DWTS Recap: '90s Night Ends in a Double Elimination and 1 Star Hits Judges with a 'Sex Bomb' Routine

Fans took a trip back to the '90s for Monday's episode of Dancing with the Stars.

Things got off to an exciting start as Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue delivered a live performance of "Whatta Man" in the ballroom, featuring a dance by the professionals who will be joining the DWTS Live 2023 Tour.

Then the eight couples were introduced for '90s Night, as co-hosts Tyra Banks and Alfonso Ribeiro announced there would be two rounds of competition (including a fun relay dance that could earn the couples extra points) as well as a double elimination at the end of the night.

Tyra also revealed the episode would be dedicated to Aaron Carter, who was found dead over the weekend at age 34. Carter competed on season 9 of DWTS with Karina Smirnoff, ultimately placing fifth on the show.

"This past weekend, we lost Aaron Carter. And the team here at Dancing with the Stars recalls the fun and the energy he brought to the show, to this ballroom. And we offer our sincere condolences to his family," Tyra shared.

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Trevor Donovan and Emma Slater

After earning a near-perfect score last week, Trevor celebrated being tied at the top of the leaderboard with Charli D'Amelio.

"I never in a million years thought I could do what I did last week," the 90210 actor said. "I actually feel like I'm becoming a dancer."

Trevor said he remembered the '90s specifically for its "grunge music" like Nirvana — so he was a bit shocked to learn he would be dancing a Salsa to "Barbie Girl" by Aqua.

Though the song wasn't his first choice, Trevor was determined to nail the routine (and its challenging lift) to prove he deserved to continue on to next week. After his upbeat performance, the judges had nothing but good things to say.

Head judge Len Goodman said, "That was so much fun and it was a great way to start the show," while Derek Hough called the intro "perfectly plastic" and commended Trevor's improvement in his "confidence".

Bruno Tonioli said the choreography "was like watching a sitcom set to music. Every element of the characters came alive perfectly... you really have grown as a performer like there is no tomorrow."

But Carrie Ann Inaba was a bit more critical, noting that Trevor seemed "a bit too tense" and suggested that he attempt to "smooth it out" next time.

Following his performance, Trevor said of the dance: "That was so much fun... the choreography was unbelievable." He also admitted how Emma "sprung that lift on me and it scared me to death."

However, Emma was not phased. "I trust him so much," she said. "I knew he would have me every time and he did. He's just a really great partner, we have a really great connection."

Score: 34/40

Shangela and Gleb Savchenko

Shangela was still on cloud nine after earning a perfect score last week. "I couldn't feel my legs underneath me because I was so overcome with excitement," she said.

The drag superstar then reminisced on the '90s when she was a teenager, and said it was the time she realized she was gay. Shangela also revealed she went to her first gay club during the 90s, which is when she "really started to love who I was as a person."

After learning she'd be dancing a Samba to "Spice Up Your Life" by the Spice Girls, Shangela expressed her excitement because she had danced on Ru Paul's Drag Race and was praised by Emma Bunton a.k.a Baby Spice.

But still, that didn't help with the pressure she was feeling. "Now there's a double elimination," she said. "Any misstep and all of a sudden, I could be in the bottom two and out the door."

However, going out the door seemed unlikely after her dance. Derek noted how she "crushed the room and the crowd appeal is off the charts." He also pointed out that her footwork was a "little sloppy at parts" but emphasized, "I am not taking anything away from that amazing, incredible performance."

Bruno told her, "You have so much fire down below, you literally erupt on stage. You take over the stage," while Carrie Ann couldn't stop raving over the routine. "I always look forward to your performance because you're gonna bring so much joy and so much energy," she said. "You killed it and it was amazing!"

Added Len: "You come out every time and give it everything. Sometimes it loses a tad of control in your footwork, but overall, wow."

Shangela later said of the night's double elimination, "I came to work so if I gotta get them five extra points, then Gleb and I are about to turn it up and turn it out."

Score: 37/40

Wayne Brady and Witney Carson

Wayne said he "felt vindicated" after last week's dance, but noted that after Trevor rose to the top of the scoreboard, "it's anybody's game."

Reflecting on the '90s, Wayne said the era "changed my life forever" because it was when Who's Line Is It Anyway? started airing and launched him into stardom. He then pointed out how he's currently hosting several shows and has a lot on his plate as he competes on DWTS.

"I'm incredibly tired but I show up here because I have a fire," the actor and TV personality said, adding that, "Everybody's so close that one misstep could send you home."

