DANCING WITH THE STARS – “500th Episode – 3308” After 21 Emmys, 51 pros, 394 Stars, 32 winners and … [+]
After a week off, Dancing With the Stars made its anticipated return on Tuesday, Nov. 12, to celebrate the show’s 500th episode. Read on for a full recap of the monumental episode and to find out which celebrity was eliminated just before the semi-finals.
The 500th episode special kicked off with a dazzling opening number to Beyoncé’s “Crazy in Love”—the same song that launched DWTS in 2005. The performance featured this year’s pros, along with judge Derek Hough, co-host Julianne Hough, and a special appearance by Season 27 champion Sharna Burgess.
First, the six remaining couples performed their routines, which included Contemporary, Quickstep, Argentine Tango, and Viennese Waltz. The night also featured the return of the “Instant Dance Challenge,” where couples received the dance style and song only about five minutes before performing it live. The scores from the individual dances and tonight’s challenge were combined to determine the total score for the night.
Keep reading for all the Dancing With the Stars 500th Episode scores and learn which couple was eliminated in Week 8 of the competition.
What Were The Dancing With the Stars 500th Episode Individual Dance Scores?
DANCING WITH THE STARS – “500th Episode – 3308” After 21 Emmys, 51 pros, 394 Stars, 32 winners and … [+]
Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson
Scores: 28 (9, 10, 9)
Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson performed a Contemporary inspired by Riker Lynch and Allison Holker’s performance in Season 20 to “Work Song” by Hozier. Bruno praised the dance as beautifully choreographed and well performed. Carrie Ann, however, noted that although it was beautiful, it lacked “a bit of rawness.” Derek disagreed, pointing out that Joey’s lifts were more solid this week than last. They received two nines and one ten from Derek.
Danny Amendola and Witney Carson
Scores: 27 (9, 9, 9)
Danny Amendola and Witney Carson performed a Quickstep inspired by Helio Castroneves and Julianne Hough’s performance in Season 5 to “Hey Pachuco” by Royal Crown Revue. Carrie Ann described the dance as fantastic but pointed out one moment where he seemed out of sync. Derek called their quickstep bubbly and refreshing, while Bruno complimented Danny’s light footwork, though he noted that Danny started on the wrong foot on the stairs and had some issues with his frame. The couple earned straight nines.
Dwight Howard and Daniella Karagach
Scores: 26 (8, 9, 9)
Dwight Howard and Daniella Karagach performed an Argentine Tango inspired by James Hinchcliffe and Sharna Burgess’s performance in Season 23 to “Santa Maria (Del Buen Ayre)” by Gotan Project. Derek was captivated by the routine and admired the clever use of the platform to address the height difference. Carrie Ann praised the couple as the most innovative so far but wished she had seen more dancing from Dwight like in the first two episodes. They received an eight from Carrie Ann and two nines.
Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold
Scores: 29 (10, 10, 9)
Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold performed a Viennese Waltz inspired by Charli D’Amelio and Mark Ballas’ performance in Season 31 to “Glimpse of Us” by Joji. Bruno told him to be proud of the routine, adding that he had finally grasped the lyrical side of dance. Carrie Ann said the world needed their performance right now, and Derek said it made him feel something truly beautiful tonight. They earned two tens and a nine from Bruno.
Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong
Scores: 30 (10, 10, 10)
Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong performed an Argentine Tango inspired by Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough’s performance in Season 16 to “Para Te” by Appart. Derek said he preferred their routine over his own, praising their accuracy and intensity. Bruno said he was still breathless from their first split drop. Carrie Ann called Chandler the most powerful female dancer she’s ever seen on the dance floor. They earned the first perfect score of the season.
Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten
Scores: 28 (10, 9, 9)
Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten performed a Quickstep inspired by Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold’s performance in Season 25 to “Chuck Berry” by Pharrell Williams. Carrie Ann was speechless. “That was it. That was yours,” she said, praising her clean and beautiful lines. Derek called the dance fantastic and said she bounced back from last week. Bruno loved how she led throughout the dance and refined her footwork. The couple got one 10 from Carrie Ann and two nines.
