‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 34 Episode 3 Live Recap: Dances, Scores and an Elimination

The pros and celebs tackled a ‘TikTok’ theme for week three of the fan-favorite ABC show.

Allie Hayes | Sep 30, 2025

CARRIE ANN INABA, ALFONSO RIBEIRO, DEREK HOUGH, JULIANNE HOUGH, BRUNO TONIOLI / Disney/Eric McCandless

Another Tuesday in autumn means it’s time for another highly anticipated spin around the ballroom floor on the latest episode of Dancing With the Stars!

After last week’s double elimination, the pros and celebs have their work cut out for them if they want to stay in the heated competition, especially as the playing field continues to narrow. Still, with each passing week, it’s easy for fans to see all the ways their favorite celeb contestants have improved—and this week was no exception.

In case you missed last week’s show

During last week’s show, the contestants tackled a “One-Hit Wonders” theme, and fans were promised a double elimination since no one went home during the premiere episode the week prior. This meant the judges’ scores were considered cumulative, with a possible perfect score of 50 available instead of the usual 30.

While several couples soared to new heights as the judges sang their praises, others struggled with the footwork and challenging choreography. Tied for top marks were Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas, and Robert Irwin and Witney Carson, with both pairings boasting scores totaling 37/50 from the judges for their respective two-week runs.

2025 SI Swimsuit models Alix Earle and Jordan Chiles also performed well with their partners—Val Chmerkovskiy and Ezra Sosa, respectively—and thus stayed in the competition for another week.

A double elimination

As previously mentioned, no one was eliminated the first week of the competition, but that unfortunately meant that two celebs had to go home for the second episode.

Corey Feldman gave his best for his partner, last year’s winning pro Jenna Johnson, but his cumulative total for the two weeks came in as the lowest of the group with 24/50 total, and unfortunately, the fan votes weren’t enough to save the pair. As a result, they were the first couple sent home from the competition.

Baron Davis also left it all on the floor alongside his partner Britt Stewart, but unfortunately, some mistakes in his footwork resulted in a lower total score for the two weeks of 28/50. They were then the second couple sent home.

This week’s theme

The pros choreographed dances set to hit songs that went viral on TikTok this week. The routines included music from superstars like Sabrina Carpenter, KATSEYE and Justin Bieber—and that’s just to name a few!

Jen Affleck and Jan Ravnik

In the preroll footage, Affleck shared a little about her relationship with TikTok and her many viral moments, saying the app is “everything to her.” Taking to the hardwood for a high-spirited Cha Cha set to “She’s a Bad Mama Jama (She’s Built, She’s Stacked)” by Carl Carlton, Affleck rocked a sparkling gold mini dress.

Judge Bruno Tonioli was on his feet (as always), clearly excited for the show to begin—but he did note that Affleck’s footwork needed to be cleaner, giving her a 6. Carrie Ann Inaba added that Affleck was a “hottie,” giving her a 7. Derek Hough ended the judging by calling it a “great performance,” also giving her a 6 for a total score of 19/30.

Lauren Jauregui and Brandon Armstrong

Jauregui—a member of the girl group Fifth Harmony—went a little meta for her performance, dancing a Cha Cha to her group’s own song, “Work From Home.” The dancing duo chatted about how they planned to work in viral dance moves from the band’s music video to drive home the virality, leaning into a construction site theme for the routine.

Inaba praised the way Jauregui was in-tune with her body, but wanted her to hit the moves harder, awarding her a 6. Hough concurred before giving her a 6. Tonioli gave a similar note, asking Jauregui to punch the moves harder, giving her a 6 for a final score of 18/30.

Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov

Fishel was tasked with learning a fanciful Foxtrot set to the viral hit “Manchild” by Sabrina Carpenter, who actually made a quick cameo appearance in the form of a good luck message to the TV star. In the video clip, Carpenter sent her love to Fishel, who in turn shared that she and the singer have known each other for years and have a close bond due to their previous work together. The actress wore a dreamy blue gown for the routine with gorgeous feathered sleeves, and made Carpenter proud with her strong performance.

