‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 34 Episode 5 Live Recap: Dances, Scores and More

Get your tissues ready: it’s officially ‘Dedication Night.’

Allie Hayes | 9 Hours Ago

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

We’re officially in Week 5 of ABC’s hit show Dancing With the Stars, and the playing field has begun to tighten.

As always, we’re here to recap everything for you as each of the remaining 10 stars and their pro partners take to the ballroom floor! After a standout episode last week, the stars have definitely been coming into their own while gaining confidence in their dance abilities, which made this week’s already sentimental episode all the more sweet.

In case you missed last week’s show

Last Tuesday, the talented cast took a magical turn around the hardwood for “Disney Night,” with the pros choreographing numbers set to songs from Disney-branded movies, TV shows and—in a few cases—even theme park rides.

At the top of the leaderboard were Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas, who performed a Broadway-worthy Foxtrot set to the toe-tapping “Room Where It Happens” from Hamilton. The judges loved Leavitt’s passionate attitude and the fluidity of her movement, as well as the way Ballas flawlessly mixed elements of Jazz into a traditional Foxtrot routine. They received the highest score of the season at the time (as well as the first 9), earning a 25/30.

SI Swimsuit family members Jordan Chiles (and her partner, Ezra Sosa) and Alix Earle (and her partner, Val Chmerkovskiy) also both did incredibly well, caught in a three-way tie for second place alongside Elaine Hendrix and her partner, Alan Bersten, with matching scores of 24/30 to make the night a truly tight race to the top.

Meanwhile, three pairs found themselves up for elimination at the end of the show. First was Hilaria Baldwin and Gleb Savchenko, who received a score of 23/30 from the judges. Then, there was Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov, who received a score of 21/30. And finally, there was Andy Richter and Emma Slate, who received a score of 18/30.

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

Last week’s elimination

After the judges’ total scores were combined with the live votes coming in from viewers, Baldwin and Savchenko were sent home.

Baldwin ended the show by doing a brief interview with the hosts, Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough, sharing how much being on the show meant to her. She also opened up about how much she appreciated her time working with Savchenko before shouting out her kids and family. She concluded by saying she still planned to cheer on the rest of the cast for the remainder of the season.

This week’s theme

Week 5’s theme is a bit of a tear-jerker, so be sure to have your tissues ready: it’s “Dedication Night.”

Each of the remaining stars chose a song to dance to in honor of someone influential in their lives, whether that be a family member, a romantic partner or a beloved co-star. The show also promised several “special guests,” with all of the loved ones being honored by the dancing duos in the building for the sentimental performances.

Andy Richter and Emma Slate

Fan-favorite Richter was up first and took on a sweet Salsa routine to “Jump In the Line” by Harry Belafonte. In the preroll footage, he dedicated the dance to his daughter, Cornelia, who joined him on the ballroom floor for the latter part of the choreography, wearing a pretty pink outfit that adorably matched Slate’s (and she scored an 11 out of 10 in our books).

Guest judge Kym Johnson was quick to compliment Cornelia’s incredible moves, giving the group a 6. Bruno Tonioli also praised Richter’s daughter and called him “entertaining,” rating the routine a 6. Carrie Ann Inaba pointed out a couple of footwork errors, but loved their energy, giving them another 6 rating. Finally, Hough said the dance was “full of love,” giving the trio their fourth 6 for a final score of 24/40.

Robert Irwin and Witney Carson

Irwin dedicated the dance to his mother, Terri. In behind the scenes footage, Irwin emotionally opened up about how he came to realize just how difficult it must’ve been for his mother to lose his father (Steve Irwin) and become a single parent. He performed a Contemporary routine to “You’ll Be in My Heart” by Phil Collins from the Disney film Tarzan, and Terri joined Irwin for part of the routine. Needless to say, there was not a dry eye in the house—or in my house—after the music ended.

Tonioli called the dance a “true expression of everlasting love,” giving the trio a 9. Inaba called Irwin an “impressive” and “honest” man, rating the routine an 8. Hough was basically speechless, choking up as he gave them a 9. Johnson was also teary-eyed, matching Hough and Tonioli with a 9 for a final score of 35/40.

Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten

Dancing a fun Foxtrot choreographed to “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)” by Natalie Cole, Hendrix dedicated the dance to her best friend and fellow actress Lisa Ann Walter, whom she met while filming The Parent Trap. Bersten said he designed the routine to capture the playful spirit of their 28-year-long friendship before the three took to the floor in matching champagne ensembles. They even incorporated a reference to the iconic film into the dance by having Hendrix call Walter into the number using a small bell.

Inaba proclaimed that Walter should join the show next season, rating the trio an 8. Hough applauded Hendrix, but gave her a note about keeping her shoulders back, giving them a 7. Johnson seconded Hough’s note, rating the dance a 7. Tonioli compared Hendrix’s glamorous aura to the iconic Ginger Rogers, rating the dance an 8 for a final score of 30/40.

Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas

Leavitt performed a Contemporary routine set to the song “Heal” by Jamal Roberts. She dedicated the dance to her husband, Connor, whose loyalty and commitment she praised in the preroll footage, calling him her “best friend.” The stunning choreography by Ballas was symbolic, with Leavitt and her husband dancing together in the middle of the ballroom, and Ballas acting as an outside force trying to tear them apart—unsuccessfully, of course.

Hough said the dance was “beautiful to watch,” and complimented their choreography and musicality for a score of 8. Johnson said Leavitt “owned the floor,” giving them an 8. Tonioli also applauded the ambitious routine, rating it an 8. Inaba was deeply moved by the emotion of their number, earning the trio a 9 from her for a final score of 33/40.

