The kids got their shot at Disney Night on Sunday’s “Dancing with the Stars: Juniors,” and Monday was the grownups’ turn. The nine remaining contestants on “Dancing with the Stars: Original Recipe” performed routines celebrating Mouse House properties from “The Jungle Book” to the upcoming “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” and going into tonight’s show the remaining female celebs were surely wishing upon a star to end the streak of eliminated women. So who gave the best performances, and how did the night end? Follow along below with our live blog of all the minute-by-minute developments as they happen.
In the first four weeks of the competition, “DWTS” sent home Nikki Glaser, Danelle Umstead, Nancy McKeon and most shockingly Tinashe, who was one of the competition’s highest scoring dancers. That left Evanna Lynch, Alexis Ren and Mary Lou Retton as representatives of the fairer sex, while low-scoring rivals Bobby Bones and Joe Amabile skated by on the strength of viewer votes.
But our users who predict “DWTS” every week thought we’d finally see a man get the axe, with John Schneider being the likeliest candidate. But after Tinashe’s exit our users are already predicting an all-male final three, with Milo Manheim out front to win the Mirror Ball according to our odds, followed by Juan Pablo Di Pace and DeMarcus Ware.
However, our Mirror Ball predictions have been fluctuating all season, so no one has established himself — or herself — as a decisive favorite just yet. Every week still counts. Who got a boost from their Disney routines? Find out below starting at 8:00pm (all times listed are Eastern).
Daniel Montgomery, 8:02pm — And Mickey Mouse descends from the ceiling of the “DWTS” studio to oversee his corporate minions while being serenaded by “DWTS: Juniors” host Jordan Fisher.
Alexis Ren and Alan Bersten
Foxtrot — “Just Around the Riverbend” from “Pocahontas”
DM, 8:05pm — Alan brings Alexis to Disney California adventure because Mickey ordered him to promote Disney tourist properties or else they’ll lock him back in the dungeon for disobedient workers.
DM, 8:07pm — During her clip package, Alexis is asked if she has developed feelings for Alan. She says, “No comment.” The show is trying to set up a showmance there, and I’m okay with that if it gets more people to vote for her because she’s fantastic.
JUDGES — Len Goodman thought it was a “well-crafted routine, beautifully danced”; he also notices the “lovely chemistry” between the two of them. Bruno Tonioli says it was like “two hearts beating as one … It was gorgeous.” Carrie Ann Inaba says the dance made her believe in fairy tales: “It was your best dance so far this season.”
DM, 8:10pm — I thought she did a lovely job, hope she doesn’t get lost in the shuffle performing first.
Jeffrey Kare, 8:10pm — I agree, that was great.
DM, 8:10pm — Sounds like 9s at least.
SCORES — Carrie Ann (10), Len (9), Bruno (10) — Total: 29 out of 30
JK, 8:11pm — Even better, a near-perfect score.
DM, 8:12pm — Wow, 10s for the first dance of the night. They’re not holding anything back.
Cordell Martin, 8:12pm — She’s probably going home.
JK, 8:13pm — If she does go home, at least she’ll have finished her run on a high note.
Juan Pablo Di Pace and Cheryl Burke
Viennese Waltz — “Gaston” from “Beauty and the Beast”
DM, 8:16pm — Juan Pablo playing Gaston = typecasting
DM, 8:17pm — Juan Pablo felt so much pressure getting 10s in week three that he was actually relieved to get 8s in week four. At least, that’s how he’s spinning it. He especially loves the opportunity to perform on Disney Night since he actually wanted to be an animator when he was young.
JUDGES — Bruno says, “You nailed that chaaracter right on the bull’s-eye … Spot-on on every level.” Carrie Ann thought he had “flair for days … and every detail is perfect … spectacular.” And Len liked that “the dance mirrored the music. It was full of gusto and zest,” and he loved the choreography despite a missing step up on the table.
DM, 8:22pm — I thought it was a great production and a strong dance.
JK, 8:22pm — I thought it was pretty competent.
DM, 8:23pm — I think he might get a couple of 10s too.
SCORES — Carrie Ann (10), Len (9), Bruno (10) — Total: 29 out of 30
JK, 8:23pm — Looks like you might just give Cordell a run for his money in predicting scores.
DM, 8:25pm — They’re really going all in on the 10s tonight. I’d be surprised at this point if we don’t see another perfect 30 tonight.
JK, 8:26pm — But if he gets at least one 10, I will literally scream at the top of my lungs.
DM, 8:27pm — If he gets 10s, I want Robert Mueller to investigate for Russian interference.
DeMarcus Ware and Lindsay Arnold
Charleston — “A Star Is Born” from “Hercules”
DM, 8:29pm — “I was a little bummed about the 7s,” says Lindsay about their scores on Trios Night. I’m nervous about him dancing a Charleston. He hasn’t been that light on his feet thus far, and Charleston steps are incredibly quick, but Lindsay is smartly taking advantage of his size and strength by incorporating lots of lifts.
