Tuesday, November 21 was a big night for Swifties – it was Taylor Swift Night on DWTS! The six remaining couples danced a routine celebrating the music of iconic singer, Taylor Swift. Tuesday’s show – which marked the quarter finals of the season – also included a special guest at the judge’s table, Swift’s Eras Tour choreographer Mandy Moore. Additionally, the remaining couples competed in a relay dance, which rewarded the winning couples with three bonus points. Tuesday’s scores ironically had a “Swift-inspired” gap of 13 points between the lowest and highest couples, with points ranging from 30 to 43.
Actress Alyson Hannigan and her partner Sasha Farber were the first on the dance floor with their Cha Cha to “You Belong With Me.” In her package, Hannigan explained she’s a huge Swiftie and wanted to nail her Cha Cha. While the judges overall admired her growth since week one, judge Bruno Tonioli explained she was “racing through it,” contributing to the couple’s score of 29 out of 40 points.
Vanderpump Rules reality star Ariana Madix and her partner Pasha Pashkov followed with their Rumba to “Cruel Summer.” Madix explained that she was dealing with some back pain this week due to the intense competition. Despite the pain, Madix pushed through and earned 37 out of 40 points.
Next up, Grammy winner Jason Mraz and his partner Daniella Karagach danced an Argentine Tango to “Don’t Blame Me.” Mraz’s package revealed that dropping toward the end of the leaderboard the previous week “was a real wakeup call.” Not wanting to go home, the couple worked extra hard this week. Luckily the hard work paid off, earning Mraz his first perfect score! Tonioli even complimented him saying, “Reputation restored! You are back with a massive hit!”
Too Hot To Handle star Harry Jowsey and Rylee Arnold were up next with their Rumba to “August.” Despite Jowsey’s continuous best efforts each week, the routine only earned the couple 30 out of 40 points.
Bachelorette star Charity Lawson and her partner Artem Chigvintsev danced next with their Argentine Tango to “Look What You Made Me Do.” Coming off of a successful week, Lawson explained that she wanted to keep the momentum going – and they did. The couple’s routine earned them 38 out of 40 points.
Actress Xochitl Gomez and her partner Val Chmerkovskiy had the last dance before the relay dances kicked off. The couple danced a Quickstep to “Paper Rings.” After receiving a perfect score the previous week, Gomez set her sights high for a repeat performance. After a basically flawless routine, judge Derek Hough explained, “I want to see you in the finals.” Yet, the couple’s score was just shy of a perfect score – earning 38 out of 40 points.
After catching a breath, the six couples prepared for the night’s relay dances – a segment where two couples take turns dancing to the same song, and the winning couple earning three additional points. The first relay dance was Madix and Pashkov versus Gomez and Chmerkovskiy. The couples danced a Viennese Waltz to “Lover.” After a tight call, the judges declared Gomez and Chmerkovskiy as the winners.
The next relay dance was Jowsey and Arnold versus Hannigan and Farber. The couples danced a Jive to “Shake It Off.” When the relay dance was over, the judges declared Hannigan and Farber as the winners.
The final relay was Mraz and Karagach versus Lawson and Chigvintsev. The couples danced a Cha Cha to “Lavender Haze.” Mraz and Karagach grabbed the final three points in the relay segment.
Regrouping after the relay, Mraz and Karagach topped the leaderboard with 43 points, while Jowsey and Arnold landed at the bottom with 30 points.
It was then time for the night’s elimination. Host Alfonso Ribeiro revealed that the Swifties weren’t playing around and that Tuesday’s show “had more votes than any other night this season.” Judges’ scores combined with viewer votes landed Lawson and Chigvintsev, Hannigan and Farber, and Jowsey and Arnold as the bottom three couples. It was then revealed that Jowsey and Arnold had been eliminated. (Finally!)
The DWTS semi-finals premieres Tuesday, November 28th. The competition is coming down to the wire, and with only five couples remaining, it’s anyone’s game. Who will make it to the finale? Tune in on Tuesday to find out!