‘Dancing With the Stars: the Next Pro’ Season 1 Week 3 Live Recap: Who Was Eliminated?

The third week of competition continued to narrow the playing field for the aspiring pros as the top nine fought to claim their spot.

‘Dancing With the Stars: the Next Pro’ cast | Vince Valitutti/Disney via Getty Images

Another week, another episode of ABC’s newest hit show Dancing With the Stars: the Next Pro!

Debuting on Monday, July 13, the inaugural season of the spin-off series has already been packed with plenty of action. The first two episodes alone saw three of the 12 contestants go home, leaving fans with nine aspiring pros to root for, all vying for the top prize: a coveted spot on the cast of the main show this fall.

So, what went down on the dance floor this week? Scroll on to check out our full live recap!

Who was eliminated last week?

After contestants Briar Nolet and Jake Monreal went home during the premiere, the remaining cast was narrowed down to the top 10. Last week’s episode focused on the importance of storytelling, with pro Brandon Armstrong acting as the guest mentor and judge, sitting on the panel alongside series mainstays Mark and Shirley Ballas. Unlike the premiere, which assigned only two dance styles, the second week of competition saw the contestants paired up to perform multiple styles, including the rumba, Viennese waltz and jive.

The contestants were then tasked with choreographing a dance that represented a “meaningful” story from their life, and each pair would need to decide whose story they’d follow. Most of the duos were able to work together without issue, but Nina Mayster and Benji Castro experienced some friction during the planning process. While Benji initially agreed to choreograph Nina’s story—which she described as her personal journey of “perseverance”—the two had butt heads a bit behind the scenes when Benji felt Nina wasn’t listening to him.

This landed the pair at the bottom, with the judges calling their routine “disjointed.” Ultimately, Benji was the contestant the panel decided to send home. Going into this week’s episode, the remaining nine contestants were:

• Adele Zaikman
• AJ Pritchard
• Allen Genkin
• Erik Linder
• Natalie Jolley
• Nina Mayster
• Selena Hamilton
• Stephani Sosa
• Tristen Sanders

For more information on last week’s episode, check out our full live recap here!

What happened during Week 3?

The third episode of the season was subtitled “You’re Only As Strong As Your Weakest Link: Group Work With Britt Stewart.” As this suggests, the main theme was group dancing, and Britt Stewart was on hand as the guest mentor and judge.

The first challenege: group choreography

The show began with Mark, Shirley and host Robert Irwin debriefing the remaining contestants on last week’s episode, including the surprising elimination. The judges added that, in order to “to stand out more” this week, the dancers would need to “show off less.” Britt then demonstrated the challenge choreography for the dancers, teaching them the complicated routine and stating that this would give them the chance to “step out of the norms of ballroom.” She added that they’d be judged “as individuals in a collective,” also noting that—for the traditional ballroom dancers—this routine would be more difficult.

While some dancers took to the choreography immediately, those without background experience in group dances struggled. Unfortunately, Natalie was accidentally hit in the face during one of the high-energy moves, resulting in an injury that required medical attention. Britt stated that this moment further highlighted the importance of being able to work in a group properly, as the dancers would all need to be more aware of their surroundings.

After three hours of practicing, Britt dropped a bombshell: the group would be judged on the dance immediately. She told the contestants that on Dancing With the Stars, the pros typically only have three hours to learn their group routines, making this challenge a true test of their prowess. Mark and Shirley then entered the practice space, where they judged the dancers onsite.

When asked who she thought performed the “worst,” Shirley selected Tristen. Meanwhile, Mark stated that he felt Nina was the weakest due to her timing. The contestants were worried this would be a surprise elimination, leading to an emotional moment; however, the judges revealed there would be a second challenge the next day to allow the dancers to redeem themselves.

The second challenege: team choreography

For the second challenge, the group was told they’d form two teams and craft two separate team dances. Natalie was still not able to perform, leaving them with an even four-four split. In another surprise, Tristen and Nina—the bottom two from the first challenge—were revealed to be the team captains. Nina was permitted to select first, and the teams were drafted as follows:

Team Nina

• Allen
• AJ
• Adele

Assigned style: Tango

Team Tristen

• Stephani
• Selena
• Erik

Assigned style: Paso doble

Final judging: team dances

Tristen’s team went first, and the group performed a sultry, rock n’ roll-style paso doble to “Are You Gonna Go My Way” by Lenny Kravitz. Britt said the start of the routine was “dynamic,” but she also felt they performed more as individuals than as a team. Meanwhile, Mark said that the cues felt “off” for some of the dancers, which Shirley agreed with, but she also complimented both Stephani and Erik on their spatial awareness.

Nina’s team closed the show, dancing a playful tango to “Into You” by Ariana Grande. Allen unfortunately fell during the dance, but Mark was quick to compliment him on his quick recovery during judging, adding that Nina showed “so much improvement.” Shirley stated that she had a “concern or two” about the timing of the piece, but said the “star” of the routine was AJ. Britt wrapped up judging for the evening by saying she was “so impressed” by the overall routine and how the group pushed things outside of their comfort zone.

Who was eliminated this week?

After the performances ended, Shirley named Nina’s team the winners of the challenge, leaving Tristen’s team at the bottom. From there, the bottom two were Selena and Tristen; however, the judges surprised the contestants by revealing that no one would be going home this week.

Unfortunately, the state of Natalie’s injury left the dancer unable to take part in the competition. As a result, she was sent home, leaving a spot open for both Selena and Tristen to remain another week.

When is the next episode of Dancing With the Stars: the Next Pro?

The next episode of Dancing With the Stars: the Next Pro will air on ABC on Monday, August 3, at 8 p.m. ET, and we’ll be back in action with a live recap throughout the night!

---