DWTS Recap: A Tear-Soaked Night Sees the Judges Give the Season's First 10s and 1 Star Bow Out

The stars honored their most memorable years on Monday's Dancing with the Stars in a night filled with emotional dances to mark the halfway point in the season.

The 12 remaining celebrities paid tribute to a year that changed their lives and truly opened up about the moments that shaped them. The evening saw some of the season's first 10s given out and, of course, tears being shed as all of the stars looked back on their past.

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Trevor Donovan and Emma Slater

After being in the bottom two last week, the actor wanted to ensure he and Emma stayed out of contention for elimination this week. He reflected on 2009, the year he realized his dream of acting.

"I had booked Days of Our Lives, a three-year contract. I was so excited I got a job," Trevor said in his intro package. "I'm a working actor but I would get in front of the camera, and I would just panic. There's similarities with this dancing stuff. So, they fired me."

Trevor almost gave up and moved back home to build a house with his dad, but then he got a call from his manager saying he'd booked a job on The CW's 90210.

"I can't imagine doing anything else for a living than what I do," Trevor said. "Acting is what I love more than anything."

Trevor and Emma performed a Jazz routine to Coldplay's "Viva La Vida."

Judge Len Goodman called it Trevor's "best dance" and Bruno Tonioli said, "I'm getting a Brad Pitt vibe."

While talking to co-host Alfonso Ribeiro afterward, Trevor called DWTS "the most difficult thing I've ever done in my life."

Score: 32/40

Shangela and Gleb Savchenko

The drag entertainer recounted the year she broke her leg while performing, 2013.

"The doctors came and they told me I wouldn't be dancing for a very long time, if ever," Shangela told Gleb in her intro package. Shangela said that made her feel like "the world was being able taken away from under me."

But after three weeks in the hospital and support from her mom, Shangela started touring again four months later.

Shangela admitted that having a titanium rod in her leg made competing on DWTS tough at times. "I just want my technique to match my desire to entertain people," Shangela said.

Shangela and Gleb performed a Foxtrot to Katy Perry's "Roar," Shangela's recovery song. "Whenever I hear this song, I'm reminded how strong I am," Shangela said.

Shangela cried into her mom's arms after completing the powerful routine.

"It was a lovely Foxtrot," Len said. "It moved beautifully across the floor. I loved the mix, your frame I thought was good."

Shangela told Alfonso how much it meant for her mom to be there in the ballroom after having two surgeries to remove cancer in her gallbladder. "She wasn't able to travel or she would've been here day one," Shangela explained. "But she is here tonight and it is so wonderful and special."

Score: 32/44

Jessie James Decker and Alan Bersten

The county singer, whose score jumped five points last week, chose the year she became a parent: 2014.

"As soon as I had her and they put her in my arms, I knew I was born to be a mother," Jessie said in her intro package of meeting her daughter Vivian.

Jessie tangoed with Alan to her own song, "Blue Jeans," her kids' favorite song of hers, and even started by singing the first few lines. Jessie's three kids and husband Eric watched from the ballroom.

While Len said "the first half was a bit shaky," Carrie Ann Inaba called Jessie "such a strong dancer."

"I just think if you can see it, you can believe it, you can achieve it, you can do it," Jessie told Alfonso. "That's what my mama told me."

Score: 29/40

Gabby Windey and Val Chmerkovskiy

In her intro package, the Bachelorette detailed her experience as an ICU curse during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

"It does have a heavy place in my heart," Gabby said. "It was terrifying. I saw a lot of death, a lot of isolation, especially since families couldn't be there with them, but none of our patients died alone."

The reality star said the pandemic "taught me a lot of patience and a lot of resilience."

Gabby and Val paid tribute to healthcare workers with a Foxtrot to "If the World Should Ever Stop" by JP Cooper.

"I just really want to thank you from my heart," Carrie Ann told Gabby.

Len said the dance had an "effortless ease" and Derek Hough called it "graceful" and "gorgeous."

