Dancing With the Stars eliminated two couples, Jackson Olson and Emma Slater alongside Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess, during the Oct. 27 Horror Movie Night. The episode also featured the season’s first perfect score, awarded to Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson, and marked the ballroom return of Val Chmerkovskiy.
Double Elimination Following Horror Movie Night
The competition tightened significantly on Tuesday as Dancing With the Stars cut two teams from the roster. Following a week where no contestants were sent home, the show conducted a double elimination based on the combined judges’ scores and audience votes from both Dedication Night and the Oct. 27 Horror Movie Night. The remaining couples will continue to compete in season 35, which airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC and Disney+, with streaming available the following day on Hulu.
Jackson Olson and his partner Emma Slater were sent home after the combined totals from the two-week period left them at the bottom of the standings. Following his elimination, Olson remarked on his experience, noting that he had created multiple videos expressing his desire to join the show before being selected. He added, I got on it, and I got the most amazing partner in Emma.
Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess were also eliminated after finishing with a combined score of 58 out of 80. During the Horror Movie Night broadcast, Cameron performed a Viennese waltz to Love Song by a Vampire.
While judge Derek Hough noted he was impressed by the way the tall contestant could move, he advised Cameron to continue working on his frame.
Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson Earn Season’s First Perfect Score
Their contemporary dance to “Toxic” by 2WEI, inspired by the film Saw, set them apart as the leaderboard leaders for the evening. Other high-performing pairs included Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy, as well as Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold, who both earned scores of 37 out of 40.
The night featured a variety of horror-themed performances. Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach earned 35 out of 40 for their jazz routine inspired by The Invisible Man, with judge Bruno Tonioli labeling Frech a shape-shifting fiend.
Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov received a 36 out of 40 for their Black Swan-inspired Argentine tango, drawing praise from guest judge Shirley Ballas for their use of the dance floor and Glenn’s skating-influenced grace.
Shirley Ballas Judges Horror Episode as Val Chmerkovskiy Returns
Shirley Ballas joined the judges’ panel for the horror-themed episode, providing rigorous feedback. She was notably critical of the technical aspects of the routines, awarding both Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa, and Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik, scores of 4 out of 10, even as other judges provided higher marks. Ballas described the routine performed by Stiles and Sosa as “powerful” but suggested the pair focus on their pivoting technique.
The episode also marked the return of Val Chmerkovskiy to the ballroom following a one-week suspension. The competition continues to move forward, with the remaining celebrities—including Tatyana Ali, Jenna Dewan, Ezra Frech, Amber Glenn, Maura Higgins, Harry Shum Jr., Julia Stiles, and Connor Wood—preparing for Disney Night on Nov. 2, which will feature Cynthia Erivo as a guest judge.
Financial Context of the Competition
While ABC has not publicly confirmed specific salary figures, industry reporting from 2019 suggested that contestants typically receive $125,000 for the rehearsal period and the first two weeks of the show. According to these reports, the pay scale is structured to increase as contestants advance, with some participants earning approximately $10,000 to $20,000 per episode as they progress.
