Jenna Dewan Ties for Top Score on Mariah Carey Night of DWTS
Matched the season’s frontrunners with a score of 24 during Dancing With the Stars’ Mariah Carey night. Her performance moved her to the top of the leaderboard…
Jenna Dewan reached the top of the leaderboard for the first time on Dancing With the Stars after a standout performance during Mariah Carey night. The Rookie star earned a score of 24, tying her with Ezra Frech and Harry Shum Jr. as the season 35 competition moved from 12 celebrity contenders to 11.
The result marked a sharp turnaround for Dewan, whose professional partner, Val Chmerkovskiy, had described their rehearsal feedback from judges as “conflicting commentary.” Judge Derek Hough praised her progress after the dance: “All I have to say is, 'There she is,'” he said. “Jenna Dewan has entered the ballroom.”
That was the breakthrough. Dewan joined two established frontrunners at the top, while Maura Higgins set the night’s highest score with 25 alongside professional partner Mark Ballas.
Jenna Dewan joins the frontrunners
The Tuesday episode was the show’s first theme night dedicated to Mariah Carey. Dewan’s score matched Frech, a Paralympian, and Harry Shum Jr., an actor from Grey’s Anatomy. Frech performed an emotional rumba with Daniella Karagach, while Shum danced a tango with Jenna Johnson to “It's Like That.”
Frech joked about messages he receives from fans through Karagach, saying some send her their “love life résumés.” Before his routine, judge Carrie Ann Inaba told him, “Your DMs are about to go through the charts.” He earned 24 points.
Shum also scored 24. His performance featured a live track sung by Amber Riley, his Glee co-star and a former Dancing With the Stars winner, according to the recap published by Yahoo Entertainment.
Dewan’s tie puts her among the leading performers after the judges’ comments had left her and Chmerkovskiy dealing with what he called mixed feedback in rehearsal. Hough’s response made the change plain: the judges saw a stronger performance, and Dewan moved to the top of the leaderboard for the first time.
Higgins takes the night’s highest score
Higgins and Ballas earned 25 for their waltz to “If It's Over,” the highest score reported for the cast that night. Inaba said she was emotional because the performance was so good and described it as “artistry in motion.”
Ciara Miller also received praise. Judges Inaba and Bruno Tonioli called her jazz routine with Brandon Armstrong her best yet, awarding the pair 21, their highest score.
Tyler Cameron dedicated his foxtrot with Sharna Burgess to his late mother. During rehearsals, he said, “You can have everything going for you and just like that it can be taken away.” Inaba told him afterward, “I am absolutely sure that your mother is proud of you right now.” Cameron and Burgess earned 21.
The episode followed a previous elimination that the recap said surprised viewers: Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart were sent home after a week in which 13 couples entered the ballroom for Yacht Rock Night and only 12 remained. The latest episode began with 12 celebrity contenders; the competition narrowed to 11.
At the top of the Mariah Carey night leaderboard, Higgins had 25, while Dewan, Frech and Shum each scored 24.
Source: yahoo.com
