“DWTS” Season 35, Episode 3: The Ups and Downs of Viral Hits Night

Just one word for this week’s episode: Intense.

Welcome back to Dance Spirit’s weekly “Dancing with the Stars” recaps! This week, all 14 pairs shared the ballroom in one jam-packed night themed around viral hits. It was so jam-packed that, like last season’s Episode 2, the third judge to critique each round was only allowed one word. (Of course, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough took some liberties with that rule.)

Boy, did the emotions peak and valley this week. We had some highlights:

• Standout choreography by pro Rylee Arnold for her and partner Connor Wood’s tango to sombr’s “12 to 12”
• A knockout cha-cha by Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach to Flo Rida’s “Low” (those hips did not lie!)
• Ciara Miller’s spark, happily restored, on full display in her tango to Tinashe and Disco Lines’ “No Broke Boys” with pro Brandon Armstrong
• A creative solution to Guillermo Rodriguez’s knee walks involving troupe dancers Carter Williams and Jaxon Willard (in a paso doble to Rihanna’s “Where Have You Been” with pro Witney Carson)
• And emotionally resonant performances by Tatyana Ali, whose acting and lyricism shone in her foxtrot to Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” with pro Jan Ravnik; and by Amber Glenn, whose personal connection to Harrison’s “All the Things She Said” added an especially meaningful power behind her tango with pro Pasha Pashkov

The episode offered some valuable reminders for all dancers, like the importance of “taking the note,” as Jenna Dewan said, and not letting flash outweigh technical content. (Though we will probably be seeing lots of people attempting Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess’ impressive lifts online.) One of our superpowers as dancers is how we always strive toward bettering ourselves and our work, but it’s not always easy to see progress in ourselves. Watching a show like “DWTS,” where the difference a week makes can be very clear, is both refreshing and motivating.

This week also showed a lot of grace under pressure. When her tango with Ezra Sosa to Teddy Swims’ “The Door” didn’t go as smoothly as she’d hoped, Julia Stiles only let it show on her face for a brief moment, in an expression many of us dancers know well, after the dance was done. (We feel you, Julia—we have all been there!) But the award for most unearthly composure goes to Giada De Laurentiis, who faced tough critiques after her salsa to Becky G’s “Bella Ciao” with pro Alan Bersten, followed by an onslaught of even harder (and unusually pointed) questions in the Skybox. As dancers, we may all be accustomed to hard-to-swallow feedback, but it is another thing entirely to have to talk about it immediately afterward—and on public television, no less. Despite Carrie Ann’s chosen word for her critique, Giada did not appear one bit “shaky” in those interviews.

Here is the official score sheet from Week 2, along with a few quotes of the week:

• Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov: 21/30
• Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach: 21/30
• Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy: 21/30
• Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas: 19/30
• Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong: 18/30
• Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson: 18/30
• Jackson Olson and Emma Slater: 18/30
• Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik: 18/30
• Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa: 16/30
• Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess: 16/30
• Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold: 15/30
• Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart: 15/30
• Giada De Laurentiis and Alan Bersten: 12/30 (ELIMINATED)
• Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson: 12/30

“DWTS” Quotes of the Week

“There’s, like, a little boy in me starting to come out again.” —Tyler Cameron on becoming more comfortable dancing with pro Sharna Burgess

“Just keep letting them in.” —Julia Stiles, quoting host Alfonso Ribeiro’s advice on how to practice vulnerability and engage with the audience

“A [ballroom] frame is like a picture frame. If it gets distorted or falls or crumbles, it ruins the art inside.” —Derek Hough, in a critique to Jackson Olson and pro Emma Slater

“I might do it a little bit differently, but I can do everything.” —Ezra Frech, in rehearsal with pro Daniella Karagach

See you for next week’s episode!