Dancing with the Stars Season 32 Episode 7 Recap: Music Video Night
Paula Abdul took a seat at the judges’ table for Dancing with the Stars Season 32 Episode 7, “Music Video Night.”
Listen, if we have to have a guest judge, it should definitely be Paul Abdul. The judges also have a little more time to speak now that there are viewer couples in the competition, which makes having a guest judge less of an issue altogether.
CARRIE ANN INABA, DEREK HOUGH, ALFONSO RIBEIRO, PAULA ABDUL, BRUNO TONIOLI
The theme of the evening meant that each couple paid homage to an iconic music video, with performances to everything from “It’s Gonna Be Me” by NSYNC to “Hollaback Girl” by Gwen Stefani. Dances also incorporated other pros, which made things more challenging for the celebrity contestants.
Here are a few of the highlights from the competition this week:
Lele and Brandon kicked off the night with a Salsa to Shakira’s “Whenever, Wherever.”
While it was an energetic dance, it had some flaws. Derek’s notes started positively by noting her “Shakira” energy, but he criticized some of the technicalities. They earned a score of 33/40.
Ariana and Pasha danced a cha-cha to “Slave for You” by Britney Spears. Paula Abdul said Ariana was a “dazzling mix of finesse and fury.” They earned a score of 37/40.
ARIANA MADIX, PASHA PASHKOV
Harry and Rylee danced a jazz routine to an NSYNC classic after getting a visit from Lance Bass. Unfortunately, it was a bit rough and clunky to watch.
Harry was clearly having fun on the dance floor though, and that energy made it entertaining. Still, the dance got some brutal criticisms from the judges. They earned a score of 24/40.
Jason and Daniella performed a jazz routine to “Take on Me” by A-ha. As usual, Jason seemed to be having more fun than anyone else in the building, and for me, it was one of the best dances of the night.
The judges, however, were especially nitpicky and said they wanted more from Jason. They earned a 35/40.
JASON MRAZ, DANIELLA KARAGACH
Alyson and Sasha danced a quickstep to “Candyman” by Christina Aguilera that proved how hard Alyson has been working over the past several weeks. She’s consistently been low on the leaderboard, but tonight, the judges agreed it was her best dance yet. They earned a 33/40.
Xochitl and Val danced a killer routine to “Hollaback Girl” by Gwen Stefani that was full of energy. This was another one of my personal favorite dances of the night, but their scores were hindered after a mishap with the hat Xochitl was meant to wear at the end.
Again, the judges are more nitpicky now that we’re halfway through the season, though, and the mistakes following that accident meant they only earned a score of 34/40.
Following the individual dances, the couples competed in a second round with team dances. The team that just so happened to include the four youngest celebrities performed “Gangham Style,” which earned praise from the judges.
In particular, they were happy to see Harry do well in the dance compared to his other routines. They earned a perfect score for the team dance.
The other team danced to “Everybody” by the Backstreet Boys, and while the dance itself was incredibly entertaining (earning a score of 37), the most memorable part of it was in the behind-the-scenes package. The dancers were surprised by a special guest: AJ Mclean from the Backstreet Boys.
Ariana just about melted, with Alyson not too far behind her. Seeing Ariana fangirl over him the way she did was just such a genuine moment.
The elimination for this week showed how much viewer votes impact the competition, with one of the top-scoring dancers being sent home. The couple eliminated this week was Lele and Brandon.
Here are this week’s final scores, which include bonus points from the team dances:
- Ariana Madix and Pasha: 74
- Xochitl Gomez and Val: 74
- Lele Pons and Brandon: 73 — ELIMINATED
- Charity Lawson and Artem: 72
- Jason Mraz and Daniella: 72
- Alyson Hannigan and Sasha: 70
- Barry Williams and Peta: 65
- Harry Jowsey and Rylee: 64
What did you think of this episode of Dancing with the Stars? Who was your favorite dancer? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Dancing with the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on ABC and Disney+. Viewers can stream the series on Hulu the following day.
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Dancing with the Stars Season 32 to Feature a Taylor Swift Night
Ashley Bissette Sumerel
Ashley Bissette Sumerel is a television and film critic living in Wilmington, North Carolina. She is editor-in-chief of Tell-Tale TV as well as Eulalie Magazine. Ashley has also written for outlets such as Rolling Stone, Paste Magazine, and Insider. Ashley has been a member of the Critics Choice Association since 2017 and is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. In addition to her work as an editor and critic, Ashley teaches Entertainment Journalism, Composition, and Literature at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.