Executive Overview
The landmark thirty-fifth season of ABC’s flagship reality competition series, Dancing with the Stars (DWTS), kicked off with its trademark glitz, high-stakes drama, and immediate controversy on September 15. Known for setting the standard in celebrity ballroom dance competitions, the season premiere instantly reminded both contestants and viewers that the road to the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy is paved with intense scrutiny and unsparing critiques.
At the center of the opening night’s discourse was seasoned professional dancer Emma Slater and her celebrity partner, Savannah Bananas baseball star Jackson Olson. Tasked with the daunting assignment of opening the entire live season premiere, the duo performed a high-energy Cha Cha to the Spice Girls’ iconic anthem “Wannabe.” Despite bringing infectious enthusiasm to the dance floor, Slater and Olson were met with what many fans—and Slater herself—characterized as "stingy" scores from the judges’ panel, consisting of Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough.
Earning a total of 15 points, the pair landed near the bottom of the leaderboard for the evening. However, rather than letting the harsh numbers dampen their spirits, Slater and Olson adopted a resilient attitude. In an exclusive post-show interview with E! News’ Will Marfuggi, Slater addressed the judges’ stringent grading curve during premiere episodes, emphasizing that growth, rather than perfection out of the gate, remains the ultimate objective. Meanwhile, the night ultimately proved bittersweet for The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Conner Leavitt and his partner Adele Zaikman, who made DWTS history as the season’s first eliminated couple after securing a mere 12 points.
Detailed Chronology of the Premiere Night
The evening of September 15 unfolded with the breathless pacing characteristic of a live television broadcast. Anticipation for Season 35 had reached a fever pitch months in advance, fueled by an eclectic casting roster that blended reality TV titans, Olympic athletes, legacy pop icons, and internet personalities.
As the red light on the primary camera blinked on, the tension inside the ballroom was palpable. Showrunner expectations were explicitly stated by judge Derek Hough prior to the broadcast. Warning the audience and the cast alike, Hough noted that the milestone thirty-fifth season carried unprecedented expectations. "You’re gonna have to earn every single point, so don’t be surprised at where those scores land tonight—that’s all I’m saying," Hough cautioned.
Opening the Show: The Pressure Cooker
Stepping out first to break the ice for the entire cast were Jackson Olson and Emma Slater. For Olson, an athlete accustomed to high-pressure athletic environments with the viral baseball exhibition team the Savannah Bananas, translating diamond athleticism to the ballroom floor proved to be a psychological hurdle.
Reflecting on the moments leading up to his live television debut, Olson candidly admitted to the intense, compounding anxiety of the performance order. "I was definitely more nervous within the last five minutes before we went on," Olson confessed. "I wasn’t nervous from six minutes, and then this morning I wasn’t nervous at all. Then that pre-show hit? I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh.’"
"This is it," Olson exclaimed regarding opening the night. "We’re opening the show too, so I feel like once we’re not opening the show—if we don’t open the show next week—the nerves will be down."
Executing their Cha Cha to "Wannabe," Olson displayed natural rhythm and showmanship, but technical precision—a hallmark of Inaba, Tonioli, and Hough’s scoring criteria—fell short of early-season excellence. The judges responded with a combined score of 15 points, placing them squarely in the lower tier of the premiere night standings.
The Rest of the Leaderboard and the First Elimination
As the night progressed, other couples faced similar, if slightly more forgiving, scoring metrics. Leading the charge at the top of the leaderboard were actor Harry Shum Jr. and his professional partner Jenna Johnson, who dazzled the judges to secure an impressive 21 points, showcasing advanced musicality and fluid execution.
Conversely, the bottom of the leaderboard became a zone of immediate peril. Conner Leavitt and Adele Zaikman struggled to find their footing in the ballroom, earning a night-low score of 12 points. In a brutal reminder of the competition’s unforgiving nature, the cumulative voting and scoring system resulted in Leavitt and Zaikman becoming the first casualty of Season 35, cementing an abrupt end to their ballroom journey.
Despite the heavy atmosphere of elimination, co-host Julianne Hough stepped in to provide a calming presence for the visibly shaken celebrity cast. Urging the competitors to maintain perspective, Julianne assured everyone: "Nobody should be freaking out just yet."
Supporting Context & Metrics: Decoding the "Premiere Curse"
To fully understand Emma Slater’s reaction to the judges’ scoring, one must examine the historical trends of Dancing with the Stars. Seasoned pros and long-time viewers are well-acquainted with the phenomenon often referred to in fan communities as the "premiere penalty" or "stingy scoring."