Score: 36/40

Joseph Baena and Daniella Karagach

With his score taking a dip last week, Joseph really wanted to get a 9 from the judges this week.

The fitness model found 2022 to be his most memorable year yet. "This is the year I decided I should listen to myself and stop listening to the outside noise," Joseph said in his intro package.

Joseph admitted he often received comparisons to his dad Arnold Schwarzenegger when it came to guidance on his acting career. "One thing is people constantly telling me only do action films so you can be just like your dad," Joseph said.

That led to lots of confusion for Joseph. "I've always been so confused of who I was and who I am," he admitted. "The big struggle has been trying to separate myself from the expectations from me becoming my father."

Joseph and Daniella hit the ballroom with a Rumba to Frank Sinatra's "My Way."

Carrie Ann deemed it "one of the best Rumbas by a male I have ever seen on this show," and Len named it Joseph's "best dance this season."

"I'm just extremely grateful for where I'm at so far," Joseph told Alfonso.

Score: 34/40

Daniel Durant and Britt Stewart

The CODA star said he didn't mind that the judges have been hard on him. "I like that the judges don't take it easy on me," Daniel said in his intro package.

The actor named 2019 — the year he started filming CODA — as his most memorable year.

"I didn't find an acting role for three years. It was so depressing," Daniel said. "It was the hardest time of my life."

Then when he found out about getting the part in CODA, "I was screaming I was so happy I got the role," Daniel said, adding, "it's hard to explain a dream really come true."

Daniel and Britt wowed with a contemporary dance to Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now," which played in CODA.

"This is the type of dance that transcends this competition," Derek said. "I was so moved by that performance." Carrie Ann said she loved "the combining of ASL and dance."

Daniel admitted to Alfonso that he initially felt "so nervous and worried" to do the lift in the routine, but he powered through with Britt's support. "I feel smooth," Daniel said. "I got it! I did it!"

It paid off: Daniel received his first 9s of the season.

Score: 34/40

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Jordin Sparks and Brandon Armstrong

The American Idol alum went back to 2017, the year she met her husband Dana Isaiah — through their moms!

"I was just very emotionally scarred from things that had happened the previous year and because my other relationships had been so public, and I really wanted to be careful," Jordin said in her intro package.

But when Jordin met Dana, they had an instant connection. "I just knew that second day, I was like, this is the man I'm gonna marry," she said. "He really pushes me to be better."

Jordin and Brandon performed a Salsa to "Let's Get Married" by Jagged Edge featuring Run — one of her and her husband's favorite songs.

"Talk about spicy!" Bruno raved. Derek found the routine to be "under-rehearsed."

"There wasn't enough salsa in this dance for me, personally," he said.

Score: 33/40

Charli D'Amelio and Mark Ballas

Like Joseph, the TikTok star chose this year as her most memorable, thanks to her learning to manage her anxiety.

"These past few years of my life have been a little crazy," Charli told Mark in her intro package. "I would worry every second of every day about what everyone thought about me."

Charli admitted she "got to my breaking point with social media."

"I had all these eyes on me," she continued. "I was sleeping like 30 minutes a night."

Now, thanks to therapy, Charli feels like she can live with anxiety. "This is kind of the first time it doesn't control me," Charli said.

Charli and Mark did a contemporary dance to Lewis Capaldi's "When the Party's Over" in which the professional dancer portrayed anxiety.

"So many kids look up to you, want to be you," Carrie Ann told Charli. "For you telling the truth about the cost of your fame is so powerful. I'm so proud of you."

Derek said Charli "performed this so raw and so authentically." "This show's about moments — that was a moment," he continued.

Bruno concurred, "It was heart-wrenchingly powerful."

The tearjerker earned the season's first 10 (three of them!).

Score: 39/40

Vinny Guadagnino and Koko Iwasaki

The Jersey Shore star picked 2009, the year the MTV show premiered and changed his life.

