The first 10s were earned this week on ‘DWTS’ and two couples got perfect scores. At the end of the night, one couple was eliminated.
The first pair up is Sean Spicer and Jenna Johnson. Jenna is stepping in for Lindsay Arnold because her mother-in-law passed away. Sean and Jenna take the ballroom with a sailor-themed jazz routine. The performance doesn’t get the judges all that excited. Len Goodman tells Sean that the “mermaid had better feet than you.” However, Len says he respects Sean’s “effort.” Carrie Ann Inaba commends Sean for learning to dance with someone else on such short notice and says it showed “another shade” of him. Sean and Jenna’s scores: Carrie Ann = 7; Len = 7; and Bruno Tonioli = 6. Total score = 20 out of 30.
Lauren Alaina and Gleb Savchenko are up next with a jive to an Elvis Presley hit. Lauren has great energy but she makes a few major mistakes that the judges notice. Despite noting the mistakes, the judges still loved her performance. Len doesn’t want to see Lauren go home because of this. “You deserve to stay in this competition,” Len tells Lauren. While backstage, Lauren begins to cry because she messed up, but the judges see so much potential in her. Lauren and Gleb’s scores: Carrie Ann = 8; Len = 8; and Bruno = 8. Total score = 24 out of 30.
Kel Mitchell and Witney Carson hit the ballroom with a fiery and sexy salsa. Carrie Ann loves that Kel is leading now and not following Witney. Len tells Kel he was “large and in charge” the entire time. Bruno calls Kel “the main attraction.” Even though the routine had multiple dancers, Kel commanded all the attention. Kel and Witney’s scores: Carrie Ann = 9; Len = 9; and Bruno = 10. Total score = 28 out of 30. Kel and Witney earn the first 10 of the season!
Ally Brooke and Sasha Farber dance the paso doble to her song “Higher.” She begins the performance by singing and quickly transitions into the dance. The performance is full of intensity. You can feel it. Len raves that Ally and Sasha’s performance was a “mix of good technique and high performance.” Bruno stands up and declares the performance was the definition of beauty, power, and artistry. “You had it all,” Bruno tells Ally. Carrie Ann calls Ally a “freaking superstar” and adds, “My mind is blown.” Ally and Sasha’s scores: Carrie Ann = 10; Len = 10; and Bruno = 10. Total score = 30 out of 30. Ally and Sasha earn the first perfect score of the season!
Hannah Brown and Alan Bersten are up next. Hannah admits that she’s so upset because she agrees with Carrie Ann’s comments about being disconnected from the dance. She is determined to step it up with the quickstep. The performance is so fun from start to finish. Bruno is blown away by all the performances tonight. “That was a game-changer,” he tells Hannah. Carrie Ann gets up and gives Hannah a big hug. “That was the comeback of the season!” she raves. Len tells Hannah and Alan that their performance was “fabulous.” Hannah and Alan’s scores: Carrie Ann = 10; Len = 9; and Bruno = 10. Total score = 29 out of 30.
Kate Flannery and Pasha Pashkov dedicate their jive to Kate’s older sister, Nancy, who sadly passed away. Carrie Ann says she noticed one small mistake during the performance but their jive had “a lot of energy.” While Len notes that the performance wasn’t Kate and Pasha’s best, he tells them that they are an “absolute joy for me to watch.” Bruno adds that Kate and Pasha went “out of sync a couple of times” but they’re still charming. Kate and Pasha’s scores: Carrie Ann = 8; Len = 8; and Bruno = 8. Total score = 24 out of 30.
James Van Der Beek and Emma Slater are the last performance of the night before the dance-offs. James and Emma have immunity from the dance-off and they get 2 extra points added onto their score because they were at the top of the leaderboard last week. Their contemporary performance is absolutely stunning. Bruno raves over their “exquisite lifts.” Carrie Ann, who notoriously hates lifts, gushes over the finesse and beauty that James and Emma executed with their lifts. She calls the performance “pure artistry in motion.” James and Emma’s scores: Carrie Ann = 10; Len = 10; and Bruno = 10. Total score = 32.
Now it’s time for the dance-offs. Kel and Witney are facing off with Ally and Sasha. They’re dancing a jive. Len raves over the “top-notch dancing” from both pairs and Bruno adds that there was an “incredible amount of content.” The dance-off choices: Carrie Ann = Kel; Len = Ally; and Bruno = Kel. This means Kel wins the dance-off! His final score of the night is 30!
Kate and Pasha’s dance-off is with Sean and Jenna. Carrie Ann tells the pairs they had “a lot of fun” with the routine. Len notes that both of them did a “really good cha-cha.” The dance-off choices: Carrie Ann = Kate; Len = Kate; and Bruno = Kate. This means Kate wins the dance-off! Her final score of the night is 26!
The final dance-off is Hannah and Alan vs. Lauren and Gleb. They’re dancing the salsa! Both pairs bring their A-game. Carrie Ann calls the performance an “amazing showcase” for both of them and Bruno says they’re both “so good” in their own way. The dance-off choices: Carrie Ann = Hannah; Len = Hannah; and Bruno = Hannah. This means Hannah wins the dance-off! Her final score of the night is 31!
The DWTS season 28 couples who are safe: Sean and Jenna, Hannah and Alan, James and Emma, Kel and Witney, and Lauren and Gleb. Ally and Sasha are in the bottom two with Kate and Pasha. It’s down to the judges again. Carrie Ann and Bruno both choose to save Ally and Sasha, which means Kate and Pasha are going home.