Hough called Fishel’s grace “appealing” but gave her a note about extending her arms in the future for a score of 7. Tonioli called the routine “lovely” and complimented Pashkov for working the TikTok side into the dance, giving them a score of 7. Inaba agreed with her fellow judges, giving her a 7 for a final score of 21/30.

Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa

Chiles took to the dance floor with a fun and flirty Tango take on Doechii’s beloved tune “Anxiety.” The gymnast opened up in the behind the scenes footage about her own anxiety and how she relates to the song. Sosa also admitted to some concerns about their height difference, which made some of the Tango moves difficult. For the number, Chiles wore a sparkling black dress with daring cutouts.

As judging began, Chiles got teary-eyed over the crowd’s kind response. Tonioli praised the sequence as her best dance yet, giving her an 8. Inaba applauded Chiles’s openness, calling her performance “fierce” and also giving her an 8. Hough said the athlete turned “anxiety into artistry,” matching the other judges, awarding her an 8 for a total score of 24/30—the highest score of the season so far.

Dylan Efron and Danielle Karagach

Dancing to a song by a dear friend of his, Efron took to the floor with a Foxtrot to “Yukon” by Justin Bieber. In the preroll footage, the dancing duo seemed to be focusing on comments from the judges the week prior about Efron needing more “leading man” energy. The pair leaned into these vibes, wearing matching all-black ensembles for the sultry routine.

Inaba said she was going to have a hard time scoring Efron, as the improvement on his technique was so strong—she gave him a 7. Hough called the choreography “smooth as silk,” giving him an 8. Tonioli jokingly called the dance “Fifty Shades of Foxtrot” due to its sensual nature, earning him an 8 for a total of 23/30.

Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten

“Gnarly” by KATSEYE was the song of choice for Hendrix’s high-intensity Tango, and during the behind the scenes clips, the duo celebrated their high scores from the previous two weeks. The two also joked about how TikTok helped revive millennial love of Hendrix’s character in The Parent Trap, with the actress promising to bring Meredith Blake’s signature aura to the dance—which she definitely did!

Hough called Hendrix a “badass,” applauding her charisma and giving her a 7. Tonioli complimented her ability to get the character right, but gave her the note to free herself a bit on the floor for a score of 7. Inaba finished the judging by requesting that Hendrix trust her partner more, feeling that she might accidentally be fighting Bersten’s lead—she gave her a 7 for a total of 21/30.

Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas

Leavitt returned as one of the top-rated celebs from the week before with a stunning Samba set to “Shake Ya Ass (Radio Edit)” by MYSTIKAL. Ballas commented in the preroll that Leavitt struggled the most with the intricate footwork, which would, in turn, throw off the routine; however, she shook this off for the live dance, blowing the crowd and judges away in a pair of neon green fringe trousers.

Tonioli complimented her mesmerizing movement, giving her an 8. Inaba said she “ate that dance up,” driving home just how hard a Samba is to do before awarding her an 8. Hough was speechless, also giving Leavitt an 8 for a final score of 24/30—tying them with Chiles and Sosa for the week.

Scott Hoying and Rylee Arnold

Hoying took on a Jazz routine set to “like JENNIE” by JENNIE for his TikTok-inspired routine. In the preroll footage, Arnold noted that she was taking the judge’s feedback from last week to heart and wanted to work on showcasing her partner’s confidence with a fun, energetic routine that had Hoying utilizing the entire dance floor.

Inaba began her judging with an excited shriek, saying Hoying was “in his element” in this routine for a score of 8. Hough also applauded the pair, giving them a strong 7. Tonioli praised Arnold’s choreography specifically, awarding them a 7 for a total of 22/30—and excitingly, their first 8 of the season.

