Dancing with the Stars delivered a surprise in week three, eliminating a celebrity contestant who appeared to be gaining momentum.
Taylor Hanson, the 43-year-old frontman of Hanson, became the fourth celebrity sent home. He and professional partner Britt Stewart were eliminated one week after celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis.
The pair landed in a three-way tie for the bottom of the leaderboard alongside Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson, as well as Jackson Olson and Emma Slater. The results came during an episode devoted to 1980s yacht-rock classics.
“This has been everything. This has been incredible,” Hanson said, attempting to remain upbeat as Stewart’s disappointment was clear.
Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn topped the rankings from judges Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli. Glenn had accidentally given her partner, Pasha Pashkov, a bloody nose during rehearsals.
Glenn and Pashkov shared the top spot with Glee and Grey’s Anatomy star Harry Shum Jr., who performed with Jenna Johnson.
Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn topped the rankings in week three of Dancing with the Stars season 35, despite accidentally giving her partner Pasha Pashkov a bloody nose during rehearsals.
Glenn and Pashkov tied for first place with Glee and Grey’s Anatomy star Harry Shum Jr., who danced with Jenna Johnson.
Hanson frontman Taylor Hanson, 43, became the fourth celebrity eliminated from the competition alongside his professional partner Britt Stewart.
Hanson and Stewart performed a foxtrot to The Doobie Brothers’ “What a Fool Believes.”
Hanson was especially pleased with the song choice. He had previously performed “What a Fool Believes” with his brothers in front of The Doobie Brothers when the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Still, the singer appeared nervous after he and Stewart faced significant criticism the previous week. He wanted to show the judges that he had worked to improve.
“I want to show the judges that I was paying attention to the notes,” Hanson said during rehearsals, where he struggled to move fluidly.
Inaba praised Hanson’s ability to be “lyrical” and “poetic” on the dance floor, but she also expressed disappointment. She advised him to build more core strength so he could become a more resilient performer.
Hough offered a more positive assessment, calling it Hanson’s best dance of the season and saying he could tell the musician had been “taking notes.”
Tonioli, however, continued to find fault with the performance, telling Hanson not to break up the musical phrases.
“You’re a musician; you understand what I’m talking about,” Tonioli added.
Hanson and Stewart earned three sixes—their highest score so far—but the improvement was not enough to lift them with viewers voting at home.
Hanson and Stewart performed a foxtrot to “What a Fool Believes” by The Doobie Brothers.
Hanson was excited about the song choice after previously performing it with his brothers in front of The Doobie Brothers at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.
But the singer also seemed nervous, as he and Stewart had received a fair amount of criticism the week before, and he wanted to make it clear that he was trying to improve
Inaba appreciated how ‘lyrical’ and ‘poetic’ Hanson could be when he danced, but she was also disappointed and suggested he try to strengthen his core to become more resilient
On the other hand, Hough called it his best dance of the season, while Tonioli urged Hanson not to interrupt the phrases of the music
They were in a three-way tie for the bottom spot with Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson and Jackson Olson and Emma Slater before being eliminated
First up in this week’s competition were Glenn and her dance partner Pashkov.
The Olympic figure skater and her partner performed a Foxtrot that was set to Toto’s Hold the Line.
‘And the ice queen does it again!’ shouted Hough as he jumped to his feet after the performance.
Tonioli called them the ‘top of the class,’ while Inaba called their dance ‘beautiful,’ ‘poetic’ and ‘mesmerizing.’
The judges awarded Glenn and Pashkov straight eights, for a total of 24.
Glenn said she felt incredible after co-host Julianna Hough informed her that they had received the first eights of the season.
But things got off to a rough start in behind-the-scenes footage from their rehearsals when Glenn accidentally swiped her partner in the nose with her elbow.
Pashkov was bent over and rushed to grab a tissue as drops of blood could be seen dripping from his nose.
Glenn teared up in rehearsals after accidentally giving Pasha Paskov a bloody nose
The Olympic figure skater and her partner performed a Foxtrot that was set to Toto’s Hold the Line. They received straight eights, the best score to date
He said he felt light-headed after the impact, and Glenn teared up as she recounted the collision afterward, but there wasn’t any hint of the trauma when the two made it to the dance floor.
