Purple Rain & Tears: What Went Down on Dancing with the Stars
On November 18, 2025, Dancing with the Stars delivered a dramatic and emotional semi-final night dubbed “Prince Night.” The ballroom turned deep purple in tribute to the legendary musician, and each of the six remaining couples performed two routines: one in a style they hadn’t yet danced this season, plus a “redemption” dance, revisiting a style they’d done before and showing how much they’d grown.
Here’s how the night unfolded:
The Scores, Dances & Judges’ Take
Elaine Hendrix & Alan Bersten
Dance 1: Foxtrot to “I Wanna Be Your Lover”, 27/30 (9, 9, 9)
Dance 2: Paso Doble to “When Doves Cry”, 30/30 perfect score. Judges’ feedback: Carrie Ann said Elaine should push more; Derek praised it as beautiful; Bruno loved how she “sold” the character. For the Paso Doble, all three judges applauded the fire, passion, and authenticity.
Total: 57/60.
Alix Earle & Val Chmerkovskiy
Dance 1: Argentine Tango to “Little Red Corvette”, 28/30 (9, 10, 9)
Dance 2: Viennese Waltz to “Purple Rain”, 30/30, another perfect score.
Judges’ feedback: Derek praised Alix’s growth and potential, Bruno called her a “red goddess,” while Carrie Ann noted some shoulder tension but overall applauded her consistency. On the Waltz, judges raved about emotion, connection, and motion, calling it a performance for the history books.
Total: 58/60.
Whitney Leavitt & Mark Ballas
Dance 1: Cha Cha to “1999”, 29/30
Dance 2: Viennese Waltz to “Slow Love”, 29/30
Judges’ feedback: Bruno praised the precision and difficulty of the Cha Cha; Derek called it “literal perfection,” while Carrie Ann felt Whitney was too focused on technique. For the Waltz, Carrie Ann said it was her “absolute favorite” performance, noting its authenticity. Derek commended her ambition, and Bruno highlighted her movement quality.
Total: 58/60.
Dylan Efron & Daniella Karagach
Dylan Efron & Daniella KaragachDance 1: Tango to “I Would Die 4 U”, 27/30
Dance 2: Cha Cha to “Kiss”, 28/30
Judges’ feedback: On the Tango, Carrie Ann said he didn’t feel the music enough; Derek pointed out missing heel leads; Bruno praised the clarity but wanted more musicality. For the Cha Cha, Bruno noted strong hip action, Carrie Ann liked the attack, and Derek raved about the details.
Total: 55/60.
Jordan Chiles & Ezra Sosa
Jordan Chiles & Ezra SosaDance 1: Jive to “Raspberry Beret”, 27/30
Dance 2: Argentine Tango to “U Got the Look”, 30/30, perfect.
Judges’ feedback: For the Jive, Derek called it “pure Prince funky fun” but urged more fight; Bruno noted timing issues; Carrie Ann said it was the best of the night but couldn’t give a perfect score because of a misstep. The Tango drew high praise for lines, risk, and power; judges said Jordan was “in a class of her own.”
Total: 57/60.
Robert Irwin & Witney Carson
Dance 1: Jive to “Baby I’m a Star”, 30/30, perfect.
Dance 2: Viennese Waltz to “WOW”, 29/30
Judges’ feedback: Bruno said Robert “delivered” like a superstar; Carrie Ann was thrilled and said he showed he deserved a finale spot; Derek called the Waltz “furious” and full-bodied, though he noted a slightly imperfect frame.
Total: 59/60, the highest of the night.
Elimination & Controversy
Despite strong scores, Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas earned 58 out of 60. They were eliminated in a surprising turn just before the finale. Many fans reacted with shock, especially because Whitney was seen as a strong contender and had consistently delivered impressive routines. Critics took to social media to question how she could be sent home when her judges’ scores were near the top.
There was also some chatter about voting: though Whitney did very well in the judges’ eyes, it seems she fell short in combining that with audience votes. Several viewers on social platforms argued that the elimination didn’t feel fair, pointing out that this might highlight issues in how the public votes are weighed.
Special Highlights
The theme of the night was a heartfelt tribute to Prince, with every dance set to one of his iconic songs.
The show opened with a big group number to “Let’s Go Crazy,” choreographed by Luam Keflezgy, which set a celebratory tone.
No external guest celebrities were performing, but the gravity of Prince’s legacy made the night feel like a guest in itself.
November 18’s DWTS semi-final was a high-stakes. It was an emotionally charged evening: terrific dancing, close scores, and a shocking elimination that left many fans reeling. Whitney Leavitt’s exit especially stirred up debate, and with just one week to go until the finale, the tension is only building.
