Tuesday night on Dancing With the Stars was full of emotion as celebrities took the dance floor for Dedication Night, performing special tribute routines honoring loved ones — from parents and siblings to partners and children.
Unlike previous weeks, no one was eliminated, giving all remaining ten couples the chance to continue in the competition. Former pro dancer Kym Herjavec returned as the first official guest judge of the season, adding extra excitement to the night.
Some of the standout performances included:
Andy Richter, who opened the night with a heartwarming salsa alongside his daughter.
Robert Irwin, performing a contemporary routine to Phil Collins’ “You’ll Be In My Heart” dedicated to his mother, Terri Irwin. His performance earned him three nines from the judges and a total score of 35/40, moving the ballroom to tears.
Danielle Fishel, who delivered a lively jive to the Boy Meets World theme as a tribute to her former co-star William Daniels. She earned her first eight of the season.
Dylan Efron, who performed a heartfelt dance honoring his little sister, earning four nines — making him the top-scoring couple of Dedication Night with 36/40 points.
Alix Earle, another fan favorite, also scored 35/40 points for her tribute performance.
Other couples on the leaderboard included Whitney Leavitt (33/40), Jordan Chiles (32/40), and Elaine Hendrix (30/40).
Dedication Night highlighted the personal stories behind each performance, combining skillful choreography with genuine emotion. While live voting typically determines eliminations, this week all couples advanced, keeping the competition tight as the season moves into week six.
Remaining Contestants in Season 34:
Jen Affleck, Whitney Leavitt, Jordan Chiles, Alix Earle, Dylan Efron, Danielle Fishel, Elaine Hendrix, Scott Hoying, Robert Irwin, and Andy Richter.
Season 34 of DWTS airs Tuesdays on ABC and streams on Disney+, with episodes available for streaming on Hulu starting Wednesday.
Week 5 Scores (Dedication Night):
Dylan Efron & Daniella Karagach: 36/40
Robert Irwin & Witney Carson: 35/40
Alix Earle & Val Chmerkovskiy: 35/40
Whitney Leavitt & Mark Ballas: 33/40
Jordan Chiles & Ezra Sosa: 32/40
Elaine Hendrix & Alan Bersten: 30/40
Scott Hoying & Rylee Arnold: 30/40
Jen Affleck & Jan Ravnik: 29/40
Danielle Fishel & Pasha Pashkov: 29/40
Andy Richter & Emma Slater: 24/40
Dedication Night proved that emotional storytelling combined with skillful dancing keeps fan
s engaged and rooting for their favorite couples.