‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 35 Week 2 Live Recap: Dances, Scores and Elimination

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After last week’s record-breaking two-night premiere, Dancing With the Stars returned to our TV screens on Tuesday, Sept. 22, for an evening themed around social media virality. Judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli also returned, ready to flip their paddles and decide the contestants’ fates alongside hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough.

So, which dance numbers had viral potential and which didn’t hit the metaphorical “For You” page? Scroll on for our full live recap!

Who was eliminated on the two-night premiere of DWTS?

Before we move into our live recap of the latest episode, let’s make sure you’re all caught up on last week! As noted above, the two-night premiere received a record number of votes from viewers, all fighting to save their faves from elimination.

Night 1 highlighted the eight male contestants, who took to the ballroom with routines choreographed to songs that were hits the year they were born. The highest scores of the evening went to Ezra Frech and his pro partner Daniella Karagach (scoring a 20 out of 30 for their tango to “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson) and Harry Shum Jr. and his pro partner Jenna Johnson (scoring a 21 out of 30 for their cha-cha to “Let’s Groove” by Earth, Wind and Fire).

Meanwhile, the bottom scorers of the evening were Conner Leavitt and his pro partner Adele Zaikman (scoring 12 out of 30 for their salsa to “Whoomp! There It Is!” by Tag Team) and Guillermo Rodriguez and his pro partner Witney Carson (scoring 10 out of 30 for their cha-cha to “Mr. Big Stuff” by Jean Knight). After viewers’ votes were combined with the judges’ scores, Leavitt and Zaikman were the dancing duo sent home on Night 1.

Then, Night 2 welcomed the eight female contestants to the floor, where they tackled the same theme as the male stars. The highest scores of the evening went to Jenna Dewan and her pro partner Val Chmerkovskiy (scoring a 19 out of 30 for their tango to “Call Me” by Blondie) and Maura Higgins and her pro partner Mark Ballas (scoring a 21 out of 30 for their foxtrot to “Black Velvet” by Alannah Myles).

The bottom for Night 2 comprised Tatyana Ali and her pro partner Jan Ravnik (scoring 12 out of 30 for their jive to “Knock on Wood” by Amii Stewart) and Sarah Jane Nader and her pro partner Hailey Bills (scoring 14 out of 30 for their jive routine to “Sk8er Boi” by Avril Lavigne). Ultimately, Nader and Bills were the dancing duo sent home on Night 2.

To read our full live recaps of both premieres, click here for Night 1 and click here for Night 2!

What is the theme of Week 2 of DWTS?

Week 2 brought the remaining 14 contestants back on one show. The episode’s theme was “Viral Hits Night,” with each routine choreographed to a track that has done serious numbers on social media and/or sparked a viral dance craze on TikTok. With that in mind, fans could expect playful dance numbers choreographed to artists including Rihanna, Gracie Abrams, KATSEYE and more.

Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy

Dewan and Chmerkovskiy opened the show, hitting the hardwood with an energetic jive routine choreographed to “Animal” by KATSEYE. In her behind-the-scenes footage, the star noted that the judges’ remarks from the previous week had been on her mind, as she worried that her solo dance experience was inhibiting her ability to work in a pair.

Tonioli called the routine a “scorcher,” adding that Dewan was a “fast and furious sexy beast,” giving them a 7. Inaba seconded Tonioli’s comments, confirming that she was working much better in a pair this week, also giving them a 7. Hough was the final judge and thus only permitted a “one-word reaction” given the packed nature of the show, calling the dance “fantastic” before giving them a third 7. Total score: 21/30

Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong

Miller and Armstrong were up next, taking on a terrific tango to “No Broke Boys” by Disco Lines and Tinashe. The reality TV star opened up about her mindset in the behind-the-scenes footage, noting that she noticed she was “in her head” the week before. She then shared that she was feeling overall “braver” going into this week.

Inaba applauded Miller’s “ferocity,” giving them a strong 6. Hough concurred, calling Miller “radiant,” but noting that she needed to watch her frame moving forward, giving them a second 6. Tonioli was last, simply calling the routine “beautiful,” giving it a third 6. Total score: 18/30

Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess

Dancing a sultry salsa to “Girls” by The Kid LAROI, the Bachelor Nation alum opened up about how the positive comments from the judges last week—particularly those comparing him to Patrick Swayze—gave him confidence in his behind-the-scenes footage. He added that he was “very excited” for the routine, while Burgess joked that she’d “created a monster.”

Hough loved the strength on display in the routine but felt the overall routine was more of a “cabaret” dance than a salsa, giving them a 5. Tonioli joked that people were likely too focused on Cameron’s muscles to notice, but agreed with Hough’s judgment and gave them a 5. Despite being the last judge, Inaba cleverly slipped in more than one word, saying “agree, but impressive” before giving them a 6. Total score: 16/30

Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa

In her behind-the-scenes footage, Stiles agreed with the judge’s commentary from the week before that stated she was holding back. She and Sosa then learned they’d be dancing a dramatic tango to “The Door” by Teddy Swims, and the star opened up about relating to the lyrics of the song. She added that the routine was all about “finding her own strength” while learning to step back into the spotlight.

