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Everyone Lives to See Another Day

Roberts, Spelling and VelJohnson ended the Sept. 17 premiere at the bottom of the leaderboard, but Ribeiro revealed that no one would be going home in order for all 13 pairs to "get their footing” in the competition. However, Julianne announced that next week's Hollywood Night, which will pay homage to the movies, will be a double elimination.

A Criminal Closes the Show

The premiere ended with Delvey's highly anticipated performance. "I did serve my time and Dancing with the Stars is a way for me to show people a different side of me," she told the cameras.

Her partner Ezra Sosa knew Delvey had a tough road ahead. "There is a lot of publicity surrounding Anna, so this is a lot of responsibility to guide her and hopefully give her that second chance," he said.

Delvey hoped that it would be just that. "I hope that everybody who feels negatively and I will be able to turn their opinion around," the con artist, whose story inspired Netflix's Inventing Anna, said, adding, "I've reinvented myself many times and this time I'm going to be a ballroom dancer."

Delvey and Sosa got the crowd buzzing with their Cha Cha to Carpenter's hit "Espresso."

"I'm kind of like, lost for words a little bit because you actually have the facility to be a really beautiful dancer," Derek said.

Inaba asked the audience to give Delvey a fair chance. "This is about your dancing here," the judge pointed out. "Let's all give her that space, please."

Score: 18/30

Pommel Horse Guy Goes for the Gold Again

As the first male gymnast on DWTS, "I'm hoping to make my mark," Nedoroscik, 25, said.

The Olympian, known as "Pommel Horse Guy," explained to partner Rylee Arnold during rehearsal that he loves computers and completing Rubik's Cubes. "It's not just the looks, I'm a full-on nerd," he said.

But Nedoroscik hoped his analytical skills would benefit him during the competition. "I'm really counting on my mathematical brain to help me remember these dance moves," the bronze medalist said.

He and Arnold, 19, did a Jive to "Don’t Stop Me Now" by Queen.

"You are so entertaining and so light on your feet," Inaba told Nedoroscik before advising him to "point those toes."

Score: 21/30

'Traitors' and 'RHOA' Star Phaedra Parks Kills It on the Dance Floor

Phaedra Parks lives to prove people wrong, and she wants to do just that on Dancing with the Stars. "My kids asked me, 'Why would you do Dancing with the Stars? You're going to make a fool out of yourself,’" the Real Housewives of Atlanta star, 50, said. "I'm going to prove those young men wrong."

Parks selected "I'm Every Woman" by Chaka Khan because "I can do anything I want to do, and I can outwork anybody."

After Parks performed a Cha Cha with Val Chmerkovskiy, Tonioli told her, "You have all the elements, you can sell it."

Inaba found herself "genuinely impressed" with the Traitors alum's dance skills. "That was a really great performance," she raved.

Score: 19/30

Eric Roberts Does a Dance 19 Years in the Making

Actor Eric Roberts shared that he'd been asked to do Dancing with the Stars 19 years ago, but the show overlapped with shooting a movie he'd already committed to doing. "I am ready to make up for lost time," Roberts, whose sister is  Julia Roberts and daughter is Emma Roberts, said.

Roberts, 68, explained to partner Stewart that, after a car accident put him in a coma for three days, his right side is now a quarter beat behind his left.

"I'm a little concerned because Cha Cha is one of the quickest dances, so keeping in time with each other is going to be more of a challenge for Eric than it usually is," Stewart told the cameras.

But Roberts wouldn't be stopped. "I've been waiting 19 years for this moment and I'm not going to mess it up," he said.

Robrets and Stewart executed a Cha Cha to Bob Seger’s "Old Time Rock & Roll," which Inaba said contained "a lot of mistakes."

Score: 15/30

Dwight Howard Stands Tall — and Gets a Big Reaction

When NBA champion Howard entered the rehearsal studio standing at 6 foot 11 inches tall, Karagach, 31, worried. "This is going to be the hardest challenge I think I've ever had on this show," she said.

Howard, 38, and Karagach danced a Salsa to "This Is How We Do It" by Montell Jordan.

"It's like watching a giraffe and a gazelle dance to together," Derek told the duo.

When Howard and Karagach went up to get their scores from Julianne, she told them, "I want to be thrown around like that, definitely."

Score: 22/30

A Pretty Little Liar Proves She Has Some Honest Moves

Despite having some dance experience early in her career, actress Kinney felt hesitant about stepping into the ballroom. "The world of ballroom is very intimidating to me," she said. "I just hope I don’t trip!"

The Pretty Little Liars: Summer School star, 24, selected Chappell Roan's hit "HOT TO GO!" for her Tango with Brandon Armstrong — and it certainly heated up the night.

"I've done this show for a very long time — oh my God, that was one of the best," Tonioli said to Kinney after he ripped his jacket off.

Derek did the "HOT TO GO!" dance and told Kinney, "If this is the beginning, I am scared to see what you have next."

Inaba informed Kinney that she "set the standard for season 33."

Score: 23/30

Jenn Tran Might've Found Her 'Perfect Match'

Tran met her partner Sasha Farber at the airport immediately following her Bachelorette breakup airing. "I truthfully felt like my heart was getting ripped out of my chest," she admitted to the cameras.

So when it came to participating in Dancing with the Stars, "I'm here with a little bit of vengeance," Tran said.

Tran chose "Flowers" by Miley Cyrus for her Cha Cha with Farber.

Derek thought Tran found a "perfect match with Sasha." "You have so much potential," he told the reality star.

