A Paralympian gold medalist walked onto the Dancing with the Stars floor for the first time and left the judges reaching for praise usually saved for the final weeks. Ezra Frech, a Team USA high jumper and long jumper, danced a tango set to Kelly Clarkson on Night 2 of the Season 35 premiere, and it quickly became the moment the episode is being remembered for.
The two-night premiere format gave the new cast a chance to introduce themselves across back-to-back broadcasts. Night 2 followed the same structure as the opener: each couple performed one style, received scores from the judges and faced the first audience vote of the season.
Frech's background set him apart from the rest of the cast. He is a Paralympic champion in track and field, and his transition to ballroom drew attention well before he stepped on stage. The tango is one of the harder styles for a first-week performance because it requires tight frame, sharp head turns and precise footwork, and the judges noted how much of that he controlled in a single routine.
The rest of the Night 2 pairings covered a range of styles, with the season's usual mix of athletes, reality television figures and entertainers. The premiere episodes traditionally set the tone for the weeks ahead, and this year the scoring spread has been wider than in recent seasons.
What comes next is the first elimination, and that is where the early leaderboard starts to matter. Couples who scored near the bottom will need the audience vote to carry them, while the top scorers will try to hold their position as the dance styles get harder.
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For Frech, the question now is whether a strong opening tango translates into consistency. For the rest of the cast, the question is who the audience will decide to keep.
