On Week 3 of “Dancing with the Stars,” all of our favorite stars and pros took a trip down to Motown, giving them the chance to show off some heart, some soul, and a whole lot of dancing.
We “Heard It Through the Grapevine” that Motown Night was going to be a big one, and between the dancing and the drama, it didn’t disappoint. We got to say hello to this season’s first guest judge, “Good Morning America” host Michael Strahan. We saw our season’s highest scores yet, taking pairs to new heights on the leaderboard. And we even saw another devastating elimination, so be sure to “Say a Little Prayer” that your fave couple wasn’t sent home!
In case you missed last night’s episode, we’ve rounded up the best (and danciest) performances of the night. So let’s get right to it.
Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach: Jive
Singer Jason and partner Daniella came in hot with the second jive of the season, and they had the right energy to make it something special. Daniella’s choreography was everything we expect it to be at this point—fun, creative, and full of content. We even had the chance to see Jason whip out a cartwheel, and who doesn’t love a little acro?
The jive is one of the hardest dances for stars new to ballroom, and it showed just a little in Jason’s performance. (We would have liked to see slightly cleaner footwork, and pointed toes, please!) But we’ll “Stop! In the Name of Love,” because we did love his dancing last night. The judges did too, giving Jason and Daniella two 8s and two 9s, for a total 24 out of 40 possible points.
Ariana Madix and Pasha Pashkov: Quickstep
Ariana and Pasha gave us a quickstep that just wouldn’t quit. Even a foot injury (yes, that’s why the star was wearing sneakers instead of ballroom-issue heels) couldn’t stop the pair from delivering a polished, effortless performance.
Ariana really came into her own on Motown Night, absolutely acing the footwork and maintaining her hold throughout. The judges seemed to think so too, giving Ariana and Pasha two 8s and two 9s, for a total 24 out of 40, placing the pair at the top of the leaderboard.
Xochitl Gomez and Valentin Chmerkovskiy: Foxtrot
We love watching star Xochitl perform. Week after week, she brings her total enthusiasm to the ballroom, and after all, what’s more enjoyable than watching someone really have fun out there on the dance floor?
This week’s foxtrot was no exception, with Xochitl and Val demonstrating all of the elegance and grace characteristic to the style, along with a generous helping of fun. We’re still waiting for Xochitl’s breakout performance, but we’re sure to see it within the next few weeks.
The judges gave the dancing duo 8s across the board, for a total 32 out of 40 possible points.
As Motown Night drew to a close, the judges had to decide which couple would be sent packing. Celebs Tyson Beckford, Harry Jowsey, and Alyson Hannigan ended up at the bottom of the leaderboard, putting them all at risk of being eliminated. In the end, the judges decided to send home Tyson Beckford and professional Jenna Johnson.
