Night two of the season 27 premiere kicked off on Tuesday & ET is breaking down all the best behind-the-scenes moments in the ballroom.
Night two of the Dancing With the Stars season 27 premiere was jam-packed with memorable moments!
From the highly-anticipated reveal of the Juniors celebrity cast to the announcement of the first eliminated couple, Tuesday's two-hour show certainly didn't disappoint.
And while viewers at home were treated to plenty of entertainment, there was so much more that happened inside the ballroom that you didn't see on TV. ET was there to witness it all, and now we're breaking down all the best behind-the-scenes secrets!
1. The crowd was sad to say goodbye to Nikki Glaser.
DWTS is all about stepping out of your comfort zone and trying something you've never done before, and for Nikki, that's exactly what she did. She previously told ET that she wanted to do the show to prove to young girls that it's "OK to look stupid" and to "just have fun."
The comedian was the contestant that brought some humor to the show, so naturally, when hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews announced to the crowd that she and Gleb Savchenko would be the first couple to go home, there were lots of shocked faces and disappointed reactions from those in the ballroom.
2. Fear of elimination didn't stop her from having a good time, however.
Nikki and Gleb knew right from the top of the show that they were one of the couples in jeopardy of going home. Still, they appeared to be having a blast while performing for the judges one last time, and you could tell they were enjoying themselves even when the cameras weren't directly on them.
Our favorite Nikki-Gleb moment that you didn't see on TV happened when quadruple threat Mackenzie Ziegler took the stage to perform her hit single, "Wonderful," shortly after it was revealed that she's one of the contestants competing on the upcoming Juniors show, with Gleb serving as her mentor. Nikki was in the sky box, dancing and singing along to every word, while Gleb pulled out his phone to capture Mackenzie in action.
3. Many of the seats were reserved for a star-studded crowd.
Nikki and Gleb weren't the only ones who were cheering on Mackenzie -- her famous sister, Maddie Ziegler, was in the audience, grinning ear to ear and cheering loud and proud throughout the performance. Sitting nearby were a slew of other celebrities, like reality star Mama June, Lindsay Arnold's sister/So You Think You Can Dance star Jensen Arnold and former contestant Terra Jole. We also spotted family and friends of DeMarcus Ware, Milo Manheim and Evanna Lynch in the crowd, jumping out of their seats and applauding loudly as Tom and Erin announced they were all safe from elimination this week.
4. Does Milo Manheim have a friendly crush on another contestant?
While the Disney star was ecstatic to learn he and Witney would be moving on to week two, he seemed even more excited over the fact that Alexis Ren and her partner, Alan Bersten, are staying in the competition. One of Milo's pals, Mason Turner, was in the audience, and any time there was any reference of Alexis, the two would look at each other, smile and cheer.
At the end of the show, we also spotted Milo be one of the first to walk over to Alexis and Alan to congratulate them on being safe from elimination. It's clear they support each other, and while Alexis seems to be dating someone at the moment, we can't blame Milo and his buddy for developing an innocent crush on the Instagram beauty -- especially after seeing her dance!
5. Jenna Johnson was so relieved to find out Val Chmerkovskiy was safe.
Speaking of crushes, there were plenty more adorable moments between newly engaged couple Jenna and Val Tuesday night. Everyone at home saw how shocked Jenna was to learn at the top of the show that she and Grocery Store Joe were one of the lucky couples moving on to week two. Those in the ballroom saw her receive a sweet hug and kiss from her beau following the exciting news, but at the same time, the moment felt bittersweet due to the fact that Val and his partner, Nancy McKeon, had just learned they were in danger. At the end of the show, when #TeamMcVal were awaiting their fate, Jenna was in the sky box, watching attentively with her hands on her face in anticipation. As any proud fiancee would do, she let out a big sigh of relief once she discovered Val and Nancy also made it through to week two!
6. There were lots of laughs...
It seems like Bobby Bones and Sharna Burgess haven't been able to shake off all the excitement and laughter from night one of the premiere. As #TeamBeautyAndTheGeek watched back highlights from their Monday performance, they couldn't help themselves from cracking up over the radio host's hilarious, very energetic Jive all over again! And just like night one, those in the ballroom on Tuesday were also giggling while re-living the epic moment, cheering as Bobby and Sharna received the good news that they were safe from elimination and one step closer to scoring a mirrorball.
After the show wrapped, Bobby and Sharna proved their positive energy doesn't stop when the cameras turn off -- we spotted them mingling with the other dancers and giving high-fives to some of the Juniors stars. If you look closely in the video above, you'll also see that Sharna quickly traded in her ballroom heels for a pair of comfy slippers. Smart choice, girl!
7. ...and some tears.
At one point, the vibe in the ballroom took an emotional turn when production played back highlights from Danelle Umstead and Artem Chigvintsev's heartwarming dance. Many seated in the audience got a little teary-eyed, especially after witnessing #TeamBlindFaith interact in person just moments before the clip aired. Artem has said before that this is his most challenging partnership to date, but he's so kind and patient with Danelle, which is how they're making the seemingly impossible possible. We couldn't imagine her being paired up with anyone else, and everyone in the crowd was beyond happy to learn this isn't the end of their journey on DWTS.
8. Emma Slater is a "big hit with the kids."
If the performances from the cast of DWTS: Juniors didn't get you excited for the spinoff series (airing Oct. 7 on ABC), we think this adorable tidbit may just reel you in for good. The young stars who will be featured on the show truly look up to the professional ballroom dancers on the regular season -- we saw them chatting it up with Witney Carson and Lindsay Arnold, and even getting picked up in the air by Keo Motsepe. But overall, Emma seems to be the most beloved by them all!
As soon as she made her way to the center of the ballroom when the show wrapped, the Juniors cast flocked over to her, yelling her name and gathering together for a group hug that turned into the perfect selfie moment. Here's our view of the precious moment:
And here's what Emma later shared to Instagram:
9. Val Chmerkovskiy is everyone's biggest fan.
Yes, it's a competition, but who says it can't be friendly? If there was an award for Mr. Congeniality of the ballroom, it would without a doubt go to Val this season. Throughout the show, we witnessed him giving high-fives and hugs to the contestants and hyping up the members of the troupe before their dances. But the cutest Val moment occurred just after the Juniors cast performed a group number. The pro dancer -- who is a judge on the all-kids spinoff -- was in the sky box, holding up a perfect "10" score card and waving it back and forth. Naturally, it put a smile on all the young contestants and mini pros faces, proving that approval from one of their role models is really all that matters!
What did YOU think of the first elimination? What other behind-the-scenes ballroom moments would you like to see next week? Let me know on Twitter (@desireemurphy_) and watch the video below for more on DWTS.
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