‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 34 Episode 4 Live Recap: Dances, Scores and an Elimination

It’s officially ‘Disney Night’ as the celebs and pros prepare to hit the ballroom floor for the fourth week.

Allie Hayes | 6 Hours Ago

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

Another week, another Tuesday night dedicated to all things Dancing With the Stars!

As always, we’re here to recap everything live for you as this fabulous group of celebrities and pro dancers fight for their spot on the ballroom floor. After some incredible dances (and even some drama) last week, we’re moving full steam ahead with Week 4—and this week has a touch of extra magic to it.

In case you missed last week’s show

During last week’s show, the contestants were tasked with tackling a “TikTok Night” theme, which saw each couple gettin’ down to a song that went viral in some way on TikTok. The pros were also expected to choreograph part of the popular TikTok dances into their routines, adding an extra challenge for the week.

Olympian and 2025 SI Swimsuit cover model Jordan Chiles and her partner Ezra Sosa took the judges’ breath away with an emotional Tango set to “Anxiety” by Doechii, earning an impressive total score of 24/30—the highest of the season so far. Not far behind were Dylan Efron and Danielle Karagach with their Foxtrot to “Yukon” by Justin Bieber, as well as first-ever SI Swimsuit digital cover model Alix Earle and her dance partner Val Chmerkovskiy with their Quickstep to “Pop Muzik” by M / Robin Scott—with both duos earning a 23/30.

Tied at the bottom of the leaderboard were Lauren Jauregui and Brandon Armstrong, and Andy Richter and Emma Slater. The former’s high-energy Cha Cha to Fifth Harmony’s “Work From Home” earned them an 18/30, tying with the latter’s emotional Foxtrot set to “Northern Attitude” by Noah Khan and Hozier, which also earned an 18/30.

You can check out the full recap from last week here!

Last week’s elimination

After the judges’ scores and the viewers’ live votes were tallied, Jauregui and Armstrong were sent home —an announcement that was met with audible gasps from the live studio audience.

Then—in a moment that has since gone viral—Jauregui was asked by the hosts how she felt about this decision, to which she smiled and candidly answered: “pissed.” Her dance partner, Armstrong, laughed as the remaining celebs and pros surrounded them for a final group hug before the show ended.

This week’s theme

Hitting the hardwood to the classic sounds of fairytale tunes, the couples will take on “Disney Night”—we told you there’d be a little extra magic this week!

Dancing to songs from iconic animated films like Aladdin and The Jungle Book, as well as music from popular rides like Space Mountain and other Disney-owned properties like Hamilton and Star Wars, there’s an incredibly eclectic mix of sounds and styles destined for the celebs and pros.

Dylan Efron and Danielle Karagach

First on the floor dancing a Quickstep set to “Life Is a Highway” by Rascal Flatts from the animated classic Cars, Efron compared his journey on the show to taking an exciting trip cross-country. After an adventurous day out at Disneyland—as shown in the behind the scenes footage—the dancing duo took to the ballroom floor in some adorable matching Western-inspired gear, with several characters from Cars on-stage to help paint the full picture of their routine.

Judge Derek Hough called Efron “the quickstep king,” but warned him about his head and arm placement, rating the dance an 8. Judge Bruno Tonioli applauded both Efron and the choreography by Karagach, also awarding the pair an 8. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba celebrated how far Efron had come since the first week and left room for improvement, giving them a 7 for a final score of 22/30.

Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov

Fishel also tackled a Quickstep this week, but her high-energy routine was set to “I Wan’na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)” from the iconic animated film The Jungle Book. For the routine, the two sought to embody the vibes of the animals from the original song, wearing sparkling ensembles corresponding to the colors of their animated characters.

Tonioli was extremely excited about the routine, but did note a mistake Fishel made on the floor after an unfortunate misstep, rating the dance a 7. Inaba joked that they were “locked up like a Ziploc bag,” as they were so close-knit, also rating the routine a 7. Hough finished the judging off, complimenting Fishel’s personality and how it came through in the dance, also giving them a 7 for a final score of 21/30.

Scott Hoying and Rylee Arnold

Hoying tackled a Salsa set to the infectious “Bop to the Top” from High School Musical. In the behind the scenes footage, Hoying joked that he likely went to Disneyland “more than anyone else in the cast.” Hoying also talked about his previous role in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, adding an extra meta layer to their routine. The two then took to the dance floor in near-identical outfits to Sharpay and Ryan’s from the original film, which was a delightful touch.

Inaba said that she loved how much Hoying “lived” during each dance and complimented Arnold’s fun and fast-paced choreography, giving the routine a 7. Hough applauded Hoying’s confidence and joked about how perfectly they played their characters, also rating them a 7. Lastly, Tonioli praised the choreography, matching the other judges with a 7 for a final score of 21/30.

Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy

Earle and Chmerkovskiy took to the ballroom floor for a moody Viennese Waltz set to a spooky remix of “Once Upon a Dream” by Lana Del Rey from Maleficent. Chmerkovskiy joked that Earle had some “big horns to fill,” as the 2025 SI Swimsuit model would be dancing in full Maleficent-mode—costume and all—as they glided across the floor for a truly dreamy (or would it be nightmare-y?) routine.

Hough said Earle was “mesmerizing” and complimented her power and grace, declaring it was her best dance and rating the routine an 8. Tonioli seconded Hough’s praise, applauding her moves as “effortless” and giving the duo an 8. Inaba said that Earle was “on a roll” and praised her and Chmerkovskiy’s incredible partnership, awarding them an 8 for a final score of 24/30.

