The Dancing With the Stars ballroom took things from wicked to scary during the show’s Tuesday, October 28, episode.
The top nine couples of the season embraced their dark side during Season 34’s Halloween Night. Former DWTS pro and two-time mirrorball trophy winner Cheryl Burke joined Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli on the judges panel to lend her ballroom expertise to Season 34’s celebrity contestants.
The competition was hotter than ever following Scott Hoying and Rylee Arnold‘s Wicked Night elimination on October 21. This week, the couples got the chance to earn extra points during a spooky Dance Monster-thon bonus round.
So, who won over the judges by embracing their inner monster? Scroll down for a recap of the night’s performances, scores, and which couple was sent home.
At the top of the episode, cohost Alfonso Ribeiro revealed that Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten would not be competing, as the actress suffered an injury during rehearsal earlier in the day and was being treated at a hospital.
Whitney Leavitt — 37/40
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star and Mark Ballas gave the judges chills with their electric jazz routine to Green Day‘s “Brain Stew.” Burke kicked things off by praising the duo’s strong partnership. Though she called Ballas’ choreography “the best I’ve ever seen,” she warned the couple to be more aware of timing and their side-by-side dancing. Toniloi called the routine “mind-blowing” and “genius,” while Hough said the dance was “no tricks and all treats.” Inaba, meanwhile, pointed out that the pair’s costumes highlighted moments when the pair were off time with each other. Leavitt and Ballas earned nines from Inaba, Hough, and Burke, and a 10 from Toniloi.
Jordan Chiles — 34/40
After earning a near-perfect score during Wicked Night, Chiles and Ezra Sosa looked to keep their spot at the top of the leaderboard with their contemporary to “Elastic Heart” by Sia. Adding a creative — and haunting — flare to their dance, Chiles was attached to a harness controlled by Sosa. Tonioli noted that “no ropes” could hold Chiles back. Inaba appreciated the pair’s “experimentation,” but found the harness work a bit distracting. Hough agreed, saying the execution “wasn’t fully realized.” Burke, for her part, said she wanted to see the pair’s trust show more through their movements.
Andy Richter — 28/40
Looking to survive another week, Richter reprised his role as a priest from Scary Movie 2 for his and Emma Slater‘s paso doble to “Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67: I. Allegro con brio” by Ludwig van Beethoven. Inaba was wowed by how Richter gets “better and better” every week and praised his posture. Hough asked Richter for forgiveness for the past low score by breaking his No. 6 paddle. Burke called Richter the “heart of this show” but offered some technique advice for his arms. Tonioli, meanwhile, said Richter managed to capture the spirit of a “cult classic horror” movie. For his birthday, Richter received all sevens from the judges.
Elaine Hendrix — 32/40
Though Hendrix remained in the hospital for the episode’s entirety, Ribeiro announced that she was cleared by doctors to dance next week, should she make it through the night’s elimination. Instead of a live performance, the judges critiqued Hendrix and Bersten’s Argentine tango to “Bad to the Bone” by 2WEI and Bri Bryant by watching their camera blocking rehearsal. Burke admitted that she was a “huge fan” of the duo and called out the judges for underscoring them in previous weeks. All of the judges wished Hendrix a speedy recovery. Based on their rehearsal footage, Hendrix and Bersten scored all eights from the judges.
Danielle Fishel — 33/40
The Boy Meets World actress and Pasha Pashkov earned their highest scores of the season during Wicked Night. Fishel’s love of murder mysteries inspired their Viennese waltz to “Die With A Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. What started as a romantic routine turned scary with a killer, bloody twist. Burke dubbed the routine as “an amazing, proper, American, smooth Viennese waltz” but suggested that Fishel exaggerate her movements more moving forward. Tonioli liked how the choreography reflected the story of the dance, while Inaba admitted that she had “mixed emotions” about Fishel’s performance. Hough also offered some criticism, advising that Fishel work on her “fluidity.” The pair earned three eights and a nine from Tonioli.
