Chandler Kinney Earns Dancing With the Stars Top Score Tangoing to Chappell Roan’s ‘Hot to Go!’
Getty Images
Chandler Kinney is setting the bar especially high on the new season of Dancing With the Stars.
The Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin star showed off her skilled dance moves on night one, the premiere episode of season 33, performing to pop star Chappell Roan’s summer hit single “HOT TO GO!” Kinney is partnered up with professional dancer Brandon Armstrong, who has been a staple on the show since season 24.
On Kinney's YA thriller Max series, it’s Faran Bryant (played by Zaria) that is the big-time dancer — but fans were excited to learn that Kinney also has a knack for movement. The 24-year-old trained at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy and the Los Angeles Ballet Academy as a child, so it’s no wonder this stage feels made for her. Kinney and Armstrong are currently beating out the twelve other teams, sitting at the top of the leaderboard with 23 points out of 30.
“It was way more of a rush than I could have ever imagined,” Kinney told The Hollywood Reporter after her DWTS debut, calling it “the best experience ever” that she wants “to do again already.”
It’s clear the Pretty Little Liars universe and its dedicated fan base will be rallying behind Kinney — she even has the support of her PLL costars. Actor Jordan Gonzalez shared a tweet on X (formerly known as Twitter) with a screenshot of his back-to-back votes for Kinney. Zaria also tweeted: “I need to see y’all voting in the election and voting in this election do u feel me.”
Due to her of her incredible display in week one, fans were also getting hype at the idea that Kinney could take home the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy at the end of this season. Some fans pointed out that this could be a huge moment for the show, as Kinney could become the second Black woman to ever win Dancing With the Stars.
During 2013's season 17, Glee star Amber Riley took home the trophy and became the first Black woman to win the competition. Now 11 years later, there hasn't been another Black female winner since. So with her top-earning debut performance and what’s expected to be a ton of fun routines to follow, many fans are excited to watch and cheer on Chandler Kinney as she potentially dances her way to the top.
Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue
Want more great Culture stories from Teen Vogue? Check these out:
Solve the daily Crossword
