Season 34 of Dancing with the Stars thrilled us once again with its Halloween Night show. The celebration of all things spooky and haunted has made this theme a fan favorite. Plus, two-time Mirrorball champion Cheryl Burke was back in the ballroom. This time, she was a guest judge, and her feedback was tough but constructive. I love how DWTS is bringing back some OGs to honor the show’s 20th birthday.
For Cheryl, “authenticity” from each couple was key. She also quoted the legendary judge Len Goodman, commenting, “Careful doesn’t win Dancing with the Stars.” I love that she gave Len a shout-out. However, is it even Halloween if DWTS alum Sasha Farber isn’t pranking people in the ballroom?
Last time, Pentatonix star Scott Hoying and his partner, Rylee Arnold, were eliminated. Their contemporary routine failed to wow the judges, and some flaws in his technique were evident. Meanwhile, Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas nabbed the first 10s of Season 34. Now, nine couples are still battling to take home the Mirrorball.
What happened in Dancing with the Stars Season 34 Episode 7?
Once again, our dance card was filled with a variety of sinister styles, including the tango, Argentine Tango, Viennese waltz, and Paso Doble. We also had a jazz routine and two contemporary numbers to celebrate Halloween.
Unfortunately, Elaine Hendrix suffered a rib injury during rehearsal, and she was medically evaluated at the hospital. She was cleared to continue in the competition, but couldn’t dance tonight. So, Elaine and Alan Bersten had to be judged on their most recent, complete rehearsal footage. I hope that you have a speedy recovery, Elaine!
Plus, each couple also took part in the Dance Monster-thon. All the couples danced at the same time, trying to earn extra points. In addition, the DWTS troupe danced an Argentine Tango to Sympathy is a Knife by Charli xcx, featuring Ariana Grande. And new pro, and Taylor Swift’s back-up dancer, Jan Ravnik, and Jenna Johnson danced a sexy and wicked contemporary routine to Taylor’s new hit, CANCELLED! I loved it!
Who was eliminated in Dancing with the Stars Season 34 Episode 7?
Jen Affleck and Jan Ravnik were eliminated in Dancing with the Stars Season 34 Episode 7!
Both stars from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Whitney and Jen Affleck, landed in the bottom three, along with Elaine and Alan. However, it was Jen and her partner, Jan, who were given the ballroom boot.
The couple danced a contemporary routine to Taylor Swift’s hit, Look What You Made Me Do. Contemporary is Jan’s specialty, so he was excited about this routine. In their performance, Jen was a villain trying to murder Jan.
“That beginning was off the charts,” judge Carrie Ann Inaba told the couple. “There is still a bit of inconsistency.” Meanwhile, Derek Hough praised Jan, whose lack of ballroom experience has been criticized by some former DWTS pros. And Cheryl said, “Your best dance, for sure, this season. I really would love to see unity.” When their points from the Monster-thon were added, Jen and Jan came in seventh place.
After their elimination, Jen explained how she felt about her time in the ballroom. “This experience has meant everything to me. I cannot wait to talk about this in the future with my kids,” the MomTok influencer stated. “I did this for my kids, and I’m so grateful for the experience. Thank you for everyone rooting for me at home.” She added, “I can’t tell you how much it meant to me.” Meanwhile, Jan kept his praise for his partner simple. “She’s a rockstar,” he stated.
Who got the top score of the night in Dancing with the Stars Season 34 Episode 7?
Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy had the highest score in Dancing with the Stars Season 34 Episode 7.
Influencer Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovsky landed on top of the leaderboard with their ghoulish tango. This week, Alix asked Val to push her more, and to quote Derek, “Vintage Val” was back. Alix actually cried during rehearsals, but was grateful in the end.
The duo danced to Billie Eilish’s song, Bury a Friend. Their routine started in an actual grave. So creepy! Their spellbinding performance gave me goosebumps.
“That was chilling, intense. It was sharp. It was controlled,” Derek stated. While Bruno noted that their performance was “drop dead good,” Cheryl had some issues with the choreography. “I hate that you broke hold,” the former pro stated. She added, “You really are amazing.” Alix and Val snagged 39 points out of 40, earning three 10s.
The duo was on fire, coming in second place in the Monster-thon, adding four points to their score. I have a feeling that we will be seeing Alix in the finale.
What were the judge’s scores in DWTS Season 34 Episode 7?
- Alix and Val (Tango) – 43 points
- Whitney and Mark (Jazz) – 42 points
- Robert and Witney (Argentine Tango) – 41 points
- Dylan and Daniella (Viennese Waltz) – 38 points
- Jordan and Ezra (Contemporary) – 38 points
- Danielle and Pasha (Viennese Waltz) – 35 points
- Jen and Jan (Contemporary) – 34 points
- Elaine and Alan (Argentine Tango) – 32 points
- Andy and Emma (Paso Doble) – 29 points
With the addition of the Monster-thon points, the leaderboard was flipped around. Whitney and Mark’s jazz routine to Green Day’s Brain Stew was creepy in all the right ways. “This dance was no tricks and all treats,” Derek stated. However, both Carrie Ann and Cheryl called out timing issues in their side-by-side section.
And Andy and Emma’s fans, the “Fandys,” once again came through for the comedian. This week, although he was last on the leaderboard, he didn’t even land in the bottom three. In his Paso Doble, Andy played a priest, and Emma played a demon. The duo earned their best scores yet.
For the Monster-thon, each couple danced the Hustle, followed by the Lindy Hop. The duos earned points based on how long they survived in the competition. Whitney and Mark earned five points, while Alix and Val came in second place. Meanwhile, Andy and his partner, Emma, were the first couple pulled from the floor by the Grim Reaper, earning just one point. Since Elaine and Alan could not participate, they didn’t earn any points.
Final thoughts on Dancing with the Stars Season 34 Episode 7
Once again, Halloween Night delivered plenty of thrilling and chilling performances. I enjoyed Robert Irwin and Witney Carson’s sexy and dark Argentine tango. It was set to Sweet Dreams Are Made of This by The Hampton String Quartet. Bruno commented, “That was deadly hot.” The duo earned their highest scores of the season with 38 out of 40 points.
Meanwhile, Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach’s steamy and romantic vampire Viennese Waltz deserves a shout-out. During rehearsals, Daniella broke Dylan’s nose, but he danced on. “You are just smooth as velvet,” Derek said. “You belong onstage too, my man.”
I also liked actress Danielle Fishel and her partner, Pasha Pashkov’s, Viennese Waltz. In this routine, halfway through the dance, it was revealed that Danielle was a ghost, and Pasha murdered her.
For Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa, their decision to use a harness in their contemporary routine was a risky choice. It didn’t pay off, as Carrie Ann commented that she “sometimes felt” that Jordan was “struggling” with the prop.
Well, next week is Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Night, with guest judge Flavor Flav. Plus, team dances are back with a twist. Hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro will each dance with a team.
Dancing with the Stars airs on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC and Disney+. It will stream on Hulu the next day.
TELL US – WHICH SEASON 34 EPISODE 7 ROUTINE WAS YOUR FAVORITE? DID YOU ENJOY SEEING CHERYL BURKE BACK IN THE BALLROOM?
