What To Know
- Week 8 of Dancing With the Stars Season 34 featured the remaining eight pairs dancing to songs by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame legends.
- The cast was also divided into groups of two for team dances.
- At the end of the night, the judges scores and viewer votes were combined and one person was eliminated.
The competition continued on the Tuesday, November 4, episode of Dancing With the Stars. With just eight contestants left, the remaining competitors each had to dance twice on during Week 8.
First, they hit the dance floor with their pro partners to perform a previously unlearned dance. Then, the pairs were split into two teams of four for freestyle team dances. Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, Derek Hough, and guest Flavor Flav‘s scores from both dances were combined with viewer votes to determine who will be eliminated at the end of the episode.
Scroll down for a recap of all the night’s performances and where everyone stood on the leaderboard after two dances. Plus, find out who was eliminated at the end of the show.
Dylan Efron — 36/40
To kick off the night Dylan Efron performed a jive to “I’m Still Standing” by Elton John and it was jam-packed with content and choreography.
“From the floor to the roof, that dance right there was the proof,” Flavor Flav raved. Tonioli told Efron his feet were “very good” and “just missed a pass,” while Inana said, “Jive is all about athleticism and grace, the buoyancy and all that, and I feel like you definitely had all the elements, but there were three moments where you got kind of stuck on the kicks and flicks.”
After getting some boos from the crowd, Inaba also made sure to point out that Efron has come so far in the competition. “It was a great way to start the show,” Hough said, although he agreed that the reality star needed some work on his kicks and flicks. Efron earned an 8 from Inaba, 9s from Tonioli and Hough, and a 10 from Flavor Flav!
Alix Earle — 39/40
Alix Earle was at the top of the leaderboard last week, so she knew she had a lot to prove in order to stay there this week, where she danced a paso doble to Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer.”
“The paso doble bombshell! Sexy as hell. I’m telling you, what really worked for me, it was like watching two predators challenging each other every minute,” Tonioli gushed. “That was brilliant.” Inaba told Earle she was in her “fierce girl era” and that she set the standard for the night’s paso doble routines.
“Pure paso power! It was amazing. You were an absolute rock and roll goddess out there. So strong, so powerful, so in control, and so impressive,” Hough raved. Hough, Inaba, and Tonioli gave the dance 10s, while Flavor Flav scored it a 9 for a 39/40.
Andy Richter — 30/40
Andy Richter has been consistently scoring at the bottom, but the fan vote has kept him in the competition. This week, he danced a contemporary to “God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys.
“That was a beautiful tribute to this wonderful partnership,” Inaba said. “Something that’s remarkable about you is that you are teaching the people who don’t know how to dance what it actually feels like to learn how to dance.”
Hough thanked Richter for “embracing” the process and Flav said, “You guys were good, you know what I’m saying?” Tonioli closed it out by adding, “It had a kind of childlike honesty. I think that is the secret, your honesty. You do what you can. You are relatable, and that’s why you are becoming a people’s champion.”
All the judges gave Richter 7s, aside from Flavor Flav, who hooked him up with a 9!
Whitney Leavitt — 39/40
Whitney Leavitt hit the dance floor with a paso doble to “No More Tears” by Ozzy Osbourne.
“This ballroom is officially on fire,” Hough insisted. “That rocked. It was classic. It was edgy. It was perfectly entangled and totally metal.” Flav praised the “charisma,” “moves,” and “timing,” which he said was on point.
Tonioli called the routine “intense” but “exquisite” and said Leavitt did the paso doble “perfectly.” Inaba added, “This is game on for tonight. That was sick and amazing and everything they said, but wait. There were a few stumbles with your foot. I gotta call it out, otherwise it wouldn’t be fair.”
With a 9 from Inaba and 10s from the other three judges, Leavitt scored a 39/40 total.
Danielle Fishel — 34/40
Like Richter, Danielle Fishel danced a contemporary this week. She performed a routine to Aerosmith’s “Dream On.”
“Life can be a b**ch sometimes, but you don’t give up. You stay resilient, keep a positive attitude, and it’s not over,” Tonioli said. Although he noted a “tiny mishap” in the routine, he told Fishel she should “be proud” of what she’s achieved on the show.