Historical Scoring Patterns on Dancing with the Stars
Historically, judges on dance competition formats reserve their highest marks—tens and high nines—for the latter half of the season, when technique, stamina, and emotional connection have matured. During premiere episodes, the scoring spectrum is heavily compressed. Judges typically award scores ranging from 5 to 7 to establish a clear baseline. This leaves room for the visible narrative arc that reality television producers and audiences crave: improvement, transformation, and ultimate redemption.
When Derek Hough warned of elevated expectations for Season 35, he was signaling a shift toward even tighter technical judging. With thirty-four prior seasons under its belt, the production team recognizes that contemporary audiences are more sophisticated in their understanding of dance terminology, frame, footwork, and choreography than they were during the show’s inception in 2005.
Statistical Overview of the Season 35 Premiere
- Total Couples Competing: 16 celebrity-pro pairings.
- Top Scoring Couple: Harry Shum Jr. & Jenna Johnson (21 points).
- Emma Slater & Jackson Olson Score: 15 points (Third lowest of the night).
- Lowest Scoring Couple: Conner Leavitt & Adele Zaikman (12 points—Eliminated).
- Scoring Range: Compressed primarily between 12 and 21 points across the board.
Official Statements and Behind-the-Scenes Reactions
The real drama of Dancing with the Stars frequently transpires off the dance floor, in the moments immediately following the live broadcast when participants process their critiques.
Emma Slater’s Strategic Perspective
Emma Slater, a veteran professional whose tenure on the show has earned her a reputation as a resilient and strategic competitor, maintained a remarkably grounded outlook. Speaking exclusively with E! News correspondent Will Marfuggi, Slater contextualized the evening’s numerical outcomes.
“Going first, the judges like to give kind of stingy scores, and I totally understand that,” Slater stated. “But now we’ve really got to show the growth, and we will absolutely.”
Slater’s perspective highlights the psychological management required of professional partners. Guiding a celebrity who has never danced professionally requires shielding them from discouragement while simultaneously pushing them to absorb harsh technical feedback. By normalizing the low scores as a standard industry practice for first-position performers, Slater effectively reframed a negative outcome as a motivating challenge.
Jackson Olson’s Forward-Looking Optimism
For Jackson Olson, the transition from professional athletics to prime-time entertainment represents a massive leap out of his comfort zone. Yet, his athletic background has clearly instilled a competitive resilience.
Rather than expressing frustration over the 15-point total, Olson focused on the structural advantages of future weeks, particularly avoiding the dreaded first-slot performance order.
"I hope that we can up those scores in the following weeks," Olson told E! News.
His willingness to acknowledge his pre-show panic—specifically noting how sudden the onset of performance anxiety was—humanized the athlete for viewers at home, many of whom empathized with the sheer terror of performing live in front of millions of television viewers.
The Judges’ Defense
While fans and contestants occasionally chafe at low numbers, the judges maintain that their rigorous standards protect the integrity of the competition. Derek Hough’s pre-show comments underscored that Season 35 will tolerate no coasting on raw popularity alone. With an extraordinary lineup of diverse talent—ranging from Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn to Love Island UK alum Maura Higgins—the margin for error is razor-thin.
Future Outlook: What Lies Ahead for Season 35
As the dust settles on an explosive premiere, the landscape of Season 35 of Dancing with the Stars is already shifting. The elimination of Conner Leavitt serves as a stark warning to remaining contestants that fanbases alone cannot save a couple if performance quality stagnates.
Navigating the Competition Moving Forward
For Emma Slater and Jackson Olson, the path forward requires tactical execution:
- Technical Elevation: To counter the "stingy scores" noted by Slater, the pair must incorporate stricter ballroom holds, sharper footwork, and cleaner lines into their upcoming routines.
- Capitalizing on Position: Having survived the opening slot curse, Olson will likely benefit from performing later in subsequent episodes, allowing viewers to see him when adrenaline is more balanced and the scoring scale has widened.
- Audience Connection: Olson’s natural charm and transparent enthusiasm remain major assets. Translating that likability into viewer votes will be critical as judges continue to withhold top-tier scores.
A Star-Studded Slate Ahead
The competition remains fierce as the remaining fifteen couples prepare for week two. With powerhouse performers like Julia Stiles, Jenna Dewan, and Taylor Hanson vying for the Mirrorball Trophy, the technical bar will only rise.
As Emma Slater promised, the true test of Season 35 will not be where the couples started on night one, but how dramatically they evolve by the time the finale arrives. If Slater and Olson can channel their premiere-night jitters into disciplined, high-scoring growth, their journey in the ballroom has only just begun.