Next up was the team of Julia Stiles and her partner Ezra Sosa, who did a salsa dance to Hall & Oates’s I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do).
‘You awakened the Spice Girl within!’ Tonioli joked as he said they ‘didn’t make any errors.’
‘You looked like you were having fun,’ he added.
Inaba said that Stiles had finally given herself ‘permission to let go.’ Derek was also complimentary, though he did give her feedback on how to improve her turns.
He ended up giving Stiles and Sosa their best score, a seven, while Tonioli and Inaba both awarded them respectable sixes.
Guillermo Rodriguez and his pro partner Witney Carson were next up on deck.
They danced a foxtrot and honed in on the yacht rock theme by performing to Escape (The Piña Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes.
Next up was the team of Julia Styles and her partner Ezra Sosa, who did a salsa dance to Hall & Oates’s I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do). In rehearsals, Julia hurt her ribs after a lift
‘You awakened the Spice Girl within!’ Tonioli joked as he said they ‘didn’t make any errors.’ ‘You looked like you were having fun,’ he added
Inaba said that Styles had finally given herself ‘permission to let go.’ Derek was also complimentary, though he did give her feedback on how to improve her turns
Guillermo Rodriguez and his pro partner Witney Carson were next up on deck. They danced a foxtrot and honed in on the yacht rock theme by performing to Escape (The Piña Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes
Rodriguez stripped down to give the audience a laugh as he waited for his score
In rehearsals, Carson had to put a brace on Rodriguez’s shoulders to hold his arms up and keep him ‘in frame.’
The duo ended up getting straight fives, which they seemed happy about.
Tatyana Ali and partner Jan Ravnik danced a quickstep set to another yacht rock classic, Hall & Oates’s Maneater.
‘Tatyana, hold my gaze. That was your best dance,’ Hough said afterward.
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Inaba said that Tatyana may have had a misstep, but she said her footwork was otherwise phenomenal.
Tonioli joked, ‘When you’re bad, you’re so good,’ and said he appreciated the Cosby Show actress’s more aggressive tone.
The actress and her partner received straight sevens, which elicited a scream of joy from Tatyana.
Harry Shum Jr and his partner Jenna Johnson followed up with a jive to another Hall & Oates tune, You Make My Dreams Come True.
Tatyana Ali and partner Jan Ravnik danced a quickstep set to another yacht rock classic, Hall & Oates’s Maneater
‘Tatiana, hold my gaze. That was your best dance,’ Hough said afterward
Harry Shum Jr. and his partner Jenna Johnson followed up with a jive to another Hall & Oates tune, You Make My Dreams Come True
They received a trio of eights from the judges, tying Amber Glenn’s score from the start of the show for the top spot
Tonioli called it theatrical in the best possible way.
‘You’re heading right up to Broadway with that!’ he gushed.
Inaba cheered and said the two were ‘so in sync’ and ‘so powerful.’
Derek praised Jenna for being so versatile and complimented Harry’s athleticism – and his theme-appropriate mustache.
They received a trio of eights from the judges, tying Amber Glenn’s score from the start of the show.
Maura Higgins and her partner Mark Ballas were next with a quickstep set to George Benson’s Turn Your Love Around.
Hough gushed that Higgins’s topline was ‘exquisite,’ and Tonioli said that she channeled classic Hollywood glamour.
Hough and Inaba ended up giving them sevens, while Tonioli bumped it up to an 8, for a total of 22.
Maura Higgins and her partner Mark Ballas were next with a quickstep set to George Benson’s Turn Your Love Around
Hough gushed that Higgins’s topline was ‘exquisite,’ and Tonioli said that she channeled classic Hollywood glamour. Hough and Inaba ended up giving them sevens, while Tonioli bumped it up to an 8, for a total of 22
Summer House star Ciara Miller and her professional partner Brandon Armstrong danced a cha-cha to Luther Vandross’s slow jam Never Too Much.
‘Hot, hot, hot,’ Tonioli gushed before saying Miller needed to learn to ‘believe in herself’ and use her legs.