What Were The Dancing With the Stars Instant Dance Challenge Scores?
DANCING WITH THE STARS – “500th Episode – 3308” After 21 Emmys, 51 pros, 394 Stars, 32 winners and … [+]
After their individual routines, the couples faced the difficult DWTS Instant Dance Challenge. Each star randomly drew one dance style from the four they had performed in the early weeks of the competition. Then, they had chose their costumes on air and performed their dance live.
Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson
Scores: 27 (9, 9, 9)
Total for both rounds: 55
Joey and Jenna chose an instant Rumba to “Birds of a Feather By Billie Eilish.” Bruno called the dance “steamy” and commended their excellent performance. Carrie Ann admired how Joey embodied the music, describing the instant routine “beautiful and lyrical.” Derek commended Joey’s musicality but noted a few instances of heel leads. Their scores were all nines.
Danny Amendola and Witney Carson
Scores: 24 (8, 8, 8)
Total for both rounds: 51
Danny and Witney selected an instant Jive to “Good Golly, Miss Molly” by Little Richard. Carrie Ann said they started slow, but Danny began to shine as the dance progressed. Derek recognized this as one of the hardest styles to choose and called the performance “so fun.” Bruno pointed out a few timing issues but praised the consistent performance value. The judges awarded them eights across the board.
Dwight Howard and Daniella Karagach
Scores: 22 (8, 7, 7)
Total for both rounds: 48
Dwight and Daniella picked an instant Paso Doble to “Victorious” by Panic! At The Disco. Derek found the dance impressive but mentioned that it fell flat with some timing issues. Bruno appreciated Dwight’s effort and said he did well despite no rehearsal. Carrie Ann was proud of Dwight, adding that it was a difficult dance but he carried himself like a champion. They received one eight and two sevens.
Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold
Scores: 25 (9, 8, 8,)
Total for both rounds: 54
Stephen and Rylee chose an instant Jive to “Love is Embarassing” by Olivia Rodrigo. Bruno noted that stylistically Stephen has improved, though there was one mistake (which Rylee admitted was her fault). Carrie Ann praised his growth, saying she was happy with the performance. Derek added that while there were a few timing issues, he recovered quickly and got back on track. The pair earned a nine and two eights for their scores.
Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong
Scores: 30 (10, 10, 10)
Total for both rounds: 60
Chandler and Brandon picked an instant Cha Cha to “Apple” by Charli XCX. Carrie Ann said that Chandler was owning the dance floor tonight. Derek added that she ate that routine “and left no crumbs.” Bruno concluded that her hips don’t lie and called their instant dance “magnificent.” They earned their second perfect score of the night.
Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten
Scores: 24 (8, 8, 8)
Total for both rounds: 52
Ilona and Alan selected an instant Salsa to “Da’ Dip” by Freak Nasty. Derek said the dance was impressive and well done. Bruno noted that despite crash landing “three times,” the things they did right were good. Carrie Ann added that it was clean, although the lifts didn’t quite work this time. They received straight eights from the judges.
Who Was Eliminated On Dancing With The Stars This Week?
DANCING WITH THE STARS – “Dedication Night – 3305” – The nine remaining couples take to the ballroom … [+]
Dwight Howard and Daniella Karagach were eliminated during Week 8 of Dancing With the Stars. They received the lowest combination of judges’ scores for the couples’ dances, the Instant Dance Challenge, and viewers’ votes for the 500th episode.
When asked by Julianne about his experience on the show, Howard responded, “I had an amazing experience. Daniella is an amazing partner. I’m glad that she was here for me. The show meant so much.”
Karagach shared of her partner, “You know, a lot of people said he couldn’t do it, and we did it. For me, that’s a win.”
Dancing With the Stars will return for the semi-finals on Tuesday, Nov. 19, on ABC and Disney+. New episodes will be available to stream on ABC.com and Hulu the following day.
