fifth Harmony member Lauren Jauregui was next to hit the floor with her partner Brandon Armstrong.

They tangoed to “yes, and?” by Ariana Grande and, once again, the singer showed off some surprising talent. The pair earned a 13 out of 20.

Actor and comedian Andy Richter danced next to “Hold On, I’m Coming” by Sam and Dave. He and partner Emma Slater scored a nine out of 20 for their cha-cha.

Hilaria Baldwin hit the dance floor with her partner, Gleb Savchenko. Given the star has ballroom experience, the couple earned a 14 for their Cha Cha to “Let’s Get Loud” by Jennifer Lopez.

Last, but certainly not least, was Robert Irwin.

He and partner Witney Carson were probably the most anticipated performance of the night, given that Irwin was the very first star to be revealed all the way back in April.

The duo danced a jive to “Born to be Wild” by Steppenwolf, and killed it. They earned a 15 out of 20 for their amazing performance, ending the night.

And just like that, the “Dancing with the Stars” Season 34 premiere came to a close.

Robert and Witney, and Whitney and Mark were left at the top of the leaderboard with totals of 15, while Corey and Jenna, and Andy, and Emma fell to the bottom of the leaderboard with nines.

Next week, the couples will dance to one-hit wonders with a dreadful double elimination to follow, so be sure to vote for your favorites. -Sarah Gavlak

Sarah Gavlak is a fourth-year majoring in telecommunications. To contact her, please email sng5393@psu.edu.