Salt-N-Pepa, En Vogue, Vanilla Ice, and Kid N’ Play were in the house (ballroom) this week! Along with some of the 90s biggest stars performing lies, our dance stars brought out their best throwback fits (and some of their cheesiest jokes of the season so far) for 90s Night.
The show opened with a totally neon music and dance performance featuring Salt-N-Peppa and En Vogue choreographed by Mandy Moore before the competition officially began. Along with their 90s-themed partner dances, the eight remaining couples also competed in a “dance relay” ahead of a double elimination.
Trevor and Emma
Trevor and Emma embraced the Ken and Barbie vibes they’ve had all season this week by literally dancing to “Barbie Girl.” Their dolled-up salsa was bright and exciting enough to get high compliments from Len who found it “so much fun.” Derek and Carrie Ann wanted to see them continue to work on awkward moments, but overall the judges were excited by their character work and dance moves.
Total Score: 34/40
Shangela and Gleb
A Spice Girls samba took Shangela and Gleb back a few decades this week. Shangela called this her “hardest dance” so far which was understandably scary ahead of a double elimination. The cheers from the audience were deafening. Derek saw some flaws in footwork but called the dance “an incredible, amazing samba” anyway. Bruno said Shangela takes over the whole ballroom, advising her not to lose her technique as she gets further into the dance.
Total Score: 37/40
Wayne and Witney
Working toward the semifinals, Wayne and Witney tapped into Wayne’s “come-up” era. Amidst Wayne’s incredibly busy schedule, they found time to time travel back to the 90s for their samba. “When you get into the groove, you are unstoppable!” Bruno said of this dance. He was impressed with their movement, fluidity, and overall performance. Carrie Ann called it his “best dance so far.”
Total Score: 40/40
Daniel and Britt
Taking their rehearsal on the road while Daniel received an award in New York City, Daniel and Britt went back to their 90s childhoods for an emotional jazz performance inspired by Daniel’s relationship with his birth mother. They also included a challenging spin to give the audience a deaf experience, cutting the music halfway through the dance. Carrie Ann called the dance “educational and profound” and “so funky!” Len said that Daniel never fails to amaze him with his dancing.
Total Score: 39/40
Heidi and Artem
After ending up in the Bottom Two for the second time, Heidi and Artem felt they had a lot to prove. Their contemporary dance was an emotional 90s piece. Len thought the dance didn’t suit Heidi’s personality, but Derek complimented her emotions and dancing.
Total Score: 35/40
Gabby and Val
Reunited after Val was sick last week, Gabby and Val took on the samba and the difficult samba roll for a “loca” 90s performance. Derek called their dance “the best samba ever.” Bruno was excited by the technique and content of the dance, complimenting how easy they made it seem.
Total Score: 40/40
Vinny and Koko
After weeks of winning the audience’s heart while struggling with dance, Vinny seemed intimidated by the double elimination this week. He mastered the steps last week, but he and Koko worked to “bring the heat” and add texture to Vinny’s tango. The audience gave this couple a standing ovation, and Bruno and Carrie Ann were happy to see Vinny’s personality among his slowly improving technique.
Total Score: 29/40
Charli and Mark
How can we forget last week’s terrifying performance? This week, Charli and Mark livened things up for 90s night with international tango. Carrie Ann had to stand to give her feedback on this performance. She said, “That was beyond anything I have every witnessed on this dance floor.” Len said they put the “go” in tango.
Total Score: 40/40
The Relay Round
After the first round, Charli, Gabby, and Wayne had a three-way tie for first place followed closely by Daniel. But it wasn’t over. The couples were divided into groups of four pairs that will each dance a specific style one after the other. The best-performing couple in each relay would receive five bonus points from a single judge.
The pairs:
Len’s couples: Shangela and Gleb vs Daniel and Britt — dancing the cha cha cha to Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice baby” (Winner: Shangela)
Carrie Ann’s couples: Vinny and Koko vs Trevor and Emma — dancing samba to En Vogue’s “My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It)” (Winner: Trevor)
Bruno’s couples: Heidi and Artem vs Wayne and Witney — dancing samba to “Shoop” by Salt-N-Peppa (Winner: Wayne)
Derek’s couples: Charli and Mark vs Gabby and Val — dancing salsa to “Ain’t Gonna Hurt Nobody” by Kid N’ Play (Winner: Charli)
The Results
The relay might have shaken things up a bit, but we still had to find out who would make it to the semifinals next week. After the scores were revealed, the lowest-scoring couple was Heidi and Artem who were immediately sent home. This left Trevor and Emma and Vinny and Koko in the bottom two to be saved by the judges’ vote. The judges decided unanimously to save Trevor and Emma, sending Vinny and Koko home.
Next week, the remaining six couples return for the semifinals (for another double elimination) live Monday on Disney+ at 8:00 PM ET.
