‘Dancing With the Stars’ couples confront their fears on the ballroom floor with 'Halloween Nightmares' night
The remaining couples proved that even fear has its own rhythm.
Contestants brought their deepest fears to life on Dancing With the Stars Tuesday night for the show’s “Halloween Nightmares” theme.
Transforming the ballroom into a haunted dance floor is no easy feat. Choreographer Connor Gallagher told Yahoo Entertainment that it demands plenty of imagination and a lot of body language.
“It’s less an expression of joy and more of an embodiment of these creatures of the night that we know and love,” said Gallagher, best known for his work on Broadway’s Beetlejuice.
Capturing the spirit of Halloween through dance is “rooted in something that feels like how the dead would move,” Gallagher explained. “There’s a lot of ghoulish, angular lines, a lot of goblins and herky-jerky movements — things we associate with ghosts or bodies that have been living in the ground.”
In the episode, the pairs brought their personal nightmares to life, from snakes and creepy dolls to vampires and the boogeyman. While these themes sound creepy, Gallagher believes balancing fright with a sense of humor is key.
“You can put fake paint on people and say they’re dead, but ultimately what sells it is an approach that feels celebratory and in on the joke,” he said.
The night began with the pros delivering a group number to Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s “Murder on the Dancefloor,” followed later by a witchy routine set to “The Ballad Of The Witches’ Road (Sacred Chant Version)” from Disney+’s Agatha All Along.
Danny Amendola and his partner Witney Carson channeled Amendola’s fear of snakes with a performance to “Poison” by RAVN. Judge Bruno Tonioli said the routine was “so intoxicating [that] I need an antidote!”
Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson earned an impressive 29 points for their routine to “Ramalama (Bang Bang)” by Róisín Murphy, inspired by his fear of ventriloquist dolls. Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold took on “I Ran (So Far Away)” by Hidden Citizens, channeling Nedoroscik’s fear of the dark.
Despite earning their highest score yet, 28 points for a routine to Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire,” Jenn Tran and partner Sasha Farber were sent home, bringing their seven-week journey on the dance floor to an end.
Dwight Howard and Daniella Karagach gave a haunting performance to “Ring Around The Rosie” by District 78, inspired by his fear of the boogeyman. The routine featured an impressive lift, leaving both dancers visibly emotional.
“We had a tough week, and we got through it together,” Howard said, acknowledging his partner’s support. Their efforts earned praise from judge Carrie Ann Inaba, who complimented the NBA star’s “artistry and commitment to every single move.”
Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten tangoed to Miley Cyrus’s “Psycho Killer,” while Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong performed a Viennese waltz to “Secret” by Denmark + Winter, bringing Kinney’s fear of creepy dolls to life.
The night concluded with the return of dance-offs, where couples faced off two at a time, performing the same style simultaneously.
Howard, Tran and Graziadei each earned three points from their respective dance-off wins. Kinney was exempt from the dance-off for having the highest cumulative score last week, earning her three bonus points Tuesday night.
Halloween nightmares can be chilling, Gallagher said, but ultimately the night was about celebrating fears, which makes them a little less terrifying.
“This isn’t a world we know,” he said. “We haven’t spent time in the underworld or another realm, so we’re all experiencing it from a celebratory point of view. That’s what’s fun about it.”
Dancing With the Stars is off the week of Nov. 4. It returns for its 500th episode celebration Nov. 12 on ABC at 8 p.m. ET.
How did the stars perform?
Judges: Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli
Jenn Tran and pro Sasha Farber: Eliminated
Dance: Contemporary
Song: “Vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo
Nightmare: Vampires
Score: Carrie Ann 10, Derek 9, Bruno 9
Total: 31 (+3 for the dance-off)
Chandler Kinney and pro Brandon Armstrong: Safe
Dance: Viennese waltz
Song: “Secret” by Denmark + Winter
Nightmare: Creepy dolls
Score: Carrie Ann 9, Derek 10, Bruno 10
Total: 32 (+ 3 from last week)
Joey Graziadei and pro Jenna Johnson: Safe
Dance: Argentine tango
Song: “Ramalama (Bang Bang)” by Róisín Murphy
Nightmare: Ventriloquist dolls
Score: Carrie Ann 10, Derek 9, Bruno 10
Total: 32 (+ 3 for the dance-off)
Dwight Howard and pro Daniella Karagach: Safe
Dance: Contemporary
Song: “Ring Around The Rosie” by District 78 featuring Natalia Lillee
Nightmare: The boogeyman
Score: Carrie Ann 10, Derek 9, Bruno 9
Total: 31 (+3 for the dance-off)
Danny Amendola and pro Witney Carson: Safe
Dance: Argentine tango
Song: “Poison” by RAVN
Nightmare: Snakes
Score: Carrie Ann 10, Derek 9, Bruno 9
Total: 28
Stephen Nedoroscik and pro Rylee Arnold: Safe
Dance: Contemporary
Song: “I Ran (So Far Away)” by Hidden Citizens
Nightmare: The dark
Score: Carrie Ann 10, Derek 9, Bruno 9
Total: 28
Ilona Maher and pro Alan Bersten: Safe
Dance: Tango
Song: “Psycho Killer” by Miley Cyrus
Nightmare: Psycho killers
Score: Carrie Ann 8, Derek 8, Bruno 8
Total: 24
Who’s been eliminated so far?
Week 2: Anna Delvey and Ezra Sosa; Tori Spelling and Pasha Pashkov
Week 4: Reginald VelJohnson and Emma Slater; Eric Roberts and Britt Stewart
Week 5: Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko
Week 6: Phaedra Parks and Val Chmerkovskiy
Week 7: Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber