Under dim lights and thick fog, “Dancing with the Stars” brought Halloween to the ballroom as contestants embraced their dark sides with eerie choreography and chilling costumes. With competition heating up and 10s being given out like candy, the pressure was on for the seven remaining couples to impress. Who nailed their haunting routines, and who faced the night’s final fright?

Individual round recap

The recaps are formatted in order of when each contestant performed. Contestants who were awarded bonus points in their score won their dance battle. 

Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten: Score 24 (8, 8, 8)

Kicking off the night, Maher and Bersten performed a spooky Tango to “Psycho Killer” by Miley Cyrus. Maher embodied the role with power, focusing on her frame and character performance. The judges critiqued her footwork but praised her commitment and improvement, awarding the pair straight 8s.

Dwight Howard and Daniella Karagach: Score 31 (10, 9, 9), 3 bonus points 

Howard and Karagach performed a Contemporary to “ring around the rosie” by District 78. Known for her expertise in Halloween choreography, Karagach crafted a haunting dance inspired by the boogeyman that impressed the judges. Howard’s dedication and progress were praised by the judges, who awarded the duo the first 10 of the season and two 9s.

Danny Amendola and Witney Carson: Score 28 (10, 9, 9)

Performing a snake-inspired Argentine Tango to “Poison” by RAVN, Amendola and Carson slithered across the stage with intensity. The judges critiqued Amendola’s frame, but applauded his performance, giving them one 10 and two 9s.

Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber: Score 31 (10, 9, 9), 3 bonus points

Dancing a Contemporary to “vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo, Tran and Farber delivered an emotional and gothic-inspired routine as they spun and leaped around the ballroom. The judges didn’t have many critiques, saying the performance was intense and well done, awarding them one 10 and two 9s.

Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson: Score 32 (10, 9, 10), 3 bonus points

Inspired by ventriloquist dolls, Graziadei and Johnson danced the Argentine Tango to “Ramalama (Bang Bang)” by Róisín Murphy. The judges applauded the duo’s consistency from week to week and their storytelling abilities, giving them two 10s and one 9.

Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold: Score 28 (10, 9, 9)

Nedoroscik and Arnold wowed the judges with their Contemporary to “I Ran (So Far Away)” by Hidden Citizens inspired by Nedoroscik’s fear of the dark. The duo delivered an athletic and dynamic routine packed with drama. The judges praised the pair, awarding them one 10 and two 9s.

Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong: 32 (9, 10, 10), 3 bonus points

Wrapping up the night, Kinney and Armstrong danced the Viennese Waltz to “Secret” by Denmark + Winter. Inspired by creepy dolls, the two dancers delivered a fluid and strong performance. After some back-and-forth debates from the judges, Kinney and Armstrong were awarded two 10s and one 9.

Dance-offs 

Howard and Karagach vs. Maher and Bersten

For the first dance off of the night, the two couples danced the Cha Cha to “Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker Jr. While the judges thought Maher was stronger technically, they ultimately declared Howard and Karagach as the winners because of their strong start and overall improvement. 

Tran and Farber vs. Nedoroscik and Arnold

Dancing the Salsa to “Jump In The Line,” the two couples took opposite approaches to their fun-filled routines. Tran was praised for her hip movements and consistency, and while the judges appreciated Nedoroscik’s tricks, they ultimately declared Tran and Farber as the winners. 

Amendola and Carson vs. Graziadei and Johnson

The last dance of the night was the Jive to “Time Warp” by Little Nell, Patricia Quinn and Richard O’Brien. The judges praised the two couples for their high energy levels and drastically different approaches, noting how difficult it was to decide on a winner. Ultimately, Graziadei and Johnson won the dance battle to conclude the evening. 

Review

Halloween Night is consistently the best night of the season. With this themed night often having the most contemporary dances, there is a sense of creativity that is often not as present in other weeks. Unsurprisingly, Howard and Karagach got the first 10 of the season; if there is one thing about Karagach, you can always count on her to stun with her spooky choreography. Her contemporary with Iman Shumpert in Season 30 for Halloween Night is one of the best dances to date, and this season’s did not disappoint at all. 

With Maher being the first to go in the episode, it was hard not to compare her dance to everyone else’s, especially as she was the only star to not score a 10. While she did not deserve a 10, there was at least one couple that should have been down there with her. Tran’s dance was good, but nothing to write home about, and certainly nothing that deserved two nines and a 10.

Kinney seems to constantly receive unfair criticism from Carrie Ann Inaba, one of the judges of the show. Her performance was stunning, and because Inaba was handing out 10s like candy, it was ridiculous for Kinney not to receive one. 

Amendola delivered a fun performance, though he sometimes seemed to be bored during the routines. Graziadei, per usual, did amazing, leading many fans to believe he could easily win the competition. Armstrong receiving her first 10 of her career was a sight to behold, and her choreography for Nedoroscik’s contemporary was nothing short of fascinating. 

Overall, regardless of how much Tran is loved, the elimination ultimately made sense. She had not made near as much progress as other contestants, though it could be argued that she made more than Maher. 

With this easily being the most entertaining themed night every year, this season did not disappoint. The competition getting down to the nitty-gritty makes it all the more exciting, as well as continues to drive fans to vote. The show will not be airing next Tuesday, as they are asking for fans to exercise their right to vote in a much more important way: the 2024 election.