Tuesday night marked the return of the Dancing With the Stars “dance marathon,” putting all the dancers on the ballroom floor at once. After dancing to honor their most memorable years Monday night, the stars and their partners put on their best dressed for the second half of Season 31’s two-night event.
This episode featured two rounds, first a throwback to prom and then the dance marathon. The last couple standing were named prom king and queen.
Daniel and Britt
Daniel went to prom in 2004 in a pink suit. Dancing the cha cha to “Sexy Back,” Daniel put on a new pink suit to go to prom with Britt. Len complimented Daniel’s improvement even from Monday night and asked for more energy in his open arm. Derek and Bruno complimented his hip action with some technical corrections on his feet.
Total Score: 32/40 (66 total for both nights)
Heidi and Artem
Is it any surprise Heidi chose “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” for her prom song? Dancing jazz for their 90s prom, Heidi and Artem got plenty of compliments for their throwback performance. Carrie Ann wanted to see more at this point in the competition, though.
Total Score: 33/40 (69 total for both nights)
Vinny and Koko
After revealing that he didn’t go to his high school prom, Vinny and Koko decided to dance the Viennese waltz to “You and Me” by Lifehouse for a confidence transformation. Bruno encouraged Vinny to work on his musicality. Len advised them to work on their marathon dance while their competitors performed, and Derek gave him tips for control.
Total Score: 28/40 (60 total for both nights)
Shangela and Gleb
Excited to return to prom as Shangela and all her confidence, this couple danced to J Lo’s “Ready for Tonight.” Their cha cha was practically ready for a world tour. Len called himself a “big fan” of Shangela, and said he loved the energy but wanted crisper legs.
Total Score: 35/40 (67 total for both nights)
Charli and Mark
Only four months after her actual prom, Charli returned to prom in the ballroom with a jive. Len continued to compliment Charli, calling her a “fantastic dancer.” Carrie Ann said she wanted to see more growth and vulnerability since Charli has been so consistently great.
Total Score: 38/40 (77 total for both nights)
Jessie and Alan
Dancing to “Break Away” by Kelly Clarkson, Jessie and Alan came to prom for a Viennese waltz. “You’re getting better and better every week,” Derek told Jessie, and Bruno said her work throughout the season really showed in this dance.
Total Score: 32/40 (61 total for both nights)
Gabby and Val
A fun, flirty tango to “Good Girls Go Bad,” Gabby dug up herprom memories for a dance that brought the good girl and bad guy together on the dance floor. “For the tang, the badder the better, and that was great!” Bruno said of their dance. Len was happy to see her moving from lyrical dance to a sharper style with ease.
Total Score: 40/40 (76 total for both nights)
Trevor and Emma
Trevor didn’t go to prom officially, but he and his friends did have a very punk private prom. Dancing the jive to Green Day, Trevor went back to his garage band days for a plaid prom night. Carrie Ann complimented Trevor for “not missing a step,” and Derek gave them a 10 for effort even though he was missing a little of the fluidity of jive.
Total Score: 32/40 (64 total for both nights)
Joseph and Daniella
Student body president and prom king Joseph wanted to return to his red velvet suit. This couple took on the cha cha to “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon. Carrie Ann shared her fascination with Joseph’s attention to detail. Bruno caught some small mistakes in his footwork, but complimented his hard work.
Total Score: 32/40 (66 total for both nights)
Jordin and Brandon
Jording got to dance to her song “No Air” at her high school prom, and she and Brandon returned to that moment for a contemporary dance. Derek complimented this duo on a successful lift along with Jordan’s obvious comfort during the dance. Bruno called this dance “so moving” and highlighted Jordin’s improvement with balance.
Total Score: 35/40 (68 total for both nights)
Wayne and Witney
Bringing Wayne’s 1989 dance moves to the ballroom, Wayne and Witney samba-ed their way across the floor. “I know nothing about the proms, but one thing I know is you two are the king and queen of samba,” Bruno said complimenting the ways this duo brought samba steps and their style together. Carrie Ann called this Wayne’s “breakthrough dance.”
Total Score: 40/40 (77 total for both nights)
Dance Marathon
Dancing in different styles and competing for bonus points from the judges, the dance marathon mimics a real ballroom competition. Dance as well and as much as you can to stay on the floor and keep from getting tapped out.
All of the couples took the floor to dance. Daniel and Britt were first out while Trevor and Emma threw out lifts to impress the judges. Vinny, Jordin, Joseph, and Wayne were also sent off the floor while the hustle continued. The Lindy Hop eliminated Gabby, Charli, Trevor, and Heidi. Shangela and Jessie were the final two contestants on the floor, and after a final elimination, Jessie and Alan were the last on the floor winning prom king and queen. They gained 11 bonus points on their score for their marathon win.
The Results
After the dance marathon, Wayne and Gabby tied for second place with 82 points, and Charli took first place with 84 points. Once the votes and judges’ scores were in, Heidi and Artem and Joseph and Daniella were in the bottom two.
Derek and Bruno voted to save Heidi and Artem. Carrie Ann voted to save Joseph and Daniella. Len was left with the final vote, deciding vote. He saved Heidi and Artem sending Joseph and Daniella home.
Next week the 10 remaining couples return to the dance floor next week on Monday at 8PM ET on Disney+ for Michael Bublé night.