Jen Affleck and Jan Ravnik

Affleck dedicated a Viennese Waltz choreographed to “Rescue” by Lauren Daigle to her mother, Maria, as well as all the moms out there. In a behind the scenes clip, she opened up about how her mother was often juggling work and motherhood as she was growing up, and said that “because of her sacrifice, [Affleck] has everything that [she] has now.” Affleck took to the floor in a beautiful purple gown, with her mother joining the routine midway through in a similarly splendid black gown.

Johnson called the dance “beautiful,” but noted that Affleck’s footwork could use more “grounding,” rating the dance a 7. Tonioli applauded their mother/daughter relationship, but seconded Johnson’s notes for a score of 7. Inaba said the number was the most “passionate” Affleck had performed yet, awarding the trio an 8. Hough got choked up while applauding Affleck and her mother, rating the routine a 7 for a final score of 29/40.

Dylan Efron and Danielle Karagach

Performing a hopeful Contemporary routine to “Rewrite the Stars”—which was originally sung by his brother, actor Zac Efron, in the film The Greatest Showman—Efron dedicated the dance to his little sister, Olivia. In the preroll footage, Efron opened up about how, while he may not have expected to be a big brother (Olivia is 5 years old, and he is 33), the two are truly best friends. He also noted that he wanted the dance to be a nod to both his sister and his brother, which is why he chose the song in the first place.

Tonioli joked that Efron is the “next greatest showman,” giving the routine a 9. Inaba loved the story of the choreography by Karagach, also rating the sweet trio a 9. Hough joked about his jealousy over Efron and his natural talent, giving them yet another 9. Johnson also applauded the overall dance, rating them a 9 for a final score of 36/40—beating out Irwin’s score of 35/40 earlier in the night for the new highest score of the season so far.

Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa

2025 SI Swimsuit cover model Chiles danced a beautiful Viennese Waltz, which was choreographed to “Daughters” by John Mayer. She dedicated the dance to her father, Timothy, whom she credited with putting her in gymnastics as a child. Timothy joined his daughter and Sosa on the ballroom floor for a strong portion of the routine, and the trio wore matching pastel pink ensembles. They positively shined on the hardwood floor (and Timothy was a natural!).

Inaba called the dance “profound,” rating the routine an 8. Hough got choked up once more, noting that the dance made him excited to one day dance with his own child, earning them an 8. Johnson seconded Inaba and Hough, applauding the trio and giving them an 8. Tonioli complimented Chiles’s musicality, also rating the routine an 8 for a final score of 32/40.

Scott Hoying and Rylee Arnold

Hoying took to the ballroom floor to dance a Foxtrot set to his own song, “Parallel.” He dedicated the number to his husband, Mark, and Arnold choreographed the routine around the story of their love. The couple also announced on the show that they’re welcoming their first child. Hoying wowed the audience by singing a portion of the song live before moving into the gorgeous routine.

Hough celebrated the couple and their love, complimenting Hoying’s song and rating the pair an 8. Johnson also applauded the couple, giving Hoying a note about his head placement for a score of 7. Tonioli called it a “true love Foxtrot,” giving the trio an 8. Inaba finished judging by noting that she felt the routine seemed a bit “disjointed,” rating the overall routine a 7 for a final score of 30/40.

Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov

Performing a high-energy Jive routine set to the Boy Meets World theme song—“Boy Meets World” by Twenty Cent Crush ft. Phil Rosenthal—Fishel touched the hearts of millennials everywhere by dedicating the dance to her former co-star, William Daniels, who played the beloved Mr. Feeny on the classic ‘90s show. In behind the scenes footage played before the dance, Fishel opened up about how much Daniels’s respect meant to her growing up, and Daniels even appeared on the ballroom floor for part of the routine.

Johnson applauded Fishel’s “effortless” dance style, but gave her a couple of tips for hand placement, resulting in a rating of 7. Tonioli joked that Fishel must be pitching Boy Meets World: The Musical because of how polished the routine was, giving them a score of 8. Inaba loved the nostalgia of the dance, but said she worried all of her and Pashkov's dances were beginning to feel too similar, giving the pair a 7. Hough said the dance was “a proper jive” and loved that she highlighted a mentor for the evening, rating the routine a 7 for a final score of 29/40.

Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy

First-ever SI Swimsuit digital cover model Earle danced a touching Contemporary routine to cap off the evening, which was choreographed to “Sparks” by Coldplay. In the preroll footage, Earle explained that she was dedicating the dance to her little sister Izabel, who helped to redefine what family could mean for her. She began the routine in the middle of the ballroom floor, holding Izabel in her arms—just as she had when she was first born (and yes, everyone teared up from the pure sweetness of it).

Tonioli gushed over the routine, saying “talent and love run in their family,” rating the trio a 9. Inaba thanked Earle for sharing her sweet sisterly story, but noted that she needed to watch her arms on the turns for a score of 8. Hough applauded both Earle’s dancing and Chmerkovskiy’s choreography, giving the dance a 9. Johnson gave the last critique of the night, cheering both Earle and her sister on with a rating of 9 for a final score of 35/40.

Who was eliminated?

In a surprise twist for both the cast and the audience watching at home, NO ONE WAS ELIMINATED this week! All 10 of the remaining dancing duos will be returning for another spin around the ballroom next Tuesday.

The remaining couples on Dancing With the Stars stand on stage awaiting their results

‘Dancing With the Stars’ / Disney/Eric McCandless

Next week, the theme is “Wicked Night” to celebrate the beloved Broadway show and the upcoming sequel to the Academy Award-nominated 2024 film. The episode will air on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 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 9 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.