Amber Glenn Sparks Chivalry Debate After 'DWTS' Premiere Surprise

Figure skater Amber Glenn found the Dancing With the Stars season 35 premiere especially nerve-wracking. “OK, first, why would they do that to us? No, thank you,” Glenn, 26, joked to Us after the live broadcast on Wednesday, September 16. “Don't get me wrong, I'm so grateful to be on the show … and, like, ‘Aw, this is a dream come true,’ [but] why the hell did the men go first? What happened to ladies first? What happened to chivalry? What?” DWTS kicked off its latest season on Tuesday, September 15, with the male celebrities taking the ballroom floor for the first time. The women had their own chance to shine the next night. “[It was] tough sitting here and just watching and not being able to do [our routine] out there,” Glenn’s pro partner, Pasha Pashkov, told Us on Wednesday. “They got to dance yesterday and get everything out of the way, and today just sit here and watch and enjoy. And us yesterday, we're watching and we still have to stay focused for tomorrow. It wasn't easy.”

When it was their time to take the stage, Glenn and Pashkov, 40, delivered a sizzling cha-cha to “Smooth” by Santana featuring Rob Thomas. The routine earned a total score of 18 out of 30 from the judging panel. “I was really trying to perform to the best of my ability while remembering, like, ‘OK, I'm not here on my own. I can't just do whatever,’” she told Us of her competition mindset. “Usually I can kind of just make little things happen that are different. I'm like, ‘Oh, I can't. I gotta stick to the plan.’”

While Glenn is used to skating on her own instead of with a team or partner, the Olympian has found other aspects of her sport coming in handy on DWTS. “I think [my Olympics experience] has definitely helped me in the performance aspect and how to handle waiting for an entire day and watching and waiting and waiting and waiting and then eventually getting to perform,” she explained. “It's been really nice, because I've gotten to talk to some of the other people with different backgrounds, different experiences, but I've also gotten to come in with a lot of tips and tricks I've learned over the years, [like] how to bandage your foot when you get blisters and how to handle some performance anxiety.”