‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 35 Night 2: Maura Higgins Captivates With ‘Traitors’-Inspired Foxtrot as Jenna Dewan and Julia Stiles Answer Critics

Dancing With the Stars continued its Season 35 premiere with a second night of performances on Sept. 16, as the female contestants took over the ballroom and delivered routines inspired by songs from the years they were born.

From emotional performances to high-energy routines, the evening featured music from artists including Dolly Parton, Whitney Houston and Avril Lavigne. But it was Maura Higgins’ elaborate Traitors-themed foxtrot that emerged as one of the night’s most memorable moments.

The episode ended with the first elimination of Season 35, while the show also introduced its new troupe and previewed next week’s performances from the male contestants.

Maura Higgins Brings ‘The Traitors’ to the Ballroom

Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas took the ballroom in character for a foxtrot set to Alannah Myles’ “Black Velvet,” incorporating elements inspired by Higgins’ time on the Emmy Award-winning reality series The Traitors.

The routine featured hooded “traitors” and even Higgins’ Birkin bag, turning the performance into a theatrical tribute to her reality-TV past.

Ballas, who previously worked with Higgins on The Traitors, packed the routine with content designed to showcase the amateur dancer. The approach paid off with strong reactions from the judges.

Carrie Ann Inaba described the performance as mesmerizing, while Bruno Tonioli said he had never seen movement quality like it. Derek Hough also praised the routine, though he noted that expectations would now be higher following such an impressive debut.

Julia Stiles Takes On Her Critics

Julia Stiles also had a memorable night, using her quickstep to “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton as an opportunity to answer some of the criticism surrounding her casting.

The 10 Things I Hate About You and Save the Last Dance star performed alongside Ezra Sosa. Stiles explained that Parton had cleared the song for the routine weeks before her death, making the performance particularly meaningful to her.

Her routine earned praise from the judges. Inaba called it clean but encouraged Stiles to extend her lines further.

Hough, meanwhile, directly addressed the online criticism surrounding Stiles, telling the actress that her critics could “eat it” following the high-scoring performance.

Jenna Dewan Meets the Expectations

Jenna Dewan closed out the competitive portion of the evening with a tango to Blondie’s “Call Me,” performed with Val Chmerkovskiy.

As a former professional dancer and star of Step Up, Dewan entered the competition with significant expectations surrounding her dance background. She admitted she felt nervous about the standards placed on her but ultimately rose to the challenge.

Inaba deducted a point for a lift during the routine, but the judges were otherwise impressed and expressed interest in seeing how Dewan develops throughout the season.

Amber Glenn Brings Her Competitive Edge

Olympic gold medalist Amber Glenn brought her competitive instincts to the ballroom for a cha-cha with Pasha Pashkov.

The pair danced to Santana and Rob Thomas’ “Smooth,” with Glenn incorporating both a solo section and an aerial jump into the performance.

Glenn acknowledged that dancing with a partner was unfamiliar territory for her, while Pashkov emphasized the possibilities available to the figure skater.

The performance impressed the judges, although Tonioli urged Glenn to continue refining her technique.

Ciara Miller Gets Emotional

For Summer House star Ciara Miller, the night was about taking back control of her own story following a difficult year connected to the Amanda-West drama.

Miller and partner performed a foxtrot to Whitney Houston’s “Exhale (Shoop Shoop).” Tonioli praised her sophisticated elegance but called for greater control and a more continuous flow.

The performance struck an emotional chord with Inaba, who was moved to tears while watching Miller dance.

“I can see the pain that you have,” Inaba told her, adding that dance can provide a place to express those emotions.

Giada De Laurentiis Steps Outside Her Comfort Zone

Giada De Laurentiis entered the ballroom without any previous dance experience, taking on a tango to Shocking Blue’s “Venus” with Alan Bersten.

The Food Network chef’s lack of formal dance experience made her performance particularly significant. Inaba expressed surprise that it was her first dance, while Hough described the routine as somewhat careful but said De Laurentiis had “all of the ingredients.”

De Laurentiis became emotional while discussing her daughter’s role in inspiring her to leave her comfort zone and take part in the competition.

Tatyana Ali Starts the Night With a Jive

Tatyana Ali opened Ladies’ Night with a jive alongside Jan Ravnik, performing to Amii Stewart’s 1979 hit “Knock on Wood.”

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alum was reunited with her on-screen brother, Alfonso Ribeiro, before taking the ballroom floor.

Her routine had some bumps, and the judges were candid about the performance falling short of what they were looking for. Still, they remained optimistic that Ali could improve in Week 2.

Sarah Jane Nader’s Journey Ends

Sarah Jane Nader and first-time professional partner Hailey Bills performed a jive to Avril Lavigne’s 2002 hit “Sk8er Boi.”

Nader, known for Love Thy Nader, specifically requested a female professional partner because she wanted to showcase a queer couple in the ballroom.

However, the routine failed to fully connect with the judges. Inaba said the pair appeared out of sync throughout the performance, while Tonioli praised their attitude but called for tighter timing.

At the end of the night, Nader and Bills became the first couple eliminated from Season 35.

‘DWTS’ Scores Nearly 7 Million Viewers

The second night of the premiere followed a strong opening for Season 35. Hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro revealed that the season’s first night had been the show’s highest-rated premiere in six years, drawing nearly 7 million viewers.

The judges also reminded contestants that scores would initially be kept lower to leave room for improvement as the season progresses.

Beyond the competition, Night Two featured the introduction of the Season 35 troupe and a performance from Derek Hough’s national tour. The episode also teased next week’s men’s performances.

Following the broadcast, DWTS After Party returned with former Mirrorball Champion Robert Irwin as host and Dylan Efron serving as correspondent.

With Night Two now complete, the spotlight shifts to the male celebrities as Season 35 continues next week.