‘Dancing with the Stars’: Here’s Why Chandler Kinney and Joey Graziadei Could Dominate Disney Night
Two celebrities have the best shot at winning a Mirrorball trophy in season 33 of Dancing with the Stars. The Bachelor star Joey Graziadei and Zombies star Chandler Kinney have been battling for the top spot on DWTS‘ leaderboard since the season’s start. Here’s why they could dominate the ballroom during Disney Night as the series hits its midway mark.
Joey Graziadei and Chandler Kinney could dominate Disney Night for one key reason
Both Joey Graziadei and Chandler Kinney have strong ties with Disney, the parent company of ABC; both starred in popular shows on the networks.
However, close ties to a network do not a Mirrorball champion make. So while Joey and Chandler may be familiar faces to viewers, it’s their ballroom skills and viewer votes that have kept them in the competition.
In weeks 1. 2, and 3, Joey and his pro partner Jenna Johnson came in second to Chandler and her pro, Brandon Armstrong. However, Joey outpaced Chandler during episode 4’s Hair Metal Night by three points and by four points in episode 5.
During Disney Night, Joey and Jenna will perform a samba to “Trashin’ the Camp” from Tarzan. Chandler and Brandon will paso doble to “We Own the Night” from ZOMBIES 2.
These two celebrities will dominate Disney Night not only by showcasing their superior ballroom skills but tapping into their built-in fan base, which will ensure they reach the next level of competition. Chandler and Joey appear to be the judge’s favorites, but that could also be a double-edged sword moving forward. Setting the bar so high each week could also be difficult to maintain as the competition becomes more challenging.
The remaining celebrities and dances for ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Disney Night
Although Joey Graziadei and Chandler Kinney appear to be the ones to beat on Dancing with the Stars, it’s still anyone’s game as the Mirrorball quest continues during season 33. Their fellow competitors are training just as hard to stay in the game as they perfect their dances for Disney Night.
During tonight’s episode, Super Bowl champion Danny Amendola and pro Witney Carson will perform a jazz routine to “Bye Bye Bye” from Deadpool & Wolverine. NBA champion Dwight Howard and pro Daniella Karagach tango to “When Can I See You Again?” from Wreck It Ralph.
Olympian rugby player Ilona Maher and pro Alan Bersten dance jazz to “Surface Pressure” from Encanto. Her fellow Olympian, gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik, and pro Rylee Arnold dance a Charleston to “A Star Is Born” from Hercules.
Reality star Phaedra Parks and pro Val Chmerkovskiy will dance jazz to “Cruella de Vil” from 101 Dalmatians. The Bachelorette star Jenn Tran and pro Sasha Farber will perform a rumba to “Kiss the Girl” from The Little Mermaid.
The pressure remains intense as there’s more than one dance at stake. For the first time this season, celebrities will have to perfect two routines.
Disney Night features the first team dance of the season
Disney Night kicks off with an opening number to “Friend Like Me” from Aladdin, choreographed by Taylor Swift’s choreographer Mandy Moore. The routine features a special appearance from Michael James Scott, who stars as Genie in the hit Broadway musical. Also, a brand-new song from Moana 2, titled “We’re Back,” makes its broadcast debut with a routine by the troupe and eliminated pros, and choreographed by Britt Stewart.
The pressure is on for the remaining eight celebrities. For the first time this season, they learned two separate routines. Two groups of four battle against each other for extra judges points.
Team Goofs will dance to the tune “I2I” from A Goofy Movie. Ilona Maher is the team’s captain. She is joined by her partner Alan Bersten, Joey Graziadei, Jenna Johnson, Chandler Kinney, Brandon Armstrong, Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber.
Team Roar performs a routine to “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” from The Lion King. Dwight Howard is the team’s captain and will dance with Daniella Karagach, Danny Amendola, Witney Carson, Stephen Nedoroscik, Rylee Arnold, Phaedra Parks, and Val Chmerkovskiy.
Dancing with the Stars airs live at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+. The episode airs the next day on Hulu. Viewer votes must be placed during the live show and end at the close of the evening’s last performance.
