‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 34 Episode 7 Live Recap: Dances, Scores and an Elimination

The stars and pros trade in their dancing shoes for spooky moves—still, the scariest part remains elimination!

Allie Hayes | 12 Hours Ago

CARRIE ANN INABA, DEREK HOUGH, CHERYL BURKE, BRUNO TONIOLI, ALFONSO RIBEIRO / Disney/Christopher Willard

Something wicked this way comes this week on Dancing With the Stars—but not Wicked like the film franchise, that was actually last week. Think something spookier than that!

After an incredible Week 6 filled with celebrity cameos, unforgettable costumes and the very first 10s of the season, the stakes are higher than ever for the remaining nine stars and their pros as they head into what’s sure to be a scary week—and not just because of the impending elimination.

In case you missed last week’s show

As noted above, last week’s show was a truly fantastic episode with plenty of fun and surprises. The theme was “Wicked Night,” with each dancing duo tasked with tackling a routine based on a song from the beloved Broadway musical-turned-movie franchise. On the panel as a guest judge was the franchise’s director, Jon M. Chu, who treated the audience to several sneak peeks at the highly anticipated Wicked: For Good, coming to theaters Nov. 21.

Given that there was no elimination in Week 5, the scores from Week 5 were added to Week 6 for a total possible perfect score of 80 this episode. At the top spot on the leaderboard was Whitney Leavitt and her partner Mark Ballas with a final two-week score of 72/80 for their Quickstep set to “Popular.”

Meanwhile, 2025 SI Swimsuit cover model Jordan Chiles and her partner Ezra Sosa had a final two-week score of 71/80 after their Rumba set to “For Good”—putting them just one point behind Leavitt and Ballas. Fellow SI Swimsuit family member and the brand’s first-ever digital cover model, Alix Earle, and her partner Val Chmerkovskiy also did well, with a final two-week score of 70/80 thanks to their Jazz routine set to “What Is This Feeling?”

Unfortunately, Andy Richter and his partner Emma Slate found themselves at the bottom of the leaderboard again with a final two-week score of 51/80, followed by Scott Hoying and Rylee Arnold with a final two-week score of 58/80.

You can check out our full recap of last week’s episode here!

Last week’s elimination

After no one was sent home during “Dedication Night” on Week 5, the show added two weeks’ worth of the judges’ scores to the millions of votes coming in from fans watching live. When all was said and done, Hoying and Arnold were unfortunately the duo sent home.

Hoying called Arnold “his favorite person ever” during their emotional final interview, and the pair were swiftly embraced by the rest of the cast for their final goodbyes as the episode ended.

This week’s theme

Week 7’s theme is, appropriately, “Halloween Week.” Pretty self-explanatory, we’d say! This means the dancing duos will be movin’ and groovin’ to songs that lean on the spookier side of things, donning elaborate costumes for their intricate routines.

And—to add even higher stakes to the already intense episode—former DWTS pro and two-time mirrorball trophy winner Cheryl Burke will be on the panel as a guest judge, making the highest possible judges’ score for tonight a 40. However, this is the first week the dancing duos will have an opportunity to earn extra points with a couple of bonus dances later in the show.

An unfortunate update to start the show

To kick things off, hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough announced that Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten would not be competing tonight as Hendrix had unfortunately suffered an injury during rehearsal. The hosts noted that the actress was currently at the hospital, but she and Bersten were still in the competition and needed votes from viewers at home to stay despite not dancing.

Midway through the episode, they played the usual preroll footage to show what Hendrix had been working on that week and revealed how the injury occurred during rehearsals. The hosts also noted that she was cleared to continue in the competition and would be judged based on her final taped rehearsal.

Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas

First up, Leavitt took to the ballroom floor dancing a Jazz routine set to “Brain Stew” by Green Day. During a behind the scenes clip played beforehand, Leavitt opened up about the pressures of the competition and how it was beginning to weigh on her, being both a mother and a reality TV star outside of the competition. Ballas was there to support Leavitt before the two danced together in matching striped zombie costumes.

