'Dancing With the Stars' Season 35 premiere night 2: Maura Higgins leads scores

The show airs Tuesdays at 8 pm ET/PT on ABC and Disney+, with episodes streaming the following day on Hulu

Maura Higgins emerged as the highest-scoring celebrity on the second night of the Dancing With the Stars season 35 premiere, earning 21 points alongside professional partner Mark Ballas.

The two-night premiere concluded on Wednesday with eight female contestants taking to the ballroom.

Higgins and Ballas topped the scoreboard with their foxtrot to “Black Velvet” by Alannah Myles, while Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy scored 19 for their tango to “Call Me” by Blondie.

Higgins had expressed doubts about whether her experience on The Traitors would help her on the dance floor.

“I don’t think anything I did on [The Traitors] can help me on Dancing With the Stars,” Higgins said during rehearsals. “I’ve never actually performed before, so I’m terrified.”

The judges ultimately praised her performance, with Bruno Tonioli describing the routine as “so seductive, so enticing, smooth as silk and ready for the kill.”

Dewan, who has previous experience as a touring backup dancer, received mixed feedback despite scoring 19. “Step Up is great but do not lift off,” Carrie Ann Inaba told her, encouraging her to “keep the feet on the ground.”

Elsewhere, Amber Glenn and Julia Stiles each scored 18, while Giada De Laurentiis earned 16 and Ciara Miller received 15.

Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik recorded the lowest score of the night with 12. Sarah Jane Nader and Hailey Bills scored 14 before Nader was eliminated, reducing the season 35 cast to 14 celebrities.

Dancing With the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8 pm ET/PT on ABC and Disney+, with episodes streaming the following day on Hulu.