Following the dramatic double elimination that concluded last week's Horror Movie Night, the atmosphere was revitalized by a enchanting Disney-themed edition of "Dancing With the Stars," an event distinguished by two flawless performances that each garnered perfect scores.
Guest judge Cynthia Erivo appeared on a special Monday-night edition of the ballroom competition, a broadcast rescheduled from its customary Tuesday slot to accommodate Election Day.
The Disney-themed episode featured Harry Shum Jr.and Jenna Johnson, who delivered a Dick Van Dyke-inspired jazz routine set to a classic from *Mary Poppins*, earning them another flawless score.
They were not the only contenders to achieve a flawless score; Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy also earned perfection for their quickstep rendition of "Beauty and the Beast." Nevertheless, it was Shum Jr.
and Johnson who successfully secured immunity for the following week's Grammys performance, an event featuring acts by Brandy, Monica, Maren Morris, and Sheryl Crow.
This week's introduction of team dances resulted in a marginal realignment of the leaderboard following the couples' performances; however, once fan votes were incorporated into the tally, Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa were ultimately eliminated.
Following the medley, Amber Glenn and her partner Pasha Pashkov launched the evening's performances with a spirited quickstep set to "A Star Is Born" from the film *Hercules*.
In a notable departure from tradition, both dancers assumed the role of Hercules, with Glenn assuming the lead position—a dynamic that drew specific attention from judge Carrie Ann Inaba, who observed it may well mark the inaugural instance on *Dancing with the Stars* wherein a woman directed a male partner, executing the maneuver with commanding precision and authority.The judges lauded the performance as a whole; Erivo particularly highlighted the spectacle of their shared fortitude, describing it as "glorious to watch," while their sole criticism concerned a minor misstep committed by Glenn.
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Amber Glenn, alongside her dance partner Pasha Pashkov, appeared on the ABC broadcast of *Dancing With the Stars*.
Subsequently, Maura Higgins and her partner Mark Ballas executed a Jive set to "You Can Fly!
You Can Fly!You Can Fly!" from *Peter Pan*.Higgins encountered difficulties during rehearsals and received critiques from the judges concerning her elasticity and energy output, prompting Inaba to advise her to "take good care of yourself." Despite these challenges, the pair secured a score of eight from each judge.
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Maura Higgins and partner Mark Ballas on “Dancing With the Stars†(ABC)
Following a challenging week, Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik returned to the competition by interpreting the contemporary dance number "Easy As Life" from *Aida*, featuring a live performance by guest artist Heather Headley.
Channeling the emotional depth of the forbidden love ballad, the pair effectively recovered from their previous outing, prompting choreographer Inaba to remark that Ali's performance gave him chills.While Hough and Erivo offered constructive feedback to Ali concerning her extensions, noting that certain elements felt "under finished," Hough expressed his confidence in her ability to persist within the competition.
The performance earned Ali her first 9 of the season.
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Jan Ravnik and Tatyana Ali on “Dancing With the Stars†(ABC)
Capitalizing on the momentum of their flawless performance in the preceding episode, Shum Jr.
and Johnson presented a jazz rendition of "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" from *Mary Poppins*, featuring live accompaniment by guest artist Kyra Belle Johnson.While the pair engaged in their rehearsal regimen, they also had the opportunity to welcome a child dancer affiliated with the Make a Wish program.
Shum Jr.'s tribute to Dick Van Dyke garnered an exceptionally positive reception from the judges, with Hough noting that the late actor would undoubtedly have appreciated the performance.
Consequently, the duo achieved another flawless score, extending their winning streak to two consecutive weeks.
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Harry Shum Jr.
and Jenna Johnson on “Dancing With the Stars†(ABC)
Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach ascended the stage to perform a samba rendition of "Under the Sea" from *The Little Mermaid*, joined by guest artist Michael James Scott.
Although the pair had initially agreed to forgo a samba given the inherent challenges posed by Frech's prosthetic leg and the demanding bounce required, Karagach remained steadfast in her conviction that the routine could be successfully executed.The judges were captivated by his fluid hip movements, and Erivo described the performance as "magic," noting how seamlessly the dancers adapted to the obstacles Frech's prosthetic introduced during the dance.
Inaba likewise commended Frech for his adept adoption of the acting direction, noting how he seamlessly embodied the character of Prince Eric.
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Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach on “Dancing With the Stars†(ABC)
Following a fourth-place finish last week, Stiles and Sosa sought redemption by performing a Paso Doble set to "Satisfied" from the musical *Hamilton*.
Although Stiles encountered rib pain during rehearsals, she remained resolute in her determination to persevere through the discomfort.
And she did.
Bruno Tonioli lauded the rendition as a definitive Paso Doble, while Hough affirmed that the score would remain free of any 4s.
Furthermore, Stiles credited Sosa with providing the crucial assistance that enabled her to surmount the mountain.
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Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa on “Dancing With the Stars†(ABC)
Subsequently, Dewan and Chmerkovskiy took the floor to execute a rapid Quickstep set to "Be Our Guest" from *Beauty and the Beast*, featuring guest performer Rodney Ingram.
Prior to the performance, Dewan sought counsel from her partner, Steve Kazee, during rehearsals; she was visibly moved by witnessing him dance.
The judges' reception of the performance was exceptionally positive, with Erivo lauding the split jump as "amazing" and Tonioli hailing the routine as the epitome of *Dancing With the Stars*, accolades that culminated in a perfect score for the pair.
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Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Dewan on “Dancing With the Stars†(ABC)
Bolstered by the accolade of being crowned the "king of contemporary" by Inaba the previous week, Connor Wood approached Disney Night with absolute confidence.
For this particular performance, he and Rylee Arnold prepared to dance a Waltz set to "I See the Light" from "Tangled," featuring guest artist Heather Headley.In anticipation of the number, Wood reached out to Milo Manheim, the actor who portrays Flynn Rider in the live-action adaptation of "Tangled," to collaborate with him.
Hough praised Wood's lower body mechanics, yet noted that further refinement of his frame was necessary, a sentiment echoed by Tonioli.
Erivo lauded Wood's dedication to narrative expression, while Tonioli described the bond between the dancers as profoundly authentic.Inaba urged Wood to assume a leadership role in their subsequent performance.
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Rylee Arnold and Connor Wood on “Dancing With the Stars†(ABC)
The group dances precipitated a significant reshuffling of the leaderboard standings.
host Alfonso Ribeiro, Ali and Jan Ravnik, Higgins and Ballas, Glenn and Pashkov, and Stiles and Sosa perform “Zoo†from “Zootopia 2,†while host Julianne Hough, Wood and Arnold, Frech and Karagach, Dewan and Chmerkovskiy and Shum Jr.
and Johnson perform “We’re All In This Together†from “High School Musical.â€
The Slaytopia squad, colloquially referred to as the "Zoo," secured consecutive perfect marks, a feat subsequently mirrored by the Wildcats, who achieved another flawless score, thereby disrupting the established hierarchy.
Refer to the comprehensive leaderboard and associated scores provided below.
LEADERBOARD: Week 8
- Harry Shum Jr.
- & Jenna Johnson: 80
- Jenna Dewan & Val Chmerkovskiy: 80
- Ezra Frech & Daniella Karagach: 77
- Connor Wood & Rylee Arnold: 72
- Amber Glenn & Pasha Pashkov: 70
- Julia Stiles & Ezra Sosa: 69
- Tatyana Ali & Jan Ravnik: 69
- Maura Higgins & Mark Ballas: 68
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