Robert Irwin — 38/40
The wildlife conservationist embraced the role of a ghostly conductor for his and Witney Carson‘s Argentine tango to “Sweet Dreams are Made of This” by the Hampton String Quartet’s orchestral arrangement of the classic Eurythmics song. Tonioli said he couldn’t take his eyes off Irwin during the pair’s routine full of fancy footwork, impressive tricks, and a bloody finale. Hough gushed over Irwin’s transformation into a leading man, and Hough praised him for captivating the crowd. Burke was amazed by Irwin’s lack of previous dance experience, but shared some advice, telling him to “make love to the floor with your feet. Irwin and Carson earned the first 10s of the night — as well as their highest score of the season — thanks to 10s from Inaba and Tonioli. Hough and Burke each gave the duo nines.
Jennifer Affleck — 32/40
Affleck and Jan Ravnik looked to prove their critics wrong with an electrifying contemporary routine to Taylor Swift‘s “Look What You Made Me Do” (which just so happened to serve as a nod to Rankik’s role as a dancer on the Eras Tour). Inaba called the routine’s start “off the charts,” but said there was still “inconsistency” in her performance. Hough, for his part, praised Ravnik for having a “fantastic first season,” but agreed with Inaba’s constructive criticism. Burke called it their “best dance” but advised the couple work on their connection, and Tonioli encouraged Affleck to “let the beasts out.” Affleck and Ravnik earned all eights from the judges.
Alix Earle — 39/40
During rehearsals, the social media personality asked Val Chmerkovskiy to challenge her with tougher choreography. Her hard work and frustration showed off in the pair’s terrifying tango to Billie Eilish‘s “Bury a Friend.” Hough stated that Chmerkovskiy’s tough love got the job done, noting that the routine was “vintage Val.” Burke loved everything about the routine aside from when Earle “broke hold” with her partner. Tonioli called the performance “drop-dead good” and praised her footwork. Inaba said she had “mad respect” for Earle for fully embracing the DWTS process. The pair walked away with a near-perfect score, earning all 10s except a nine from Burke.
Dylan Efron — 35/40
During rehearsals for Halloween Night, Efron suffered a broken nose after Daniella Karagach accidentally elbowed him in the face. He pushed through the pain to perform a Viennese waltz to “Can’t Help Falling in Love (DARK)” by Tommee Profitt and brooke inspired by one of his favorite “romantasy” books. Karagach danced half of the routine blindfolded, while Efron channeled his inner actor to portray a dangerous vampire. Burke dubbed the pair the “most improved couple of the season” but told Efron to watch his hips and lead with his legs. Tonioli was captivated by the “hot performance,” while Inaba praised him for tapping into the emotion of his dances. Hough called Efron “smooth as velvet,” but also noted for him to watch his frame. The duo got nines from Inaba, Hough, and Tonioli, and an eight from Burke.
Dance Monster-thon Bonus Round
Earle and Chmerkovskiy sat at the top of the leaderboard ahead of the season’s first dance marathon challenge. The couples — excluding Hendrix and Bersten — all took to the floor at the same time to dance the hustle and the lindy hop to “Murder on the Dancefloor” by Sophie Ellis-Bextor and “A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)” by Fergie, GoonRock, and Q-Tip, respectively. Leavitt and Ballas won the challenge, adding five extra points to their total score. Other couples were awarded between one and four bonus points.
Dancing With the Stars Week 7 leaderboard
With Dance Monster-thon bonus points added in:
Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy — 43/45
Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas — 42/45
Robert Irwin and Witney Carson — 41/45
Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach — 38/45
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa — 38/45
Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov — 35/45
Jennifer Affleck and Jan Ravnik — 34/45
Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten — 32/45
Andy Richter and Emma Slater — 29/45
Who went home on Dancing With the Stars Week 7?
After a night full of chillingly good performances, Affleck and Ravnik were ultimately announced as this week’s eliminated couple. “This experience has meant everything to me. I cannot wait to talk about this in the future with my kids,” Affleck said after the announcement. “I did this for my kids, and I’m so grateful for the experience. Thank you for everyone rooting for me at home. I can’t tell you how much it meant to me. Thank you.”
Ravnik, for his part, wrapped up their DWTS journey together by calling Affleck a “rock star.”
Dancing With the Stars, Season 34, Tuesdays, 8/7c, ABC and Disney+ (Streaming Next Day on Hulu)
For a more extended celebration of two decades of Dancing With the Stars, from exclusive interviews to retrospectives and must-see photos, pick up a copy of TV Guide Magazine’s Dancing With the Stars 20th Anniversary special issue, available for purchase online at DWTS.TVGM2025.com and on newsstands now.
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