Conner Leavitt’s DWTS elimination brought Season 35’s first surprise before the premiere had even reached its second night. Leavitt and professional partner Adele Zaikman were sent home Tuesday after scoring 12 out of 30 for their Salsa to Tag Team’s “Whoop! There It Is.”

The episode opened a two-night premiere in which each male celebrity performed to a No. 1 song from the year he was born. Apparently, nostalgia offers no protection from an early exit.

“This has been the most fun. I have the greatest dance partner in the world in Adele,” Leavitt said after the result. “I can’t wait for the world to get to see her talent.”

His wife, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Whitney Leavitt, finished fifth on the previous season.

Which couples faced elimination?

Co-hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro announced that three couples were in danger at the end of “Premiere: Night One.” Alongside Leavitt and Zaikman were Jimmy Kimmel Live! personality Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson, plus comedian Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold.

Rodriguez had received the evening’s lowest judges’ score, earning 10 out of 30 for a Cha Cha to Jean Knight’s “Mr. Big Stuff.” Wood landed in safer numerical territory with 16 out of 30 for his Cha Cha to Tim McGraw’s “I Like It, I Love It,” though the elimination announcement showed that the leaderboard was not the only source of suspense.

Zaikman joined the professional cast after winning the first season of Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro. She described performing in the ballroom as “a dream come true,” even if her first run as a pro ended much sooner than planned.

Who topped the first-night leaderboard?

Harry Shum Jr., best known to many viewers from Glee, delivered the strongest performance of the night with professional partner Jenna Johnson. Their Cha Cha to Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Let’s Groove” earned 21 out of 30, placing them at the top of the opening leaderboard.

Paralympic gold medalist Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach followed closely with 20 out of 30. They performed a Tango to Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone.”

Former Bachelor Nation contestant Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess took third place with 17 out of 30 for a Tango to Lenny Kravitz’s “Are You Gonna Go My Way.” Judge Derek Hough briefly called Cameron “Dylan,” because remembering the contestant’s name is apparently an optional part of judging. The mistake did not affect the couple’s score.

Musician Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart matched Wood and Arnold with 16 out of 30 after performing a Quickstep to Billy Joel’s “Tell Her About It.” Savannah Bananas player Jackson Olson and Emma Slater received 15 out of 30 for their Cha Cha to the Spice Girls’ “Wannabe.”

Witney Carson embraced the challenge

Before the premiere, Witney Carson praised her partnership with Guillermo Rodriguez, describing Jimmy Kimmel’s longtime sidekick as exactly the person viewers expect him to be.

“He wears his heart on his sleeve, and he’s down for everything, while being naturally funny and open,” Carson said. “He’s a great person to have in the ballroom because we laugh and have so much fun, but he’s also such a hard worker. He is putting in the work and shows up ready to learn every day.”

Carson also acknowledged that she initially hesitated to return while pregnant with her third child. She said the demands of the competition had kept her working hard and were pushing her in positive ways.

“This season I’m all about empowerment, for myself and for other women, because we can do anything,” she said. “One of my biggest priorities for this season is to show all moms that we don’t have to lose parts of ourselves to grow a family.”

Rodriguez survived the first elimination despite sitting at the bottom of the judges’ rankings, giving the partnership another chance to improve and the ballroom another dependable source of comedy.

What happens on premiere night two?

The competition continues Wednesday with “Premiere: Night Two,” when the female celebrities and their professional partners take the floor. They will follow the same theme, performing to chart-topping songs from their respective birth years.

After the two-night opening event, new episodes of Dancing With the Stars will air Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+. Episodes will become available on Hulu the following day.