The second week of “Dancing With the Stars” brought a mix of excitement and challenges for the contestants during Viral Hits Night. With only a week to prepare, many celebrities struggled to maintain the momentum from their debut performances.
Standout Performances Amidst Stumbles
This year’s Viral Hits Night featured routines from all 14 stars, each set to a popular song of their choice, including tracks like “All the Things She Said” and “Animal” by Katseye. While some contestants faltered, others shone brightly. Notably, Ezra Frech delivered a remarkable cha-cha to “Low” by Flo Rida, impressing both the judges and the audience. Frech, a paralympian, adapted his routine to accommodate his prosthetic, showcasing his talent with a standout performance that included impressive splits and energetic moves.
Judges were quick to praise Frech, with Carrie Ann Inaba exclaiming, “What the Frech, man! You demand us to watch and you demand excellence of yourself.” His performance tied him for the top score of the night, alongside Jenna Dewan and Amber Glenn, who also received high marks for their routines.
Elimination and Voting Records
The couple with the lowest combined votes and judges’ scores, Giada De Laurentiis and her partner Alan Bersten, were eliminated this week. De Laurentiis struggled with her salsa routine, which was described as shaky by the judges. In contrast, hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough announced that voting had surpassed 50 million, breaking records from the previous season.
Notable Routines and Judge Feedback
Jenna Dewan opened the night with a lively jive, earning praise for her energy and connection with partner Val Chmerkovskiy. Ciara Miller also made a strong comeback with a tango that impressed the judges, who noted her growth since the previous week. Meanwhile, Tyler Cameron’s salsa routine was critiqued for lacking technique, with Derek Hough suggesting it felt more like a cabaret performance than a traditional salsa.
Other performances included Tatyana Ali’s elegant foxtrot, which was described as “breathtaking” by Hough, and Amber Glenn’s tango, which received accolades for its difficulty and technique. The night concluded with a tease of upcoming themes, including Mariah Carey and yacht rock nights, as the competition heats up.
LEADERBOARD: Week 2
- Jenna Dewan & Val Chmerkovskiy: 21
- Ezra Frech & Daniella Karagach: 21
- Amber Glenn & Pasha Pashkov: 21
- Maura Higgins & Mark Ballas: 19
- Ciara Miller & Brandon Armstrong: 18
- Jackson Olson & Emma Slater: 18
- Tatyana Ali & Jan Ravnik: 18
- Harry Shum Jr. & Jenna Johnson: 18
- Tyler Cameron & Sharna Burgess: 16
- Julia Stiles & Ezra Sosa: 16
- Connor Wood & Rylee Arnold: 15
- Taylor Hanson & Britt Stewart: 15
- Giada De Laurentiis & Alan Bersten: 12
- Guillermo Rodriguez & Witney Carson: 12
Readers can also explore current and upcoming editions through the FAME Delivered magazine section.
