SPOILER ALERT! This post contains details from the 20th anniversary episode of ABC‘s Dancing with the Stars, including who goes home.
We’re nearing the end of Dancing with the Stars Season 34, but first it’s time to celebrate the competition series’ 20th birthday!
There are seven couples left after Danielle and Pasha’s shocking exit on Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night, an elimination that certainly put the remaining mirrorball trophy hopefuls on high alert. As for this week, ABC pulled out all the stops for the birthday bash. It was a star-studded affair as the ballroom was filled to the brim with past pros and contestants like Ilona Maher, Candace Cameron Bure, Kate Flannery, Bill Nye, Daniel Durant, Wayne Newton and more.
The night began with a pro routine choreographed by Derek Hough featuring some exciting returners from past seasons, including the Season 1 pros, remixing the classic DWTS theme song to showcase the best of ballroom dancing.
Former DWTS host Tom Bergeron was also back in the ballroom as a guest judge on Tuesday night to help ring in the milestone, as were several former champions who, for the first time ever, danced with the remaining celebs during the relay round in lieu of their pro partners.
Anyway, let’s get into it.
Actor Elaine Hendrix with Alan Bersten. The Parent Trap actress kicked off the night with a salsa to “It Takes Two” by Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock, inspired by Mario Lopez’s freestyle from Season 3. It’s one week until the semifinals, so they have to be on their A-game for this one, especially given that Hendrix has been set back by a few injuries this season. But, a few pain points aren’t going to stop her. Hard to imagine how she didn’t get dizzy with those continuous spins, but somehow she managed. “That’s how you get the party started!” Bruno Tonioli told her. Carrie Ann Inaba admired her “resilience.” SCORE: 36 out of 40
Wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin with Witney Carson. Dancing a foxtrot to “Footprints in the Sand” by Leona Lewis, Carson really wants to make sure they do the dance justice. Irwin says he just had to turn down an event with Prince William because he’s made it so far on the show, in case you’re wondering how dedicated he is. But don’t worry, Prince William actually hopped on video chat to wish him luck. He better be voting! Irwin’s foxtrot is inspired by his sister Bindi’s tribute to her dad when she competed on Season 21 with Derek Hough. The siblings shared a moment at the end of the number that added to the emotion of the performance. Inaba called it “so profound” that she was willing to look past an illegal lift! It’s a birthday party, who cares! SCORE: 40 out of 40 (the very first perfect score of the season!)
Comedian Andy Richter with partner Emma Slater. The people’s princess is dancing a quickstep to “Puttin’ on the Ritz” by Robbie Williams this week. They’re making sure the audience knows that Richter has stuck around this long pretty much exclusively because of fan votes, so everyone better be texting “Andy” to 21523 if they want to keep him around for the semifinals! He’s got an intimidating dance this week inspired by a Season 25 performance from champs Lindsay Arnold and Jordan Fisher. Bergeron tells Richter that the late Len Goodman would’ve loved the dance, which is high praise considering Goodman once told Bergeron his own quickstep was better suited for America’s Funniest Home Videos. SCORE: 29 out of 40 (including an eight from Inaba! Who would’ve thought!)
Reality TV star Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach. These two are on a roll after getting a 10 from Flavor Flav last week, but overall the scores were a bit all over the place, and Efron thinks that kind of reflects how he felt about that dance, too. This week, they’re dancing an argentine tango to “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers inspired by Milo Manheim and Witney Carson’s dance from Season 27. Efron says it’s a bit intimidating since Manheim looks so much “like a dancer,” but who knows what he’s talking about, because so did he! “Dylan, as the great Len Goodman would say, ‘hold my gaze.’ That was your breakthrough moment by A LOT!” Derek Hough told him. SCORE: 40 out of 40
Olympic gold medalist Jordan Chiles with Ezra Sosa. The gymnast was only one point behind the leading couples last week, meaning that she’s got something to prove as she aims for the top of the leaderboard with this dance. Inspired by Wayne Brady’s freestyle in Season 33, she and Sosa are dancing a cha cha to “Get Up” by Ciara featuring Chamillionaire. The steamy routine won over the judges, with Tonioli telling them that they “brought sexy back to the cha cha cha.” Inaba thought it was too wild, but Hough thought there was actually quite a bit of control in her movements. SCORE: 37 out of 40 (thanks to Hough for their first 10).
