Who was eliminated on 'DWTS' tonight? Season 35's Yacht Rock night ends with fan favorite's exit
'Dancing With the Stars' returned with 13 couples taking the stage during Week 3. This week's theme was Yacht Rock, a genre that co-host Alfonso Ribeiro described as "a smooth blend of ‘70s and ‘80s soft rock, blue-eyed soul, and absolutely no sense of urgency.” This marked the first time the show featured a Yacht Rock-themed night in its run. “This week the ballroom has gone completely nautical!” Alfonso said. “Each of our stars will be dancing to the relaxing sounds of mellow pop, smooth jazz, disco, and R&B.” Every couple put their best foot forward, with several standing out for their impressive moves and undeniable chemistry.
The couples that shone brightly this week were Amber and Pasha, Harry and Jenna, and Maura and Mark. Amber and Pasha opened the night with a foxtrot to Toto's 'Hold the Line.' During rehearsals, the figure skater shared that the song spoke to her. However, things went south when she injured Sasha in the face during practice. “I’ve never been the cause of physical pain like that before,” she told the cameras after the accident. “I don’t know how to deal right now because I just want to wrap him in bubble wrap.” Fortunately, the injury didn't deter them, and the judges were in awe. “The ice queen does it again!” said judge Derek Hough. “You turn this ballroom into your own personal ice rink, just gliding across that floor,” he added. Carrie Ann Inaba appreciated Amber's growth and called the dance "poetic." The couple scored three 8s from the judges.
Harry and Jenna left everything on the floor with a stunning jive to 'You Make My Dreams (Come True)' by Hall & Oates. Bruno Tonioli called the performance "theatrical" and the jive "very, very good." Carrie was also very impressed, and said, “You guys were so in sync with each other, and that was a hard jive because it was slow.” The couple earned three 8s, bringing their total score to 24.
Mark and Maura became the frontrunners in Week 1 but slipped a bit in Week 2. Maura confessed that the "pressure" got to her. The duo took on a quickstep routine to 'Turn Your Love Around' by George Benson in Week 3. In the rehearsal, Mark asked her to act like a swan, elegant but fast. The pair covered the whole stage with their moves, and Derek called the performance a masterclass in "elegance." Bruno was also impressed with Maura's stance, calling her frame similar to Audrey Hepburn's and equating her footwork to Ginger Rogers. Carrie loved how she "expanded" her top line. The couple earned 7s from Carrie and Derek, while Bruno scored them an 8. Their total score was 22 out of 30.
In the end, three couples landed in the bottom three: Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson, Jackson Olson and Emma Slater, and Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart. However, 'Jimmy Kimmel' and 'Savannah Bananas' fans pulled through, and Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart headed home.