"I filled out an application and they saw that I was family-oriented, I was a mama's boy," Vinny told Koko in his intro package. "That was it. And I remember we didn't know what the show was going to be. I was delivering pizza while Jersey Shore was airing like the first three episodes."

After the show caught on, "we became like The Beatles," Vinny said.

Vinny recalled receiving $500 for his first club appearance. But "the biggest thing is that I was able to buy my family a house," Vinny added.

Vinny and Koko fist-pumped during a Jazz ensemble to Avicii's "Levels," which he called "the best song that ever hit the nightclubs."

"I just love watching you, man!" Derek raved afterward.

Carrie Ann advised that next week, Vinny and Koko should go "more than step-touches."

"You are the reason why so many people love our show because they see themselves in people like you," she added.

Score: 32/40

Heidi D'Amelio and Artem Chigvintsev

In her intro package, the mom of two threw it back to 1997, the year she moved to New York City from Louisiana to pursue modeling.

"I didn't want to wake up in 40 years, still in Louisiana and never have tried," Heidi told Artem. "It was terrifying but to make it in the modeling world, I had to be fierce."

The reality star also met her husband Marc in 1997 and chose to dance a Rumba on Monday to a song that reminded her of him: Lauryn Hill's "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You (I Love You Baby)."

"You have improved so much, it's insane," Derek told Heidi, adding that he needs "a little bit more emotion" from her to give her a 10.

Bruno said "the effort was there" and described Heidi's leg placement as "spot on."

"It was absolutely beautiful," Len agreed.

While speaking to Alfonso, Heidi called her husband Marc her and Charli's "biggest cheerleader."

Score: 36/40

Wayne Brady and Witney Carson

The actor and singer picked 2003 as his most memorable year because he became a dad that year thanks to the arrival of his daughter Mailie.

"When I saw her come into the world it was like, oh this person needs to be taken care of and you better step up and be a good man," Wayne told Witney in his intro package.

The Masked Singer winner chose to do their Foxtrot to his song "Beautiful" from the Cinderella 2 soundtrack because it reminded him of his daughter. "Everything that is said in that song, that's what I think about her," Wayne said.

Wayne gave Mailie a hug after wrapping the routine.

"That was a beautiful tribute," Carrie Ann said.

Wayne gushed to Alfonso about his daughter. "I look at her and I know she loves me," the comedian said. "And the only thing I hope every day is that I make her proud. So I think she's proud. I would like to say she is because that's my number one job is her."

She should be proud because Wayne earned his first 10, from Bruno.

Score: 37/40

Selma Blair and Sasha Farber

The actress looked back on receiving her MS diagnosis in 2018. "It was the beginning of recovery as a person," Blair told Farber in her intro package.

But now, Selma revealed, her chronic illness would keep her from moving forward in the competition.

For more on Selma Blair, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

"You know I've been monitored and in touch with my doctors this whole process," the Cruel Intentions star continued. "I had these MRIs and when the results came back, it just all adds up to I can't. I can't. I can't go on with the competition. I pushed as far as I could."

She still wanted to perform "one last gentle dance" with Farber, so they waltzed to "What the World Needs Now."

"You really have inspired millions of people," Bruno told Selma. "Your star has never shown brighter."

Len said, "If the others have climbed hills, you have climbed mountains."

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Selma admitted she didn't want to leave the show.

"I don't think people understand what this show means to us here, especially this season," the mom of 11-year-old son Arthur said to Alfonso. "Everyone had such incredible reasons for being here, so wholesome and good. To see the audience react to each and every one of us and our efforts, it's so heartening."

Although the result wouldn't count towards the competition, the judges gave her one last set of scores. Selma and Sasha earned 10s across the board for the season's first perfect score.

Selma planned to head home and show her son, who joined her in the ballroom on Monday, an important lesson. "Sometimes there's going to be uncomfortable things to do in life and you just do it with a smile," she said.

Because Selma bowed out of the competition, no other pair headed home.

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Dancing with the Stars continues Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on Disney+.