This article contains spoilers for the Oct. 3 episode of “Dancing With the Stars.”
Latin Night saw a lot of missteps on “Dancing With the Stars,” but also some very sexy sambas, salsas and rumbas. Actress Xochitl Gomez and singer Jason Mraz tied at the top of the leaderboard with 24 points each.
Marvel star Gomez joked that with a name like hers, people would expect she was “born knowing how to salsa,” but said that that wasn’t the case. “Salsa is your superpower,” judge Carrie Ann Inaba, who compared her to EGOT singer, actress and dancer Rita Moreno, said.
Derek Hough gushed, “Your spins are out of control,” calling her performance “exceptional,” while Bruno Tonioli declared it was “superb.”
Singer Mraz, a surprise breakout dance star in Week 1, had the last dance of the evening, a romantic Rumba with Daniella Karagach. Hough raved, “You nailed it.”
Jamie Lynn Spears missed severals steps during her routine, but still earned 16 points, which kept her from the bottom of the leaderboard. Support from viewers, however, was lacking for the “Zoey 101” star, who was the one sent home on Tuesday evening.
Charity Lawson, who had the best judges’ score in Week 1 of “Dancing With the Stars” last week, teamed with Ezra Sosa for a salsa to “She Bangs,” because pro partner, Artem, was out with COVID.
Hough told Lawson she’s an “amazing” dancer, but wanted her to have more connection with her partner. Tonioli echoed that sentiment, but said she reminded him of supermodel Naomi Campbell. Inaba found the dance “elegant and clean” but a little too “stiff.” The former “Bachelorette” star earned sevens across the board for a score 0f 21.
Venezuelan social media star Lele Pons and parter Brandon Armstrong, who landed in third place last week with a score of 19, hit the dance floor first for a sizzling samba set to Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina.”
“Now we’re cooking with some hot sauce!” exclaimed Hough of Pons’ dancing, while Inaba raved, “You just set this place on fire.” All three judges gave the couple a seven score for a total of 21.
Model Tyson Beckford, who landed in the bottom two last week with a mere 12 points, said he “wanted to represent his Latin roots” this weekend, mentioning his grandfather was Panamanian. He and partner Jenna Johnson danced an energetic salsa with a lot of lifts. Inaba said it was a “dance floor glow-up,” while Hough told him he was a “great partner” who just needed to “loosen up his legs a little bit.” Beckford and Johnson earned 18 out of 30 points.
“Brady Bunch” star Barry Williams and Peta Murgatroyd did a cha cha to “Oye Como Va.” Inaba told Barry that she wasn’t sure “if his bottom half and top half were in sync,” while Hough advised him to polish his shoes since he saw the actor “slipping” a few times. Williams’ score also slipped from Week 1: He and Murgatroyd earned 15 points.
NFL star Adrian Peterson danced a samba with Britt Stewart, which Hough found “a little blocky,” although he liked the freer side-by-side dancing. Tonioli advised him to “soften it a little bit.” Inaba told him he needed a “little more refinement” but admired how his athletic prowess transferred to the dance floor. The duo earned all fives from the judges, which was lower than last week’s score.
Mira Sorvino and Gleb Slavchenko did a salsa, which they practiced on the beach in Mexico. Tonioli raved about Sorvino’s dance, but urged her to “turn on the spice.” Hough told her, “You have natural ability, you just have to unleash it.”
The “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion” star teared up remembering her late friend and dance coach, who originally taught her the salsa. “It was harder because I kept thinking about her and getting sad. I loved her so much, but I knew she’d be happy that we did this,” she said.
“Vanderpump Rules” star Ariana Madix’s samba with Pasha Pashko drew raves from Hough, with just a few notes. The often-inappropriate Tonioli declared her a “sex goddess,” adding, “you work it from every angle.” Inaba suggested that the reality star should work on “finishing” her movements. Madix wasn’t too disappointed in receiving a score of 20, down one point from Week 1, as the samba is “so hard.”
Mauricio Umansky missed a step during his samba, but Inaba told him, “It happens to the best of us,” and praised his recovery while Hough gave him a shoutout for his amazing neck lifts with partner Emma Slater. But the real estate broker, who is married to “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Kyle Richards, earned all fours from the judges for a low score of 12.
Alyson Hannigan sought to quash her goofy since in her unsmiling tango with partner Sasha Farber. Inaba said, “That was sensuality, it was beautiful. Great comeback from last week.” Hough also noted the improvement and told her, “I am so proud of you.” Tonioli told the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” star that, despite her flair for comedy, she really is “a drama queen.” The tango earned 19 points.
Harry Jowsey, who was at the bottom of the leaderboard in Week 1, drew praise for putting more effort into his dancing. He and Rylee Arnold earned all fives, an improvement over last week’s trio of fours.
LEADERBOARD WEEK 2 (Judges’ Scores)
Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy: 24
Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach: 24
Lele Pons and Brandon Armstrong: 21
Charity Lawson and Ezra Sosa: 21
Ariana Madix and Pasha Pashko: 20
Mira Sorvino and Gleb Slavchenko: 20
Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber: 19
Jamie Lynn Spears and Alan Bersten: 16 [Eliminated]
Tyson Beckford and Jenna Johnson: 15
Barry Williams and Peta Murgatroyd: 15
Adrian Peterson and Britt Stewart: 15
Harry Jowsey and Rylee Arnold: 15
Mauricio Umansky and Emma Slater: 12
