Dancing with the Stars is getting in the groove with Motown Night! Good Morning America co-host Michael Strahan is serving as a guest judge this week. Barry Williams and Peta Murgatroyd kick things off with a fierce tango to “Get Ready” by The Temptations. After a setback last week, Barry returns strong.
“That was a strong tango!” Derek Hough declares, before adding that Barry has a “fantastic awareness of timing.” Bruno Tonioli tells Barry that he made “no mistakes at all” but wants to see a “consistent” frame moving forward. “I love the way you sparkle when you dance,” Carrie Ann Inaba says. However, she says she noticed a “few mistakes” in the routine. Barry and Peta’s scores: Carrie Ann = 6; Derek = 6; Michael = 7; and Bruno = 6. Total Score = 25 out of 40.
Lele Pons and Brandon Armstrong dance a sexy cha cha to “Super Freak” by Rick James. Bruno tells Lele that her “performance instinct is spot on,” but there were a couple of moments where she lost balance. Derek adds that Lele seemed “a little shaky from the very get-go,” and there were several moments where she was “off balance.” Carrie Ann agrees with both Derek and Bruno. Lele and Brandon’s scores: Carrie Ann = 7; Derek = 6; Michael = 7; and Bruno = 7. Total Score = 27 out of 40.
Mauricio Umansky and Emma Slater have a big comeback with their lovely foxtrot to “Working My Way Back to You” by The Spinners. Bruno tells Mauricio that he is “back on track.” Carrie Ann raves over the “amazing” performance and says the routine was “jam-packed with elegance.” Carrie Ann swears she’s not flirting with Mauricio.
Derek quips to Carrie Ann that it sounds like she’s flirting! He then says that Mauricio’s made a “massive improvement.” Michael admits that Mauricio was able to get out of his own head “masterfully.” Mauricio and Emma’s scores: Carrie Ann = 7; Derek = 5; Michael = 6; and Bruno = 5. Total Score = 23 out of 40. Right away, Emma says she’s “confused” by the scores.
Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach stun the ballroom with their incredible jive to “Do You Love Me” by The Contours. “That was brilliant,” Carrie Ann raves. Derek adds that the performance was “such a fantastic jive.” Bruno calls Jason a “triple threat” and watching him dance is like “watching a scene from a movie.” Jason and Daniella’s scores: Carrie Ann = 9; Derek = 8; Michael = 9; and Bruno = 8. Total Score = 34 out of 40. The first 9s of the season!
Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber take on a foxtrot to “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. Derek notices her confidence, but he wants to see it grow even more. He also tells Alyson to work on her frame. Bruno admits it “wasn’t all smooth sailing,” but he believes Alyson has potential. Carrie Ann adds that Alyson’s “confidence is sticking, and you’re definitely on your way.” Alyson and Sasha’s scores: Carrie Ann = 6; Derek = 6; Michael = 6; and Bruno = 6. Total Score = 24 out of 40.
Tyson Beckford and Jenna Johnson’s foxtrot to “Master Blaster (Jammin’)” by Stevie Wonder is definitely sensual but a bit stiff. Michael tells Tyson that the performance was “not as smooth” as Tyson wanted it to be. Bruno notes that Tyson “stumbled” this week with the moves, while Carrie Ann calls the model a “work in progress.” Derek says that there’s work to be done, but Tyson’s “youthful joy goes a long way.” Tyson and Jenna’s scores: Carrie Ann = 5; Derek = 5; Michael = 5; and Bruno = 5. Total Score = 20 out of 40.
Charity Lawson is reunited with Artem Chigvintsev this week, and they dance a gorgeous foxtrot to “My Girl” by The Temptations. Bruno declares that Charity is “going for gold.” He adds, “That really was a gold standard foxtrot.” Derek and Carrie Ann agree with Bruno. Michael tells Charity that she was “meant to dance.” Charity and Artem’s scores: Carrie Ann = 8; Derek = 8; Michael = 8; and Bruno = 8. Total Score = 32 out of 40.
Mira Sorvino and Gleb Savchenko turn up the heat with their rumba to “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye. Carrie Ann feels like Mira “didn’t sustain the character throughout” the performance. Derek says “all the mechanics are there” with Mira, but she needs “more energy.” Michael calls the performance “sexy, seductive, satisfying, sensational.” While Bruno tells Mira that she could have been a bit “more J.Lo” about her moves, he did like the performance. Mira and Gleb’s scores: Carrie Ann = 6; Derek = 6; Michael = 7; and Bruno = 7. Total Score = 26 out of 40.
Ariana Madix dedicates this week’s dance to her late father, who passed away in 2013. Ariana and Pasha Pashkov dance a sensational quickstep to “You Can’t Hurry Love” by The Supremes. “Your dad would be so proud,” Derek tells Ariana. Bruno tells Ariana that she was “sparkling” on the dance floor. Carrie Ann gets up out of her seat to give Ariana a hug before calling the performance “amazing.” Ariana and Pasha’s scores: Carrie Ann = 9; Derek = 8; Michael = 9; and Bruno = 8. Total Score = 34 out of 40.
Adrian Peterson and Britt Stewart hope to escape the bottom two this week with their quickstep to “I Want You Back” by The Jackson 5. Michael says he always hated Adrian on the football field, but he loves watching Adrian push himself on the dance floor. Bruno admits he was pleasantly surprised by the performance. “I hope you’ll be back,” he says. Carrie Ann says she does “see improvement,” but there are still several issues to fix going forward. Even with the mistakes, Derek thinks that the performance was Adrian’s “best dance.” Adrian and Britt’s scores: Carrie Ann = 5; Derek = 5; Michael = 6; and Bruno = 6. Total Score = 22 out of 40.
Fresh off sparking those dating rumors, Harry Jowsey and Rylee Arnold return to the ballroom with a pretty foxtrot to “Easy” by Commodores. “You’re so charming,” Bruno gushes. He commends Harry and Rylee for having “much more content” this week, but he says Harry needs to work on his musicality. “I actually was very impressed,” Carrie Ann admits. While Derek thinks Harry and Rylee are “so cute together,” he points out the “timing issues” and Harry’s poor frame. Harry and Rylee’s scores: Carrie Ann = 6; Derek = 5; Michael = 7; and Bruno = 6. Total Score = 24 out of 40.
The final performance of the night comes from Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy. They dance a fabulous foxtrot to “My Guy” by Mary Wells. “You are such an incredibly dynamic performer,” Carrie Ann gushes. However, she does point out there was a slight issue at one point in the routine. “Everything you do looks effortless,” Michael says. Bruno commends Xochitl for her “fantastic” quality of movement and musicality. Xochitl and Val’s scores: Carrie Ann = 8; Derek = 8; Michael = 8; and Bruno = 8. Total Score = 32 out of 40.
The bottom three couples are Rylee and Harry, Tyson and Jenna, and Alyson and Sasha. The couple eliminated is… Tyson Beckford and Jenna Johnson!