Inaba apologized for the comments she made about Fishel’s dance last week. “I believe in you,” she added. “You told that story. I felt the chills.” Hough concluded by saying, “You’re somebody that we all root for. You radiate such positive beautiful energy. You glow and you always glow on this dance floor.” He admitted the dance “felt a little disjointed,:” but also told Fishel to be proud.
With 9s from Inaba and Flav, and 8s from Hough and Tonioli, Fishel scored a 34/40 total.
Elaine Hendrix — 37/40
After not being able to compete last week due to an injury, Elaine Hendrix knew she had a lot of making up to do with her Viennese waltz to “What the World Needs Now is Love.” Unfortunately, she lost a few days of rehearsals, but it didn’t even seem to matter.
Tonioli called her performance “sumptuous” and noted that it was “extremely elegant, light, flowing, [and] smooth.” Inaba said watching Hendrix dance “feels so familiar,” adding, “The way you move is so grounded in love and true emotion and truth and honesty. You are spectacular.”
Flav couldn’t believe that Hendrix was being put in an ambulance one week ago. “You don’t move like you was hurt,” he said. “You healed up beautiful.” Hendrix earned 9s from Inaba, Hough, and Tonioli, and a 10 from Flav, giving her her best scores yet!
Jordan Chiles — 38/40
Jordan Chiles performed a jazz to “Jazz “River Deep – Mountain High” — Ike and Tina Turner.
Inaba raved, “Doing Tina Turner is a big task to fill, but you did not disappoint. You’re ballsy and you take the risks and this one delivered!” Hough called Chiles the “Queen of the ballroom” and said the “tricks and flips were a 10 out of 10.”
Flav called Chiles a “warrior” and Tonioli called it a “spectacular acrobatic display.” Inaba and Flav gave the routine a 10, while Tonioli and Hough scored it a 9, for a total score of 38/40.
Robert Irwin — 38/40
Closing out round one was Robert Irwin with a paso doble to “Icky Thump” by The White Stripes.
“Robert the matador! You didn’t just dominate, you owned this arena,” Hough said, although he noted the “little, little hiccup” at one point in the routine.
“The thunder from down under has unleashed a paso doble. I loved the theatrical setting at the beginning. You really dominated the precision all the way through, and thank you for giving it the classic interpretation,” Tonioli raved. “It was no messing around. It was a superb paso doble.”
Inaba said the choreography was “incredible,” and told Irwin that he has “momentum” heading to the finish line. “You had a few teeny tiny wobbles in the beginning,” she added, but overall loved the performance.
Hough and Inaba gave Irwin 9s, while Flav and Tonioli gave him 10s, for a 38/40 total.
Team Chicago — 40/40
Up first in the team dance was Fishel, Leavitt, Chiles, and Efron, who were joined by Alfonso Ribeiro for their freestyle routine.
“That was like watching a Quentin Tarantino movie. It was so slick, it was so cool,” Tonioli said. Inaba said the performance was “so tight and so clean,” adding, “Teamwork makes the dream work!” All four judges gave the freestyle a 10 for a 40/40, which means the participants will add 40 to their first round scores.
Team Kool — 38/40
Earle, Irwin, Richter, and Hendrix made up Team Kool. Julianne Hough joined them on the dance floor for their freestyle.
The routine earned 9s from Tonioli and Inaba and 10s from Hough and Flavor Flav.
Dancing With the Stars Week 8 leaderboard
The team at the top of this week’s leaderboard after round one won immunity from next week’s relay dance, as well as extra bonus points next week if they make it through the elimination. Leavitt and Earle were tied at the top of the leaderboard after the first round, but Leavitt earned the immunity and bonus points because she has higher cumulative totals throughout the season.
See the leaderboard after both dances for Week 8 below:
Whitney Leavitt & Mark Ballas — 79/80
Jordan Chiles & Ezra Sosa — 78/80
Alix Earle & Valentin Chmerkovskiy — 77/80
Robert Irwin & Witney Carson — 76/80
Dylan Efron & Daniella Karagach — 76/90
Elaine Hendrix & Alan Bersten — 75/80
Danielle Fishel & Pasha Kashkov — 74/80
Andy Richter & Emma Slater — 68/80
Who was eliminated in Dancing With the Stars Week 8?
Richter once again managed to make it through another week, despite being at the bottom of the leaderboard. Instead, it was Fishel who was eliminated at the end of the night.
Dancing With the Stars, Season 34, Tuesdays, 8/7c, ABC and Disney+ (Streaming Next Day on Hulu)
