Get ready to be our guest on Dancing With the Stars: Disney night as they celebrate 70 years of Disneyland. “Under the Sea” from The Little Mermaid plays, and we have 11 couples remaining. The extravaganza begins with a large group number to “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast. This was all choreographed by Mandy Moore, who is also choreographing for the Dancing with the Stars tour.
Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach
Dylan Efron started the night off with a quick step to “Life Is a Highway” from Cars with pro dancer Daniella Karagach. It was energetic, playful, and wonderfully choreographed. Bruno Tonioli agrees with that, as he complemented the choreography. Other judges, such as Derek Hough, called Efron the “quick step king,” but did warn him about his head and arm placement. Carrie Ann Inaba congratulated Efron on how far he had come since the first week and how he has left room to improve. They scored a 23 out of 30.
Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov
With another quick step, Danielle Fishel and her pro, Pasha Pashkov, danced to “I Wanna Be Like You (The Monkey Song)” from The Jungle Book. There were some timing issues, but the event was marked by a tremendous amount of energy that the judges praised. Tonioli was enthusiastic about the routine, but did note a mistake Fishel had made on the floor. Inaba joked that they were locked up like a “Ziplock bag,” as they have become “so close-knit.” Hough complements Fishel’s personality and how it came through in the dance. They scored a 21 out of 30.
Scott Hoying and Rylee Arnold
Scott Hoying and Rylee Arnold salsa’ed to “Bop to the Top” from High School Musical. This was especially special because Hoying was a guest star in an episode of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, and co-star Lucas Grabeel, who played Ryan Evans in the film, was in the audience. They were dressed almost identically to how the characters were in the film. Inaba said that she loved how much Hoying “lived during each dance” and complemented Arnold’s fast-paced choreography. She also called it a “razzle-dazzle salsa.” Hough applauded Hoying’s confidence and how perfectly they played their characters. Tonioli once again praised the choreography. They scored a 21 out of 30.
Alex Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy
Alex Earle performed a Viennese Waltz with her pro Val Chmerkovskiy. This was to “Once Upon a Dream” from Maleficent. Earle said she wanted to show she could take on a different role in comparison to the fun dances and positive-spirited roles she had been doing. They did this dressed as Maleficent and the king. Hough said that Earle was “mesmerizing” and complimented her power and grace, declaring that it was “her best dance.” Tonioli also praised her, applauding her moves as “effortless.” Inaba said that Earle was on a roll and praised her and Chmerkovskiy’s incredible partnership. They scored a 24 out of 30.
Hilaria Baldwin and Gleb Savchenko
Hilaria Baldwin and Gleb Savchenko danced a quick step to “Cantina Band” from Star Wars: A New Hope. Dressed as Leia in a Jedi-inspired robe, she also revealed that she and her husband, Alec Baldwin, are massive Star Wars fans. Tonioli had praised the dance, saying “I was looking for something wrong, but I didn’t see it.” Inaba admired how in love Baldwin clearly was with dancing. However, Hough went against the other judges and critiqued the overall dance, noting that there “wasn’t quite enough quick step in their quick step” for him. They scored a 23 out of 30.
Andy Richter and Emma Slater
Andy Richter and Emma Slater did a Viennese Waltz to “Le Festin” from Ratatouille. Though they have been in the bottom two, we see that Richter is clearly passionate about improving his skills. He seems to be having a lot of fun. They had a very humorous themed ensemble, with Richter dressed as Linguini and Slater dressed as Remy, complete with the nose and ears. Inaba praised Richter’s fun persona but said she wanted him to “challenge himself in the future.” Hough said, “I see you,” to Richter and helped him with his posture for the future. Tonioli exclaimed, “The rat has never looked better.” They scored an 18 out of 30.
Robert Irwin and Whitney Carson
Robert Irwin and Whitney Carson cha cha’d to “Try Everything” from Zootopia. They also noted that Irwin will be in Zootopia 2, as Robert Furwin. At the start of the routine, Irwin descended from the ceiling on a rig before joining Carson on the dance floor. Hough said that Irwin had “that Irwin aura” and gave him a few form-related tips. Tonioli joked that he was “worried when the rig came down,” but praised the sweeter side of Irwin. Inaba also gave him some tips on his dance flow, suggesting that he “relax more next time.” They scored a 22 out of 30
Elaine Hendricks and Alan Bersten
Elaine Hendricks and Alan Bersten also danced a quick step to the theme from the Space Mountain ride at Disneyland. The actress noted that she wanted to put “extra focus on the judge’s feedback” from last week, as it shows she had received the same score for the past two weeks. Hendrix has a special relationship to this particular song and ride, as she was one of the voice-overs on Space Mountain. Bersten was dressed as an alien, and Hendricks was dressed in a futuristic psychedelic silver ensemble. Tonioli praised Hendrick for going at “warp speed.” Inaba called the performance “amazing and her best dance.” Hough joked that he “blacked out and felt like he was on the ride itself.” They scored 24 out of 30, which was Hendrix’s best score of the competition so far.
Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas
Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas took on the foxtrot, which was choreographed to the Broadway number “The Room Where It Happens” from Hamilton. The two wore stylish reimaginings of Hamilton-inspired outfits. It was smooth and constantly kept you on the edge of your seat. Inaba noticed that it was a “nontraditional foxtrot,” but still praised Leavitt’s incredible abilities. Hough applauded the texture of the dance and the way Levitt “filled the space.” Tonioli also praised the fluidity of their movements. They scored a 25 out of 30.
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa did a quick step to the song “Special Spice” from Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, another popular ride at Disneyland. It was a unique challenge for Chiles to take on the quick step. Chiles was dressed as Tiana in a dance floor-friendly version of the iconic green gown, and Sosa was acting as her Prince Naveen. Hough called the routine “crisp and charming” and applauded them for the great dance. Tonioli said Chiles was “dance royalty.” Inaba applauded Chiles’s skills and authenticity. They scored a 24 out of 30.
Jen Affleck and Jan Ravnik
Finally, we have Jen Affleck and Jan Ravnik, and they closed the show with the jazz number to “Friend Like Me” from the Disney animated film Aladdin. Affleck said it was a perfect pick because the film was one of her “personal favorites as a child.” The dancing duo hit the floor in themed costumes, with Affleck dressing as Princess Jasmine, while Ravnik did a full-on makeup look to look like the genie. Tonioli applauded the theatre tricks of the routine, noting that it was “a perfect grand finale for Disney night.” Inaba said “she enjoyed the dance” but added that “something about the choreography itself didn’t click for her.” Hough kept his answer short and simply said “Well done.”
Eliminations
Finally, we get to the eliminations. After the judges’ scores were added to the viewers’ votes at home, Baldwin and Savchenko were eliminated. Baldwin was emotional, but she is cheering for the rest of the cast for the rest of the season. Savchenko had assured Baldwin that he was “proud of what she had done,” and they joined the rest of the cast for their goodbyes. Next episode, the theme is dedication week. This episode will air on Tuesday, October 14, so come back to read our recap of the episode if you don’t have time to watch it!
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