A surprising elimination shook up the ballroom Tuesday night on *Dancing Wiht the Stars*, as the competition narrows with the November 25th finale quickly approaching.Whitney Leavitt and partner Mark Ballas were sent home during the semi-finals, despite consistently high marks throughout the season, which was dedicated to the music of Prince .The remaining five couples will now vie for the coveted mirrorball trophy in a three-round finale airing live on ABC and streaming on Disney+.
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A shocking elimination rocked the ballroom Tuesday night on Dancing With the Stars as the competition heats up ahead of the November 25th finale. Whitney Leavitt and her partner Mark Ballas were unexpectedly sent home during the show’s semi-finals, dedicated to the music of the iconic Prince.
The semi-finals required each couple to perform two dances: one familiar routine from earlier in the season and a brand new style they hadn’t yet tackled, all set to a song by Prince. The tribute night proved particularly emotional for Leavitt and Ballas, who had consistently earned high marks throughout season 34.
Heading into Tuesday’s episode, the remaining cast included social media star Alix Earle, Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles, The Traitors season three winner (and Zac Efron’s brother) Dylan Efron, actress Elaine Hendrix, conservationist (and son of Steve Irwin) Robert Irwin, and Leavitt.
The finale, a special three-hour event on November 25th, will see the remaining five couples battle it out in three rounds of competition: a judges’ choice, an instant dance, and the coveted freestyle round. The stakes are high as they vie for the coveted mirrorball trophy. Fans can also revisit The Hollywood Reporter’s ranking of the top 10 dances of season 34 to relive some of the season’s highlights.
Adding to the excitement of Prince Night, Dylan Efron received a special visit from his brother, actor Zac Efron, who attended a live taping for the first time to support his brother’s journey on the show. Robert Irwin and Witney Carson dominated the first round, earning a perfect 30/30 – the only couple to achieve a perfect score in that half of the competition.
The second round brought even more perfect scores, with Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy, Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten, and Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa all receiving 30/30 from the judges. Ultimately, Robert Irwin and Witney Carson topped the leaderboard for the night with a combined score of 59 points.
The previous week’s 20th Birthday Party-themed episode also saw a special guest appearance, with former host Tom Bergeron making a guest judging debut. During that episode, four couples – including Irwin and Carson, Efron and Daniella Karagach, Earle and Chmerkovskiy, and Leavitt and Ballas – each earned solo perfect scores.
Following the show, gymnast Jordan Chiles shared her excitement with The Hollywood Reporter, saying receiving her first perfect DWTS score felt “different” and that she was “honored.”
“Yes, I’ve gotten 10s in my career, but getting a perfect score is different. I feel just a different light — I don’t even know how to explain [it],” Chiles said. “When I got that score, I was just like, Wow. It’s like a next step, the next chapter that I’m gonna be able to create, so I’m just honored.”
Elaine Hendrix, who was the first couple called safe on Prince Night, told THR she felt “so much shock, gratitude [and] excitement beyond belief” when she learned she was moving on to the finale. Reflecting on her experience, she admitted, “I knew [DWTS] was gonna be hard, but I did not know it was going to be just how hard it is.”
“So to actually be here now [going into the finale,] just blows my mind that it’s actually a reality,” Hendrix added. “I’m stunned. I’m grateful. I’m relieved. It’s just a whirlwind of emotions.”
Pro dancer Val Chmerkovskiy also spoke with THR, praising his partner Alix Earle: “I’ve had a whole spectrum of emotions throughout my tenure on the show, and there have been times when I was pleasantly surprised, I will tell you, there’s been plenty of times when I was unpleasantly surprised. And that’s why I don’t take anything for granted. And of course I was confident, I have a superstar as my partner.”
Each week, the couple with the lowest combined total of judges’ scores and viewer votes is eliminated. Live voting takes place during the East Coast airing of each show and closes shortly after the final performance.
See the full list of scores for week 10 of DWTS season 34 (aka Prince Night) below.
Round 1
Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten: 27/30
Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy: 28/30
Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas: 29/30
Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach: 27/30
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa: 27/30
Robert Irwin and Witney Carson: 30/30
Round 2
Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten: 30/30
Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy: 30/30
Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach: 28/30
Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas: 29/30
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa: 30/30
Robert Irwin and Witney Carson: 29/30
Final Leaderboard
Robert Irwin and Witney Carson: 59
Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy: 58
Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas: 58 (ELIMINATED)
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa: 57
Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten: 57
Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach: 55
Season 34 of DWTS airs and streams simultaneously on ABC and Disney+ on Tuesdays, with new episodes available to stream on Wednesdays on Hulu.
Dominoe Ibarra contributed to this report.
