Ballroom

“DWTS” Season 35, Episode 8: A Frightful Double-Elimination Night

October 28, 2026

Last night was Horror Movie Night, and in due fashion, it offered up some serious scares. Not least of all was the presence of guest judge Shirley Ballas, 10-time U.S. champion in Latin American ballroom, “Strictly Come Dancing” head judge, coach and teacher, and mother to “DWTS” pro Mark Ballas. While she’s been widely dubbed as the “Queen of Latin,” judge Bruno Tonioli gave her another name during yesterday’s episode: the “Queen of Mean.”

Shirley Ballas is not known to sugarcoat. Her critiques are straightforward and extremely thorough—at least as far as traditional Latin and ballroom styles are concerned. So for the couples who chose not to compete with contemporary or jazz, the pressure was on—especially for Tatyana Ali and pro Jan Ravnik, who performed the only Latin dance of the night, a sultry paso doble based on the recent blockbuster movie Sinners. But everyone can learn something from Ballas, which she reminded the audience of while being booed during her critique of Julia Stiles and pro Ezra Sosa’s The Omen–inspired Argentine tango. (Still, when she pulled out a few scores of four and five throughout the night, we at Dance Spirit couldn’t help but flinch.)

  • Ezra Sosa, in black, and Julia Stiles, in red, dance together on a misty stage with three figures in the back and stained-glass projections on the wall. Sosa stands wide-legged as he lifts Stiles, who arches backward with one leg behind him and her other wrapped around his arm. She reaches one arm back and toward the floor.
    Ezra Sosa and Julia Stiles. Photo by Christopher Willard, courtesy Disney/ABC.
  • Jenna Johnson and Harry Shum Jr. sauté in open arabesques, arms wide, in a spotlight. Johnson wears a black skirt and bra top, and Shum Jr. wears dark pants and a bloody shirt and tie.
    Jenna Johnson and Harry Shum Jr. Photo by Christopher Willard, courtesy Disney/ABC.
  • Jan Ravnik and Tatyana Ali face each other, snarling, as Ravnik holds Ali across the back of her neck. He wears special effects makeup that makes it look like his cheek has been ripped off, exposing sharp teeth.
    Jan Ravnik, showing off the makeup department’s handiwork, and Tatyana Ali. Photo by Christopher Willard, courtesy Disney/ABC.
  • Val Chmerkovskiy lunges forward as Jenna Dewan makes the same position in the air, wrapping her front leg around Chmerkovskiy's back leg. They hold each other close and stare into each other's eyes.
    Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Dewan. Photo by Christopher Willard, courtesy Disney/ABC.
  • Connor Wood, in a dapper costume with suspenders, walks forward cheerily while supporting Rylee Arnold, who is dressed like a doll and flops back while stepping with Wood. They walk in front of a yellow couch.
    Rylee Arnold (or perhaps the spirit of Annabelle herself) and Connor Wood. Photo by Christopher Willard, courtesy Disney/ABC.
  • Daniella Karagach and Ezra Frech turn toward each other, Frech clasping Karagach's wrist as her long hair flies behind her.
    Daniella Karagach and Ezra Frech. Photo by Christopher Willard, courtesy Disney/ABC.
  • Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov, dressed as the Black Swan and White Swan, respectively, crouch together in a spotlight with their left knees lifted. Glenn extends one arm to the side as Pashkov holds her and presses his face next to hers.
    Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov. Photo by Christopher Willard, courtesy Disney/ABC.

Here are some other hair-raising moments from the episode:

  • Stiles and Sosa navigating high stakes and a near-conflict during rehearsals, which they saved through transparent communication and by prioritizing partnership.
  • The sheer ab strength that pro Jenna Johnson needed for her fantastically distorted contemporary number with Harry Shum Jr. (Saw series), which earned them the season’s first perfect score.
  • Jenna Dewan’s heel getting stuck in her dress during her 28 Weeks Later–inspired Argentine tango with pro Val Chmerkovskiy, who’d returned after his one-week suspension. (Dewan handled the snafu like a pro and gave one of the best Argentine tangos pro Derek Hough says he’s seen on the “DWTS” floor.)
  • Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold’s genuinely frightening contemporary based on the Annabelle franchise, which earned them their first scores of 10. (Rylee, girl…Are you in there?!)
  • A nagging blister on Ezra Frech’s stump that bothered him throughout the week and during his and pro Daniella Karagach’s jazz number (which bordered heavily on contemporary). And, hey, Ezra, where’d you go in the beginning?
  • The freaky Joker makeup on Jackson Olson and Emma Slater, plus their eerie smiles, in their contemporary performance.
  • Tyler Cameron looking very upset after his dark Viennese waltz with pro Sharna Burgess (Dracula).
  • The odd tango-fication of Clint Mansell’s “Perfection,” an arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake score, in Amber Glenn and pro Pasha Pashkov’s Argentine tango inspired by Black Swan. (They made it work and danced very well as each other’s alter egos.)
  • Shirley Ballas pulling out the tiny shoe, and Bruno’s passionate demonstration, during their critiques of Maura Higgins and pro Mark Ballas’ contemporary piece (The Lost Boys).

And scariest of all: This was a double-elimination week. Farewell to Olson and Slater, and Cameron and Burgess, who did not survive this truly spine-chilling night of dance.

  • Jackson Olson and Emma Slater, dressed like the Joker with face paint, dance in front of a yellow taxi and a city backdrop with fires. Olson gives a freaky smile as he holds Slater across his shoulders with her back facing the camera.
    Jackson Olson and Emma Slater. Photo by Christopher Willard, courtesy Disney/ABC.
  • Sharna Burgess leans back, legs bent, and opens her mouth as Tyler Cameron bends over her and pretends to bite her neck like a vampire.
    Sharna Burgess and Tyler Cameron. Photo by Christopher Willard, courtesy Disney/ABC.

With combined totals from Dedication Night and Horror Movie Night, plus guest judges for both, this week’s highest possible score jumped all the way to 80. Here are the official standings from Episode 8, along with some quotes of the week:

  • Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson: 76/80
  • Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy: 74/80
  • Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov: 74/80
  • Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach: 72/80
  • Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold: 69/80
  • Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas: 67/80
  • Jackson Olson and Emma Slater: 67/80 (ELIMINATED)
  • Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa: 62/80
  • Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik: 60/80
  • Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess: 58/80 (ELIMINATED)

“DWTS” Quotes of the Week

“You know, it could have been intimidating, but I was having so much fun learning the paso doble that that kind of overtook everything.” —Tatyana Ali in response to host Julianne Hough’s question about performing the week’s only Latin dance in front of guest judge and “Queen of Latin” Shirley Ballas

“I am known as the Peanut Butter Rizzler.” —Tyler Cameron on the nickname he received from kids in his neighborhood after giving them peanut butter on Halloween

“Prima Argentina assoluta!” —Judge Bruno Tonioli, to Amber Glenn, on her Black Swan–inspired Argentine tango with pro Pasha Pashkov

“Perfectionism is the lowest standard you can have because it’s unattainable, so you’re constantly just living in disappointment.” —Judge Derek Hough reflecting on the message from Glenn and Pashkov’s performance

See you all for next week’s episode! (Remember, this one will air on Monday, November 2!)

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