The “Dancing With the Stars” Season 35 cast brought the ballroom to tears on several occasions with an emotional Dedication Night.
After a week of criticism and negativity from the dance competition show’s fanbase, Tuesday turned the energy around. The 10 remaining couples took to the dance floor to deliver moving performances, honoring the influential people and places that have shaped them with former pro Kym Johnson joining as a guest judge.
This week contestants honored their parents, spouses and even one person’s home country. The emotional night did not conclude with an elimination, instead, the show celebrated the couples’ hard work. Next week, with guest judge Shirley Ballas in the ballroom, two couples will be sent home.
“The Bachelorette” star Tyler Cameron wowed the audience with his contemporary routine to “Supermarket Flowers” by Ed Sheeran in honor of his late mother. His mom passed in 2020 from an unexpected brain aneurysm. He said that one of the hardest parts of losing her was the fact that she would never meet his future wife, Tate.
“I think my mom put Tate in my life for sure,” he said between tears in his package.
His fiancée joined the duo in dancing and, in a voiceover, announced that she was carrying their future child. Before they got their scores, host Alfonso Ribeiro revealed that the couple would be having a girl.
Ezra Frech opened the competition with a bang with his contemporary to “Bloodline” by Mon Rovia, dedicated to his mom. Bahar Soomekh appeared in films, including “Crash” and the “Mission Impossible” franchise, before stepping away to take care of her son full time. The paralympian wanted to thank his mom for that sacrifice. Johnson gave Frech the first 10 of the season after the routine that brought even his partner, Daniella Karagach, to tears.
Tatyana Ali and her partner Jan Ravnik performed a Viennese Waltz to honor her late “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” co-star, James Avery. She brought in co-star and “DWTS” host Ribeiro to join her and dance alongside her this week. The actress danced to her own recording of “(You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am” by Nancy Wilson. Judge Bruno Tonioli said it was “like watching an old Hollywood film come to life.”
“Traitors” and “Love Island” alum Maura Higgins performed a Paso Doble to “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” dedicated to Ireland, her home country.
“Even though they can’t vote for me, I want to make them proud,” she said.
Her partner Mark Ballas choreographed an Irish-inspired paso doble that even included world renowned Irish dancer Lucky Howard. Carrie Ann Inaba complimented the reality star for bringing the attack that the judges asked for, but did dock her a point for her lift.
Savannah Bananas player Jackson Olson and his partner Emma Slater performed a quickstep to Nat King Cole’s “L-O-V-E,” dedicated to his mom, Laura. Derek Hough praised the routine as “a great quickstep in the right direction” but noted that Olson still needed to work on keeping his frame up. Guest judge Johnson agreed, teaching the baseball player a trick for keeping his arms lifted at all times.
Amber Glenn paid tribute to her sister with her contemporary routine to Sia’s “Breathe Me.” The Olympic figure skater opened up about her struggles with depression, anxiety and an eating disorder as a young athlete. She shared how her sister supported her when she did not have friends or a community. Glenn said she wouldn’t be where she is today without her sister.
“The raw emotion in that, the athleticism, the vulnerability,” Johnson said. “Sometimes in life you just need someone to lift you up. And what a beautiful way to say thank you to your sister.” The figure skater earned the highest scores of the night with two 10s.
Ribeiro quickly addressed that Val Chmerkovskiy would not be in the ballroom Tuesday night before announcing Jenna Dewan’s dance with Alan Bersten.
Chmerkovskiy was suspended after a comment he made on social media, referring to Will Smith’s infamous slap moment at the Academy Awards.
“The Rookie” star instead danced with Bersten, performing a Viennese waltz to The Righteous Brothers’ “Unchained Melody,” dedicated to her mom. The actress thanked her for enrolling her in her first dance class. Despite the fact that she and her partner only started working together Friday at 6 p.m., Dewan delivered a performance with beautiful lines and emotional tribute that earned the actress her first perfect 10.
“Glee” star Harry Shum Jr. and his partner Jenna Johnson performed a foxtrot to John Mayer’s “Stop This Train,” dedicated to his wife and partner of 20 years, Shelby. The dance began at a train station as his real-life parents dropped him off before he danced with Johnson, then Shelby and then was greeted by his child. As they began the dance, his wife mouthed, “I love you,” as they lept across the floor.
Hough was moved by the performance, becoming tearful as he praised the routine. “This is what ‘Dancing with the Stars’ is all about,” he said. “I just want to let everybody know that, okay? It’s love, it’s joy, it’s sharing.”
Connor Wood and his partner Rylee Arnold performed a Viennese waltz to Billy Joel’s “Piano Man,” dedicated to his dad, Pete. The comedian reflected on his father’s battle with lymphoma, putting the pressures of the competition into perspective. After feedback online that the judges were disproportionately hard on the podcaster, each of the judges also recognized his progress throughout the competition.
Inaba called him the most improved, while Tonioli praised the routine as “a proper well-executed Viennese waltz” that Wood should be proud of. After receiving his first eights of the season, Wood quipped: “Sorry, Dad, you’re getting an Airbnb for a couple weeks.”
Julia Stiles concluded the night’s competition with a contemporary routine to Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” to honor to her late “10 Things I Hate About You” co-star Heath Ledger. Stiles finished her routine looking back up at an image of Ledger, standing hand-in-hand with her cast, including Gabrielle Union and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
“I’m just proud of you because I know you came in so shy and so scared, and you are no longer that at all,” Inaba said.
LEADERBOARD: Week 6
Amber Glenn & Pasha Pashkov: 38
Ezra Frech & Daniella Karagach: 37
Jenna Dewan & Val Chmerkovskiy: 37
Harry Shum Jr. & Jenna Johnson: 36
Julia Stiles & Ezra Sosa: 36
Maura Higgins & Mark Ballas: 35
Tatyana Ali & Jan Ravnik: 32
Jackson Olson & Emma Slater: 32
Tyler Cameron & Sharna Burgess: 32
Connor Wood & Rylee Arnold: 32
