Dancing with the Stars Season 35 is premiering on Tuesday, September 15, but fans will only see half of this season’s celebrity contestants take the dance floor on opening night. For the first time in several years, the ABC and Disney+ competition is switching up its premiere format with a two-night launch.
The 16 celebrity contestants and their professional partners will be divided between Tuesday and Wednesday’s episodes. And there is another major twist: two celebrities will be eliminated during premiere week.
Here’s everything to know about the Dancing with the Stars Season 35 premiere, including the new format, voting rules, eliminations, cast and how to watch.
Why Is Dancing With The Stars Season 35 Premiere Split Across Two Nights?
The Season 35 premiere will take place across Tuesday, September 15, and Wednesday, September 16. Instead of having all 16 couples perform during one opening episode, the show will divide them into two groups.
On Tuesday night, the eight male celebrities will perform with their professional partners. Their routines will be performed to a No. 1 song from the year they were born. The eight female celebrities will then perform on Wednesday night under the same theme. Both episodes will run for two hours. Professional dancer Witney Carson acknowledged that the format is a major change for the show. “We haven’t done this before,” Carson told Today.com.
Are Two Contestants Being Eliminated During The DWTS Season 35 Premiere?
Yes. The biggest twist may be what happens at the end of each episode. One male celebrity will be eliminated after Tuesday’s show, while one female celebrity will be eliminated after Wednesday’s episode. That means two contestants will leave Dancing with the Stars during premiere week.
The show has used a similar male-and-female elimination format before. The last time both a male and female celebrity were eliminated during premiere week was Season 26 in 2018, although that season had a much shorter run and featured only athletes. Carson admitted that the early eliminations make the new format particularly nerve-racking.
“I think it’s very scary that there’s an elimination both nights because that usually doesn’t happen,” she told Today.com.
How Will Voting Work During The Dancing With The Stars Premiere?
Fans will still have an opportunity to influence who stays in the competition. However, voting will work differently because the contestants are divided between the two nights. Viewers can vote during both premiere episodes, but they can only vote for the celebrities performing that particular night.
The audience votes will then be combined with the judges’ scores to determine which contestants are in jeopardy. One male celebrity will ultimately be eliminated Tuesday, while one female celebrity will be sent home Wednesday.
Who Performs On Tuesday During The DWTS Season 35 Premiere?
The eight male celebrities scheduled to perform on Tuesday are:
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Reality TV star Tyler Cameron with Sharna Burgess
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Paralympian Ezra Frech with Daniella Karagach
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Singer Taylor Hanson with Britt Stewart
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Reality TV star Conner Leavitt with Adele Zaikman
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Baseball player and influencer Jackson Olson with Emma Slater
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Jimmy Kimmel Live! star Guillermo Rodriguez with Witney Carson
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Actor Harry Shum Jr. with Jenna Johnson
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Influencer and comedian Connor Wood with Rylee Arnold
Their first routines will follow the premiere’s No. 1-song theme.
Who Performs On Wednesday During Dancing With The Stars?
The eight female celebrities will take the ballroom floor on Wednesday.
They are:
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Reality TV star Maura Higgins with Mark Ballas
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Actress Julia Stiles with Ezra Sosa
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Reality TV star Sarah Jane Nader with Hailey Bills
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Reality TV star Ciara Miller with Brandon Armstrong
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Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn with Pasha Pashkov
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Actress Jenna Dewan with Val Chmerkovskiy
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Celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis with Alan Bersten
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Actress Tatyana Ali with Jan Ravnik
Like Tuesday’s contestants, they will perform to a No. 1 song from the year they were born. One female celebrity will be eliminated at the end of the night.
Who Is In The Dancing With The Stars Season 35 Cast?
The full Season 35 lineup features 16 celebrities from television, film, music, reality TV, sports and social media. The cast includes The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star Tatyana Ali, actress Julia Stiles, Step Up star Jenna Dewan, Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn, singer Taylor Hanson and celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis.
Reality TV names include Maura Higgins, Ciara Miller, Sarah Jane Nader, Tyler Cameron and Conner Leavitt. The lineup also features Paralympian Ezra Frech, actor Harry Shum Jr., Guillermo Rodriguez, Jackson Olson and Connor Wood.
When Does Dancing With The Stars Season 35 Premiere And How Can You Watch?
Dancing with the Stars Season 35 premieres on Tuesday, September 15, followed by the second premiere episode on Wednesday, September 16. Both episodes air at 7 p.m. MDT on ABC and Disney+. The episodes will also become available on Hulu the following day.
