ET breaks down everything that went down in the ballroom that the cameras didn't catch!
Dancing With the Stars is officially back, and on Monday, the ballroom was filled with memorable moments during night one of the two-night season 27 premiere.
The thirteen new contestants vying for the coveted Mirrorball trophy made their dancing debut with their pro partners Monday night, giving it their all as they performed for judges Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli.
While fans got to see all the dances on live TV, there were plenty of behind-the-scenes moments that took place inside the ballroom when the cameras weren't rolling.
ET was there to catch it all, and now we're breaking down everything you didn't see on TV!
1. The opening number was pre-taped in three different sections.
Do you ever watch DWTS and wonder how those extravagant opening numbers come together? Well, there's a reason why they always look so perfect and it's because they're often pre-taped! For the season 27 premiere, the routine was split into three different sections, and those seated in the ballroom got to watch it all unfold about a half hour before showtime.
Emmy-winning choreographer Mandy Moore was on hand to direct the pro dancers and troupe members as they took turns dancing on a set of stairs, center stage and atop moving set pieces. During the routine, a few of the male dancers even helped switch up the set as the ladies performed choreography with Mirrorball props in their hands. The final version of the performance you saw on TV was actually pieced together by the show's editing crew, which those in the ballroom watched back as it aired live on the East Coast.
2. Everyone is practicing up until the last minute.
With a competition show like DWTS, you take advantage of any rehearsal time you can get! During commercial breaks, we spotted almost every pair working on their routine just moments before they performed it for the live audience. Even the pros were caught going over their choreography before the opening number -- we witnessed Sharna Burgess ask for clarification on a step seconds before the crew started filming.
3. There was plenty of star support in the audience.
It's safe to say everyone loves seeing a familiar face in the ballroom, and Monday night, there were plenty! Family and friends of former NFL star DeMarcus Ware were seated in the right section of the ballroom, just in front of Harry Potter star Evanna Lynch's squad of supporters. Just to the right of them was Grocery Store Joe's girlfriend, Kendall, who attended the show with some of the Bachelor in Paradise star's family members. During Joe's pre-taped interview package, Kendall couldn't seem to wipe the grin off her face... and her support for the reality star continued as she applauded him following his dance with Jenna Johnson.
Directly across from Joe's support group was former contestant Jana Kramer, and Fuller House star Andrea Barber (aka Kimmy Gibbler), who came to support co-star Juan Pablo di Pace. Others in the crowd included season 24 Mirrorball champ Rashad Jennings, members of the band R5 (including season 20 alum Riker Lynch) and former contestants Lindsey Stirling and Jake Pavelka.
4. No one could stop talking about Danelle Umstead's No. 1 fan -- her guide dog, Aziza.
If the American alpine skier and Paralympian's performance with Artem Chigvintsev wasn't emotional enough, fans who were seated in the right section of the ballroom literally had chills when they noticed her seeing-eye dog, Aziza, was in the audience. The canine was literally watching Danelle's every move, not taking her eyes off #TeamBlindFaith for one moment.
5. Alexis Ren & Alan Bersten had a strong finish -- even though East Coast viewers didn't get to see it!
If you were watching the show live on the East Coast, you probably were screaming at your screen when a technical error unfortunately didn't show the end portion of #TeamRenTen's Jive to Little Richard's "Good Golly Miss Molly." Rest assured, nothing went wrong on Alexis and Alan's part -- the two finished the dance remarkably strong, with full energy, lots of smiles and a great reaction from the crowd. Alan later shared the video of what you may have missed to his Instagram:
Luckily, the production crew was able to fix the mishap for all the West Coast viewers, but we're hoping the small glitch won't affect Tuesday's standings in any way. To be safe, Alexis will really need to rely on her millions of Instagram followers to vote for her and Alan!
6. Before they danced, there was nothing but love between the two.
Alexis' pre-taped interview package got a bit emotional when she was talking about her late mother, who was a longtime fan of the show and the reason why the model decided to sign on for season 27. As the clip was playing in the ballroom, Alan chatted with Alexis the entire time, so it wouldn't distract her from keeping her head in the game before they performed. Seeing them interact with each other off-camera, it's easy to tell that these two have already formed a great connection. Alan was so sweet comforting Alexis, even giving her a friendly kiss on the forehead as they took their positions on the dance floor.
7. Nancy McKeon and Mary Lou Retton are #FriendshipGoals.
Speaking of great connections, The Facts of Life star and former Olympic gymnast are the epitome of what this show is all about -- stepping outside of your comfort zone, having fun and making new friends. Mary Lou and her partner, Sasha Farber, were the first to dance during the premiere, and while their performance was nothing short of stellar, it received a surprisingly low score from the judges: 19 out of 30. After receiving her total, Mary Lou went up to the skybox, where she was greeted with a big hug from Nancy. Throughout the night, we also caught the two standing next to each other any chance they could get, and it appears they were having a blast reacting to all the dances. At one point, Mary Lou and Nancy even turned to each other to ask if they had lipstick on their teeth. Although it's a competition, it's clear these new pals can count on each other for support.
8. Bobby Bones is Mr. Personality both on and off-camera.
Everyone watching at home couldn't seem to get enough of Bobby and Sharna's performance, which was filled with plenty of energy, lots of laughs and hilarious post-performance moments from the Nashville-based radio host. But even when the cameras weren't rolling, Bobby was entertaining the crowd by pumping them up during commercial breaks and shaking hands with fans.
Right before #TeamBeautyAndTheGeek performed, the two could be seen hugging each other, swaying back and forth. It was a sweet moment... and we had no idea Bobby was about to pull off a performance like the one he did! Frontrunner potential? We think so!
9. Touch-ups for everyone!
The celebrities, dancers and judges may spend hours getting their hair and makeup done before the show, but during commercial breaks, a crew comes around with a beauty bag to make sure everyone is still looking flawless.
10. Sets are changed during commercial breaks, with just a few minutes to spare.
The DWTS crew's ability to switch up a set during a brief commercial break is actually quite amazing to watch. The biggest challenge during Monday's show was changing John Schneider and Emma Slater's Dukes of Hazzard-themed set into Tinashe and Brandon Armstrong's stage fit for a pop star.
Members of the crew carefully pushed the orange Dodge Charger out of the frame, as another group worked on getting #TeamFiresAndFlames' set to the center of the ballroom. Meanwhile, production assistants passed out light-up rings to the audience, which we were told to turn on right before Tinashe and Brandon performed.
11. Newly-engaged couple Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson packed on some PDA.
After the show wrapped, all the celebrities and the pro dancers made their way to the center of the ballroom where they gave hugs, raved over each others' performances and gushed over how much fun they had. At one point, we saw Val adorably walk over to Jenna, where the two embraced in a hug and a sweet kiss, telling each other, "Good job." It doesn't get much cuter than that!
Night two of Dancing With the Stars' season 27 premiere kicks off Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. In the meantime, watch the video below for more backstage news from the ballroom.
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