Tonight on ABC Dancing With The Stars returns with an all new Monday September 15, Season 19 premiere. After months of waiting the glitz and glitter finally returns to the ballroom with a new judge, new contestants and a fresh show format. On tonight’s two-hour season premiere the show will kick off with a spectacular live opening number featuring the entire cast and judges. Each couple will then perform a Cha Cha, Foxtrot or Jive, vying for America’s vote for the first time.
The contestants competing this season and their professional partners are: Jonathan Bennett & Allison Holker; Tommy Chong & Peta Murgatroyd; Randy Couture & Karina Smirnoff; Betsey Johnson & Tony Dovolani; Lolo Jones & Keo Motsepe; Bethany Mota & Derek Hough; Janel Parrish & Valentin Chmerkovskiy; Alfonso Ribeiro & Witney Carson; Sadie Robertson & Mark Ballas; Antonio Sabato JR. & Cheryl Burke; Tavis Smiley & Sharna Burgess; Lea Thompson & Artem Chigvintsev and Michael Waltrip & Emma Slater.
On tonight’s episode the new contestants will be dancing either a Cha Cha, Foxtrot or Jive and we have the dance assignments for you ahead of the premiere. Jive: Alfonso & Whitney; Jonathan & Allison; Bethany & Derek and Janel & Val. Cha Cha Cha: Antonio & Cheryl; Sadie & Mark; Betsey & Tony; Lolo & Keo; Michael & Emma and Tommy & Peta. Foxtrot: Randy & Karina; Tavis & Sharna and Lea & Artem.
Tune in tonight at 8 PM EST on ABC to watch the stars all hit the ball room. We’ll be recapping it for you live right here. In the meantime hit up our comments section and tell us who you are already rooting for!
Antonio Sabato JR. & professional dancer Cheryl Burke dancing the Cha Cha.
Judges Comments: Len: “It’s obvious you have dancing in your blood, but not in your footwork, but well done. ” Julianne: “Beautiful smile, but a little flat footed, although I loved your hand extensions.” Bruno: “You are bulging in all the right places, the content was good and I have no complaints regarding your hip action.” Carrie Ann: “You are incredibly hot, not bring it all on to a sexy hot dance next time.”
SCORES: Carrie Ann: 6 Len: 6 Julianne: 6 Bruno: 7
TOTAL 25/40
Lea Thompson & professional dancer Artem Chigvintsev dancing the Fox Trot.
Judges Comments: Julianne: “That was so beautiful, your lines were spectacular. You guys are beautiful.” Bruno: we could have a blockbuster here in our hands, your figures and quality of movement is exquisite.” Carrie Ann: “I thought that was one of the best first Fox Trots that I have ever seen.” Len: “It was great, your future is rosy because that was well done.”
SCORES: Carrie Ann : 8 Len: 8 Julianne: 8 Bruno: 8
TOTAL 32/40
Janel Parrish & professional dancer Valentin Chmerkovskiy dancing the Jive.
Judges Comments: Bruno: “A naughty naughty girl, I thought I was seeing JLo, it was sexy. You still have to polish jive, but I loved it.” Carrie Ann: “You had fearsome courage, Val just needs to control it.” Len: “It was sharp and clean, plenty of snap and a great job overall.” Julianne: “Week one to do jive is cruel, it was raw and sexy.”
SCORES: Carrie Ann: 7 Len: 7 Julianne: 7 Bruno: 8
TOTAL 29/40
Lolo Jones & professional dancer Keo Motsepe dancing the Cha Cha.
Judges Comments: Carrie Ann: “Lolo, truthfully that was more lie a no no. It is so hard to get out here and do this.” Len: “You lost your way during the beginning, don’t get down on yourself.” Julianne: “You picked it back up, it is really hard, work on your fluidity.” Bruno: “As they say in Frozen, let it go. You messed it up, you will come back next week.”
SCORES: Carrie Ann: 6 Len: 6 Julianne: 5 Bruno:5
TOTAL 22/40
Betsey Johnson & professional dancer Tony Dovolani dancing the Cha Cha.
Judges Comments: Len: “You were enjoying it so much, it was very entertaining.” Julianne: “You are flexible and awesome.” Bruno: “You went with gusto, but it went wrong.” Carrie Ann: no comment.
