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Who Was Eliminated On ‘Dancing With The Stars?’ 20th Birthday Party Recap And Scores

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Dancing With the Stars honored its 20th anniversary with a star-studded celebration on Tuesday night. The milestone episode featured returning winners and pros, the comeback of the Relay Race Challenge and multiple couples earning perfect scores.

The quarterfinals kicked off with a spectacular opening number, choreographed by Derek Hough, to a reimagined live version of the “Dancing with the Stars Theme” by Ray Chew. The routine featured current pros and troupe, as well as six original pros from the first season, including Louis van Amstel, Charlotte Jorgensen, Ashly DelGrosso and more.

Tom Bergeron, who hosted dance competition from 2005 to 2019, made his grand return to the ballroom after exiting the show in Season 28. He served as a special guest and guest judge during the 20th anniversary episode alongside Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli.

ForbesHere Are The ‘Dancing With The Stars’ 20th Birthday Party Songs, Dances And TwistsBy Monica Mercuri

There was also a touching tribute to DWTS performers and judges who’ve passed away over the years, featuring an emotional number to “Always Remember Us This Way” by Lady Gaga, choreographed and performed by Ezra Sosa and Rylee Arnold.

In the first round, the seven remaining couples performed a new style to a song inspired by an iconic freestyle routine from past seasons. In the second part of the evening, the pairs competed in the Relay Dance Challenge to earn bonus points added to their overall scores.

Keep reading to find out what happened during the 20th anniversary episode, including the judges’ scores and commentary, the results of the Relay Dance Challenge and which couple was unfortunately sent home.

Dancing With the Stars Season 34 20th Birthday Party Scores

Elaine Hendrix And Alan Bersten

Scores: 36/40 (Carrie Ann 9, Derek 9, Tom 9, Bruno 9)

Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten performed a Salsa to “It Takes Two” by Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock.

“That was really good,” Tom started, while Bruno added, “That’s how you get the party started!” Carrie Ann said their dance was a fantastic way to start the night and praised Elaine’s resiliency following her injury. Derek concluded by calling her a “sizzling salsa queen.” He called out her impressive spins and reminded the audience that we’re in the quarterfinals.

Robert Irwin And Witney Carson

Scores: 40/40 (Carrie Ann 10, Derek 10, Tom 10, Bruno 10)

Robert Irwin and Witney Carson performed a Foxtrot to “Footprints in the Sand” by Leona Lewis.

Bruno began by saying the routine was a beautiful, poetic, and touching tribute that moved everyone. Although Carrie Ann noticed a lift, she said it didn’t matter because the dance was so powerful and profound. Derek added that he felt honored to be part of the Irwin story, noting that Robert is this generation’s “beacon of joy and enthusiasm.” Tom mentioned that the last time he saw Robert, he was 11, and now he’s grown into a star.

They earned the first perfect score of Season 34.

Andy Richter And Emma Slater

Scores: 29/40 (Carrie Ann 8, Derek 7, Tom 7, Bruno 7)

Andy Richter and Emma Slater performed a Quickstep to “Puttin’ on the Ritz” by Robbie Williams.

Carrie Ann said it was a great honor to watch Andy show up week after week and noted that he’s turning into a dancer. Derek told Andy he did it and moved across the floor with flair and charm. Tom added that the late judge Len Goodman would have loved his quickstep. Bruno concluded the commentary by saying that Andy’s quickstep was “quick” and had “plenty of steps.”

Dylan Efron And Daniella Karagach

Scores: 40/40 (Carrie Ann 10, Derek 10, Tom 10, Bruno 10)

Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach performed an Argentine Tango to “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers.

Derek began by saying the routine marked Dylan’s breakthrough moment of the season, praising his “astonishing” improvement and effortless lifts. Tom added that if this were his first time watching the show, he would have thought Dylan was a pro. Bruno said Dylan wasn’t just dancing tonight — he was starring. Carrie Ann concluded by saying that Dylan’s journey has been outstanding and that he took the crown for the best Argentine tango.

They got the second perfect score of the season.

Jordan Chiles And Ezra Sosa

Scores: 37/40 (Carrie Ann 9, Derek 10, Tom 9, Bruno 9)

Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa performed a Cha Cha to “Get Up” by Ciara featuring Chamillionaire.

Tom quipped that maintenance should turn up the air conditioning because it was getting really hot in there. Bruno jumped in, saying that Jordan brought sexy back to the cha-cha. Carrie Ann noted that the dance was a little wild at times and that Jordan’s shoulders kept rising throughout the routine. Derek added that he loved the texture, pivots and lifts in the performance.

