SPOILER ALERT! This article contains details from this week’s episode of Dancing with the stars.
It’s book signing night in the ballroom, so grab your tissues.
Tuesday night’s episode of Dancing with the stars featured the remaining 10 celebrity contestants and their professional partners performing routines dedicated to someone important in the former’s life. There are plenty of parents and siblings among the mix, as is typical, as well as a few curveballs. Maura Higgins dedicates her dance to the entire Irish nation. Tatyana Ali and Julia Stiles both chose to honor their deceased former co-stars.
All of the evening’s performances also featured special appearances, either by the honoree or another loved one.
Also, can anyone believe we’re already on week 6? We’re officially halfway through the season and it seems like the competition is just getting started. No one has scored higher than a 9 yet, and last week marked the first instance of consecutive 9s.
Not to mention, there’s internal tension this week after pro Val Chmerkovskiy was suspended for a week due to remarks he made online in response to judge Carrie Ann Inaba’s criticism of his wife, Jenna Johnson, at Super Bowl party. Alan Bersten replaces Val this week with Jenna Dewan.
Plus, former pro Kym Johnson is a guest judge this week. Anyway, let’s get to the dancing.
Paralympic athlete Ezra Frech with Daniella Karagach. The athlete dedicates a contemporary of “Bloodline” by Mon Rovia to his mother. He gets emotional talking to Daniella about his mother’s lifelong support as he grew up with a disability. His mother opened the ball with him before handing over the reins to her professional partner for a tribute that left the judges both touched and impressed. “By the way, the dancing was awesome!” » said Bruno. SCORE: 37 out of 40 (and the first 10 of the season thanks to Kym)
Actress Tatiana Ali with Jan Ravnik. After “popping (her) booty” last week, the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air The star slows things down with a Viennese waltz to Nancy Wilson’s “(You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am” dedicated to her late Fresh Prince her co-star James Avery, along with her other former co-star and DWTS host Alfonso Ribeiro. She also chose to record the track to sing for the show. Naturally, the performance was full of emotion. “It was like watching an old Hollywood movie come to life,” Carrie Ann Inaba said through tears. SCORE: 32 of 40
Reality TV star Maura Higgins with Mark Ballas. Even though her home country can’t vote for her, the TV personality wants to dedicate her paso doble to Dropkick Murphys’ “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” in honor of Ireland. They also get a little help from Irish dancer Lochlan “Lucky” Howard to help them create the ode to country. “Oh my days, Maura! Could you still be Irish?! That was fantastic!” Derek Hough told him. SCORE: 35 out of 40
Savannah Bananas midfielder Jackson Olson with Emma Slater. The Banana Ball player finally regained his confidence, just in time to begin a Quickstep to “LOVE” by Nat King Cole, which he dedicated to his mother. He says his mother has the gift of finding the extraordinary in every child, including him, and he wants to illustrate that in his dancing. It seems like it resonated. “I see where you get this confidence and joy from,” Carrie Ann told him. SCORE: 32 of 40
Olympian Amber Glenn with Pasha Pashkov. Although she says they weren’t the closest growing up, Amber wants to dedicate a contemporary of Sia’s “Breathe Me” to her sister Brooke. She remembers growing closer to her sister as she grew up, during a mental health crisis, and that’s the story she wants to tell with the show. “The raw emotion, the athleticism, the vulnerability… sometimes in life you just need someone to lift you up, and what a great way to say thank you to your sister,” Kym tells her. SCORE: 38 of 40
Actress Jenna Dewan with Alan Bersten. She’s not letting the career shakeup slow her pace this week as she honors her mother with a Viennese waltz to the Righteous Brothers’ “Unchained Melody.” Alan is determined to make the dance special for both of them and exemplifies the grace that Jenna says her mother instilled in her. Mission accomplished! “Oh my God, I love it when you get lyrical!” exclaims Bruno. “It was fantastic!” SCORE: 37 of 40
Actor Harry Shum Jr. with Jenna Johnson. After getting his first 9 last week, this week he dedicates a foxtrot to John Mayer’s “Stop This Train” to his wife. THE Grey’s Anatomy The actor says no one has raised him more, so who better to honor in a dance? It was a family affair, also featuring his parents and daughter. “And they all know how to dance!” said Alphonse. The judges agree. “What a great way to tell your story to the world,” Carrie Ann told him. She also compliments Jenna’s choreography. SCORE: 36 of 40
Comedian and podcaster Connor Wood with Rylee Arnold. This funny guy gets serious on Dedication Night with a Viennese waltz to Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” for his father. He was at the bottom of the rankings last week, so he wants to improve and he also wants to do justice to his father’s legacy. “You’ve come a very long way. You should be proud,” Derek told him. Carrie Ann gives him the Most Improved Award! SCORE: 32 of 40
Reality TV star Tyler Cameron with Sharna Burgess. Carrie Ann told him last week that he’s “really becoming a dancer,” so now it’s time to get off the bottom of the leaderboard. This week, he dedicates a contemporary of Ed Sheeran’s “Supermarket Flowers” to his late mother and all mothers around the world, with a special appearance from his fiancée. And invited what?! He’s going to be a girl daddy! SCORE: 32 of 40
Actress Julia Stiles with Ezra Sosa. They close the evening with a contemporary of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” by Frankie Valli dedicated to his deceased 10 things I hate about you co-star Heath Ledger. This is the second week in a row that Julia will reference one of her old films in a dance, but this one is much more emotionally charged. She cries at practice while talking about working with him and says she wants to recreate his “lust” for life. The end of the show also featured the cast of 10 things I hate about you gathered in the ballroom, including Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gabrielle Union, Susan May Pratt and Andrew Keegan. “Looking at you makes me want to open my heart,” Carrie Ann says. SCORE: 36 of 40
Who’s coming home?
It’s a little sad that someone had to go home on Dedication Night…so they didn’t send anyone home! Next week, in honor of Halloween, will be horror movie night.
Gn entert
