Dancing with the Stars skipped its usual elimination during Dedication Night on October 20, 2026, allowing all ten remaining couples to advance. Guest judge Kym Johnson joined the panel, while Alan Bersten stepped in for suspended pro Val Chmerkovskiy, and upcoming episodes bring a double elimination during Horror Movie Night.
Ten Couples Advance After Dedication Night Spares Every Contestant From Elimination
The ballroom turned deeply personal on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, as Dancing With the Stars returned for Dedication Night. Co-hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro teased throughout the evening that one couple would go home, but the night ended with a major twist when the hosts announced that all ten remaining contestants were safe.
No contestant was eliminated during the emotional episode, meaning every star advances directly to the next round. However, the reprieve is temporary. Judges’ scores and audience votes from the evening are carrying over to the following week, where a double elimination awaits during the upcoming Halloween-themed episode. This follows last week’s episode during Super Bowl Night, which ended the run of talk show personality, comedian, and Jimmy Kimmel sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez and his professional partner Witney Carson, who stayed at the bottom of the leaderboard with 22 points.
Previous eliminations this season have included Summer House star Ciara Miller, Hanson singer Taylor Hanson, Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Conner Leavitt, and Love Thy Nader star Sarah Jane Nader.
Top Scores and Emotional Tributes on the Ballroom Floor
Contestants delivered routines dedicated to influential people, memories, and places in their lives. Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov led the leaderboard with a score of 38 out of 40 for their contemporary routine to Breathe Me
by Sia, performed in honor of the Olympian gold medalist’s sister, Brooke.
Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach earned the first 10-point paddle of the season from guest judge Kym Johnson, finishing with 37 points for a contemporary routine dedicated to Ezra’s mother, Bahar. Other memorable routines brought unexpected guest stars into the choreography. Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik performed a Viennese waltz to (You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am
dedicated to the late James Avery, featuring an appearance by former DWTS winner and host Alfonso Ribeiro, who played Ali’s TV brother on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
.
Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa performed a contemporary routine dedicated to Stiles’ late co-star Heath Ledger, culminating in a reunion on the ballroom floor with cast members from 10 Things I Hate About You
, including Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gabrielle Union, Susan May Pratt, and Andrew Keegan. Additional routines included Jackson Olson performing a quickstep with Emma Slater dedicated to his mother Laura, Connor Wood dancing a Viennese waltz with Rylee Arnold dedicated to his father Pete after working to climb back up the leaderboard, and Maura Higgins performing a paso doble dedicated to Ireland with Mark Ballas and Irish step dancer Lochlan Lucky Howard.
| Celebrity and Partner | Dance | Dedication | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov | Contemporary | Sister, Brooke | 38/40 |
| Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach | Contemporary | Mother, Bahar | 37/40 |
| Jenna Dewan and Alan Bersten | Viennese waltz | Mother, Nancy | 37/40 |
| Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa | Contemporary | Heath Ledger | 36/40 |
| Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson | Foxtrot | Wife, Shelby | 36/40 |
| Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas | Paso Doble | Ireland | 35/40 |
| Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik | Viennese waltz | James Avery | 32/40 |
| Jackson Olson and Emma Slater | Quickstep | Mother, Laura | 32/40 |
| Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold | Viennese waltz | Father, Pete | 32/40 |
| Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess | Contemporary | Mothers | 32/40 |
Val Chmerkovskiy Receives Suspension Following Social Media Post
Behind-the-scenes drama preceded the broadcast following comments made by professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy regarding judge Carrie Ann Inaba. Chmerkovskiy received a one-week suspension from BBC Studios over a since-deleted social media post referencing Will Smith’s Oscar slap while defending his wife, Jenna Johnson, against Inaba’s critiques during the previous week’s Super Bowl Night. Chmerkovskiy had posted a TikTok story stating that people almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom, leading Inaba to respond on Instagram before production announced the disciplinary action.
The well-being of everyone who works on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ is non-negotiable.
BBC Studios, via The Hollywood Reporter
With Chmerkovskiy sitting out the episode, Alan Bersten stepped in to partner with Jenna Dewan for their Viennese waltz. Meanwhile, Val Chmerkovskiy released an apology.
Shirley Ballas Joins Panel for Horror Movie Night
The ten remaining couples will return to the ballroom on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 8 p.m. ET for Horror Movie Night. Guest judge Shirley Ballas will join the panel for the Halloween-themed broadcast. Because no contestants were sent home during Dedication Night, production confirmed that two celebrities will be eliminated at the conclusion of next week’s episode.
Will the double elimination next week undo the safety net that kept every couple in the competition?
