Twenty years of ballroom dancing culminated Tuesday night on “Dancing with the Stars” for “A 20th Birthday Party.”
Individual round recap
The recaps are formatted in order of when each contestant performed. Couples were challenged to perform freestyle routines inspired by previous dances from the show. The guest judge this week was former host Tom Bergeron, making scores out of 40 instead of the usual 30.
Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten: Score 36/40 (9, 9, 9, 9)
Getting the party started, Hendrix and Bersten danced a salsa to “It Takes Two” by Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock, inspired by Mario Lopez and Karina Smirnoff’s season 3 freestyle. The judges were impressed with Hendrix’s resilience, noting she couldn’t even dance two weeks ago. The couple was awarded four nines.
Robert Irwin and Witney Carson: Score 40/40 (10, 10, 10, 10)
Robert Irwin and Carson danced a foxtrot to “Footprints in the Sand” by Leona Lewis, in reference to the season 21 mirrorball champion and sister to Robert Irwin, Bindi Irwin, and her partner Derek Hough’s freestyle. The judges said the dance was a poetic and touching tribute that moved the entire audience, awarding the pair four 10s, the first perfect score of the season. The couple was tied for the top of the leaderboard this week.
Andy Richter and Emma Slater: Score 29/40 (8, 7, 7, 7)
Inspired by Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold’s season 25 freestyle, Richter and Slater danced a quickstep to “Puttin’ On The Ritz” by Robbie Williams. The judges admired Richter’s courage to return week after week, never giving up. They found him to be improving with his footwork, awarding the duo one eight and three sevens, landing them at the bottom of the leaderboard this week.
Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach: Score 40/40 (10, 10, 10, 10)
Performing an Argentine tango to “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers, Efron and Karagach were inspired by Milo Manheim and Carson’s season 27 freestyle. The judges found this dance to be Efron’s breakthrough moment, saying it looked like two professional dancers performing. The couple was awarded four 10s, tying them at the top of the leaderboard this week.
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa: Score 37 (9, 10, 9, 9)
Chiles and Sosa danced a cha cha to “Get Up (feat. Chamillionaire)” by Ciara, inspired by Wayne Brady and Carson’s season 31 freestyle. The judges appreciated Chiles’ focus on small details throughout her dances, as well as the texture she emits with her body. Though it was a strong dance, the judges still found it getting wild at times, particularly with Chiles’ shoulders coming up during turns. The pair was awarded three nines and one 10.
Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy: Score 40/40 (10, 10, 10, 10)
Dancing a foxtrot to “Singin’ in the Rain” by Matthew Morrison, Earle and Chmerkovskiy were inspired by the season 29 freestyle performed by Nev Schulman and Jenna Johnson, Chmerkovskiy’s wife. The judges said the dance was “goosebump-inducing.” They found that it was more than a dance; it was a chemistry class. The couple was awarded four 10s, the third perfect score of the night.
Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas: Score 40/40 (10, 10, 10, 10)
Leavitt and Ballas performed an Argentine tango to “Cell Block Tango” from “Chicago The Musical,” inspired by Gabby Windey and Chmerkovskiy’s season 31 freestyle. The judges were enamored with the routine, saying it was dripping in elegance. They appreciated the artistry and musicality of the performance, awarding the duo a perfect score of four 10s. The couple was tied at the top of the leaderboard for the second week in a row.
Relay round recap:
The relay round is a returning dance challenge where two couples each perform half of the same song. This season, there was a twist for the 20th anniversary of the show. The celebrities had to perform their routine with a former mirrorball winner, while their current professional partner served as their coach. The winner of each round was awarded two bonus points to their score. Leavitt and Ballas won immunity from the relay round challenge last week, and the couple was awarded their two points automatically.
Round one:
The first round was a quickstep to “I Get A Kick Out Of You” by Frank Sinatra. Starting off the relay was Chiles and season four winner Apolo Anton Ohno, alongside Hendrix and season 24 winner Rashad Jennings. Chiles and Ohno were ultimately selected as the winners by the judges, being awarded two points toward their score.
Round two:
The second round featured a Viennese waltz to “Earned It (Fifty Shades Of Grey)” by The Weeknd. Efron and season 20 winner Rumer Willis faced off against Richter and season 29 winner Kaitlyn Bristowe. The judges chose Efron and Willis as the winners, awarding them two bonus points.
Round three:
The final round showcased a jive to “Dance with Me Tonight” by Olly Murs. The last two pairs to compete were Irwin and season 32 winner Xochitl Gomez, and Earle and season 33 winner Joey Graziadei. After what the judges called an “impossible decision,” Irwin and Gomez were picked as the winners, being awarded two points.
Elimination
After a night of celebration, the lights dimmed once again, casting shadows on the contestants. Four couples were called safe until Hendrix, Richter and Chiles, along with their respective partners, remained, with Richter and Slater ultimately being eliminated. Next week, the remaining contestants will compete in the semi-finals, dancing to various Prince songs for “Prince Night.”