Alix Earle And Val Chmerkovskiy

Scores: 40/40 (Carrie Ann 10, Derek 10, Tom 10, Bruno 10)

Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy performed a Foxtrot to “Singin’ in the Rain” by Matthew Morrison.

Bruno said, “I think I entered ballroom heaven,” before adding, “This is how you do it!” He praised her for capturing the class, beauty, glamour, and sophistication of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Carrie Ann agreed with everything Bruno said, noting that Alix completely let herself go in the performance. Derek called the foxtrot clean, classic, and smooth, describing it as flawless. Tom said their dance gave him goosebumps and added that it was more than a dance — it was a chemistry class.

They were the third couple to get all 10s tonight.

Whitney Leavitt And Mark Ballas

Scores: 40/40 (Carrie Ann 10, Derek 10, Tom 10, Bruno 10)

Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas performed an Argentine Tango to “Cell Block Tango” from “Chicago The Musical.”

Carrie Ann asked what Whitney is doing after the show because she wants to be her biggest fan and follow her everywhere. She added that the dance was incredibly passionate and precise. Derek said the routine was dripping with elegance and control, praising the technique, musicality, and theatrics. Tom said he was so swept away that Derek had to remind him to lock in his score. Bruno concluded by saying the dance was driven by passion and called her the best dancer of the night.

They earned the fourth perfect score of the evening.

What Were The 2025 Relay Dance Challenge Results?

In the Relay Dance Challenge, two couples were given the same song. The first pair performed the first half, and the second couple finished the second half. Then, the judges determined a winner for each relay and awarded two bonus points to the winning couples.

Instead of teaming up with their professional partners, they were paired with returning Mirrorball champions. Check out the results below.

Jordan Chiles and Apolo Anton Ohno vs. Elaine Hendrix and Rashad Jennings

Winner: Jordan and Apollo

Derek said Jordan’s dance was elegant, classy and impressive, while Elaine’s was bouncy, bright and fun. Tom added that the performances showcased athleticism, elegance and plenty of fun. Bruno said they would have to wait and see who would win, and Carrie Ann noted that the returning Mirrorball champs were especially impressive.

Andy Ritcher and Kaitlyn Bristowe vs. Dylan Efron and Rumer Willis

Winner: Dylan and Rumer

Bruno said Dylan and Rumer were dancing in perfect harmony and told Andy that his dance would go viral. Carrie Ann called Dylan and Rumer “magic and poetry,” while applauding Andy’s sex appeal and calling him a “sexy beast.” Derek said it looked like Dylan and Rumer had been dancing together forever and added that Andy’s routine was fun and entertaining.

Alix Earle and Joey Graziadei vs. Robert Irwin and Xochitl Gomez

Winner: Robert Irwin and Xochitl Gomez

Bruno pointed out the standard this season is outstanding, adding that everything they did was excellent in very different ways and that their performances were brilliant. Carrie Ann said she loved this challenge and that both couples did great, making it difficult to choose a winner. Derek noted the irony that Val trained both of the ladies dancing and praised Robert and Xotchitl’s chemistry. Tom agreed that both performances were great and urged the network to bring back the results show due to the series’ success.

Dancing With the Stars Week 9 Leaderboard

Here is the final scoreboard for DWTS’ 20th anniversary episode, which also includes bonus points for the couples who won the Relay Dance Challenge (or earned immunity).

1. Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas: 40/40 + 2 bonus points = 42 points (tied for first place)

1. Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach: 40/40 + 2 bonus points = 42 points (tied for first place)

1. Robert Irwin and Witney Carson: 40/40 + 2 bonus points = 42 points (tied for first place)

2. Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy: 40/40 + 0 bonus points = 40 poiints

3. Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa: 37/40 + 2 bonus points = 39 points total

4. Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten: 36/40 + 0 bonus points = 36 points total

5. Andy Richter and Emma Slater: 29/40 + 0 bonus points = 29 points (last place)

Who Was Eliminated On Dancing With the Stars This Week?

Andy Richter and Emma Slater were eliminated during Week 9 of Dancing With the Stars Season 34 after receiving the lowest combined total of judges’ scores and viewers’ votes from the 20th Birthday Party and the Relay Dance challenge.

When asked what the experience has meant to him, Andy said, “I’ve said it a bunch, it changed my life. I’m a different person because of this show and this woman right here.”

The comedian continued, “None of this would have happened without her. She knew how to use me. We created a thing together. It was just TikTok and dancing, and it exploded.”

Andy concluded by saying he feels like a winner.

DWTS airs on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+. Episodes are available to stream on Hulu and ABC.com the next day.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/monicamercuri/2025/11/11/who-was-eliminated-on-dancing-with-the-stars-20th-birthday-party-recap-and-scores/