When Dancing With the Stars revealed that Shirley Ballas would guest judge Horror Movie Night, I expected the legendary dance expert to be especially demanding—particularly with contestants whose progress has been gradual this season. Still, giving Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik a four for their Sinners-inspired paso doble felt downright criminal.
The night got off to a shaky start when Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa performed an Argentine tango inspired by The Exorcist. From the ballroom, it was difficult to catch every step—and misstep—but Ballas’ reputation for tough critiques on Strictly Come Dancing made it clear that a low score was possible. When she held up a “4,” I was less surprised than much of the audience. After watching the routine again, the score seemed even more understandable: the performance was clumsy, uneven, and choppy from beginning to end. At several points, Ezra appeared to pull Julia into and out of the choreography, a stark contrast to her 36/40 performance during Dedication Night last week. Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy’s nearly flawless Argentine tango—downgraded only because of a minor dress mishap—made the gap even more obvious and helped explain where Ballas’ “4” came from.
Now compare that performance with Tatyana and Jan’s paso doble, the only routine in that style on a night when Ballas, a Latin dance specialist, was in the ballroom. Many of her criticisms of their dance to “I Lied To You” appeared to focus more on the choreography than on Tatyana’s execution. That, to me, is precisely why a “4” felt far too harsh. Was it the greatest paso doble in Dancing With the Stars history? No. But Tatyana showed control, understood the required technique, and delivered the dance’s dramatic intensity. A “5” or “6” would have felt much more appropriate.
If another couple had performed a paso doble on Tuesday, it might have strengthened Ballas’ argument for such a low mark. Without that comparison, however, it is difficult to watch a routine that was polished, committed, and perfectly suited to the theme without questioning the score. The decision becomes even harder to defend beside Julia Stiles’ “4”: one performance looked like it belonged in Week 1, while the other was clearly several levels ahead. It is yet another example of the scoring inconsistency Dancing With the Stars has struggled to resolve for years.
Ultimately, Shirley Ballas has earned her authority, and only she can fully explain the thinking behind that number. Her score may also highlight why judges need more time to explain how they arrive at the figures displayed on their paddles. It is difficult to see Tatyana—who has arguably been under-scored throughout the season—receive the same mark as Julia and Ezra, whose Horror Movie Night routine appeared to fall apart in several places.
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There is one point on which I agree with Ballas: judges should not hesitate to use the paddle that genuinely reflects the performance in front of them. It has become frustrating to watch the panel settle into a narrow range of six through 10 as the competition progresses, even when certain routines do not merit anything close to a “7” or “8.” Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli would do well to follow her lead and remember that every score should remain available. In the end, that only benefits the contestants.
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