Guest judge Cheryl Burke commented on how their partnership continued to impress her, and applauded Ballas’s choreography, earning the pair a 9. Judge Bruno Tonioli joked that they should “lock” them up for being so good, rating the dance a perfect 10. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba said she loved everything they did, but commented that their timing was a little off, and wanted Leavitt to be unafraid to make mistakes, giving the number a 9. Judge Derek Hough finished up judging, calling the routine “literally brilliant” for a 9, giving the duo a total score of 37/40 from the judges, with the opportunity to earn bonus points later in the evening.

Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa

Chiles danced an emotional Contemporary routine choreographed to “Elastic Heart” by Sia. Chiles opened up about her previous mental health struggles and the ways she related to the lyrics of the song, as well as Sosa’s intricate choreography. Sosa revealed that he’d be playing Chiles’s “demons” in the dance, and Chiles teased that she’d be “wearing a harness” for the routine, but didn’t reveal more before the pair took to the hardwood.

Tonioli said “nothing could hold” Chiles back, earning the dance a 9. Inaba seconded Tonioli, applauding Chiles’s readiness to explore new movement for a score of 9. Hough enjoyed the use of the harness, but felt the execution wasn’t fully realized for an 8. Burke loved their bond but agreed with Hough, also awarding the routine an 8 for a total score of 34/40 from the judges, with the opportunity to earn bonus points later in the evening.

Andy Richter and Emma Slate

Dancing a Paso Doble set to “Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67: I. Allegro con Brio” by Beethoven, fan-favorite Richter was ready to tackle another week in the competition. The choreography of the dramatic routine was meant to show the story of a priest attempting to exorcise a demon. Given the comedian’s background, Slate expressed concerns, as the Paso Doble is a “serious dance,” but Richter confirmed he was ready to take things seriously.

Inaba was stunned and delighted, saying Richter gets “better and better,” awarding the dance a 7. Hough joked that the comedian was trying to “exorcise” his low scores, applauding them for another 7. Burke called Richter the “heart of this show” for another 7. Tonioli was excited to see that Richter captured the spirit of the dance, also giving the duo a 7 for a total score of 28/40 from the judges, with the opportunity to earn bonus points later in the evening.

Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten

As mentioned above, despite being unable to dance live, the show aired rehearsal footage of Hendrix and Bersten’s Argentine Tango choreographed to “Bad to the Bone” by 2WEI and Bri Bryant for the judges to rate. The routine was fiery and passion-filled, but admittedly difficult for the judges to comment on, given the circumstances.

Hough applauded Hendrix, giving their rehearsal footage an 8. Burke seconded Hough’s kind remarks, calling herself “a fan” of Hendrix for another 8. Tonioli also shared the love, rating the routine an 8. Inaba insisted Hendrix “had to come back,” also scoring the rehearsal footage an 8 for a total score of 32/40.

Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov

Fishel sought to channel all the good vibes from the week before into a Viennese Waltz set to “Die With a Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. In behind the scenes footage shown before their routine began, Fishel and Pashkov collaborated on a “murder mystery”-style story for their number, which they promised would have a twist in the middle, revealing one of them as a ghost and the other as their killer.

Burke called the dance “proper” and “solid,” but asked for more exaggerated emotion from Fishel in the future for an 8. Tonioli disagreed with Burke, saying he “felt it deeply,” giving them a 9. Inaba said she had “mixed emotions” about the dance and seconded Burke for an 8. Hough said he “always loved” watching Fishel dance, also rating the routine an 8 for a total score of 33/40 from the judges, with the opportunity to earn bonus points later in the evening.

Robert Irwin and Witney Carson

Irwin tackled an intense Argentine Tango choreographed to “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This” by the Hampton String Quartet. Before the routine, footage showed the dancing duo celebrating their high scores from the previous week, with Carson ready for them to rise to the next level. For her choreography, Carson described a theatrical number consisting of Irwin leading a “symphony” of the dead.

Tonioli praised the choreography and joked that Irwin “literally killed it,” rating the routine a 10. Inaba said she finally saw him as a leading man, calling it “dark and powerful” for a 10. Hough applauded the way the two supported each other, rating the routine a 9. Burke called Irwin a “natural showman,” giving the duo a 9 for a total score of 38/40 from the judges, with the opportunity to earn bonus points later in the evening.

