Season 25 of “Dancing With the Stars” kicked off Monday night with an all-new cast, and as quick as you could say “Tom Bergeron,” some celeb couples had risen above the rest.
Here are the five pairs to watch this season.
Jordan Fisher & Lindsay Arnold
Scoring a 22 out of 30, this pair Tangoed their way to the top of the leaderboard with a dance set to “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back.”
The “Hamilton” actor — who plays John Laurens and Philip Hamilton in the broadway smash — may not exactly be a household name right now, but he certainly has the makings to be one of those breakouts who makes himself one throughout the course of the show.
Lindsey Stirling & Mark Ballas
Quirky violinist Stirling and partner Ballas tied Fisher and Arnold for the top spot, with a score of 22. Their Cha Cha to “Don’t Worry” by Madcon had spunk and attitude that could take them far.
Not bad for a musician who initially described her usually inactive legs as “a little noodle-y.”
Frankie Muniz & Witney Carson
As we’ve seen many times before, the judge’s scores aren’t everything. “DWTS” viewers often vote with their hearts and if the audience was even half as smitten with “Malcolm in the Middle” star Muniz as Carrie Ann Inaba was, this pair could emerge as major competition.
Their scores weren’t bad either. Their Foxtrot to “Sign of the Times” by Harry Styles scored a 19.
Victoria Arlen & Val Chmerkovskiy
Paralympian Arlen and Chmerkovskiy also had a solid start with a score of 19 for their Cha Cha to “Born Ready” by Disco Fries. But it was Arlen’s story — her illness as a child that left her paralyzed and her miraculous recovery as an adult that allowed her to walk again — that left the audience and her partner inspired.
“She’s the closest thing that I’ve ever seen to a miracle — a living miracle,” Chmerkovskiy said.
And while Arlen was left with no feeling in her legs, her partner called it “a very small challenge compared to everything she’s been through.”
Vanessa Lachey & Maks Chmerkovskiy
With husband Nick Lachey also competing this season, Vanessa Lachey emerged as the Lachey Household leader with a score of 21.
She and her partner performed a Cha Cha to “Woman” by Kesha that was smooth and showed off her natural ability in the ballroom.
Watch out, Nick.