Dancing With The Stars Returns With No Elimination

Dancing With The Stars is back after skipping an episode last week due to the Vice Presidential debate. While the show got a shout out from nominee Tim Waltz, fans who missed their weekly viewing of the reality competition show can rest easy knowing that this week, we’re getting two new episodes—and a brutal double-elimination.

The theme of the Oct. 7 show was Soul Train Night, paying homage to the classic show, Soul Train, which spanned 35 years and featured music from primarily R&B, soul and hip-hop musicians. Rosie Perez, who got her start on Soul Train, joins the judges this week as a guest.

Hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribiero let the audience know that this week, the judges will make an exception and allow a bit of Soul Train flair into the dances. They also reveal that the last episode had the most votes they’ve ever received for an episode of DWTS, which is something to be excited about.

As Alfonso said before the dancing began, “Welcome to a night of love, peace and soul.” Let’s see how our dancers did.

Phaedra Parks And Val Chmerkovskiy

Phaedra Parks said Soul Train had a major influence on her growing up. She said it was a show she could see herself on, which was important. They’re doing a quickstep to Aretha Franklin’s “Respect,” but Phaedra struggles with the quickness of the quickstep in rehearsal.

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She seems a little unsure of herself during the dance, but it’s not a bad performance. The judges think she has improved a lot, and no truer words are spoken than by Rosie Perez, who says, “People can be taught how to dance, but you cannot be taught how to boogie. And you know how to boogie.”

Final scores: 8/8/7/7

Ilona Maher And Alan Bersten

Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten made a big improvement since last week, jumping up three points, which is the biggest improvement of all the celebrities. Alan credits their improvement with Ilona’s personality really coming through in their performance.

They’ll be performing a foxtrot to “Lady Marmalade” by LaBelle, a song that was made famous (again) by the version that appeared on the Moulin Rouge soundtrack in 2001. Ilona recalls that she and her rugby teammates got to visit the real Moulin Rouge over the summer. When Alan jokingly asks why she was in Paris again over the summer, Ilona doesn’t skip a beat.

Alan says Ilona needs to work on softening her movements and staying in frame. The performance is strong, though not flawless. Bruno says it was a proper foxtrot, but points out some areas of improvement. Carrie Ann says she sees a huge transformation in Ilona, while Derek says she needs to work on consistency.

Final scores: 8/8/7/7

Eric Roberts And Britt Stewart

Eric Roberts acknowledges that his last performance had some issues, which the judges noticed. It resulted in a 4 from judge Derek Hough. Eric and Britt vow that will be the last 4 they receive on the show.

Eric mentions that he’s so happy to be able to compete on DWTS for his wife, Eliza. He says it’s her favorite show and she bends over backwards for him, so he’s happy to compete for her.

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Their foxtrot to “Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green is slow and steady. Eric continues to mouth along the lyrics throughout the performance, which is endearing. Is he the sharpest dancer? He’s not. But does he have a lot of heart? He does.

Carrie Ann Inaba says that “the true beauty of dance [is] when you can dance and tell a story.” She says he’s improved a lot, but still needs to work on his balance. Rosie Perez gushes about how proud she is of him and how brave he is to dance on the show. Derek Hough avoids talking about his technique, but instead focuses on how “special and beautiful” the dance was.

Final scores: 7/6/5/6

Stephen Nedoroscik And Rylee Arnold

Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold are fast becoming fan favorites in this competition. Rylee recently poked fun at their image in a TikTok she posted that described the pair as “the most wholesome partnership on DWTS.”

Rylee explains that gymnasts need to lead with their shoulders, but a dancer needs to lead with their chest, which she’s working on instilling in Stephen. The couple perform a quickstep to Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition,” and Stephen really shines. He has amazing stage presence, a wide smile and and his gymnastic abilities don’t hurt, as the couple throw in some flips to really showcase his skills.

Rosie Perez calls Stephen “so cute,” but says he needs to work on his timing. Derek Hough says watching them dance is like “watching you dance through a field of daisies: breezy, light and wonderful to watch,” but he says he needs to work on his frame. Bruno says Stephen needs to work on his timing and musicality.

Final scores: 8/8/7/7

Brooks Nader And Gleb Savchenko

If Rylee Arnold and Stephen Nedoroscik are known as the most wholesome couple, Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko are known as the opposite. The steamy duo have sparked rumors of an off-screen pairing, with their flirty vibes and touchiness backstage. It’s only fitting they perform a sultry rumba to “Sexual Healing” by Marvin Gaye.

Let’s just say, Brooks and Gleb have chemistry on the dance floor, which we hope is happening off the dance floor too. It would be such a waste if it wasn’t. But that doesn’t make up for Brooks’ lack of dancing ability. She might not flow as naturally as other dancers, but she definitely looks good out there.

Derek Hough says their dance “made me pregnant.” Bruno Tonioli says they need to work on balance, and Carrie Ann Inaba says they have potential, but they need to work on in-between movements between poses.

