Going into Dancing with the Stars Season 35, several fans speculated that the celebrities with professional dance experience might have a leg up in the competition. And while one of the two-night premiere’s big winners — Harry Shum Jr. of Glee fame — does indeed have a dance background, the other took many viewers by surprise.
When the women took the floor on Sept. 16, Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas performed a foxtrot to Alannah Myles’ “Black Velvet.” The dark, moody number had a Traitors theme — fittingly, as the dancers were Faithfuls together in Season 4 — and even featured the Birkin bag Maura was gifted by Rob Rausch as a post-castle consolation prize.
But it wasn’t just the dramatic trappings that had the judges (and viewers) buzzing. Maura and Mark earned a score of 21 for their performance — tied with Harry the night before, and ultimately the highest of the evening. “What?! I’m dying, I’m dying — I literally can’t speak,” Maura said upon learning that she was top of the leaderboard. “Like, that was the scariest thing I think I’ve ever done in my life. And I’ve jumped out of a plane.”
The score was even higher than Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy’s 19, and for several fans, they were the pair to beat. Jenna was formerly a dancer for Janet Jackson before pivoting to acting and showing off her skills in Step Up, which some viewers saw as an early advantage.
But even Jenna herself acknowledges that this is a misconception. “I do not know how to ballroom dance. Let’s be clear. It’s two different languages,” she recently told Entertainment Weekly, adding that while parts of her performance background certainly come in handy, “there is a certain sense of unlearning for me.”
Alas, it’s a whole different ballgame — er, ballroom. As Maura’s promising premiere proves, you don’t need professional experience to excel on the dance floor. As the Love Island alum previously told Bustle, she wouldn’t classify herself as the most skilled dancer, warning her future partner: “Good luck. You’re going to need it. You’re also going to have a lot of fun, but it’s going to be hard work because I’ve got two left feet. I do have breakdowns a lot because I’m very hard on myself. If they can deal with that, they’re going to have a good time.”
While one night might not be enough to predict the rest of the journey, the DWTS Season 35 premiere certainly proves that even newbie dancers are bringing their A-game.
