This Halloween, “Dancing With the Stars” contestants faced their deepest fears in a night of spine-tingling performances. Each dance was inspired by their personal nightmares, from serpentine slitherings to shadowy figures and blood-curdling vampires. But perhaps the most bone-chilling fear was the looming threat of elimination.
With every star bringing their A-game, the competition was fierce. For former NBA champion Dwight Howard, partner Daniella Karagach challenged him to conquer his flaw of unfinished routines. Howard met the challenge head-on with a chillingly beautiful contemporary performance set to “Ring Around the Rosie,” leaving both partners in tears.
Their emotional triumph earned them the season’s first perfect 10 from Carrie Ann Inaba. The night wasn’t short on perfect scores – Carrie Ann bestowed another 10 on Danny Amendola and Witney Carson, Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber, and Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson. While Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough primarily wielded their 9 paddles, Bruno awarded Joey and Jenna a 10, propelling them to the top of the leaderboard.
The stage was set for a final showdown with Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong, the duo gifted with immunity from the previous week. Despite reassurance from last week’s performance, an uneasiness lingered after Carrie Ann’s critique of their Viennese Waltz. Their fate, however, took a dramatic turn as they secured 10s from both Bruno and Derek, marking the first perfect score from Derek this season.
But the night wasn’t over. Three intense dance-offs ensued. Dwight and Daniella vanquished Ilona and Alan in a spooky cha cha to “Ghostbusters,” Jenn and Sasha out-danced Stephen and Rylee with a sizzling salsa to “Jump In the Line”, and finally, Joey and Jenna vanquished Danny and Witney in a whirlwind jive to “Time Warp.”
At the climax of the night, Chandler and Joey were locked in a tie for the lead, while Ilona found herself at the bottom. After factoring in both judges’ scores and audience votes, fate dealt a shocking blow as fan favorites Jenn and Sasha were sent home.
Next week, however, “Dancing With the Stars” takes a break in observance of Election Day, returning the following week with more dazzling performances.