‘Dancing With the Stars: the Next Pro’ Season 1 Episode 1 Live Recap: Who Was Eliminated?

As the summer season continues, we’re already anticipating the return of fall. We miss its cool breezes, pumpkin-spiced goodness and, of course, the annual return of Dancing With the Stars.

While fans still have some time to wait before Season 35 of the hit ABC show gets underway, the network has gifted us a little something special to satisfy our desire for a sultry samba or challenging cha cha: a new spin-off series titled Dancing With the Stars: the Next Pro. The competition series, which was announced back in April, officially premiered on Monday, July 13, at 8 p.m. ET, and welcomed a cast of aspiring pro dancers, all looking to join the main program’s talented cast.

Hosted by Season 34 winner and wildlife conservationalist Robert Irwin, the new competition series promised plenty of drama, inviting 12 contestants to reside together in a single house as they danced their hearts out for a panel of judges comprising three-time Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy winner Mark Ballas, prolific ballroom expert and Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas (who also happens to be Mark’s mother and mentor), as well as a new guest judge/mentor each week.

Didn’t have time to catch tonight’s premiere episode? Worry not, our dancing friends! We caught the hour-long extravaganza for you and have recapped everything that went down on the dance floor. Scroll on to see everything you might have missed, but beware, as there are spoilers ahead.

What happened on the premiere of Dancing With the Stars: the Next Pro?

As noted above, the starting cast featured 12 contestants, all of whom have impressive backgrounds in dance and performance. Those featured on Episode 1 were:

Adele Zaikman
AJ Pritchard
Allen Genkin
Benji Castro
Briar Nolet
Erik Linder
Jake Monreal
Natalie Jolley
Nina Mayster
Selena Hamilton
Stephani Sosa
Tristen Sanders

To learn more about the dancers, check out our “Meet the Cast” article here!

For the premiere episode—subtitled “The Journey Begins: Technique With Derek Hough”—the contestants were grouped into pairs. The women were assigned a samba, while the men were assigned a jive, allowing them to show off their sweet moves and cool choreography skills on the hardwood floor. Overall, the focus was on “mastering the basics” and proving they could translate that into a routine.

Also, as the subtitle suggested, Dancing With the Stars staple Derek was on hand to act as both the mentor and guest judge, sharing his vast knowledge with the contestants ahead of their debut performances. After the contestants were introduced to the judges and the challenge, they were shown their living quarters before each pairing took to the ballroom to face the judging panel.

Erik and Tristen

Erik and Tristen were the first pair to take to the floor with their energetic jive routine, set to “APT.” by Rosé and Bruno Mars. The judging panel applauded them, with Derek stating that the biggest improvement from their rehearsals was that they brought a “different flavor.” Shirley applauded Tristen’s form while she expressed concern about Erik’s incorporation of the jive. Meanwhile, Mark applauded them for being the first two out of the gate.

AJ and Jake

AJ and Jake were next on the block, dancing to “What I Like About You” by 5 Seconds of Summer. The judges were very vocal during the performance, and Derek said that overall, both were good, but the choreography lacked energy. Mark and Shirley agreed with that sentiment, stating that the musicality was a bit off, while the latter judge was concerned that AJ specifically wasn’t taking enough “risks.”

Allen and Benji

The last of the men to take to the floor, Allen and Benji danced to “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd, and immediately got a “Bravo!” from Shirley. Meanwhile, Mark called it the “most dynamic” dance of the show so far. Shirley concurred, calling their energy “remarkable.” Derek agreed with the panel, stating that both men left him wanting to see more of what they could do.

Natalie and Selena

Kicking off the sambas were Natalie and Selena, who choreographed their routine to “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 0/66” by Bizarrap and Daddy Yankee. Shirley said Selena was a “superstar,” complimenting her “fluid” moves. Derek applauded Natalie, calling her a “beautiful” dancer. Mark commented that both contestants brought totally different vibes, adding that he “couldn’t take his eyes off” Selena.

Stephani and Briar

“Mi Gente” by J Balvin and Willy William was the song of choice for Stephani and Briar’s sultry samba. Unfortunately, the latter dancer slipped during the dance, which the judges noted, though they still applauded her for standing back up and continuing. Overall, the judges expressed concern over both dancers’ technique, as neither completely embodied the samba.

Nina and Adele

Nina and Adele were the final pairing to perform their samba, which was set to “Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira and Wyclef Jean. Derek loved how “open” Nina appeared, adding that Adele was like a “Rolls-Royce” because she danced so expensively, which brought the contestant to tears. Mark added that Adele was “fire,” while Shirley loved how “warm” Nina was in her presentation, stating that both women could learn from each other.

Who was eliminated from Dancing With the Stars: the Next Pro this week?

After all the performances had finished, the judges explained that one woman and one man would be eliminated based on their notes. Per the panel, the bottom two women were Briar and Natalie, while the bottom two men were Tristen and Jake.

In the end, Briar and Jake were the two contestants sent home on the premiere episode.

When is the next episode of Dancing With the Stars: the Next Pro?

The next episode of Dancing With the Stars: the Next Pro will air on ABC on Monday, July 20, at 8 p.m. ET, and we’ll be back here to recap everything for you!

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