The 12 celebrity contestants of Dancing With the Stars (DWTS) danced along to some of social media’s most viral hits on this week’s “TikTok Night.” The episode was jam-packed with TikTok-inspired dances, cameos from stars, and a controversial elimination.
But what’s all the fuss about? How did each pair score? Read on for my hot takes on each dancer and their performance, from a rhythmically challenged non-dancer who strongly believes DWTS should be for celebrities with no dance experience.
- Jen Affleck and Jan Ravnik
Jen and Jan started the night dancing a cha-cha to “She’s a Bad Mama Jama (She’s Built, She’s Stacked)” by Carl Carlton, which was the song that made the star TikTok famous after she posted a video dancing to it right after giving birth. They scored a 19 out of 30, guaranteeing them 10th place on the leaderboard.
My hot take on the pair: we don’t need two stars from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives in this show. It’s simply more entertaining with a diverse cast. However, if I had to choose between Jen or her co-star and friend Whitney Leavitt, I’d pick Jen. With that said, I forget Jen’s a contestant every week because she has yet to wow me.
- Lauren Jauregui and Brandon Armstrong
Lauren and Brandon cha-chad to Fifth Harmony’s song, “Work from Home.” Despite Derek Hough saying she’d “be here a long time,” the pair only earned an 18 out of 30, landing them at 11th place and leading to their elimination.
My hot take on Lauren: she deserved to be held to such a high standard. With a cast filled with numerous celebrities who have dance experience, including Lauren, the judges should expect more from these contestants than from the others.
- Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov
Danielle performed a foxtrot to her Girl Meets World co-star Sabrina Carpenter’s “Man Child,” and received a special video message from the pop star wishing her good luck. Danielle successfully incorporated Bruno Tonioli’s critique from last week, concerning her tendency to scrunch her shoulders, which led the pair to earn a 21 out of 30. They earned eighth place by the end of the night.
My hot take on the pair: forget Danielle, what about Pasha? He’s one of the most underappreciated professional dancers! His choreography not only incorporates the fundamentals of each dance style—which many of the pros fail to do—but it also showcases his partners’ individual talents, making them shine. People need to stop saying his choreography is boring.
- Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa
In a tango to Doechi’s “Anxiety,” Jordan and Ezra expressed the reality that many professional athletes experience anxiety in their careers through dance, leaving Jordan in tears by the end of their performance. They earned a score of 24 out of 30, the highest score of the entire season so far, and ended the night at the top of the leaderboard.
However, my overall hot take is that Ezra’s choreography did Jordan a disservice in the first episode, as it failed to showcase the gymnast’s technique and talent.
- Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach
Dylan and Daniella performed a foxtrot to Justin Bieber’s “YUKON.” They scored a 23 out of 30, earning them third place.
My hot take on the pair: the opening was hard to watch, as he looked stiff and uncomfortable. The dance also felt too slow, and they bumped heads at the end, which left me feeling like they were overscored. Also, what was up with Alfonso Ribeiro saying the dance was “hot” and that there was love between the pair? Daniella is married, and Dylan is in a long-term relationship.
- Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten
Elaine and Alan glided across the floor in a tango to KATSEYE’s “Gnarly.” Earning a 21 out of 30, the couple left me feeling disappointed with their performance compared to their other dances.
This one lacked Elaine’s enthusiasm and character like the others, and felt disconnected. Despite this, the pair guaranteed eighth place, leaving them tied with Danielle and Pasha.
- Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas
To the song “Shake Ya Ass” by Mystikal, Mark and Whitney did just that in a samba, with Tonioli saying the pair almost caused an earthquake. They earned a 24 out of 30, landing the pair tied with Jordan and Ezra at the top of the scoreboard.
My hot take: don’t stop complaining about Whitney’s dance background because her advantage is unfair! Also, call me unfun, but she needs to stop with the silly faces and hair whipping. Carrie Ann Inaba may love it, but it’s too much.
- Scott Hoying and Rylee Arnold
In a lively jazz to “like JENNIE” by JENNIE, Scott and Rylee brought the love from Scott’s wedding dance to the same song to the ballroom. With the judges saying he flourished, Scott earned a score of 22 out of 30, placing him in fifth place.
My hot take on Scott: he still seems a bit stiff, which was only showcased in this fast-paced song. However, I’d rather watch someone like Scott continue to try his best than watch someone with dance experience.
- Hilaria Baldwin and Gleb Savchenko
Hilaria and Gleb performed a samba to “Shake it to the Max” by MOLIY, Shenseea, Skillibeng, and Silent Addy. The couple earned a score of 22 out of 30, leaving them tied in fifth place with Robert and Scott.
My hot take on Hilaria is the same as Whitney’s: keep critiquing her dance experience. She’s as talented as she is a questionable star. Her performances often felt technically sound but lacked emotional depth, failing to draw me in.
- Andy Richter and Emma Slater
Andy and Emma showed off their viral moves in a foxtrot to Hozier’s “Northern Attitude.” The judges reminded Andy that he still had a lot of work to do, but reassured him that the audience loved him. The judges scored the pair an 18 out of 30, earning him 11th place, tied with Lauren and Brandon.
My hot take on Andy: Just because a great dancer went home doesn’t mean Andy shouldn’t be on the show. This show is meant for contestants with little to no dance experience, and it’s more entertaining for viewers to see non-dancers keep getting better each week. His performance might have been rough, but it’s only week three—that’s the whole point.
- Robert Irwin and Witney Carson
Robert and Witney danced a salsa to Tommy Richman’s “MILLION DOLLAR BABY,” eliciting wild cheers from the audience. Despite the audience’s reaction, the judges stated that the dance lacked crucial salsa elements, resulting in a score of 22 out of 30, placing him in fifth place.
My hot take: Robert gives me the ick, sorry! The heel slide was sick, though.
- Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy
Last on the dance floor were Alix and Val, who did a quickstep to M’s “Pop Muzik.” The pair earned a 23 out of 30, landing them in third place, tied with Dylan and Daniella.
My hot take on the pair: I don’t want to see TikTokers anymore! There have simply been too many of them on this show, from DWTS Season 31 champion Charlie D’Amelio to the two contestants from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and Alix Earle this season. Where’s the diversity?
And so, whether you agree, disagree, or agree to disagree, these were my hot takes on each contestant so far this season. Next week’s episode will be “Disney Night,” so don’t forget to tune in live at 8 p.m. EST on ABC or Disney+ to form your own opinions, and most importantly, vote!