SCORES: Carrie Ann: 5 Len: 5 Julianne: 5 Bruno: 5
TOTAL 20/40
Tavis Smiley & professional dancer Sharna Burgess dancing the Fox Trot.
Judges Comments: Julianne: “I have to give you a z snap, that was awesome. You were comfortable, I am so glad you decided to do this.” Bruno: “You are a ray of sunshine, I loved the comedic touches, just watch your arms.” Carrie Ann: “I like watching you dance, you are a natural mover that is going to grow and grow.” Len: “You are nifty for fifty, just need to work on your footwork, it was fun and great.”
SCORES: Carrie Ann: 7 Len: 7 Julianne: 8 Bruno: 7
TOTAL 29/40
Sadie Robertson & professional dancer Mark Ballas dancing the Cha Cha.
Judges Comments: Bruno: “It was sexy, I loved it”. Carrie Ann: “Your lines are gorgeous everything was great.” Len: “That was fantastic. I love the way you place your hands, it was really lovely.” Julianne: “It was like the real Footloose, you are the entire package.
SCORES: Carrie Ann: 8 Len: 8 Julianne: 9 Bruno: 9
TOTAL 34/40
Michael Waltrip & professional dancer Emma Slater dancing the Cha Cha.
Judges Comments: Carrie Ann: “I think you were fantastic and fun.” Len: “The engine was running, but you never got out of first gear. It was too tight and too swinging along.” Julianne: “That was awesome, you looked like you had so much fun.” Bruno: “You looked like a golf cart trying to keep up with a Ferrari.”
SCORES: Carrie Ann: 7 Len: 6 Julianne: 6 Bruno: 6
TOTAL 25/40
Jonathan Bennett & professional dancer Allison Holker dancing the Jive.
Judges Comments: Len “You have great potential”. Julianne: “Great potential, over all good.” Carrie Ann: “I was blown away, your kicks were great”. Bruno: no comment.
SCORES: Carrie Ann: 8 Len: 7 Julianne: 7 Bruno: 8
TOTAL 30/40
Tommy Chong & professional dancer Peta Murgatroyd dancing the Cha Cha Cha.
Judges Comments: Julianne: “I thought I liked older man, but this is a whole new level, this is sexy.” Bruno: “I have to be honest, I wasn’t expecting cool grandpa.” Carrie Ann: “That was fantastic, you know you are good and so cool, you killed it.” Len: “Your performance loomed like a performance at the dentist, I enjoyed it, well done.”
SCORES: Carrie Ann: 7 Len: 6 Julianne: 7 Bruno: 7
TOTAL 27/40
Randy Couture & professional dancer Karina Smirnoff dancing the Fox Trot.
Judges Comments: Bruno: “You were like hot couture, it was absolutely wonderful, you just need to lighten your feet.” Carrie Ann: “I got a little weak in the knees, you were sexy out there, you were fluid and poetic.” Len: “It was dandy randy, I love the song, it was lovely, well done.” Julianne: “You are making me randy, honestly you are the kind of man I want in my life.”
SCORES: Carrie Ann: 8 Len: 7 Julianne: 8 Bruno: 8
TOTAL 31/40
Bethany Mota & professional dancer Derek Hough dancing the Jive.
Judges Comments: Carrie Ann: “I was surprised, when you are in motion, it is fantastic.” Len: “You are going to be here for a long time.” Julianne: “You could use a little more energy in your in between moments.” Bruno: “Huge on the web and pretty good on the dance floor as well. You need to glow better, but you were wonderful.”
SCORES: Carrie Ann: 8 Len: 8 Julianne: 8 Bruno: 8
TOTAL 32/40
Alfonso Ribeiro & professional dancer Witney Carson dancing the Jive.
Judges Comments: Len: “It was a beautiful routine, the best dance so far tonight”. Julianne: “I loved the musicality, unbelievable, great.” Bruno: “What a number, what a show, you are the prince of Belair.” Carrie Ann: “You raised the stakes my friend, excellent.”
SCORES: Carrie Ann: 9 Len: 9 Julianne: 9 Bruno: 9
TOTAL 37/40
The end.