Longtime “Dancing With the Stars” judge Carrie Ann Inaba is back on season 33 along with Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli.
Following the premiere, Inaba chatted with Entertainment Weekly about the couples — and who the most surprising duos were.
“Joey and Jenna had the moves. Stephen and Rylee had so much joy! Dwight and Dani made the impossible possible (height difference-wise). Chandler and Brandon stunned all three of the judges with her polished tango,” Inaba told the outlet. Perhaps unsurprisingly, all four couples topped the night one leaderboard.
Meanwhile, in an interview with SheKnows Soaps, Hough shared his take on frontrunners, naming Joey Gradiadei and former “Bachelorette” Jenn Tran. The others that Inaba mentioned also got a nod from Hough, who threw Danny Amendola into the mix of the week one standouts.
Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong topped the leaderboard with a score of 23. Next up was Dwight Howard and Daniella Karagach with a 22 on the night. Then, tied for third place were Graziadei and Jenna Johnson and Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold with scores of 21.
Carrie Ann Inaba Isn’t Picking a Mirrorball Winner Just Yet
Later in Inaba’s interview with EW, she was asked who she thinks will win the season. She wasn’t ready to make a prediction just yet, however, and told the outlet to check in with her after week two.
Inaba also praised the cast for having great talent and suggested everyone keep working hard moving forward.
“My advice would be to keep bringing their A-game, keep experimenting in rehearsal and pushing their limits, because this is a unique opportunity to step outside one’s comfort zone,” she told EW.
“If they listen to our comments and feedback, it will help them in the competition. The ones who listen and apply what we say usually go far. Maybe next week I can list each contestant and give a specific thing they can work on to improve. Because on the show we only have 20 seconds or so to speak and sometimes we can’t get all our feedback out,” she added.
Derek Hough Named 1 Competitor He Thinks Could Win it All
As for Hough, he wasn’t afraid to share his feelings on the one to watch this season.
“Chandler, for sure, as far as her ability and her capacity. She will be really hard to beat on a technical level. But we all know this show isn’t just about technique. It’s about connecting with the audience, connecting with the judges,” Hough told SheKnows Soaps. He added that performance, choreography and music also “plays a part” in who wins each season.
“I think Joey and Jenna [Johnson] are gonna be strong. I foresee Stephen staying in there. Dwight, I’m curious to see how they’re gonna do with the more technical dances. Salsa is fun and a party. It’s tricks and lifts. Bu from a charismatic standpoint, he’s gonna be hard to beat. It depends on what you are going for. Because I remember, even last season, you know, people loved Harry [Jowsey]. He got the lowest scores, and he made it really far,” he added.
Season 33 will air on Tuesday nights on ABC.
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