The Dancing with the Stars voting system is a mix of meritocracy and a popularity contest. The judges score are certainly a factor, but competitors must also rely on viewer support to keep them in the competition. Usually, the DWTS viewership rewards strong performances and sends the weaker links out the door. But sometimes, a competitor’s strong fanbase keeps them in the game despite receiving low scores. Conversely, a talented dancer may be sent home before their time due to a lack of fan votes.
It’s a flawed system, no doubt. Production attempted to remedy the system in 2018 after radio personality Bobby Bones took home an undeserved win in Season 27. Now, the judges have more influence over who stays and who goes, but it is still not a completely fair system.
Most Shocking DWTs eliminations
Over the years, DWTS fans have witnessed quite a few shocking eliminations. Many talented dancers were sent home too early because they couldn’t compete with their more popular competitors. Let’s take a look at some of the worst offenses…
Heather Morris – Season 24
Glee star Heather Morris was already an accomplished dancer when she joined the Season 24 cast of DWTS in 2017. She first caught the public’s attention a decade earlier when she appeared on Season 2 of Fox’s competition show So You Think You Can Dance in 2006. She was cut before the final 20, but her performance on the show was impressive enough to kickstart a dance career, which included being a backup dancer for Beyonce. Huge flex.
Heather’s vast experience put her a league above the competition on DWTS. She should’ve been a shoo-in for the finale but unfortunately, viewers didn’t see it that way. She was eliminated during Week 6 despite receiving a perfect score from the judges. Her stint on DWTS occurred before production overhauled the voting system, so the judges praises weren’t enough to save her.
Normani – Season 25
Fifth Harmony member Normani was the favorite to win Season 25. She consistently received high scores from the judges, but it wasn’t enough to secure the win. She made it to finale, but ended up placing third despite scoring above her competitors. Many fans were outraged by her loss, and she admitted she was shocked by the results in an interview with Entertainment Tonight.
“You’re never really guaranteed,” she said. “It was quite a shocker for me as well, but I’ve gained so much from this experience. I’m so happy, and I can’t even begin to express you know the gratitude that I carry and the blessing especially because I have a lifelong friend now [in partner Val Chmerkovskiy].”
Brandy Norwood – Season 11
Brandy Norwood crushed the competition, but DWTS’ flawed voting system robbed her of a win. The singer delivered nearly perfect routines week after week, but it wasn’t enough to keep her in the competition. She was eliminated during semi-finals despite scoring above competitor Bristol Palin.
Sabrina Bryan – Season 5
Sabrina Bryan’s dancing chops made her a standout performer in a sea of amateurs. The Disney Star consistently found herself at the top of the leader board, but she didn’t have a large enough fanbase to secure the win.
Lele Pons – Season 32
Lele Pons wasn’t a frontrunner on Season 32, but she was a solid competitor. She wasn’t at the top of the leader board, but she was by no means at the bottom. Viewers felt confident she would progress to the finals, but a shocking voting result sent her home in Week 7. Following her elimination, her partner Brandon Armstrong expressed his frustration at the voting system,
“That one burns. I don’t think Lele should have been going home tonight,” he said. “Lele was getting better and [had] no dance experience … she was the best partner she could have been.”
Host Carrie Ann Inaba also shared her thoughts on Lele’s elimination, telling Entertainment Weekly, “I was both shocked and saddened by Lele’s departure. Brandon’s heartfelt words in those final moments were touching, and the love and support he expressed for his partner were palpable,”
Dancing with the Stars is available to stream on Disney+.
TELL US – DO YOU AGREE WITH OUR LIST? WHAT DWTS ELIMINATION LEFT YOU STUNNED?