Inaba applauded her enthusiasm but said that sometimes the ‘polish’ of her moves suffered because of it, while Hough urged her to watch her arms.
The trio all gave sixes, for a total of 18.
Jackson Olson and his pro partner Emma Slater brought a rawer energy to their pasodoble was set to Easy Love by Philip Bailey and Phil Collins.
Inaba worried that Olson had been dancing ‘above the music,’ rather than with it, and Bruno agreed, adding that the intensity was present, but there wasn’t enough nuance.
Olson and Slater received a trio of sixes for 18 points.
Connor Wood and his partner Rylee Arnold performed to Fleetwood Mac’s classic Everywhere, and they joined multiple other couples in dancing a foxtrot.
Summer House star Ciara Miller and her professional partner Brandon Armstrong danced a cha-cha to Luther Vandross’s slow jam Never Too Much
‘Hot, hot, hot,’ Tonioli gushed before saying Miller needed to learn to ‘believe in herself’ and use her legs. They received three sixes, for a total of 18
Jackson Olson and his pro partner Emma Slater brought a rawer energy to their pasodoble was set to Easy Love by Philip Bailey and Phil Collins
Inaba worried that Olson had been dancing ‘above the music,’ rather than with it, and Bruno agreed, adding that the intensity was present, but there wasn’t enough nuance. They received a trio of sixes for 18 points
Connor Wood and his partner Rylee Arnold performed to Fleetwood Mac’s classic Everywhere, and they joined multiple other couples in damcing a foxtrot
Hough said Wood was ‘such a nice man,’ but he wanted him to become a ‘leading man’ for next week’s dance. He gave them a six, but Inaba and Tonioli both gave sevens, for a total of 20
Hough said Wood was ‘such a nice man,’ but he wanted him to become a ‘leading man’ for next week’s dance.
Inaba agreed, but she thought Wood at least ‘supported’ his partner in a way that she found endearing.
Hough gave them a six, but Inaba and Tonioli both gave them sevens, for a total of 20.
Last week’s top scorer, Jenna Dewan, performed a high-energy samba with her partner Val Chmerkovskiy to Toto’s hit Africa.
The judges were all complimentary, but Inaba urged Dewan to loosen up and said she was too tense and over the top for that particular dance.
They were awarded straight sevens for 21 points.
Tyler Cameron and his partner Sharna Burgess went on to dance a jive to Still the One by Orleans.
Inaba urged Cameron to try to stay in tune with Burgess, and Tonioli said his timing wasn’t always pristine, though he was much improved.
Last week’s top scorer, Jenna Dewan, performed a high-energy samba with her partner Val Chmerkovskiy to Toto’s hit Africa
The judges were all complimentary, but Inaba urged Dewan to loosen up and said she was too tense and over the top for that particular dance. They were awarded straight sevens for 21 points
Tyler Cameron and his partner Sharna Burgess went on to dance a jive to Still the One by Orleans. Inaba urged Cameron to try to stay in tune with Burgess, and Tonioli said his timing wasn’t always pristine, though he was much improved
Inaba ended up giving them a five, while Hough and Tonioli both awarded them sixes, for a 17
The final dance of the night belonged to Paralympian Ezra French and his partner Daniella Karagach, who performed a foxtrot to Grover Washington Jr and Bill Withers’s Just the Two of Us
All three judges praised the duo, with Hough highlighting how well they handled a slower dance and Tonioli emphasizing how well Ezra worked as a leading man. The judges awarded them straight sevens for 21 points total
Inaba ended up giving them a five, while Hough and Tonioli both awarded them sixes, for a 17.
The final dance of the night belonged to Paralympian Ezra French and his partner Daniella Karagach, who performed a foxtrot to Grover Washington Jr and Bill Withers’s Just the Two of Us.
All three judges praised the duo, with Hough highlighting how well they handled a slower dance and Tonioli emphasizing how well Ezra worked as a leading man.
The judges awarded them straight sevens for 21 points total.
Dancing with the Stars airs live on ABC and Disney+ on Tuesdays and streams the next day on Hulu.
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