Season 32 of Dancing with the Stars premiered with 14 new celebrities hoping to dazzle in the ballroom. Returning judges Bruno Tonioli, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Derek Hough were on hand to judge the couples and give feedback.
In an incredibly touching moment, DWTS renamed the Mirrorball trophy in honor of the late Len Goodman. He was the head judge on the panel until his retirement at the end of Season 31.
So, which contestants have a real shot of winning the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy based on what we saw in the premiere? Let’s look at the six pairs to watch on DWTS Season 32.
Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy
Actress Xochitl Gomez was partnered with Val Chmerkovskiy. She is only 17 years old and is the youngest competitor this season.
The duo danced a cha-cha to the Galantis song, Peanut Butter Jelly. Their routine was fun, and they had a great connection. Xochitl exhibited a lot of natural charisma and energy.
Her ability to connect with the audience and command their attention will be a major plus for this duo. They received an 18 out of 30 from the judges for their first score.
Lele Pons and Brandon Armstrong
Social media star Lele Pons is vivacious and energetic. She does have some limited dance experience, which is always an advantage. I know that all the pros say that it isn’t. But the DWTS viewers are too savvy for that.
Lele was paired with pro Brandon Armstrong for a drama-filled tango. They danced the Tango to El Tango de Roxanne from Moulin Rouge.
Lele is confident on the dance floor, which is another positive. The duo had beautiful shapes in their routine. The judges told Lele to point her toes, but other than that, she earned only praise. And this duo has chemistry to spare.
Brandon and Lele scored 19 out of 30.
Mira Sorvino and Gleb Savchenko
Actress Mira Sorvino was matched with Gleb Savchenko. They danced a cha-cha to Prince and The Revolution’s chart-topper, Kiss.
Mira’s cha-cha showcased her elegance and refinement. But she did seem a bit nervous. In fact, Derek noticed that she was thinking too much during the dance.
I think that she has a lot of promise if she can build up her confidence a bit. This duo is one of the pairs to watch. Gleb and Mira nabbed a 17 out of 30.
Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach
Jason Mraz, who is a Grammy-award-winning singer, has been keeping his dance skills a secret! As a musical theater student, he quit the program because he lacked confidence in his dancing.
Jason and his partner, Daniella Karagach, danced a fun-filled cha-cha to his song, I Feel Like Dancing. It was groovy and incredibly entertaining. Jason even put a few seconds of the robot in there. To switch things up, Daniella pulled Jason during a floor spin.
All of this shows why Jason could be in the finale. He earned 21 out of 30. And a slow clap from Derek.
Ariana Madix and Pasha Pashkov
Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix finally made her ballroom debut. For her tango with partner Pasha Pashkov, she wore a red dress similar to her VPR reunion revenge dress.
This routine was all about moving on after Scandoval and Ariana showing that she loves herself. She may have spent a bit too much time gazing into the camera.
Pasha and Ariana danced to Hailee Steinfeld’s Tango to Love Myself [Riddler Remix]. And they slayed the moody and passionate routine. Ariana looked confident and strong on the dance floor.
But her secret weapon may be her personality and her ability not to take herself too seriously. DWTS fans will root for Ariana to triumph after her split from her cheating ex-boyfriend, Tom Sandoval. She earned 21 out of 30 from the judges.
Charity Lawson and Artem Chigvintsev
The Bachelorette star Charity Lawson was paired with Artem Chigvintsev. While Charity has no dance experience, she does have cheerleading experience.
The duo danced to Rihanna’s Only Girl (In the World). Their sensuous tango was spectacular. Charity was graceful and seemed at ease on the dance floor.
Carrie Ann could barely form a sentence after watching her performance with Artem. The Bachelorette stars tend to do well on this show. Both Kaitlyn Bristowe and Hannah Brown previously took home the Mirrorball.
Artem and Charity had the highest score of the night, with 22 out of 30. They are off to an excellent start.
Keep an eye on all of these DWTS pairs. I believe that the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy winner is in this group.
TELL US – IS YOUR FAVORITE DANCING COUPLE ON DANCING WITH THE STARS SEASON 32? WHO ARE YOU ROOTING FOR?