Tonioli said he loved the “touch of Sharon Stone” that she gave to the dance, but noted a “few stumbles” throughout, giving them a 5. Inaba agreed, highlighting Stiles’s “amazing” posture, giving them a 5. Hough’s single-word judgement was “good performance” (which, as we know, isn’t one word), giving them a 6. Total score: 16/30

Jackson Olson and Emma Slater

The Savannah Banana player danced a fabulous foxtrot to “That’s So True” by Gracie Abrams, choreographed by Slater. In his behind-the-scenes footage, Olson called last week “emotional, hectic and scary,” adding that the nerves were “insane.” However, he hoped the viral theme of tonight’s episode would help his confidence this week, as he’d danced to this particular viral song multiple times with his team.

Inaba loved the improvement on display, adding that there was “still work” that needed to be done, giving them a 6. Hough joked about how he and Olson were wearing the same thing, giving them a 6. Tonioli’s one-word was simply “charmed,” giving them a 6. Total score: 18/30

Giada De Laurentiis and Alan Bersten

In her behind-the-scenes footage, the Food Network star joked that it was okay if Bersten was “shocked” they made it to the next week. The chef struggled a bit with patience during practice, but was confident she’d “surprise herself again” when the duo took to the floor to dance a sweet salsa to “Bella Ciao” by Becky G.

Hough called De Laurentiis a “ball of sunshine” but felt the dance was “a little timid,” giving them a 4. Tonioli agreed, joking that it was a “salsa with no spice,” giving them another 4. Inaba finished judging, calling the overall routine “shaky,” giving them a third 4. Total score: 12/30

Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold

Both Wood and Arnold felt confident when they learned they’d be dancing a fun tango to “12 to 12” by Sombr for “Viral Hits Night,” citing their previous viral moments online. However, once rehearsal started, the comedian expressed concerns about the difficulty of the dance style, given its rigid movements.

Tonioli said he was going to be “brutally honest,” stating that there were “a lot” of mistakes before giving them a 5. Inaba called the errors “a shame,” but applauded their connection, giving them another 5. Hough used his short time to reference a quick joke from their behind-the-scenes footage, giving them a third 5. Total score: 15/30

Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach

Frech and Karagach took on a millennial classic for their classic cha-cha, dancing to “Low” by Flo Rida. The pro worried about the routine in behind-the-scenes footage, stating outright that the cha-cha would be “the hardest” for Frech of the styles. Still, the Paralympian was confident, incorporating changes as needed to tackle the fierce choreography.

Inaba was in awe, declaring that Frech “could move” and got “down and dirty” at parts, giving them a 7. Hough said he was “blown away” by the routine, calling his confidence his “superpower,” giving them a second 7. Tonioli simply said the dance was “fabulous,” giving them another 7. Total score: 21/30

Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik

Ali and Ravnik danced an emotional foxtrot to “What Was I Made For” by Billie Eilish. The star said she especially related to the lyrics, having grown up in and felt the pressures of show business. She added that the routine was meant to show that “no matter what you’re going through, you can come back to loving yourself.”

Hough said Ali was “absolutely beautiful” and “ethereal,” giving them a 6. Tonioli loved the “soft” quality and applauded the choreography, giving them a 6. Inaba’s one-word judgement was simply “touching,” giving them a 6. Total score: 18/30

Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov

Taking on a sultry tango to “All the Things She Said” by Harrison—made popular again this year by the hit HBO show Heated Rivalry—the Olympian and pro discussed the previous week, taking the judges’ commentary to heart. Glenn also noted that this week’s routine was “very personal to her,” as it reminded her of her own coming-out story and the importance of queer representation.

Tonioli called the routine “the best tango of the night,” giving them a 7. Inaba concurred, calling the dance “phenomenal,” also giving them a 7. Hough was left literally speechless, simply applauding the duo and giving them a third 7. Total score: 21/30

Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson

For their “Viral Hits Night” routine, Rodriguez and Carson danced a classic pasodoble to “Where Have You Been” by Rihanna. Rodriguez was grateful for the fans at home voting for him in the behind-the-scenes footage. For this week, he added that he actually tried to perform a pasodoble a “long time ago,” joking that it was “terrible”—but Carson was confident they’d teach him the steps in time.

Inaba said she had “so much love” for Rodriguez, admiring his “intensity,” giving them a 4. Hough called Rodriguez a “matador,” adding that he was “blown away,” giving them a second 4. Tonioli’s one-word judgment was a passionate “Olé,” giving them a third 4. Total score: 12/30

Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart

Hanson and Stewart tackled a high-energy cha-cha, choreographed to DNCE’s “Cake by the Ocean.” The behind-the-scenes footage showed the aftermath of last week, when the star said he shook off the nerves from the premiere. Still, Stewart was concerned about the cha-cha, as it was vastly different from their previous quickstep.

Hough wanted to focus his criticism on Hanson’s arm form, stating that his upfront feedback was because he believed Hanson was “here to stay,” giving them a 5. Tonioli added that he liked the way that Hanson worked, giving them a 5. Inaba’s one-word judgment was “frenetic,” also giving them a 5. Total score: 15/30

Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson

The two highest-scoring pairs from premiere week closed the show, beginning with Shum Jr. and Johnson, who danced a Viennese waltz to “Iris” by Goo Goo Dolls. The two celebrated in their behind-the-scenes footage, with the star calling it a “dream come true.” Shum Jr. then added that, given that the song was from the 1990s, the routine felt like a message to his younger self that everything would be all right.

Tonioli loved the emotion in the routine, giving them a 6. Inaba agreed, calling Shum Jr. an “amazing performer,” but she felt the overall dance was “imbalanced,” giving them a 6. Hough’s one-word judgment was “beautiful” and he gave them a 6. Total score: 18/30

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