Katherine Jenkins Dazzles in ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Debut [Video]
“Dancing With the Stars” made its return on Monday night on ABC and the two-hour season 14 premiere did not disappoint, with opera singer Katherine Jenkins and her partner Mark Ballas snagging the top spot.
Though she may not be the best known celeb this season, the Welsh classical singer wowed the judges as she and Ballas performed the foxtrot and scored 26 out of a possible 30 points.
So just how good was she?
DWTS judge Carrie Ann Inaba called Jenkins’ performance the “best first dance on the first episode ever,” while the often-harsh Len Goodman called it “cracking,” and Bruno Tonioli warned, “You’re setting the bar so high that really you have a lot to live up to.”
After the show Katherine tweeted her excitment: “OMG 2 9’s & an 8! Joint top of the leader board! Just called my mum in Wales at 3am to break the news #TellMeImNotDreaming”.
Katherine wasn’t the only hopeful to show promise however as Jaleel White, best known for his role in the 90s as Steve Urkel on Family Matters, also scored 26.
The standard was high across the board for the opening show of the 14th series, with Len saying the show was: ”Without doubt the best first show of any season.”
None of the dancers scored below 20 points, with Cuban-American star William Levy and partner Cheryl Burke taking a respectable 24 for their Cha-cha-cha. Former child star Roshon Fegan, singer Gladys Knight, comedienne Sherri Shepherd and soap actor Jack Wagner all tying in fourth place with 23, while NFL wide reciever Donald Driver, 37, and Maria Menounos, 33, just eked past last place with scores of 21.
Since it is only Week One, the stars get a pass on an elimination episode. The first elimination will come on Tuesday, March 27, based on combined scores of last night’s and next Monday’s dances, plus — of course — audience’s votes.
Watch Katherine Jenkins do the foxtrot during her amazing DWTS debut below and let us know: Which was your favorite performance of the night?
via Hollywood.com