Social media personality Alix Earle with Val Chmerkovskiy. These two were ready to stun with a foxtrot to “Singin’ in the Rain” by Matthew Morrison that also served as a tribute of sorts to old Hollywood. They nearly got a perfect score with their paso doble on Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night, so they’re aiming for that last 10 tonight. It was Tonioli who invoked Goodman for this performance, telling the couple: “This is how you do it!” Bergeron says not only was it a terrific dance, it was a lesson in chemistry. SCORE: 40 out of 40
Whitney Leavitt (The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives) with Mark Ballas. The final competitive dance of the night was an argentine tango to “Cell Block Tango” from Chicago The Musical from the couple who so far has been smoking the competition this season. The reality TV star says she knows she’s “under a microscope,” so she really wants to bring her all to this dance, inspired by Gabby Windey’s freestyle from Season 31. And bring it, she did. “That was such an incredibly passionate and precise dance,” Inaba said. Hough adds that it was “dripping in elegance and control.” SCORE: 40 out of 40
RELAY ROUND
Remember, Leavitt is exempt from the relay round since she and Ballas had the highest total combined judges scores of the season after last week’s show. The rest of the contestants are paired with a past mirrorball champ, and their pros serve as the coaches.
Here’s how things shook out in this round:
Elaine Hendrix and Season 24 winner Rashad Jennings vs. Jordan Chiles and Season 4 winner Apolo Anton Ohno. They’re dancing a quickstep, and both women are determined to win those extra two points to help secure their place in the semifinals, so they’ve got to leave everything on the dance floor. Hendrix had a bit of a misstep in the final moments of their dance, but she still brought the “bounciness, the brightness, the fun,” Hough said. Inaba added: “Bravo to the returning champs,” who had to re-learn how to dance (and lead their partners, by the way) after quite a hiatus. WINNER: Jordan and Apolo.
Dylan Efron and Season 20 winner Rumer Willis vs. Andy Richter and Season 29 winner Kaitlyn Bristowe. Both couples are dancing a viennese waltz, and Richter is pretty convinced that Efron and Willis might have he and Bristowe beat — but the former Bachelorette is determined to get those points “for America and for Andy!” Let’s just say, she and Richter really brought the heat to their performance. I mean, she ripped off his shirt! “Andy! You wanted to distract me!” Tonioli accused him. Looks like it worked! However, Willis and Efron “look like you guys have been dancing forever,” Hough conceded. WINNER: Dylan and Rumer.
Alix Earle and Season 33 winner Joey Graziadei vs. Robert Irwin and Season 32 winner Xochitl Gomez. These two have some fan-favorite returning mirrorball champs in their corner this week, so the bar is pretty high for their relay. They’re dancing a jive, and they are stacking both of their performances with tricks galore, even if it means a few new bumps and bruises from a few difficult rehearsals. “This was a relay like watching F1, Ferrari vs. McLaren,” Tonioli said, adding that he had nothing to critique, and the decision would come down to “a matter of taste.” That pretty much sums up the thoughts from the judges. WINNER: Robert and Xochitl.
It’s a shame that someone has to go home after such a celebratory night, but such is life. The couples going to the semi finals are: Whitney and Mark, Dylan and Daniella, Alix and Val, Robert and Witney, Jordan and Ezra, and Elaine and Alan.
Andy and Emma are going home. Sadly, it’s the end of the road for the people’s princess. Boo!
Semifinals are next week. The mirrorball trophy is so close they can almost taste it. Dancing with the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
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