SPOILERS AHEAD (UP TO 10/7/25)

With glitter, pizzazz, and a sway of the hips, the newest season of “Dancing with the Stars” (DWTS) has begun. This year, the show enters its 34th season, with a new set of stars, a mostly familiar selection of pros, and the next prestigious Mirrorball trophy on the line. 

This year’s cast consists of fourteen couples, although the show has already eliminated three stars. Week two, “One-Hit Wonders Night,” saw two eliminations, with both NBA All-Star Baron Davis and actor Corey Feldman sent packing. However, neither elimination came as much of a shock. Davis was often stiff with his dancing or missed steps; additionally, his choreography did not give him many opportunities to showcase any hidden potential. And despite Feldman’s funkiness and groove, he tied for the lowest score on the premiere episode. Feldman was a little awkward with his movement and technique, specifically his frame and posture. 

In contrast and in a shock to many fans, week three, “TikTok Night,” sent Fifth Harmony’s Lauren Jauregui home. Though she found herself in the bottom at the end of episode three, tied with actor Andy Richter, Jauregui’s movement showcased room for improvement, and her experience with girl group Fifth Harmony gave many fans hope for her performance. In the end, her issues with technique seemed to outweigh any promise of that. It resulted in a large upset, especially considering that her ex-bandmates, Ally Brooke and Normani, were both finalists in their respective seasons. However, Jauregui’s run has been cut short after only three episodes. 

Alongside the elimination of these stars, their pros went with them. With Jauregui out, Brandon Armstrong is also out of the running for the Mirrorball — a shock considering his third place finish and strong performance last year. But even more shocking, Jenna Johnson is out alongside her partner Feldman. Last year, Johnson and her partner, Bachelor star Joey Graziadei, stole viewers’ hearts and left the season with the Mirrorball. And though it is the stars who serve as the show’s face, between their work choreographing and teaching, the DWTS pros are fighting just as hard for victory as the celebrities they dance alongside. For some fans, it is more grueling to see their favorite pros lose their shot than the stars. 

However, with at least seven weeks left, the pack of dancers remains, and there is still a lot of potential we have yet to see. 

Many fans have been raving about Robert Irwin’s recent performances. Irwin is the son of the late Steve Irwin, but he has also gained his own name as a conservationist, photographer, zookeeper, and now, dancer. For at least a year ahead of his DWTS debut, many viewers have been begging to see Irwin take the stage. Especially given that his sister, Bindi Irwin, gave a Mirrorball-winning performance back in season 21. 

Most fans wanted to see Irwin dance alongside 20-year-old pro Rylee Arnold, who finished last season in fourth place alongside Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik, a fan favorite. In August of 2025, Arnold told Access Hollywood that Irwin would be a dream DWTS partner, saying, “Robert, please join this season of ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ We need you over here.” Even later in August, before Arnold knew her partner for the season, Arnold said she would love to dance with Irwin. 

However, Irwin was paired with pro Witney Carson. And despite possible initial disappointment from fans, Irwin has nonetheless impressed viewers. He premiered with a score of 15 out of 20, which is quite high for a first dance, especially with professional dancer and judge Derek Hough calling it “possibly the best first dance [he] has ever seen,” earning him an eight from Hough. For the following two weeks, Irwin has scored 22 out of 30 on both his dances, consistently ranking fairly high amongst the other stars. His eagerness to learn, contagious optimism, and willingness to give his all make him an impressive competitor. 

Interestingly, this season also features two stars from “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt, partnered with Jan Ravnik and Mark Ballas. Though they both caused their own scandals “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” it is Leavitt who has stirred up the most controversy on DWTS. Leavitt graduated from Brigham Young University in 2018 with a degree in dance, so some fans are arguing she has too much experience to be a star. Yet Leavitt is in no way the first star to have dance experience. 

On this season alone, as a gymnast, Jordan Chiles has her own share of experience with rhythm and choreography, and actress Elaine Hendrix “started [her] career as a professional dancer.” Influencer and the wife of Alec Baldwin, Hilaria Baldwin, another star this season, also spent much of her life as a dancer before suffering a career-shortening injury. Additionally, past seasons have featured Broadway performers, more gymnasts, familiar Hollywood faces, and others with extensive dance experience.   

Further, ballroom dancing is an entirely different experience from the dancing many of these stars have done in the past. Even with ballet training or musical theater dance knowledge, ballroom dancing requires a different approach, focusing on footwork, style, and, of course, partnering. 

It is possible that part of the reason fans chose to target Leavitt’s experience in particular is the fact that it was not readily disclosed in the season’s premiere. While Hendrix and Baldwin’s previous dance careers were touched on, Leavitt’s was left ignored. The show summed her dance experience up to 15-second TikTok dances on “MomTok,” rather than the four-year dance degree she seemingly completed. However, it seems unfair to call out Leavitt in specific when there is nothing new about stars having dance experience. Even if she is doing really well, and her dance experience may be part of the reason why. 

Influencers Alix Earle and Dylan Efron, “Boy Meets World” star Danielle Fishel, and musician Scott Hoying complete the remaining set of contestants. Leavitt, Chiles, Affleck, and Irwin have been the highest-scoring stars across the three episodes so far. 

Although many fans have already selected their dream winner, it’s impossible to know what will happen. To stay updated, tune in every Tuesday at 7 p.m. CST, submit your fan votes, and stick around to see who leaves with this year’s Mirrorball.