The two-night premiere of Dancing with the Stars season 35, which split male and female celebrities across Sept. 15–16 episodes, produced the first two eliminations—Conner Leavitt with new pro Adele Zaikman (12/30) and Sarah Jane Nader with first-time pro Hailey Bills (14/30)—leaving 14 couples for week 2. Viewer votes combined with judges’ scores from Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough drove those results, highlighting how limited name recognition and lower performance marks can override same-sex pairing novelty or early momentum. Remaining contestants with stronger fan bases, prior dance experience, or higher social media engagement now hold clearer advantages heading into the next round of routines and public voting. Traders should monitor any post-premiere buzz or rehearsal footage that could shift sentiment before the following episode.