Full of tears, nostalgia, special guests and displays of gratitude, this year’s Dedication Night on “Dancing with the Stars” did not disappoint.
The show’s yearly Dedication Night is typically full of the most meaningful and emotional dances of the season as celebrities honor those who mean the most to them. On Tuesday, the strongest emotions were brought on by wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin’s dance, dedicated to his mother, Terri Irwin.
Robert and his Utah native partner Witney Carson performed a touching contemporary dance to “You’ll Be in My Heart” by Phil Collins, which was topped off by Terri joining her son on the ballroom floor at the end of the dance. A new change was introduced to Dedication Night this year, allowing the people to whom the dances were dedicated to join the celebrity and their pro partner on the dance floor for at least part of their dance.
The dance was Robert Irwin’s way of showing his gratitude and appreciation for everything his mother has done for him, he said, especially since his father’s death when he was 2 years old.
“I’ve never been able to capture the feeling of gratitude I feel for her,” he said. “At every milestone, when I just wish, when I just wished that my dad was there, she was there, and that was enough.”
As the dance ended, Irwin began to cry, and both his mother and Carson became emotional as they greeted the judges, who also had tears in their eyes.
As the judges spoke to the performers, Derek Hough, who was partners with Irwin’s sister Bindi when she competed on the show and won the mirrorball trophy with her in 2015, expressed his love for the Irwin family through tears.
“The world needs the Irwin family,” Hough said.
After the dance, as the judges spoke to Robert and Carson, Bindi, who was in the audience, joined her mother and brother on the ballroom dance floor, embracing them both in emotional hugs.
Tuesday’s episode featured a guest judge, Kym Johnson, who was a former pro dancer on the show, meaning there were four judges. Irwin and Carson’s dance earned them one score of 8 and three scores of 9, for a total score of 35 out of 40.
Who was eliminated on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ this week?
Following an episode full of heartfelt tributes, all 10 couples lined up on the stage for the elimination.
But both the audience and the competitors were met with a surprise when the hosts announced that no one would be going home. This means all 10 couples will compete next week.
Next Tuesday will be Week 6 of the show, and the theme of the episode is “Wicked” night.
How did everyone else do?
Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach
Reality TV star and content creator Dylan Efron and his pro partner Daniella Karagach did a contemporary dance to “Rewrite the Stars” by Efron’s brother Zac and Zendaya from the movie “The Greatest Showman.”
The pair was joined on the dance floor by Efron’s 5-year-old sister Olivia, who he dedicated the dance to. Efron and Karagach’s dance earned them the highest score of the night and of the season so far.
Score: 36/40
Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy
Alix Earle, a social media star, and her partner Val Chmerkovskiy performed a contemporary routine to “Sparks” by Coldplay. The dance was dedicated to her younger sister Izabel.
The dance began with Earle holding her 12-year-old sister in her arms, and Izabel also joined Chmerkovskiy and Earle for part of the choreography.
Score: 35/40
Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas
Utah influencer and “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star Whitney Leavitt and her partner Mark Ballas did a contemporary dance to “Heal” by Jamal Roberts, which was dedicated to Leavitt’s husband, Connor.
The emotional dance was praised by the judges, who also commended Connor for his performance. The dance placed Leavitt and Ballas in fourth place after being at the top of the leaderboard all season.
Score: 33/40
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa
Olympic gold medalist Jordan Chiles performed a Viennese waltz with her partner Ezra Sosa, a Utah native. The dance to “Daughters” by John Mayer was dedicated to Chiles’ father, Timothy.
Judge Carrie Ann Inaba called the dance, which featured Timothy, “very touching and profound.” Sosa also highlighted how he was glad they could perform with Chiles’ father, since he doesn’t have a relationship with his own.
Score: 32/40
Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten
Tapping into ’90s nostalgia, film and TV actress Elaine Hendrix and her partner Alan Bersten did a foxtrot to “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)” by Natalie Cole. The song was featured in the movie “The Parent Trap,” which Hendrix starred in.
The routine was dedicated to her best friend and “The Parent Trap” co-star, Lisa Ann Walter, who played Chessy. Walter joined the pair on the dance floor for most of the dance, showcasing the two friends’ love for each other.
Score: 30/40
Scott Hoying and Rylee Arnold
Pentatonix member and Grammy Award winner Scott Hoying and his Utahn partner Rylee Arnold danced a foxtrot to Hoying’s own song, “Parallel.”
Hoying dedicated the performance to his husband, Mark. Ahead of the dance, the couple announced that they will be having a baby.
Score: 30/40
Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov
Actress Danielle Fishel, who starred in “Boy Meets World,” performed a jive with her partner Pasha Pashkov to the “Boy Meets World” theme by Twenty Cent Crush featuring Phil Rosenthal.
The dance was dedicated to Fishel’s former co-star William Daniels, who played Mr. Feeny on “Boy Meets World.” The 98-year-old joined the pair briefly on the dance floor dressed as his old character.
Score: 29/40
Jen Affleck and Jan Ravnik
Utah influencer and “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star Jen Affleck and her pro partner Jan Ravnik performed a Viennese waltz to “Rescue” by Lauren Daigle.
The dance was dedicated to her mother, Maria, who Affleck danced with for part of the waltz. Inaba told the influencer it was the “most passionate dance you’ve done yet.”
Score: 29/40
Andy Richter and Emma Slater
Though they have finished at the bottom of the leaderboard every week so far, comedian Andy Richter and his partner Emma Slater have survived this far in the competition thanks to audience votes.
For Dedication Night, the pair danced a salsa to “Jump In the Line” by Harry Belafonte. The routine was dedicated to Richter’s daughter, Cornelia, who chose the costume color — bright pink — and the song.
The pair finished the night at the bottom of the leaderboard once again.
Score: 24/40