Hilaria Baldwin and Gleb Savchenko

Taking to the ballroom floor with a Quickstep set to the upbeat (and iconic) “Cantina Band” tune from Star Wars: A New Hope, Baldwin and Savchenko kept their fingers crossed that the force would, indeed, be with them. After learning which song they’d dance to, Baldwin revealed that she and her husband, Alec Baldwin, are “massive” Star Wars fans. She then hit the stage in an adorable Princess Leia-themed ensemble alongside Savchenko, who was, of course, in a Jedi-inspired robe.

Tonioli jokingly confirmed that the force was with them, giving the dance an 8. Inaba admired how “in love” Baldwin clearly was with dancing, also rating them an 8. Hough went against the other judges and critiqued the overall dance, noting that there wasn’t enough Quickstep in their Quickstep for him, awarding them a 7 for a final score of 23/30.

Andy Richter and Emma Slate

After a rocky Week 3 in the bottom two, Richter and Slate planned a sweet and silly Viennese Waltz set to “Le Festin” from Ratatouille. Richter was clearly passionate about improving his performance skills, noting he hoped to stay in the competition as long as possible because he was having so much fun. They then took to the dance floor in hilarious themed ensembles, with Richter dressed as Linguini and Slate dressed as Remy—complete with mouse ears.

Inaba applauded Richter’s fun persona, but said she wanted him to “challenge himself” in the future, rating them a 6. Hough declared, “I see you!” to Richter, helping him with his posture for the future and giving the dance a 6. Tonioli claimed, “That rat has never looked better!” before awarding the duo a 6 for a final score of 18/30.

Robert Irwin and Witney Carson

Irwin and Carson planned a high-energy Cha Cha choreographed to Shakira’s “Try Everything” from Zootopia, which proved to be fitting, as Irwin voices a character in the upcoming sequel to the film. In behind the scenes footage from their busy week, Irwin joked about his family’s reaction to his dance from last week (where he ripped his shirt off in the middle of the dance floor), and added that his “hips can’t lie.” At the start of the routine, Irwin descended from the ceiling on an impressive rig before joining Carson on the dance floor.

Hough said that Irwin simply had that “Irwin aura,” giving him a few form-related tips before rating the dance a 7. Tonioli joked that he was worried when the rig came down that it might be a pole dance, but applauded this sweeter side of Irwin, rating the routine an 8. Inaba also gave him a tip on his dance flow, asking him to relax a little more next time before awarding the pair a 7, resulting in a final score of 22/30.

Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten

Hendrix and Bersten danced a Quickstep to the theme from the Space Mountain ride at Disneyland. The actress noted that she wanted to put “extra focus” on the judges’ feedback from last week, as she had received the same score for the past two weeks. Hendrix also shared a fun fact about her relationship to this particular song and ride: she’s actually one of the voiceovers on Space Mountain! The two then took the ballroom by storm in matching psychedelic, futuristic silver ensembles, with Bersten dressed as an alien, complete with mind-blowing makeup.

Tonioli applauded Hendrix for going at “warp speed,” rating the number an 8. Inaba called the performance “amazing” and “her best dance,” awarding the dance an 8. Hough joked that he “blacked out” and felt like he was on the ride itself, giving the duo an 8 for a final score of 24/30—Hendrix’s best score of the competition so far.

Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas

Leavitt took on a Foxtrot choreographed to the iconic Broadway number “The Room Where It Happens” from Hamilton. Ballas noted that he planned for a classic Foxtrot, but “with an element of Jazz,” while Leavitt hoped to “sprinkle some Disney magic” into her routine. The two wore stylish reimaginings of Hamilton-inspired outfits while the crowd loudly cheered them on.

Inaba noted that it was a non-traditional Foxtrot, but cheered on Leavitt’s incredible abilities, giving the team a 9—the first 9 of the entire season. Hough applauded the “texture” of the dance and the way Leavitt “filled the space,” rating them an 8. Tonioli praised the fluidity of their movements, also awarding the duo an 8 for a final score of 25/30—the highest score of the night.

Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa

The 2025 SI Swimsuit cover model started Week 4 on a high after a strong Week 3 at the top of the leaderboard. She had a unique challenge for this week, taking on a Quickstep set to the song “Special Spice” from Tiana’s Bayou Adventure—another popular ride at Disneyland. For the routine, Chiles wore a beautiful, dance floor-friendly version of the Disney Princess’s iconic green gown, with Sosa acting as her handsome Prince Naveen.

Hough called the routine “crisp” and “charming,” applauding the two for another great dance and giving them an 8. Tonioli said Chiles was “dance royalty,” rating them an 8. Inaba applauded Chiles’s skills and authenticity, giving the duo an 8 for a final score of 24/30.

Jen Affleck and Jan Ravnik

Last but absolutely not least, Affleck and Ravnik closed the show with a Jazz number set to “Friend Like Me” from the beloved Disney animated film Aladdin. Affleck shared that it was the perfect pick for her, as the film was one of her personal favorites as a child. The dancing duo then hit the hardwood in themed ensembles, with Affleck embodying Princess Jasmine, while Ravnik—like Bersten before him—went the full-on makeup route as the Genie.

Tonioli applauded the theatricity of the routine, noting it was the perfect grand finale for “Disney Night” and awarding them an 8. Inaba said she enjoyed the dance, but added that something about the choreography itself didn’t click for her, rating it a 7. Hough kept his answer short due to time constraints, simply saying “well done” and giving the pair an 8 for a final score of 23/30.

Who was eliminated?

After the judges’ scores were added to the viewers’ votes at home, Baldwin and Savchenko were eliminated. Baldwin was emotional, but said she’d be cheering on the cast for the rest of the season. Savchenko assured Baldwin he was proud of her and all she’d accomplished, and the two joined the rest of the cast for their goodbyes as the show went off the air.

Next week, the theme is “Dedication Night.” The episode will air on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 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 6 Hours Ago

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.