Spellbound on the Ballroom Floor: “Wicked Night†Takes Over Dancing with the Stars.
Ballroom Floor
On Tuesday night, the ballroom of Dancing with the Stars transformed into the realm of Oz for “Wicked Night.†From the moment the opening montage rolled, the theme was unmistakable: each couple performed to the soundtrack of the beloved musical and upcoming movie sequel. Joining veteran judges Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli was guest judge Jon M. Chu, director of the new film Wicked: For Good.
The routines were as varied as they were bold. Scott Hoying and his partner Rylee Arnold opened with a contemporary set to “The Wizard and I.†Their dream‑laden performance earned a score of 7‑7‑7‑7 (28/40) bringing their two‑week combined total to 58.
Next up, Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy served up a jazz routine to “What Is This Feeling?†that felt playful and spirited; they received 9‑9‑8‑9 (35/40) for a total of 65.
Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten delivered a powerful contemporary to “Defying Gravity,†scoring 9‑9‑9‑9 (36/40) and tallying a 66.
Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov surprised many with an Argentine tango to “No Good Deed,†earning 9‑9‑9‑9 (36/40) and a total of 65.
Olympic gymnast
Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa wrapped up the highest‑scoring performance of the night with a rumba to “For Good,†achieving 10‑9‑10‑10 (39/40) for a combined total of 71—impressively close to the top.
In terms of leaderboard drama, the top went to Whitney Leavitt & Mark Ballas who pulled 72/80 for the week. At the bottom, Scott Hoying and his partner didn’t quite make the cut. When the judges’ scores were combined with viewer votes, the pair was eliminated. The elimination of Scott, a confessed ‘Wicked’ super‑fan, earned a bittersweet “perfect way to go†reaction from many.
Fans on social media were on fire. One Reddit thread captured the excitement and speculation:
“Thoughts… I really hope it’s Scott and Andy, Jen and Elaine shouldn’t leave.â€
Another post applauded the precision of Jordan’s rumba:
“What a way to end the night. Beautiful, classy and overall wonderful.â€
Many viewers were delighted with the theme concept, calling the “Wicked Night†setting ambitious and immersive. Others expressed sadness at Scott’s exit, feeling that his passion for the musical made him a fan favorite despite not topping the scores.
All in all, the episode brought drama, spectacle, and emotion. Between the soaring choreography, the high‑stakes leader board and one heartfelt elimination, Dancing with the Stars delivered a night full of energy, emotion and entertainment.
Photos Instagram