Inaba added, "That was so entertaining. I loved every minute of it."

Score: 19/30

Donna Martin Graduates to 'Dancing with the Stars'

Spelling, 51, found herself in a moment of self-discovery as she made her DWTS debut. "I always say I am 50% Donna, 50% Tori," she said, referring to her 90210 character. "I'm just a little more in appropriate."

The actress claimed to her partner Pasha Pashkov that she'd passed on doing DWTS the past 32 seasons. But now, she "literally 50 hit and my life exploded," Spelling said. "I'm going through a really public divorce. Everything I thought I was has been burned to the ground. I'm really to find myself again in front of millions of people."

Spelling chose "Trustfall" by Pink and danced a Foxtrot with Pashkov.

Inaba found the performance "a little shaky" and "a little vulnerable" and advised Spelling, "Don’t be so timid."

"You can do this," Derek said to Spelling. "And you know what, you can, you really can. It definitely felt a little stiff, you could feel the tension, you know, there, but there's potential there."

Score: 17/30

Danny Amendola Scores a Touchdown on Night 1

As an NFL player, Amendola, 38, got tackled by 250 lb. men, but his heart remained undamaged. "I'm doing Dancing with the Stars for my mom," he explained. "She means the most to me and she's really excited that I get this opportunity."

Amendola and Carson tangoed to Shaboozey's “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”

"I see power, focus, determination, you want to succeed," Tonioli told Amendola.

Inaba, 56, told the former football pro that he "executed finely."

Score: 20/30

A 'Die Hard' Star Tries Hard

Actor Reginald VelJohnson told his partner Emma Slater that he's "got a lot of soul" — and he had ballroom experience thanks to his parents.

"I'm ready to dance, I just hope I don’t die hard doing it," VelJohnson, 72, joked.

The duo danced a Salsa to "Motownphilly" by Boyz II Men.

"That was the most compact salsa I've ever seen. Not a lot of footwork," Derek said.

Tonioli concurred. "Moving forward, a bit more steps please," he told the Die Hard star.

Score: 16/30

The First Olympian of the Night Checks into the Ballroom

Olympic rugby player Ilona Maher told her partner Alan Bersten that she wanted to come on Dancing with the Stars to be a role model for young girls. "I'm this very big, muscular woman, but I also feel so beautiful and feminine," the athlete, 28, said. "I mean, you know, I grew up not very comfortable, but I want to now make it easier for young girls to love your body."

Accordingly, Maher and Bersten, 30, did a Cha Cha to Shania Twain's "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!"

"It was very correct," Tonioli, 68, said, "but I'm telling you, you got more than that. You're great, you're beautiful, let it all hang out!"

Score: 18/30

Brooks Nader Gives a Model Performance — and Flirty Vibes with Partner Gleb Savchenko

Sports Illustrated model Brooks Nader joked that she had “some unfinished business with dance” after giving it up years ago. When she walked into the studio, dancing wasn't the only thing on her mind, as she immediately found her partner Savchenko attractive and thought they had "a healthy little flirtatious vibe."

Savchenko choreographed a "really hot Tango" to "Piece of Me" by Britney Spears.

"Britney Spears is a Louisiana girl like me. I am newly single, so the lyrics are super liberating," Nader, 27, said, referring to her May divorce from Billy Haire.

Derek told Nader after her performance that she has "buckets of potential."

The Bachelor Takes the Lead

Graziadei and Jenna Johnson were the first ones up, doing a Cha Cha to “Dancing in the Country” by Tyler Hubbard. “I moved to Nashville right out of college,” the reality star explained of the song selection. “I had to try to be a little less shy and more outgoing.”

While Graziadei told Johnson, 30, that he thinks he gives “Golden Retriever energy more than sexy,” that didn’t stop him from wanting to go all the way on DWTS. “I got the rose, I got the girl, now I’m coming for that Mirrorball,” he said.

Derek deemed Graziadei and Johnson’s performance “fantastic.”

“You went from handing out roses to handing out sweet dance moves on that dance floor,” Derek said.

Score: 21/30

The Pros Kick off the Show

The Dancing With the Stars Professional Troupe, which includes Daniella Karagach, Gleb Savchenko and Britt Stewart, opened the season 33 premiere with a choreographed dance to “I’m Alive” by Celine Dion. Afterwards, Ribeiro, 52, explained that the 13 pairs would be dancing to a song that each star selected as their personal anthem.

Jenn Tran Gets Ready to ‘Cha Cha’

Before making her DWTS debut, Tran, 26, posted on her Instagram Stories in a fiery red dance out. “Let’s cha cha,” the Bachelorette wrote on the post. Tran’s Dancing with the Stars appearance comes just weeks after her heartbreaking season finale aired, during which she proposed to Devin Strader, only for them to break up after filming ended.

"He was making bold proclamations of love and then suddenly the next day he was like, nothing and he denied ever being in love," Train said during After the Final Rose on Sept. 3. "All the promises he had made to me, all of the love that he had wanted to give to me wasn't there anymore."  

The Men of DWTS Season 33 Joke They Need to Learn to Dance

In a PEOPLE exclusive featurette teasing the new season, former NFL wide receiver Danny Amendola, who is partnered with returning pro Witney Carson, jokes that when he learned he’d be competing on Dancing with the Stars, he said, "Man, I gotta learn how to dance. Quick.” Actor Eric Roberts admits he’s “scared to death” and former Bachelor Graziadei felt pressure not to "suck at dancing" given his Bachelor Nation predecessors’ success on the show.

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