‘DWTS’ Season 35 Week 4 sends home a fan favorite as Maura Higgins earns top score on Mariah Carey Night
'Dancing With The Stars' Season 35 returned with some iconic Mariah Carey tunes. The 12 remaining couples put their best foot forward to get one step closer to the precious Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. This week, some finally got their breakthrough moment, while others faltered under pressure. The night kicked off with the pros and troupe members delivering a fantastic performance to Carey's 'Heartbreaker.' Hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough then introduced the contestants and explained the voting rules. Voting lines were open for all couples throughout the episode.
The breakout star of the night was undoubtedly Maura Higgins. The reality star's package started with her sharing how surprised she was to get an 8 last week. Her pro partner, Mark, stated that maybe if things were different, she could have become a "dance star." The duo performed a mesmerizing waltz to 'If It’s Over.' Carrie Ann Inaba got emotional watching the performance, claiming she was "transported" to "another world." “That was just a classic waltz,” said Derek. He appreciated the "pure ballroom dancing," and Bruno Tonioli noted that the musicality was “out of this world.” Carrie gave Maura the first 9 of the season, and along with Bruno and Derek's scores, she scored a whopping 25 out of 30.
It is safe to say that while Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson have won the hearts of the entire nation, they haven't found much success on the leaderboard. The duo performed a samba to 'Obsessed,' and Derek noted that the routine was 100% Guillermo but was not a typical samba. “But it was still a lot of fun. We love you,” he added. Bruno said the dance was “beyond critique.” Carrie, though, put forward some concerns. She felt that Guillermo was "dimming his light" during the dance. “I don’t ever want you to dim your light because you are special and you have a natural gift we need,” she said. Carrie and Derek gave the duo 4s, while Bruno went one up with a five, bringing their total to 13.
Jackson Olson and Emma Slater were the next duo to take the stage. The birthday boy and his pro partner were determined to improve this week, and gave it their all on the dance floor. They performed a waltz to 'Without You.' Bruno was mighty impressed and noted that Jackson “actually owned the music” and was “with the music.” Carrie was elated to see him getting more comfortable. “Makes me happy to see you tapping into the love of dance,” she said. Derek also loved the routine, but critiqued Olson's shoulder positioning. All three judges gave them a seven, bringing their total to 21. After the scores and votes were locked in, the couples in the bottom three were Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong, Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson, and Jackson Olson and Emma Slater. To many fans' disappointment, Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong were ultimately eliminated. 'Dancing with the Stars' Season 35 continues to air live on ABC and Disney+ every Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT.
