A Halftime Show in the Ballroom

The ballroom took on an athletic energy during the October 13-14, 2026 broadcast of Dancing with the Stars. For its first-ever Super Bowl Night, season 35 traded traditional ballroom atmospheres for a sports-themed broadcast format. Couples paid homage to unforgettable musical acts from past big games, dancing to hits originally performed by artists like Bad Bunny, Shakira, Usher, and Lady Gaga The Hollywood Reporter. This thematic shift served as an early preview for what fans can expect in February 2027, when Super Bowl LXI airs across ABC and ESPN Page Six.

Adding to the gridiron crossover, ABC's Monday Night Football commentator Joe Buck stepped in as the season's first guest judge The Hollywood Reporter. Buck joined regular judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli, giving couples a chance to rake in extra points—and occasional friction—as the competition narrows Page Six. The judges' panel also welcomed appearances from NFL stars and past Dancing with the Stars winners and contestants, including Emmitt Smith, Donald Driver, DeMarcus Ware, and Danny Amendola The Hollywood Reporter.

The Elimination and Leaderboard Standings

At the end of the night, the combination of judges' scores and viewer votes resulted in the departure of Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson. The Jimmy Kimmel Live! star and his pro partner performed a salsa to Bad Bunny's Tití Me Preguntó, which landed at the bottom of the leaderboard with a score of 22 out of 40 The Hollywood Reporter. Following his exit, Rodriguez reflected positively on the experience, stating, I had a lot of fun, it was great. Witney, thank you for teaching me how to dance! The Hollywood Reporter. Carson similarly praised Rodriguez for making the season enjoyable and for taking care of her and her unborn baby throughout their time on the show Page Six.

Meanwhile, the rest of the roster faced intense competition as they fought to avoid the danger zone. While Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess found themselves in danger of going home following their jazz routine to the Black Eyed Peas' The Time (Dirty Bit), they ultimately survived to compete another week Page Six.

At the opposite end of the scoring spectrum, two couples climbed to the top of the leaderboard with matching high scores of 36 out of 40 The Hollywood Reporter:

  • Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy earned all nines for a Paso Doble set to Lady Gaga's Bad Romance The Hollywood Reporter.
  • Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach matched the top score with a salsa to Nelly's Hot in Herre The Hollywood Reporter.

Other notable performances included Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov scoring a 34 out of 40 for their samba to Mi Gente, and multiple couples—including Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas, Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa, and Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson—securing 33s The Hollywood Reporter. However, Harry and Jenna's samba to Usher's Yeah! sparked debate on the panel when Carrie Ann Inaba penalized them for a lift, creating a contentious moment regarding the show's technical rules The Hollywood Reporter.

Signal Versus Noise in the Ballroom

While high-concept theme nights generate heavy online engagement and spike search interest regarding who heads home, they also introduce unique scoring dynamics. Guest judges like Joe Buck can alter traditional scoring spreads by injecting outside perspectives, though overall placement still heavily relies on fan voting windows that close shortly after the East Coast broadcast The Hollywood Reporter. Viewers tracking the competition should note that past eliminations—such as the surprising exit of Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong during Mariah Carey Night—demonstrate that sustained public support is just as vital as avoiding the bottom of the judges' table The Hollywood Reporter.

As season 35 moves forward, remaining contestants including Tatyana Ali, Jackson Olson, and Connor Wood continue fighting to secure the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy The Hollywood Reporter. Hosts and producers are already looking ahead to the next installment, with Alfonso Ribeiro announcing that former pro dancer Kym Johnson will join the judges' panel for the upcoming Dedication Night episode The Hollywood Reporter.