Hey, DWTS fans! After last week’s fab premiere, the 14 remaining celebs took to the ballroom yet again to compete for the Len Goodman Mirrorball trophy. This week was Viral Hits theme night, so the couples danced to the most TikTok-approved music…and we can confirm that they *absolutely* killed it. Let’s recap their routines, scores and who got eliminated.
Last week, the two-night premiere sent Connor Leavitt and his partner Adele Zaikman and Sarah Jane Nader and her partner Hailey Bills home. Harry and Maura topped the leaderboard with 21 points, while Guillermo and Tatyana were at the bottom with 12. And, ICYMI, this week was the highest number of votes in Dancing with the Stars history! As for another fun twist, because there are so many stars (and not enough showtime…), when giving feedback, the last judge could only share one word to give their thoughts on each performance.
The episode started out with a skit to intro the “Viral Hits” theme. The troupe (Onye, Kamri, Carter and Jaxon) killed it with a “Lush Life” dance, warming up the ballroom with style and sass!
Jenna Dewan & Val Chmerkovskiy
Jenna, former professional dancer and star of The Rookie, and her partner Val started the night *strong.* Jenna mentioned she really took Carrie Ann’s feedback about “dancing a solo” last week to heart. She was motivated in her rehearsals to bring out their best routine and show their partnership.
The duo’s hard work srsly showed in their jive to “Animal” by KATSEYE—their timing was on point, their facials were fire and as Derek described in his “one” word, they were “fast-fierce-fantastic.” Carrie Ann lauded the improvement in their partnership, while Bruno commented on their timing: “I counted all the way through. You didn’t miss a beat.” The couple scored all 7’s for a total of 21. (Spoiler alert: that’s a tie for the highest score of the night!)
Ciara Miller & Brandon Armstrong
Reflecting on last week, reality star Ciara told Brandon about feeling in her head last week, but also how important the feedback was to her: “Carrie Ann saying she sees me was so special to me…I’ve been fighting [for] 7 years on reality TV to be seen without people calling me sooo dramatic.”
Ciara and Brandon’s tango to “No Broke Boys” by Disco Lines and Tinashe was a huge improvement from last week. Carrie Ann noted that she “attacked every move,” and Derek said the consistency he wanted last week was finally there this week. Bruno’s one word? “Beautiful.” The duo scored all 6’s, totaling 18 points (topping their score of 15 from last week!).
Tyler Cameron & Sharna Burgess
Former The Bachelorette contestant Tyler reflected that last week’s performance felt like rediscovering parts of himself. He mentioned that while he came off The Bachelorette with confidence, he felt he lost that over the years—and this competition is about regaining that spark.
His salsa to “Girls” by The Kid LAROI with Sharna was pretty wild, showcasing some *insane* lifts (including one holding her upside down…woah). He’s giving us majorrr Danny Amendola vibes from two seasons ago. While it was an impressive performance, Derek and Bruno both agreed that there were a lot of lifts…and not a lot of salsa. Tyler and Sharna scored a 6 (Carrie Ann), 5 (Derek) and 5 (Bruno) for a total of 16.
Julia Stiles & Ezra Sosa
This week Julia, our fav from 10 Things I Hate About You, and Ezra performed a tango to “The Door” by Teddy Swims. Julia explained that she has a personal connection to the song: “I’ve had a funny relationship with being in the public eye. I was intoxicated by it, but it also scared me, and I kinda ran in the other direction. So, I’m reclaiming my relationship with people watching me.”
The dance had beautiful ballroom elements (shoutout Ezra’s choreo), but the judges did note a few stumbles. Carrie Ann encouraged Julia to let loose, especially in dips. This rom-com-approved pair scored a 16—with a 5 (Carrie Ann), 6 (Derek) and 5 (Bruno).
Jackson Olson & Emma Slater
Jackson, a member of the Savannah Bananas performance baseball team, and Emma seriously have a lot on their plate during the week. (BTW, they have to travel with the Bananas to rehearse before games, then fly back to LA to compete in the ballroom. We see the hard work!)
Their foxtrot to “That’s So True” by Gracie Abrams was a huge improvement from last week, and Derek mentioned he was overall impressed by their frame. They scored 3 6’s, totaling 18.
Giada De Laurentiis & Alan Bersten
Celeb chef Giada definitely showed us her vulnerable side last week, opening up about the struggles with stamina, and she noted this week: “It has been a lesson in building confidence.”
Giada and Alan took on a salsa, performing to “Bella Ciao” by Becky G. The couple showcased some impressive lifts, and Bruno encouraged Giada to let loose and not overthink. Carrie Ann summed up the dance with her one word: “Shaky.” The couple scored 3 4’s for a total of 12. Unfortunately, they were eliminated at the end of the night.
