Carrie Ann Inaba Takes PEOPLE Inside Her 'DWTS' Glam — and Favorite Halloween Dances Ever!

@thecontentcollective

Carrie Ann Inaba went all out for Halloween on Dancing with the Stars this year.

The judge on the show dressed as a very glamorous raven for the spooky holiday and gave PEOPLE a behind-the-scenes look at putting it together.

Her stylist, Rhonda Spies, tells PEOPLE that Inaba was a "gorgeous raven queen" in her Stello gown, which she completed with black crystal talons. The dress was outfitted with feathers to elevate the look to another level.

Inaba opted for a wig reminiscent of an ice queen for her costume. Hairstylist Glenn Nutley tells PEOPLE that he was going for a "mythical" look. "The hair was blasted with loads of Unite Texturiza Spray to give it a messy texture, then I braided the hairline with small braids that met at the back to create a half-up shape and embellished with mythical silver beads."

RELATED: 'DWTS' Recap: A New Star Tops the Leaderboard and a Team Dance Shakes Up Halloween Night

@thecontentcollective

Her hair was topped with a crown fit for a raven queen and her eyes were done up in a dramatic bird-like look.

In honor of the spooky season, Inaba also shared with PEOPLE some of her favorite Halloween-esque dancers from over the years on Dancing with the Stars — and there were a lot to choose from.

"Halloween is one of my favorite nights on Dancing with the Stars," she tells PEOPLE. "We've seen brilliant performances on our Halloween night over the years."

RELATED: Shangela Promises to 'Get Spicy' in 'DWTS' Ballroom After Receiving First Perfect Score

Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough's Argentine Tango from 2015 is one of Inaba's favorites — and the couple earned perfect 10s across the board for the dance. "The setting was straight out of Dracula and Bindi really lost herself in a good way, in the character," Inaba says. "Complete with vampire teeth and a sleek, period hairstyle, upon a set with candelabras and a throne, we were transported. Bindi danced with a newfound intensity — it was mesmerizing."

Inaba cites Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold's Paso Doble from 2017 as another Halloween fave. "This performance started with a very iconic visual — Jordan alone arching backwards, with thorny branches in the foreground howling at the moon," Inaba says, setting the scene. "He led the wolf pack in a funky and modern contemporary/hip-hop combination and then jumped down to the stage where he danced an amazingly complex and exciting Paso Doble."

Nev Schulman and Jenna Johnson's Paso Doble from 2020 also stands out to Inaba for its intense drama. "I will always remember the end where [Schulman] pulls out the red from Jenna's corset and claims victory in this Paso Doble battle."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free weekly newsletter to get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.

During season 27, Milo Manheim and Witney Carson danced a Contemporary to "Toxic" by Britney Spears, and Inaba will never forget how much of an "impact" it made on her and on DWTS as a whole. "Witney took some great risks with this dance because it was so modern," she tells PEOPLE. "As a judge, I am always looking for growth, performance and connection. This performance was a bit unnerving to watch and it left a mark. [Milo] was the best partner for Witney, and this performance proved it. He danced this better than many professional dancers could have."

When Iman Shumpert and Daniella Karagach took the stage for their Halloween Contemporary in 2021, it left the judges "speechless," Inaba says. "My brain exploded a bit during this dance, it was so good."

"The lifts and tricks they did were so dangerous. I don't know if everyone recognized that Danielle was doing lifts that if there was a slip, she could have been seriously injured. They were more like circus lifts, and that added to the dementedness of the whole piece: an added level of real danger."

RELATED: Jenna Johnson Admits She Felt 'Pressure' Choreographing for' DWTS' amid Her Step Back as a 'Pregnant Wifey'

But Inaba's list of favorite Halloween dances wouldn't be complete without a few from this year's season. "The level of competition has revealed itself tonight — this might be one of the most competitive seasons we have had in a long time, but for different reasons," she says of the show on Halloween. "Bravo to our stars and pros who are giving us thrilling performances and incredible choreography. They are entertaining all of us."

Inaba tells PEOPLE that Halloween week revealed some "new standouts" from the pack. Shangela and Gleb Savchenko really shone on the dance floor, if you ask Inaba. "To earn a perfect 10 from me, there always has to be some sort of magic X factor and tonight the stars aligned and she nailed it," Inaba says of Shangela's Jazz.

Trevor Donovan and Emma Slater's Contemporary also earns high praise from Inaba, thanks to how much progress the actor has made since the start of the season. "There was something so poignant in his performance and personally I love those moments," Inaba says. "I will always remember the way his foot stepped on that table. While small to someone else, to me it was the moment he arrived."

The third standout performance from Halloween week in Inaba's eyes was Gabby Windey and Alan Bersten's Argentine Tango. Bersten stepped in for Windey's original partner, Val Chmerkovskiy, which made the beauty of the dance that much more impressive. "Alan and Val's style is very different," Inaba says. "As they say, what challenges us makes us stronger and I think tonight will prove that for her. She did really great."