After performing an upbeat Salsa to "Motownphilly" by Boyz II Men, Bruno said of their routine, "When you get in the groove, you are unstoppable... you are the ultimate consummate performer."

"That was your best dance so far," Carrie Ann said. "We were all dancing along with you. 90s Night, this is your night!"

"It was really, really top-notch," Len noted, as Derek added, "That was fantastic. The choreography, that was a difficult routine and you naield it, brother."

Later speaking to Alfonso about his busy schedule, Wayne said, "Physically, of course it's difficult... but just like in relationships, you make time for the things you want and love."

Wayne and Witney then earned their first perfect score since Prom Night. "It feels good to be back," Wayne said.

Score: 40/40

Daniel Durant and Britt Stewart

Daniel celebrated jumping up to fourth place on the leaderboard last week, before setting his sights on '90s Night. For the CODA actor, that meant reflecting on his childhood, including his difficult relationship with his birth mom who abandoned him.

Daniel said he met his birth mom for the first time after his high school graduation and during their first hug he "could feel my blood." However, a few years later, Daniel learned she had cancer, and she died about two weeks later.

"To this day, I still feel regret. I feel stupid, I wish I had saw her more," he said. "It still messes me up to this day."

"It's difficult and emotional for me to share this story, but I'm so happy I can share my heat and soul with Britt and everyone watching in the world," he added. "I want to show everyone that I can go all the way."

Daniel and Britt then performed a Jazz routine to "Enjoy the Silence" by Depeche Mode, which included a powerful moment in which the music cut out so viewers could get a glimpse of what it's like for Daniel to dance deaf.

The judges loved it, with Carrie Ann calling the routine "extraordinary." She added, "It was so funky, this new Daniel came out... I am so proud of you and it's a honor to watch you dance."

Len told Daniel, "You never fail to amaze me. You dance with so much confidence. It had power and it had polish." Derek called the routine "insanely powerful," and added through his tears that the dance "made me realize how much I depend on the music."

Added Bruno: "The world is proud of you. We felt the sound of silence. We were all mesmerized. What you do up here is so special, it's a gift to us."

Speaking to Alfonso, Daniel said he hoped the dance would show people "I'm here and I'm successful. And you can be successful no matter what." Britt also said dancing to silence was "a very profound" moment for her. "It's made our connection even stronger this week," she said.

Score: 39/40

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Heidi D'Amelio and Artem Chigvintsev

Heidi reflected on last week's results, where she ended up in the bottom two for the second time, and admitted, "If I end up in the bottom two again, I don't know if they will save me again."

Through her tears, Heidi admitted in her intro package, "I don't want this to end for me or Charli because it's been amazing. It's so much bigger than a dance show for us." The reality star added that she and her daughter have become "close in a different way now."

Heidi continued to have an emotional time in rehearsals as she struggled to be vulnerable. "There's a lot at stake this week. I have to prove to the judges that I belong in the semifinals," she said.

The duo performed a Contemporary to "Ironic" by Alanis Morissette, and though the judges didn't love it, they commended Heidi for being vulnerable and letting go.

Len pointed out that "some dances suit you very much and some don't... [this was] the type of dance that doesn't suit your personality." He added that, "You're far more outgoing and I thought this was more introverted."

Derek said, "I thought that was beautiful, I really felt your emotion in that," and Bruno chimed in, "You really let it all out... you did it with all the passion you have."

Carrie Ann thanked Heidi for digging deep, pointing out that "more is expected" of women "in society and on the dance floor." She noted, "There were moments of beauty and vulnerability... you let go, and that's what we were looking for."

Heidi later said of her tough week, "I'm a very emotional person but I do not show it on camera... all of the emotions were bubbling up this week."

Score: 35/40

Gabby Windey and Val Chmerkovskiy

Gabby said she was happy with her performance last week but emphasized how "none of us are safe." She added, "This competition is getting harder and harder, it seems like they're throwing curveballs at us week after week."

Nonetheless, Gabby was thrilled to have Val back in the ballroom after he had to miss last week's episode due to COVID. "I'm so excited to have Val back," the former Bachelorette star said.

Val pushed Gabby to her limits in rehearsals, noting that the routine was difficult but "I made this dance tough because I believe in her."

Despite the routine's difficulty, the duo nailed their Samba to "Livin' La Vida Loca" by Ricky Martin, earning a standing ovation from both the judges and audience.

"That was the best Samba ever. It was so good!" Derek raved.

"I feel like I've been hit with a sex bomb," joked Bruno. "The technique and amount of content he gave you is insane... the ease in which you performed is one of the best we've ever seen."