Connor Wood & Rylee Arnold
Connor, the Internet’s favorite comedian and podcaster, and Rylee performed a tango to “12 to 12” by sombr. Rylee mentioned the challenges this week: “Tango is intense, passionate and technical, and Connor is none of those three words.” But Connor focused in rehearsal, explaining: “This is definitely the hardest I’ve worked in anything.”
Unfortunately, the judges picked up on some mistakes. However, Carrie Ann mentioned that the partnership between the two has been really strong (basically just two BFFs). Connor and Rylee scored all 5’s, totaling 15.
Ezra Frech & Daniella Karagach
TBH, Paralympian Ezra and his partner Daniella blew us away (yet again). This duo is quickly becoming a fan favorite, and it’s easy to see why. According to Daniella, the cha-cha (performed to “Low” by Flo Rida) was Ezra’s hardest dance on the show because of the bent legs and fluidity it requires.
Despite the challenge, the duo *crushed* it (10/10, no notes, IMO). The timing was just perf, Ezra stayed light with his steps, and he had killer performance energy. The judges were just as impressed with the dance, giving him all 7’s for a total of 21 (NBD, just tied for highest score of the night).
Tatyana Ali & Jan Ravnik
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star Tatyana and pro Jan hit the dance floor with a foxtrot to “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish. While this duo was at the bottom of the leaderboard on night one with a score of 12, this dance srsly showed their potential (and their improvement…we see you, queen!).
The personal story of this dance, growing up in the entertainment industry and experiencing negative words, clearly showed through Tatyana’s facial expressions and performance. Derek described it as: “Breathtaking, ethereal and magical.” Tatyana and Jan scored all 6’s for a total of 18.
Amber Glenn & Pasha Pashkov
After a great first week, Olympic figure skater Amber and her partner Pasha took on a tango to “All the Things She Said” by Harrison (who came to the ballroom to DJ the song…sooo cool). In rehearsals, Amber mentioned loving the song because of its queer representation for athletes.
Their duet was seriously impressive—clean, passionate and controlled. Bruno stated: “[It was] the best tango of the night, period,” and noted the passion of the dance. Carrie Ann mentioned that Amber learned from last week and really leaned into her partnership with Pasha. They scored all 7’s, totaling 21 and sharing the top of the leaderboard with Jenna and Ezra.
Guillermo Rodriguez & Witney Carson
A new fan favorite, Guillermo—aka, Jimmy Kimmel’s BFF—took on a new challenge with a paso doble to “Where Have You Been” by Rihanna. Witney explained that the paso doble is all about passion, not fun (and Guillermo is nothing if not fun!).
The dance def took a step up from last week, with more steps and strong movements. The judges noted Guillermo’s effort and intentionality in the dance, and gave him all 4’s for a total of 12.
Taylor Hanson & Britt Stewart
Taylor, from the hit band Hanson, and Britt took on a cha-cha to “Cake By The Ocean” by DNCE. Taylor noted the dance was demanding with lots of sliding and jumping.
The dance was a bit guarded at points, and the judges commented on Taylor needing to finish out his movements. Carrie Ann summarized the dance with one word: “Frenetic.” The judges gave Taylor and Britt all 5’s for a total of 15.
Harry Shum Jr. & Jenna Johnson
As one of last week’s frontrunners, Harry, best known for acting on Grey’s Anatomy and Glee, mentioned: “Being on top of the leaderboard brings a lot more pressure.” Seeking to live up to last week’s score of 21, Harry and Jenna performed a Viennese waltz to “Iris” by The Goo Goo Dolls. Harry mentioned how this went viral for people sharing pictures from the 90s, and how he was reminded of his younger self: “This dance is a message to my younger self that it’s gonna be OK.”
The choreo was fab, and the dance was graceful and controlled. Bruno encouraged Harry to keep the dance fluid throughout, and Carrie Ann implored him to stay consistent, as there were some moments where he let go but other moments where he was timid. The couple scored all 6’s for a total of 18 points.
Maura Higgins & Mark Ballas
After topping the leaderboard with Harry last week, Maura, star of season 4 of The Traitors, and her partner Mark came into the week with confidence, dancing a cha-cha to “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire. For Maura, the fast pace of cha-cha definitely stressed her out in rehearsals, but her ballroom performance clearly showed her dedication to learning the steps (we love a committed queen).
Carrie Ann mentioned it felt a little safer than the week prior, but she saw how dedicated Maura was to learning the technique. Derek commented on how Maura was too back-weighted and needed to be less stiff. The duo scored 19 points—a 6 (Carrie Ann), 6 (Derek) and 7 (Bruno).
We’ll see you next week for Yacht Rock Night!
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