Live from Hollywood, “Dancing with the Stars” is back for its 34th season. The dance competition returned to screens Tuesday, for its 20th Anniversary with 14 new contestants ready to debut their dancing skills, alongside their professional partners.

Individual round recap

The recaps are formatted in order of when each contestant performed. For this non-elimination week, judge Carrie Ann Inaba was out sick, leading to scores being out of 20 instead of the typical 30.

Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa: Score 10/20 (5, 5)

Opening the show, Chiles and Sosa performed a flip-filled salsa to “BREAK MY SOUL” by Beyoncé. Chiles found huge inspiration within this song, as she was able to perform it during her floor routine at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she won gold. The judges enjoyed the routine, but said they wanted to see more genuine Latin dance incorporated in the choreography, awarding the pair two fives.

Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach: Score 10/20 (5, 5)

Efron and Karagach performed a cha-cha to “Milkshake” by Kelis. The reality star said he chose a song that was the complete opposite of him, to reflect the new experience he was dancing into this week. The judges critiqued his inconsistent energy that decreased throughout the dance, but praised his hip movements, giving the couple two fives.

Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten: Score 12/20 (6, 6)

Dancing a cha-cha to “Woman (feat. The Dap-Kings Horns)” by Kesha, Hendrix and Bersten delivered a powerful number that included throwbacks to the star’s role in “The Parent Trap.” Hendrix left judge Derek Hough at a loss for words, but judge Bruno Tonioli praised the Broadway quality she brought to her performance. The judges’ biggest critique was for Hendrix to finish her movements, ultimately giving the duo two sixes.

Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas: Score 15/20 (7, 8)

Leavitt and Ballas performed an elegant tango to “Golden” by HUNTR/X from the Netflix film “KPop Demon Hunters.” The judges said Leavitt was not just dancing, but acting, using her entire body to enhance the performance. Similarly to Efron, the judges’ main critique was consistency regarding her frame, awarding the couple a seven and an eight. Judge Tonioli had originally dialed in an eight for the duo before showing a seven, which in turn tied the couple for first on the leaderboard.

Baron Davis and Britt Stewart: Score 10/20 (5, 5)

Davis and Stewart danced a cha-cha to “U Can’t Touch This” by MC Hammer, incorporating the iconic “Hammer Time Dance.” Davis said he chose the song to give him the energy to feel like a kid again. The judges saw a lot of potential in his performance, but advised him to relax his body, giving the pair two fives.

Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy: Score 13/20 (7, 6)

Dancing a cha-cha to “Circus”  by Britney Spears, Earle and Chmerkovskiy delivered a clean and precise performance. The judges were impressed by the social media influencer’s first dance, but highlighted the need for continuity and the duo’s ability to play off each other, awarding them a seven and a six.

Scott Hoying and Rylee Arnold: Score 10/20 (5, 5)

Hoying and Arnold performed a gritty tango to “Abracadabra” by Lady Gaga. The couple powerfully embodied Gaga’s edgy electro-pop anthem, but the judges wanted more tango and refined movements, giving the pair two fives.

Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov: Score 12/20 (6, 6)

Fishel and Pashkov performed an emotional tango to “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” by Kelly Clarkson. The “Boy Meets World” star chose Clarkson’s empowering anthem to represent her battle in overcoming cancer. The judges loved her passion and fluidity, but advised her to watch her shoulder placement, awarding the couple two sixes.

Jen Affleck and Jan Ravnik: Score 12/20 (6, 6)

Dancing a salsa to “NUEVAYoL” by Bad Bunny, Affleck and Ravnik brought sharp lifts and flips to the dance floor. The judges critiqued “The Secret Life of Mormon Wives” star for disrupting the flow of the dance at times, awarding the duo two sixes.

Corey Feldman and Jenna Johnson: Score 9/20 (4, 5)

Feldman and Johnson performed a tango to “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” by Billy Joel. The judges had fun watching the soft quality he brought to the ballroom, but said he has a lot of work to put into his form and technique, giving the pair a four and a five.

Lauren Jauregui and Brandon Armstrong: Score 13/20 (7, 6)

Jauregui and Armstrong danced a smooth tango to “yes, and?” by Ariana Grande, proving the Fifth Harmony singer could perform both on stage and in the ballroom. The judges loved her elegant and sophisticated movement, but urged her to work on finishing her moves cleanly to emphasize the impact. The couple was awarded a seven and a six.

Andy Richter and Emma Slater: Score 9/20 (5, 4)

Dancing a salsa to “Hold On, I’m Comin’” by Sam & Dave, Richter and Slater brought joy and authenticity to the dance floor. The judges enjoyed his charisma, but needed his timing to be sharper, awarding the duo a five and a four.

Hilaria Baldwin and Gleb Savchenko: Score 14/20 (7, 7)

Baldwin and Savchenko danced a cha-cha to “Let’s Get Loud” by Jennifer Lopez. A hip injury had previously stopped the TV personality from dancing years prior, but she returned to the dance floor stronger than ever. The judges praised her sharp movements and foot placement, with their critique being to add more versatility to the performance, giving them two sevens.

Robert Irwin and Witney Carson: Score 15/20 (8, 7)

Irwin and Carson danced a jive to “Born To Be Wild” by Steppenwolf. This wildlife conservationist brought everything from costume reveals to bear crawls on the dance floor. Hough said it was probably the best first dance he had ever seen on the show, with the judges having little to no critiques, awarding the couple an eight and a seven, which tied them for first on the leaderboard.