‘Dancing With the Stars’ Episode 4: A Powerful Tribute Gets Season’s Highest Score (RECAP)

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Season 29, Episode 4 of Dancing With the Stars.]

And then there were 12.

On Monday, October 5, the remaining celebrity-pro dancer pairs on Dancing With the Stars hit the dance floor to popular songs in hopes of winning over judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli and viewers. But who will make it to another week of Season 29?

After last week’s Disney Night, this week sees stars sharing emotional stories about exceptional people in their lives. Below, we’re breaking down the dances and the scores. Read on to find out who impressed and who was eliminated.

Nelly’s dance to “All I Do is Win” by DJ Khalid (Paso Doble)

With pro Daniella Karagach pushing the rapper to give a “breakout” dance as the judges want, and he impresses the judges. However, it doesn’t seem as smooth as previous weeks and he seems very conscious of some of his moves. Bruno advises him to “refine the artistry, especially in the shaping.”

Score: With sevens from all three judges, Nelly and Daniella score 21 out of 30.

Chrishell Stause’s dance to “Adore You” by Harry Styles (Foxtrot)

In her pre-dance package, Chrishell discusses freezing her eggs and wanting to have kids. She then glides across the dance floor and we can see the connection she has with pro Gleb Savchenko. She does stumble at one point, but it’s only a momentary distraction from the overall performance. Derek admits to having missed the stumble and notes she looked more “comfortable” in what he calls her best dance yet.

Score: With sevens from Carrie Ann and Bruno and an eight from Derek, Chrishell and Gleb receive a 22 out of 30.

Monica Aldama’s dance to “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus (Samba)

After asking her partner Val Chmerkovskiy to be a little more empathetic as she struggles to be the student instead of the coach, Monica takes the dance floor for an energetic performance. And it shows that they’re working better together. Carrie Ann notes just that, saying, “it made the dancing so much better.” And for Derek and Bruno, it was a “proper” and “pure” samba.

Score: With eights across the board, they score 24 out of 30, their highest score.

Anne Heche’s dance to “Rise” by Katy Perry (Paso Doble)

Before her dance, Anne speaks of her relationship with Ellen DeGeneres and taking her to a movie premiere, knowing it would affect her career. And she certainly rises in her dance with pro Keo Motsepe this week. It’s full of purposeful movements throughout, and Derek says she felt more “sturdy … on your feet [and] in control.” Bruno calls her “the multi-colored warrior, strong and proud and stands for what she believes,” but does note a problem with balance.

Score: With sevens from all three, Anne and Keo receive a 21 out of 30.

Nev Schulman’s dance to “Because You Loved Me” by Celine Dion (Rumba)

In a dance dedicated to his wife, Nev and pro Jenna Johnson remain one of the consistent pairs when they hit the floor, though it’s not as flashy as previous weeks. “You’re so in tune,” Bruno tells the two.  Carrie Anne thinks Nev is standing out as someone to keep an eye on.

Score: They score 24 out of 30, with three eights.

Justina Machado’s dance to “Que Viva La Vida” by Wisin (Salsa)

With pro Sasha Farber, the One Day at a Time star pays tribute to her grandmother, who died in 2006. As always, she has lots of energy when she dances, and what stands out about her is how much fun she’s having every week, no matter the dance or song. Carrie Ann tells her she got the judges all up on their feet for the first time this season. “You have so much charisma,” Derek says, which “comes from within you,” and for him, it’s entertaining to watch her because “it’s so authentic.”

Score: Justina and Sasha also score 24 out of 30.

Kaitlyn Bristowe’s dance to “Beautiful Crazy” by Luke Combs (Viennese Waltz)

In her pre-dance package, the former Bachelorette speaks about meeting boyfriend Jason Tartick on her podcast. With pro Artem Chigvintsev, she remains a delight on the dance floor and looks comfortable. “It’s just so elegant, so effortless,” Derek says, and Bruno mentions the “flexibility in [her] back and arm” and her ability to “link all the movement with such grace.”

Score: Kaitlyn and Artem receive the first nine of the season, from Carrie Ann, and eights from Derek and Bruno, leaving them with a 25 out of 30.

Johnny Weir’s dance to “Crocodile Rock” by Elton John (Jive)

Johnny and his partner Britt Stewart are very light on their feet and never slow throughout the entire performance to Elton John, a favorite of his mother’s. Bruno says he was “sharp” as well as light on his feet, and for Derek, Johnny “opened up [and] let us in.”

Score: With three eights, Johnny and Britt score 24 out of 30.

Jeannie Mai’s dance to “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes (Tango)

With her mother her toughest critic, The Real co-host and pro Brandon Armstrong perform to her “fight song” show why you shouldn’t bet against them (unlike her mother in a betting pool). There is a misstep and a wobble at the end during the pose (as Carrie Ann mentions), but Derek calls out her spot-on focus and attitude.

Score: All three judges give them sevens, for a score of 21 out of 30.

Vernon Davis’ dance to “Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green (Rumba)

Vernon dedicates his performance to his grandmother, who raised him and his six siblings. He and pro Peta Murgatroyd continue to show their connection, but while they’re good together, it is a bit awkward, especially in his hands, when they’re apart. (Derek does tell him to watch his hands and arms, and Bruno offers advice.) For Carrie Ann, what’s special about him is how he understands “momentum.”

Score: With an eight from Carrie Ann and sevens from Derek and Bruno, Vernon and Peta receive a 22 out of 30.

Jesse Metcalfe’s dance to “Smooth” by Santana featuring Rob Thomas (Cha Cha)

With pro Sharna Burgess, the actor aims to make adjustments after the judges’ previous comments and bring some of the freedom he gets from driving to the dance floor. He lives up to the song title from the start of the performance, and it’s his best of the season, but he still has a few areas to improve, as the judges have some notes for him. “You almost had the timing, but you forgot the hips,” Bruno says, while Carrie Ann wants to see the “easiness” she does in the packages but not on the dance floor.

Score: Jesse and Sharna score 21 out of 30, with three sevens.

Skai Jackson’s dance to “Ordinary People” by John Legend (Foxtrot)

The Disney Channel star paid tribute to her Jessie costar Cameron Boyce (who died in 2019). She and partner Alan Bersten perform a beautiful, elegant, and sweet dance, one that touches the judges, especially Carrie Ann. “You were like an angel dancing the most beautiful dance,” she says. “It was just sheer perfection.” It’s Derek’s favorite of the night, and Bruno calls it “the embodiment of grace and elegance” and says “the poise was literally regal.”

Score: Skai and Alan receive the first 10 of the season, from Carrie Ann, and nines from Derek and Bruno, giving them 28 out of 30.

AJ McLean’s dance to “Larger Than Life” by Backstreet Boys (Cha Cha)

The rest of the Backstreet Boys perform virtually as AJ pays tribute to them, but because of that, at one point (specifically when partner Cheryl Burke is standing in the wings), it feels more like a concert than a DWTS dance. (That’s not necessarily a complaint.) This dance does feel more like AJ (as bandmate Nick Carter requests), with pyrotechnics and big moves. Both Derek and Bruno advise AJ to work on his footwork, but the latter still thinks it was a “winner” of a performance” and Carrie Ann calls him a “natural entertainer.”

Score: With three eights, they receive a score of 24 out of 30.

Results

After combining the scores and fans’ votes, the celebrities in the bottom two are Anne Heche and Monica Aldama. (There’s an error in the control room, and Monica is declared safe at first.) Carrie Ann saves Monica (after seeing improvement in both). Derek also picks Monica. Anne Heche and Keo are eliminated.

Is your favorite still competing?

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