Dancing With the Stars' Emma Slater Reacts to Judges' "Stingy" Scores
Dancing With the Stars' Surprise Elimination Twist Revealed Ahead of Season 35 Premiere
Emma Slater and partner Jackson Olson want to be a step above the rest.
But the Dancing With the Stars pro revealed that she was trying not to focus on the low scores from judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough during the season 35 premiere Sept. 15, especially as the group was giving out lower scores across the board.
“Going first, the judges like to give kind of stingy scores, and I totally understand that,” Slater exclusively told E! News' Will Marfuggi after the premiere. “But now we've really got to show the growth, and we will absolutely.”
Olson and Slater earned the third lowest score of the episode with 15 points, as Harry Shum Jr. and his partner Jenna Johnson came in at the top of the leaderboard with 21 points. Conner Leavitt and his partner Adele Zaikman were ultimately the first couple eliminated, having earned 12 points from the judges.
And going into the night, Hough did warn that scores might not quite be as high during the premiere episode.
“It is season 35. Our expectations are super high this season,” he revealed. “You're gonna have to earn every single point, so don't be surprised at where those scores land tonight—that's all I'm saying.”
Disney/Eric McCandless
Still, his sister and Dancing With the Stars host Julianne Hough assured contestants they shouldn’t be too nervous about the judges’ scores, telling the cast, “Nobody should be freaking out just yet.”
And Olson, a player for the Savannah Bananas who danced the Cha Cha to the Spice Girls’ “Wannabe,” wasn’t too worried, telling E! News, “I hope that we can up those scores in the following weeks.”
But taking the stage as the first couple of the night certainly put some extra pressure on the 28-year-old.
Disney/Eric McCandless
“I was definitely more nervous within the last five minutes before we went on,” he confessed. “I wasn't nervous from six minutes, and then this morning I wasn't nervous at all. Then that pre-show hit? I'm like, ‘Oh my gosh.’”
“This is it,” Olson exclaimed. “We're opening the show too, so I feel like once we're not opening the show—if we don't open the show next week—the nerves will be down.”
For a look at all the celebs competing on season 35 of Dancing With the Stars, keep reading.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Julia Stiles & Ezra Sosa
You won't hate this news—the 10 Things I Hate About You star will be saving the last dance for her pro partner.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Giada De Laurentiis & Alan Bersten
Cha-cha-chopping away... The celebrity chef will be turning up the heat this season.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Harry Shum Jr. & Jenna Johnson
What did you miss on Glee? The actor taking his musical talents to the dance floor.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Taylor Hanson & Britt Stewart
The former '90s teen heartthrob will hope to MMMBop his way to the top of the leaderboard on season 35.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Tatyana Ali & Jan Ravnik
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actress will be bringing her fresh moves to the dance floor.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Jenna Dewan & Val Chmerkovskiy
Twenty years after starring in Step Up, the dancer is stepping up to the challenge.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Amber Glenn & Pasha Pashkov
The 2026 Olympic figure skater will take her skills from the ice to the ballroom.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Ezra Frech & Daniella Karagach
The Team USA Paralympic track and field athlete will show off his athleticism on DWTS.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Sarah Jane Nader & Hailey Bills
After sister Brooks Nader competed on season 33, the Love Thy Nader star is trying her hand.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Connor Wood & Rylee Arnold
The comedian, also known as Fibula on social media, is ready to earn more applause on DWTS.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Conner Leavitt & Adele Zaikman
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star is following in the footsteps of wife Whitney Leavitt—who competed on season 34.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Tyler Cameron & Sharna Burgess
The Bachelor Nation star is trading in roses for rumbas.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Jackson Olson & Emma Slater
The Savannah Bananas baseball player is stepping up to the plate, bringing his dance moves from the diamond to the ballroom.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Guillermo Rodriguez & Witney Carson
The Jimmy Kimmel Live! star is ready to learn some new moves.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Ciara Miller & Brandon Armstrong
The Summer House star is prepping for her turn in the ballrom.
"Looks are not indicative of being in shape," Ciara exclusively told E! News in June. "I do huff and puff going up the stairs, so I gotta get back into the gym and work on my stamina."
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Maura Higgins & Mark Ballas
The Love Island UK alum is hoping her love for DWTS doesn't betray her as she manifested this experience.
"I have a vision board and I redo it every year," she told E! News in May. "This year is the first year that I stayed at home by myself on New Year's Eve. I did not go out at all. I made myself a bowl of pasta and a glass of red wine and I redid my vision board for the year. Dancing With the Stars was already on it from the year before. However, I added five more Dancing With the Stars on the board."
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