JK, 8:33pm — Not only is DeMarcus perfect casting for Hercules, but the performance itself was full of energy!
DM, 8:33pm — DeMarcus’s movements were still a little clunky to me, but I think he kept up with the steps better than I was expecting, and the lifts were great
JUDGES — Carrie Ann says, “A hero is born … We have been waiting for this breakthrough the whole season,” and she never even noticed Lindsay was missing a shoe. Len thought it was “jam-packed … You finish it, and you just feel great … Not a lot of Charleston going on, however, I enjoyed it.” Bruno adds, “You were always the leading man … You never missed a beat … It was your most complete performance to date.”
DM, 8:35pm — That was a lot of praise from the judges, maybe a 10 for him too, but I think that would be overly generous.
SCORES — Carrie Ann (9), Len (8), Bruno (9) — Total: 26 out of 30
JK, 8:36pm — No 10s, but still a pretty great score overall.
DM, 8:36pm — Those scores seemed fair to me, though I’m on the same page with Len with that 8.
Evanna Lynch and Keo Motsepe
Jazz — “When Will My Life Begin” from “Tangled”
DM, 8:42pm — “It was like standing at the edge of a cliff,” says Evanna about being in jeopardy last week before Tinashe’s shocking elimination. She has long been inspired by Disney princesses for their “toughness, passion, and fierceness. That for me represented a well-rounded woman.”
DM, 8:45pm — Splendid dancing from Evanna, though I think the choreography and staging could have used more flair.
JK, 8:46pm — I do kind of wish they played Mandy Moore’s rendition of that song from the movie, then we’d sort of have a double dose of that name tonight. As for the performance, I agree with you on the splendid part. I found the overall routine to be a lot of fun.
JUDGES — Len liked “the light and shade … It had a lovely feel to it,” but it wasn’t “a spectacular number.” Bruno thinks she has found her “stride,” but she has a tendency to get either behind the music or ahead of it. Carrie feels she “did the Disney name proud,” but she needs to open up her movements more.
DM, 8:48pm — Some tough, nit-picky comments from the judges. I’m worried it’ll just get 8s.
SCORES — Carrie Ann (8), Len (8), Bruno (8) — Total: 24 out of 30
JK, 8:49pm — You were right!
DM, 8:50pm — I wish I hadn’t been. I liked that dance better than DeMarcus’s, and I’m worried it’ll put Evanna in danger next week.
Joe Amabile and Jenna Johnson
Jive — “Zero” from “Ralph Breaks the Internet”
DM, 8:55pm — Grocery Store Joe is next, so the judges can put away their 8, 9 and 10 paddles for a few minutes. Amabile thought his dance was better than the scores he got on Trios Night. That’s … an opinion. “I want to get there, and I’m going to work as hard as I can,” he says. I do admire that mentality. I hope he has fun and really gives it his all — and maybe calls Tinashe to apologize.
DM, 9:00pm — Kind of a mess, but he was watchable and seemed to be enjoying himself. Not the train wreck of his trios dance.
JK, 9:02pm — I must say, it looked like he might be making some progress, though it could just be Jenna doing most of the work. I laughed at myself at certain points because I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
JUDGES — Bruno says, “I can sense a faint glimmer of hope,” and it was “a baby step in the right direction.” Carrie Ann exclaims, “Go Joe! That was a vast improvement … You didn’t miss a step, truly,” but “you close your shoulders a little bit … I want you to own the stage.” Len likes how he dusts himself off after getting knocked by the judges ever week, but “there wasn’t enough jive in that jive,” so if he comes back next week he needs to embrace full choreography and “give it some welly.”
SCORES — Carrie Ann (6), Len (5), Bruno (6) — Total: 17 out of 30
DM, 9:09pm — Whew, the judges scored him right. I thought they’d give him pity-7s.
Mary Lou Retton and Sasha Farber
Contemporary — “Reflection” from “Mulan”
DM, 9:16pm — I have high hopes for Mary Lou getting a contemporary this week, especially getting an emotional ballad. “The whole message of ‘Mulan’ is about loving yourself … This song is spot-on for me.”
DM, 9:19pm — Lovely performance by Mary Lou, got more expressive as it went along which I think she really needed. I really liked that one.
JK, 9:20pm — I thought that was breathtakingly beautiful!
JUDGES — Carrie Ann says, “I saw you open … And in that moment you connected with all of us deeply.” Len appreciated how “gentle” and “understated” it was, with great “musicality.” Bruno loved her “determination … You don’t give up, and you get there eventually.”
DM, 9:22pm — I thought Carrie Ann was spot-on when she said Mary Lou started kinda tight but then opened up. I was feeling that too.
SCORES — Carrie Ann (9), Len (8), Bruno (8) — Total: 25 out of 30
JK, 9:23pm — And a well-deserved great score.
DM, 9:23pm — Great score, but this was another performance I thought was better than DeMarcus’s but got scored lower.
