Week two of the series opener saw six new dancing stars hit the floor following Lisa McCune’s week one score of 30 which set the competition’s benchmark.
Pocket rocket pop star Samantha Jade — who says she’s “not a dancer” — was well coached by Gustavo Viglio on their way to a flying start, with a Quickstep that caught the judges’ attention.
“I’m like next to speechless at that, week one?!” Sharna Burgess gasped.
“I can’t believe I just did that,” Jade said while in awe of her energetic performance.
For a singer who claims she can’t dance, the silver-tasselled performer claimed an eye-catching score of 31.
Better Homes and Gardens tradie Adam Dovile had his arms and legs flailing in a manner you’d rarely see on a construction site, as he and partner Jess Raffa smiled their way to the audiences’ hearts.
“I was lucky to have the jive first, cos’ I could just be myself,” Dovile said.
While the judges found technical faults in his performance, they couldn’t doubt the handyman’s belief and charisma.
Dual Olympian and former senator Nova Peris brought her competitive spirit to the fore, although admitted she’s not as nimble as she used to be.
Out of the blocks with a Viennese Waltz, she and dance partner Craig Monley carefully stepped around the dancefloor in a subdued introduction to the ballroom.
“Commitment, dedication, perseverance, that’s what I brought. I brought no dancing skills,” Peris joked.
Judge Craig Revel Horwood said her showcase was “lumpy” among a long list of criticisms, but aside from that, “perfect”.
In good news for Julie Goodwin fans, the chef said she was “literally getting stronger every day” following a leg injury in a sign her debut may not be far away.
Continuing the night’s mixed bag of performances was comedian Nikki Osborne and her crowd work, followed aptly by partner Aric Yegudkin in a challenging Cha Cha Cha.
The judges commended Osborne’s effort, but a bizarre comparison between catching public transport and extending from her core left the joker a little confused.
Riffing with Chris Brown about her “groin bonk” in rehearsals with Yegudkin, it was the judges who had the last laugh when they awarded the pair just 20 out of 40 points.
Celebrity chef Hayden Quinn and partner Lily Cornish showed the crowd what an unbalanced diet looks like, rocking skeleton suits as their Tango copped mixed reviews from the judges.
“Rigor mortis sort of set in,” Craig Revel Horwood remarked.
While Judge Helen Richey admitted Quinn was the “best-looking skeleton” she’d ever seen, his performance was at times “overcooked”, and others “undercooked”.
Former footy star Shane Crawford was good on both feet during his Hawthorn days, but not much of his technical ability transferred to the dancefloor for his Cha Cha Cha with last year’s winning partner Ash-Leigh Hunter.
“Entertainment, 10 out of 10,” Judge Mark Wilson said, lauding his sense of occasion.
While his energy and strength were features, Crawford’s showmanship well made up for his lack of dancing nous.
After six tremendous debuts, it was Samantha Jade whose star shone brightest with a score of 31.