Carrie Ann called the pairing a "well-oiled machine" and Len said it was "a mix of flair and care."

After Derek and Bruno jokingly removed their shirts like Val did in the sexy Samba, the duo earned a perfect score.

Score: 40/40

Vinny Guadagnino and Koko Iwasaki

Vinny said he felt like last week was a major improvement but he still "landed at the bottom of the leaderboard."

"I saw an improvement but being on the bottom kinda stinks," he said, as he pointed out how he's gone further in the competition than his fellow Jersey Shore costars Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino.

"What is it gonna take for me to win over the judges?" Vinny asked his partner, before vowing to make this week his best. "Voting is only gonna get you so far and I am not supposed to be here ... I have to bring the heat."

Vinny and Koko danced a Tango to "What Is Love" by Haddaway, but Bruno later pointed out, "You tried to do everything absolutely right... the thing is, my love, the tango must always be on one level. There is no skips."

Carrie Ann said, "You do well with a challenge, Vinny. That's why you're doing so well in this competition."

Len added that Vinny has a "long way to go, but you came out and you really came out and performed, so well done," and Derek noted that the reality star is "fun, playful, but most of all, you're charismatic."

Following the dance, Alfonso pointed out how Vinny is currently in the quarterfinals and made it further on the show than his Jersey Shore costars. Vinny said in response, "Those are my people and I love them, but I definitely have some bragging rights for the rest of my life."

Score: 29/40

Charli D'Amelio and Mark Ballas

The TikTok star noted how last week "had so many surprises" and it "just goes to show you how quickly things can change and I am certainly not taking anything for granted."

As Mark revealed the theme for Monday night, Charli joked how it was the "best time of my life" since she wasn't born until 2004. Mark proceeded to poke fun at her young age by giving her a quiz on all things '90s.

After learning she'd be dancing a Tango to "Song 2" by Blur, Charli emphasized her need to focus on her "frame and controlled sharpness." Then the pair took the dance floor, and later earned a standing ovation from everyone in the ballroom.

"If you were a painting, you are a Picasso. That was beyond anything I've ever seen on this dance floor," Carrie Ann raved of their "masterpiece" routine.

"It was sharp, it was clean, it was crisp," noted Len. "For a young lady, you dance with great maturity."

Derek pointed out how Charli had an impressive "stride" and credited her ability to end "strong." Bruno said it was "like watching two prowling panthers... at the top of their game." He added that the "quality of movement... this is it."

Score: 40/40

Relay Dance Competition

'90s Night then saw the return of the Relay Dance competition, where the groups were broken up into four pairs with one assigned style of dance. From there, two couples would go head-to-head and one judge would award five bonus points to the couple who performed best in each relay.

All four Relay Dances featured a live performance from the evening's special guest artists, including Vanilla Ice, En Vogue, Salt-N-Pepa and Kid 'N Play.

First up was Shangela and Gleb versus Daniel and Britt, dancing the Cha Cha to "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice. Len ultimately decided that one pair was "slightly more crisp and showed more rhythm" before naming Shangela and Gleb as the winners.

Next up was Vinny and Koko against Trevor and Emma, dancing the Samba to "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" by En Vogue. Carrie Ann got to judge their dance-off, deciding that Trevor and Emma were the winners for this round.

Following them was Heidi and Artem versus Wayne and Witney, who were assigned a Samba to "Shoop" by Salt-N-Pepa. Bruno ultimately declared Wayne and Witney the winner of this round.

Lastly, Charli and Mark went up against Gabby and Val, dancing a Salsa to "Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody" by Kid 'N Play. Derek was torn and said it was "unfair" to decide between the two, but decided to grant the victory to Charli and Mark.

Results

Shangela, Trevor, Wayne and Charli all headed into the elimination with five bonus points — but that didn't ease any nerves as two couples would be sent home this week, just one week short of the semifinals.

Wayne and Witney, Daniel and Britt, Gabby and Val and Shangela and Gleb nabbed the first four spots, with Charli and Mark earning the final safe spot to continue on to next week.

dancing with the stars/instagram

This left Vinny and Koko, Heidi and Artem, and Trevor and Emma in the bottom three. Heidi and Artem found themselves at the very bottom of the leaderboard, which sent them home immediately.

It then came down to the judges' vote between Vinny and Koko and Trevor and Emma.

Derek and Bruno both voted to save Trevor and Emma, and Carrie Ann's vote also went to Trevor and Emma, which meant Vinny and Koko were also going home.

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Dancing with the Stars airs live on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on Disney+.