John Schneider and Emma Slater
Quickstep — “I Wan’na Be Like You” from “The Jungle Book”
DM, 9:29pm — A fast-paced dance style for John tonight. “Well it’s fast, but at least it’s very difficult.” I’m worried for him too on this one.
DM, 9:32pm — Wow, I thought that was maybe John’s best dance. I didn’t expect him to nail the choreography that well.
JK, 9:32pm — Yeah, I thought that was very skillfully enthusiastic!
JUDGES — Len thought it was “full of quickstep content,” though he “lost a bit of energy as the dance went on”; nevertheless, it was his “best dance to date.” Bruno thought he “brought some sparkle to the jungle” and he was “much lighter on his feet than Baloo.” Carrie Ann thought it was his “best performance” despite a couple of “snafus.”
SCORES — Carrie Ann (8), Len (8), Bruno (8) — Total: 24 out of 30
DM, 9:37pm — Again, I thought that was better than DeMarcus’s performance, but got fewer points. I think the judges were still high off of Alexis and Juan Pablo when they scored DeMarcus. If he had performed later I don’t think he would have gotten higher than John, Evanna, and Mary Lou.
Bobby Bones and Sharna Burgess
Waltz — “Part of Your World” from “The Little Mermaid”
DM, 9:41pm — Bobby’s playing Prince Eric. I’m disappointed that they don’t have him playing Ariel. That feels like something he would do and have fun with.
JK, 9:42pm — What do ya know? Milo will be going last tonight.
CM, 9:42pm — Milo will get a perfect score.
DM, 9:44pm — A solid routine by Bobby standards. His posture was a little stiff and awkward, especially in hold.
JK, 9:45pm — I at least thought it was wonderful.
JUDGES — Bruno thought it was “a bit slippery at times,” but it was “brave effort” even though he was off the beat. Carrie Ann appreciated his posture and his improvement, though he needs to stop giggling and raising his shoulders. Len admired that he “played it straight” and performed a proper waltz.
SCORES — Carrie Ann (7), Len (7), Bruno (7) — Total: 21 out of 30
DM, 9:48pm — I thought those scores were just right for that routine.
JK, 9:49pm — Especially with three 7’s, that should hopefully bring some extra luck.
DM, 9:50pm — I have a feeling Bobby and Joe have the bottom two slots on the leaderboard locked down until they’re eliminated. Everyone has advanced farther than they have. Though I don’t mind keeping Bobby around a little while longer. He’s genuinely having fun, while Joe has gotten pretty discouraged.
Milo Manheim and Witney Carson
Quickstep — “Incredits 2” from “Incredibles 2”
DM, 9:51pm — Time for a super-spandexy routine from Milo and Witney. “I owe everything I have to Disney,” says Milo, who got his big break as the star of the Disney Channel movie “Zombies” earlier this year. “The quickstep requires a lot of energy,” Witney explains, so she feels lucky she has a partner with so much of it.
DM, 9:55pm — Very good work by Milo, but not quite the showstopper I was expecting from him.
JUDGES — Carrie Ann thought it was a “fabulous routine,” especially performing all that choreography in a unitard. Len felt it had “plenty of zip-a-dee-doo-dah,” but he thought they needed more body contact, due in part to the spandex. Bruno calls it a “blockbuster … Bring on the sequel!”
SCORES — Carrie Ann (9), Len (8), Bruno (10) — Total: 27 out of 30
Results:
First couple in jeopardy — DeMarcus and Lindsay
Second couple in jeopardy — Alexis and Alan
The eliminated couple is … NOBODY! On Disney Night everybody is safe!
DM, 10:00pm — I’m glad Alexis wasn’t eliminated tonight, but it seems mean to have called two couples in jeopardy just to announce a non-elimination round.
CM, 10:00pm — So a double elimination next week?
JK, 10:01pm — It would not surprise me.
Judges’ Leaderboard:
1. Juan Pablo Di Pace — 29
1. Alexis Ren — 29
3. Milo Manheim — 27
4. DeMarcus Ware — 26
5. Mary Lou Retton — 25
6. Evanna Lynch — 24
6. John Schneider — 24
8. Bobby Bones — 21
9. Joe Amabile — 17
Final Predictions Contest Results:
Who will be eliminated? No One
Who will get the HIGHEST score? Juan Pablo Di Pace and Alexis Ren (29 out of 30)
Who will get the LOWEST score? Joe Amabile (17 out of 30)
How many 10s will the judges give out? 5 to 9 — exactly 5 to be exact
Which judge will give the MOST points? Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli (76)
Which judge will give the FEWEST points? Len Goodman (70)
Be sure to make your predictions so that the contestants can see how they’re faring in our racetrack odds. You can keep changing your predictions until just before the next episode airs every Monday on ABC. You’ll compete to win a spot on our leaderboard and eternal bragging rights. See our contest rules and sound off with other fans in our reality TV forum. Read more Gold Derby entertainment news.
