‘Dancing with the Stars’ Dedication Night: Tears, Perfect 10s, a Fresh Prince Tribute and an Elimination Twist
Spoiler alert: This recap reveals the performances, judges' scores, and elimination results from the October 20 episode of Dancing with the Stars.
Someone should have handed out tissues at the ballroom entrance because Dancing with the Stars wasn't playing fair with our emotions Tuesday night. Season 35's Dedication Night brought heartfelt family tributes, Hollywood nostalgia, a few major breakthroughs on the leaderboard, and an elimination twist that gave everybody a reason to breathe again.
With 10 couples remaining, the celebrities traded some of the usual ballroom theatrics for performances honoring the people and places that shaped their lives. Former professional dancer and two-time Mirrorball champion Kym Johnson returned as a guest judge alongside Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli, making 40 points the maximum possible score.
And while there were plenty of reasons to celebrate, the episode also arrived with some behind-the-scenes drama. Val Chmerkovskiy's temporary suspension left Jenna Dewan dancing with Alan Bersten, creating yet another challenge during an already emotionally demanding week.
Julia Stiles Honors Heath Ledger With a Beautiful Trip Down Memory Lane
One of the night's most memorable moments belonged to Julia Stiles, who honored her late 10 Things I Hate About You costar Heath Ledger with a contemporary performance alongside Ezra Sosa.
Dancing to "Can't Take My Eyes Off You," Stiles revisited one of the most iconic moments from the beloved 1999 romantic comedy. The routine incorporated references to her character, Kat Stratford, and included audio from the film, giving longtime fans another reason to get emotional.
But the surprises didn't end with the dance. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gabrielle Union, Larisa Oleynik, Andrew Keegan, and Susan May Pratt joined Stiles for a reunion that transformed the ballroom into a celebration of the film and Ledger's legacy.
The performance earned 36 out of 40, Stiles' highest score of the season. More importantly, it was the kind of tribute that reminded fans why certain movies and performances stay with us long after the credits roll.
Twenty-seven years later, 10 Things I Hate About You still has people in their feelings, and this reunion certainly didn't help us keep it together.
Tatyana Ali and Alfonso Ribeiro Remember James Avery
As though the night hadn't already done enough emotional damage, Tatyana Ali paid tribute to her late Fresh Prince of Bel-Air costar James Avery, who portrayed Uncle Phil on the beloved sitcom.
Ali performed a Viennese waltz with Jan Ravnik to "(You Don't Know) How Glad I Am" by Nancy Wilson, singing the song herself. The dedication carried additional meaning because current DWTS cohost Alfonso Ribeiro, who played Carlton Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, joined Ali during rehearsals to remember their former onscreen father figure.
Avery's portrayal of Uncle Phil remains one of television's most beloved father figures, and the tribute offered a reminder of the impact he had on the actors who worked alongside him.
The judges awarded Ali 32 out of 40, but this was one of those performances where the emotional significance went well beyond the numbers. Seeing Ashley and Carlton honor Uncle Phil all these years later was enough to send longtime sitcom fans straight back to the Banks family's living room.
Amber Glenn Leads the Leaderboard as Ezra Frech Shines
The emotional tributes weren't the only reason to celebrate. Dedication Night also brought some of the season's strongest dancing, with Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn delivering a contemporary routine alongside Pasha Pashkov.
Glenn dedicated her performance to her sister, dancing to Sia's "Breathe Me" and earning an impressive 38 out of 40. The routine placed her at the top of the leaderboard and marked another major breakthrough in her pursuit of the Mirrorball Trophy.
Paralympian Ezra Frech also delivered a standout contemporary performance with Daniella Karagach, honoring his mother, Bahar Soomekh. Their dance to Mon Rovîa's "Bloodline" earned 37 points and helped establish Frech as one of the competition's most compelling performers.
Both performances earned perfect 10s from individual judges, marking the first such scores of Season 35. With the competition becoming increasingly intense, Amber and Ezra made it clear that they aren't interested in simply surviving another week. They're coming for that Mirrorball, and the rest of the ballroom might want to take notice.