Hilaria Baldwin and Gleb Savchenko

Baldwin strutted her stuff in a sultry Samba to the popular TikTok tune “Shake It To The Max (FLY) [Remix]” by MOLIY, Shenseea, Skillibeng and Silent Addy. In behind the scenes footage, Savchenko noted that Baldwin’s biggest issue would likely be relaxing her body. The stylish pair then took to the floor in matching colorful ensembles—perfect for the many turns in the choreography. Baldwin’s husband, actor Alec Baldwin, was also present in the audience, cheering her on.

Hough said Baldwin’s Samba rolls were “the best” they’d seen on the show, giving her a score of 8. Tonioli’s only note was that she needed more “bounce,” but praised the performance overall for a 7. Inaba finished judging by agreeing with the panel, but also commented that Baldwin’s musicality was slightly off, giving her a score of 7 and a final score of 22/30.

Andy Richter and Emma Slater

An angelic Foxtrot set to “Northern Attitude” by Noah Khan and Hozier was Richter’s assignment for TikTok week. Slater noted in the preroll footage that the most difficult part for her partner would be his grace of movement, as it was what the judges discussed the most the week prior. The two then made their way out to the center of the dance floor, wearing flowing, all-white, ethereal-looking outfits for the beautiful routine.

Tonioli applauded Richter’s hard work in the competition so far and noted he was moving in the right direction for a score of 6. Inaba maintained that the comedian was precisely who the show was originally made for, also giving him a 6. Hough was moved by the incredible energy in the room, calling the dance a “beautiful moment” and giving the duo a 6, adding up to a final score of 18/30.

Robert Irwin and Witney Carson

Irwin and Carson celebrated the fact that they had tied for the top spot the week prior. The wildlife conservationist then danced a fabulous Salsa to “Million Dollar Baby” by Richman, where Irwin continued his reign over the ballroom, matching his partner’s sparkling ensemble before removing his shirt to cheers from the audience.

Inaba praised Irwin, calling it a “great performance” and giving them an 8. Hough applauded his musicality, but called his overall movements “rigid” for a Salsa—which received boos from the audience—before giving him a 7. Tonioli agreed with Hough, giving Irwin a 7 for a final score of 22/30.

Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy

Ending the show with an exciting, high-energy Quickstep set to the funky viral song “Pop Muzik” by M / Robin Scott, Earle took her turn on the dance floor. The social media sensation opened up about her relationship with TikTok and how it helped to bolster her career. Chmerkovskiy then recruited the original creators of the dance to help them get it right, but Earle admitted she struggled with the synchronization. The pair then strutted their stuff in Barbie pink ensembles on the dance floor.

Hough called Earle a “fantastic” dancer, giving her a 7. Tonioli called it a “sparkling performance” and complimented the choreography, scoring the dance an 8. Inaba finished judging by calling it their “best dance so far,” awarding them an 8 for a final score of 23/30.

Who was eliminated?

After the judges’ scores and the viewers’ live votes were combined to make the final tally, Lauren and Brandon were sent home at the end of the show.

The crowd in attendance was audibly stunned by the announcement, and—when asked how she was feeling about the decision—Lauren smiled and candidly told the hosts that she was “pissed,” to which Brandon laughed. Her fellow castmates then surrounded her and her partner to say goodbye as the show went off air.

Next week, the theme is “Disney Night.” The episode will air on Tuesday, Oct. 7, at 8 p.m. ET, and we’ll be back here to recap everything live for you! You can watch new episodes of DWTS Season 34 every Tuesday night on ABC and Disney+. New episodes stream on Hulu the next day.

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Published Sep 30, 2025

ALLIE HAYES

Allie Hayes is an experienced pop culture staff writer and editor specializing in movies, TV and celebrity news. Before joining the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit team as a Breaking/Trending News Editor, she worked at several outlets including BuzzFeed, The Daily Dot, and Newsweek. When she’s not writing for work (or writing for fun), you’ll find her curled up on the couch reading yet another romance novel, obsessively watching pro wrestling with her friends, or taking blurry photos of her two adorable cats.