Final scores: 7/7/7/7

Joey Graziadei And Jenna Johnson

Joey Graziadei of The Bachelor has really emerged as a top contender this season. Jenna Johnson says she wants to do something “surprising and epic” this week during their jive to “Shout” by The Isley Brothers. Joey says he was actually a cheerleader back in the day, so he wants to incorporate more acrobatics into the dance.

Joey and Jenna’s performance is unsurprisingly excellent. Joey has flair and stage presence, which translates to the dance. It would not be surprising to see Joey in the top three this season.

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The judges agree. Bruno Tonioli says that Joey has musicality and never misses a beat. Carrie Ann says it was amazing and fabulous, with clean movements.

Final scores: 9/9/8/8

Dwight Howard and Daniella Karagech

Dwight Howard and Daniella Karagech are determined to make up for last time, which Daniella says wasn’t perfect. Dwight is a little more optimistic, saying they only messed up a few spots. Daniella is stressed for their next performance, because they had limited time to practice due to Dwight’s schedule.

But their cha-cha to “Let’s Groove” by Earth, Wind and Fire is high-energy and rhythmic. Despite their height difference, the couple seem in-step. But the judges aren’t as impressed. Carrie Ann Inaba says the performance was hard to watch, and Rosie Perez says they needed more practice. Derek Hough agrees that the dance felt unrehearsed.

Final scores: 6/6/5/6

Danny Amendola And Witney Carson

NFL star Danny Amendola is excited to dance to the Jackson 5’s “Dancing Machine” tonight, as he is a huge Michael Jackson fan. Witney Carson hopes to work on Danny’s posture and his stage presence this week.

Danny’s face during the performance is a little stern, but he does remember to smile at times. He’s more focused on the moves than his stage presence. He doesn’t look like he’s having as much fun as some other contestants, but Danny is determined.

Rosie Perez says the dance was good, but could be better with more confidence. Derek Hough says he needs his personality to shine through. Bruno Tonioli says he needs to learn to become lyrical.

Final scores: 8/8/7/7

Reginald VelJohnson And Emma Slater

Reginald VelJohnson and Emma Slater seem a bit surprised to still be in the competition, considering they haven’t had the highest scores. But fans have embraced Reginald, and he’s quickly becoming a favorite.

Reginald says he grew up watching Soul Train and is excited to perform a foxtrot to “I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash. During the performance, Reginald looks to Emma frequently as she guides him through. But Reginald’s spirit is strong and he charms the audience.

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Derek Hough says watching Reginald dance makes him happy. Bruno Tonioli says his personality shines through. Carrie Ann Inaba tears up and says there is something “so sweet and innocent” about Reginald.

Final scores: 6/5/5/5

Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber

Jenn Tran is having better luck on the dance floor than she did as the star of The Bachelorette. She’s excited to perform a Viennese waltz to “Falllin” by Alicia Keys this week. Jenn reveals that she competitively trained as a pianist, so the song touches a special place in her heart.

Pro dancer Sasha Farber says they need to work on her posture and frame this week. He says the dance is passionate, so they need to “zone in” on that, which Jenn struggles with.

Based on their dance, it seems like Jenn took Sasha’s direction to heart. She’s solidly in frame and, despite some minor hiccups, she manages to perform a beautiful waltz. Bruno Tonioli says the dance was hot and sexy. Rosie calls it “hot, fly and all that.”

Final scores: 8/8/7/8

Chandler Kinney And Brandon Armstrong

Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong are a bit too young to really appreciate the magic of Soul Train. They bring in an original Soul Train dancer, Reggie, to help them capture the spirit. Chandler vows to take everything that Reggie talked about (“the soul, the connection, the vibe”) to the dance floor this week for her cha-cha to “It’s Tricky” by Run-DMC.

Unsurprisingly, Chandler and Brandon nail the dance. She’s one of the best competitors this season, knowledge of Soul Train or not. They also look like they’re having a blast out there, which adds to the excitement in the ballroom.

The judges loved it. Carrie Ann Inaba says the dance was “amazing” and their partnership is really starting to blossom. Rosie Perez says the routine was the personification of the vibe of Soul Train. She also advises Chandler to let her “sexuality explode,” which raises a few eyebrows in the studio. Derek Hough compliments the dance and the choreography.

Final scores: 9/9/9/9

That leaves Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong atop the leaderboard with a 36/40, while Reginald VelJohnson and Emma Slater are at the bottom with 21/40. Four couples are tied for the middle with 30/40 (Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold, Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten, Phaedra Parks and Val Chmerkovskiy and Danny Amendola and Witney Carson).

The stars will compete again on Oct. 8 for a chance to continue their journey to the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.

Tune in tonight for Hair Metal Night with guest host Gene Simmons from KISS to see which celebrities are eliminated next. Dancing With The Stars airs on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. (ET/PST) on ABC and Disney+.

Dancing with the Stars is a popular dancing competition reality TV show airing on ABC and Disney+. The series features various celebrities who pair with professional dancers to compete in front of a panel of judges. The US version of the UK TV show Strictly Come Dancing premiered in 2005 and was originally hosted by Tom Bergeron for its first 28 seasons.