Jenna Dewan Delivers Despite the Partner Shake-Up
Jenna Dewan entered Dedication Night facing an unexpected challenge after Val Chmerkovskiy was suspended for one week following a controversial social media post involving judge Carrie Ann Inaba.
Alan Bersten stepped in as her temporary professional partner, giving Dewan very little time to adjust to a new dancing relationship before one of the season's most personal performances.
Dewan dedicated her Viennese waltz to her mother, Nancy, performing to "Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brothers. Despite the circumstances surrounding the partner change, she delivered a strong routine that earned 37 out of 40.
And let's give credit where it's due. Learning choreography is difficult enough without suddenly having to adjust to a different partner in the middle of a competition, especially when the internet has spent days discussing the reason for the change.
The performance kept Dewan near the top of the leaderboard, proving that the disruption didn't prevent her from delivering when it mattered.
Family Tributes, a Pregnancy Reveal and More Emotional Moments
The rest of the ballroom had its own reasons to reach for the tissues. Harry Shum Jr. honored his wife, Shelby, with a foxtrot that earned 36 points, while Maura Higgins celebrated her Irish heritage with a paso doble that scored 35.
Jackson Olson dedicated his quickstep to his mother, and Connor Wood honored his father with a Viennese waltz. Both finished with 32 points, demonstrating that even when the scores weren't at the top of the leaderboard, the personal stories gave the performances additional meaning.
Tyler Cameron also brought an emotional story to the ballroom with a contemporary routine honoring his late mother. His segment included a family pregnancy announcement and gender reveal, adding a moment of joy to a dedication rooted in loss.
Cameron earned 32 points, tying several other contestants at the bottom of the leaderboard. Still, Dedication Night made it difficult to focus exclusively on technical scores when so many of the performances came with deeply personal stories attached.
Who Was Eliminated on Dancing with the Stars Dedication Night?
After an evening full of heartfelt performances, it was finally time for the results. With scores and audience votes already tallied, Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough prepared to reveal which couple would be leaving the competition.
Except there was one very important twist: nobody was eliminated.
All 10 couples were declared safe, allowing the contestants to celebrate the night's tributes without sending anyone home. It was a welcome surprise after an episode that had already put everyone through enough emotional turmoil.
Of course, there's a catch. The scores and viewer votes from Dedication Night will carry over into next week's competition, when two couples will be eliminated.
So yes, everybody gets to celebrate this week, but that relief comes with a pretty intimidating expiration date.
res
Tuesday, October 20, 2026 · Scores out of 40
Celebrity and partner | Dance | Score |
Amber Glenn & Pasha Pashkov | Contemporary | 38 |
Ezra Frech & Daniella Karagach | Contemporary | 37 |
Jenna Dewan & Alan Bersten | Viennese waltz | 37 |
Harry Shum Jr. & Jenna Johnson | Foxtrot | 36 |
Julia Stiles & Ezra Sosa | Contemporary | 36 |
Maura Higgins & Mark Ballas | Paso doble | 35 |
Tatyana Ali & Jan Ravnik | Viennese waltz | 32 |
Jackson Olson & Emma Slater | Quickstep | 32 |
Connor Wood & Rylee Arnold | Viennese waltz | 32 |
Tyler Cameron & Sharna Burgess | Contemporary | 32 |
What's Next for Dancing with the Stars?
Dancing with the Stars returns Tuesday, October 27, with Horror Movie Night, where the remaining contestants will trade heartfelt tributes for something considerably more terrifying.
The episode will feature a double elimination, making the stakes even higher as Season 35 moves closer to its November 24 finale. With Amber Glenn, Ezra Frech, and Jenna Dewan delivering some of the strongest performances of the season, the competition is getting more interesting by the week.
But if Dedication Night proved anything, it's that the biggest moments don't always belong to the highest-scoring routines. Sometimes it's a reunion, a family tribute, or a beloved actor being remembered decades later that leaves the greatest impression.
And after watching Julia Stiles and Tatyana Ali honor two unforgettable performers, we might need something considerably less emotional next week. Although judging by the Horror Movie Night theme, Dancing with the Stars has apparently decided we'll be screaming instead of crying.
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