Dancing with the Stars Season 35 Premieres With Split Gender Format, Double Elimination

Dancing with the Stars returned for its 35th season on September 15 with a special two-night premiere event on ABC and Disney+. The format split the 16 celebrity contestants by gender, with eight male celebrities performing on Tuesday and eight female celebrities scheduled for Wednesday. Each couple danced to a No. 1 song from the year the celebrity was born.

The Tuesday premiere featured male contestants including Paralympic gold medalist Ezra Frech, Bachelorette alumnus Tyler Cameron, Savannah Bananas baseball player Jackson Olson, Hanson band member Taylor Hanson, Grey's Anatomy actor Harry Shum Jr., Jimmy Kimmel Live! correspondent Guillermo Rodriguez, and comedian Connor Wood. Harry Shum Jr. earned the night's highest score of 21/30 from judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough, while Ezra Frech scored 20/30. At the end of Tuesday's performances, Conner Leavitt, who was partnered with new pro Adele Zaikman, was eliminated.

The Wednesday lineup includes actress Julia Stiles, celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis, Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn, Jenna Dewan, Tatyana Ali, Ciara Miller, Maura Higgins, and Sarah Jane Nader. Wednesday will feature the elimination of one female contestant. This marks the first time in years that the season premiere has featured a double elimination format, raising the stakes from the season's opening week.

Adele Zaikman made her professional debut after winning the inaugural season of Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro on August 31. Longtime pro Sharna Burgess returned this season for the first time since season 30 in 2021, while Hailey Bills made her debut as a pro after previously serving in the Troupe. Co-hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough returned to lead the competition, which airs Tuesday evenings at 8 p.m. ET. Voting combined with judges' scores determines eliminations, with episodes streaming the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.