Jen Affleck and Jan Ravnik

Affleck took on a Contemporary routine set to “Look What You Made Me Do” by Taylor Swift—which was a tongue-in-cheek moment for her partner Ravnik, as the dancer had famously performed alongside Swift on her Eras Tour. Affleck said she planned to channel Swift in the dance, proving her doubters wrong with a more intense character for the darker routine.

Inaba called the beginning of the routine “off the charts,” but worried about her “inconsistency” for a score of 8. Hough applauded Ravnik’s choreography but seconded Inaba’s notes, rating the routine an 8. Burke loved the “power and grit,” giving them another 8. Tonioli was enthusiastic about the number, but noted that Affleck can sometimes “lose momentum,” awarding them another 8 for a total score of 32/40 from the judges, with the opportunity to earn bonus points later in the evening.

Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy

Earle and Chmerkovskiy danced a spooky Tango choreographed to “bury a friend” by Billie Eilish. Chmerkovskiy noted that Earle’s dancing still had room to improve, and Earle challenged him to challenge her more, as she wanted to be at her best. Earle admitted to being frustrated with herself as the routine became more challenging, and the two locked horns as their determination came to a head—but Earle ultimately thanked her partner for pushing her.

Hough said that “tough love gets the job done,” applauding the duo for a 10. Burke agreed but had notes on Earle breaking her hold, rating the routine a 9. Tonioli called the number “drop dead good,” awarding them another 10. Inaba also loved the dance and commended Earle’s hard work for a 10 and a total score of 39/40 from the judges, with the opportunity to earn bonus points later in the evening.

Dylan Efron and Danielle Karagach

Taking to the ballroom for the last pre-bonus point round dance of the evening, Efron took on a Viennese Waltz set to “Can’t Help Falling in Love (Dark)” by Tommee Profit and Brooke. Efron collaborated with Karagach during the rehearsal, revealing his love of “romantasy” books as they planned a number together about a vampire and a vampire hunter, with Karagach being blindfolded for part of the dance. However, Efron had also unfortunately suffered an injury to his nose during rehearsal, but he was cleared to perform on the show, powering through the pain.

Burke called the pair the “most improved couple of the season” and gave Efron a note on his hip movement for an 8. Tonioli said the routine was “sexy,” but seconded Burke’s notes for a 9. Inaba noted that Efron’s understanding of the “emotion” separated him from everyone else in the competition, rating the routine a 9. Hough finished up the official judging for the evening, calling Efron “smooth” and awarding the pair another 9 for a total score of 35/40 from the judges, with the opportunity to earn bonus points later in the evening.

Bonus round: the “dance monsterthon”

For the first time this season, the dancing duos were given the opportunity to earn bonus points to add to their total judges’ scores.

The extra round was styled like a traditional dance-a-thon in ballroom competition, with contestants earning between 1 and 5 points based on how long they lasted in the round. At the start of the “dance monsterthon,” Earle and Chmerkovskiy were at the top of the leaderboard with 39/40, while Richter and Slate were at the bottom with 28/40.

After the “dance monsterthon” finished, the final scores for the night were as follows (presented in order of their elimination from the bonus round):

Richter and Slate: 28/40 + 1 bonus point for a final score of 29
Affleck and Ravnik: 32/40 + 2 bonus points for a final score of 34
Fishel and Pashkov: 33/40 + 2 bonus points for a final score of 35
Efron and Karagach: 35/40 + 3 bonus points for a final score of 38
Irwin and Carson: 38/40 + 3 bonus points for a final score of 41
Chiles and Sosa: 34/40 + 4 bonus points for a final score of 38
Earle and Chmerkovskiy: 39/40 + 4 bonus points for a final score of 43
Leavit and Ballas: 37/40 + 5 bonus points for a final score of 42

Who was eliminated?

After the record-breaking 55 million votes from viewers watching at home were combined with the judges’ scores and the bonus round points, Affleck and Ravnik were sent home.

During her final interview, Affleck thanked viewers at home for their votes and support, and Ravnik called her a “rock star” as the two said goodbye to their fellow castmates.

Next week, the theme is “Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night.” The episode will air on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 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 12 Hours Ago|Modified Oct 28, 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.