My First Impressions of Season 33 DWTS Couples

On September 17, at 7 pm Eastern, the Dancing With the Stars Season 33 officially premiered. After being consumed by the popular and intense season 6 of Love Island US this summer, I had been desperate for a new reality show to latch on to. Luckily, the new season of DWTS will start in the next two months. Leading up to the premier, I was desperate to discover who would be the new couples of this season. My initial reactions when the information was revealed ranged from shock to excitement. First being shocked that Anna Delvey, an ex-convict, was on the show, to being excited that two athletes, Ilona and Stephen, who appeared in this past Olympics, would also partake in the DWTS journey. With this range of emotions, I knew one thing; this season would definitely be an interesting one. 

I will be recording my reactions to each couple based on the premiere episode (spoilers ahead). For some context, the theme of the episode was to pick a song as the contestant’s “personal anthem.” The couples will be ordered based on appearance in the episode and the ratings consist of each judge’s scores which are rated 1 out of 10, which then gives the contestants an overall score out of 30. 

1. Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson 

Joey, popularly known for being in The Bachelor, is perfectly paired with Jenna. His dance was country-themed, which shocked me at first, but I quickly caught the vibe. Dancing the cha cha, the dance was very fast-paced, and energetic. With not having any previous dancing experience, he did a lot better than I was expecting. The dance was a very good start to the episode and definitely set the standard. 

Rating: 7, 7, 7,= 21/30

2. Brooks Nader and Gleb Sevchenko

This next couple was notoriously commented on as a “perfect fit” and “the hottest couple.” Whilst I agree with these statements, I still felt their performance to be lackluster. Brooks, a popular model, danced the tango, which was able to show her great performance quality. Dancing to a Britney song also scored them extra points with me. There were some parts where the couple slipped or were wobbly in places, but I can see their potential. They may be overrated, in my opinion, but I still think they did a good job. 

Rating: 6, 6, 6= 18/30

3. Ilona Maher and Alan Bernsten

Now, personally, I am very excited for Ilona Maher to be on the show. She is a perfect contestant with a hilarious personality. This shined through her performance, especially with the song she chose, “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” With Ilona being a strong athlete as a rugby player, she was a bit stiff in some parts of the dance, but that will definitely evolve into elegance as the season goes on. The couple overall had a very entertaining dance that I enjoyed. 

Rating: 6, 6, 6= 18/30

4. Emma Slater and Reginald VelJohnson

Reggie definitely stole my heart with this dance. At 72, Reggie definitely couldn’t do the same dance moves as the other contestants, but Emma was able to choreograph a dance that was still entertaining and fun. Although Reggie didn’t dance all that much, his can-do attitude and positive vibes moved him up on my list. 

Rating: 6, 5, 5 = 16/30

5. Danny Amendola and Whitney Carson

Now, this dance was the most boring in my opinion. Danny, a football player, was paired with Whitney. They are a good couple that match each other well, but the dance wasn’t overall the best entertainment-wise. This dance was also a bit slower than some of the others, which is definitely an option for the first episode. I am excited to see what other dances they will do this season. 

Rating: 7, 6, 7= 20/30

6. Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber

This couple was definitely the most shocking. With Jenn and Sasha being added only two weeks prior as a last-minute addition, Jenn wasn’t able to have as much training as the other contestants. Even with this fact, she did an amazing job. The song she chose, “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus, was iconic, especially speaking for her experience in this past season of The Bachelorette. Jenn and Sasha are a great pair and I believe they will go far in the competition. 

Rating: 7, 6, 6= 19/30

7. Pasha Pashkov and Tori Spelling

I may be a little biased with this one, as I am Pasha’s biggest fan, but this dance was overall very good. Tori Spelling, an actress from Beverly Hills, is in her mid-50s, but she still danced with so much energy and passion. She was a little stiff but, especially with her dancing the Foxtrot, they did a great job. 

Rating: 6, 6, 5 = 17//30

8. Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong

Chandler and Brandon are an excellent pairing. Although Chandler is an actress, she has experience in dance, which helped elevate their performance a ton. Dancing to a tango to Chapel Roan’s “Hot To Go” was iconic. They may be the best couple when it comes to technique and dance, and their performance definitely set the standard for the rest of the night– maybe even the season. 

Ranking: 8, 7, 8 = 23/30

9. Dwight Howard and Daniella Karagach

I don’t know why they keep pairing Danielle, who’s one of the shortest pros, with super tall contestants. Daniella is 5’3 vs. Dwight Howard, an NBA athlete, is 6’11. Although the height difference definitely set some challenges, they both danced well together. I loved that Dwight was very energetic and positive during his performance, and gave it his all. 

Ranking: 8, 7, 7= 22/30

10. Britt Stewart and Eric Roberts 

Another older contestant, Eric Roberts, has been an actor for 45 years. I could tell he was trying his best and was very passionate during his performance. I loved the fact that he lip-synced throughout the dance, which showed how much he enjoyed being there. I hope he goes far in this competition after waiting to be on the show for 19 years. 

Ranking: 5, 5, 5 = 15/30

11. Val Chmerkovskiy and Phaedra Parks 

I loved Phaedra’s enthusiasm throughout the entire dance. It was evident that she was so excited and happy to be dancing, it made me happy for her. She also had a hood removal in the beginning which got a 10/10 from me. With Phaedra coming from Real Housewives and also being an attorney, she was really good for this being her first dance.

Rating: 7, 6, 6, = 19/30

12.  Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold

This pair is absolutely perfect. I am so happy that Rylee has a nice and respectful partner, especially after the Harry debacle of last season. They are such a good pair and Rylee’s choreography has definitely improved. I loved Stephen’s energy and the glasses removal–so iconic. His gymnastic background definitely helped him, especially in terms of the trick factor: the high kicks and jumping were insane. I just know they will go far in this competition. 

Rating: 7, 7, 7= 21/30

13. Anna Delvey and Ezra Sosa

Now, to my least favorite couple. Anna Delvey didn’t show a lot of enthusiasm or energy in her performance. Her dancing was good, but the performance factor was not there. Her being introduced as an “entrepreneur,” when she is, in fact, a criminal, did not leave a good taste in my mouth. The bedazzled ankle monitor also took me right out of the performance with how ridiculous the whole situation is. I am glad that Ezra is now a pro, but I’m not glad that Anna is his partner. Overall, she looked really bored, but at least Ezra absolutely saved the performance. 

Rating: 6, 6, 6 = 18/30

With the introduction of all of these couples, I believe this will be one of the most challenging and competitive seasons in a long time. There are certainly strong couples and contestants, along with massive fan bases to help with votes. I cannot wait to see the other dances these contestants pull off and who makes it to the finals. 

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