Dancing With the Stars Removes 2nd Celeb in Back-to-Back Elimination

Gratitude was a feeling echoed by Conner, whose wife Whitney Leavitt made it to during week 10 of season 34 with partner Mark Ballas. 

“This has been the most fun,” Conner said from the ballroom stage after his elimination. “I have the greatest dance partner in the world in Adele. I can’t wait for the world to get to see her talent.”

Indeed, it was his partner Adele’s first year on the cast after she won Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro. And though her cha-cha to “Whoomp! There It Is” wasn’t enough to best her and Conner’s competition, she doesn’t have any regrets.

“It’s a dream come true no matter what, and I’m so lucky that I had Conner,” Adele said during the premiere. “I had so much fun and thank you so much for everything.”

As for those celebrity-pro pairings who landed on their feet? There are a few whose twinkle toes ushered them into the upper echelon of contestants after week one. 

Among them are Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson, whose cha-cha earned 21 points and Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach, who stunned with a 20-point tango. 

And though some armchair experts may call foul when it comes to celebrities enter the competition with prior experience on a dance floor—Harry previously danced for Beyoncé while Jenna Dewan starred in the 2006 dance film Step Up—celebrities and pros alike have defended the casting choices.

Harry, for his part, pointed out during an interview with E! News, “A lot of people who had dance backgrounds don’t make it very far. That tells you everything you need to know about what the show is. It’s beyond just dancing.”

Mark, too, emphasized that prior experience only takes someone so far in the ballroom. 

“Just because someone danced in high school or they danced for an artist or something,” he said during a Sept. 10 appearance on the Get Real podcast, “that doesn’t mean they can’t take this on and improve every single week.”

Plus, “I also think that even though there is dancing on the show and you want to root, you want to see great dancing, it’s also like about experience,” he added. “Some fans want to see banger dances. Some fans want to see someone from ground zero make it.”

For a closer look at those pairings hoping to make it all the way to the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, read on.