The latest chapter of Season 33 of Dancing with the Stars premiered on Tuesday, October 29, 2024. Following a festive Disney Night, the contestants and their professional partners geared up for a spine-tingling Halloween Nightmares episode. With seven dynamic pairs vying for the prestigious Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, each participant aimed to impress and climb to the top of the leaderboard.
This week, the celebrities faced two rounds of performance challenges. Initially, they showcased routines inspired by their most terrifying nightmares, before engaging in an exhilarating dance battle in the second round to rack up extra points from the judges.
Among the night’s many performances, one particular act caught the judges’ attention and became the season’s first to score a perfect ten. Dwight Howard, portraying the boogeyman, delivered a captivating contemporary routine alongside partner Daniella Karagach to the track “Ring Around The Rosie,”performed by District 78 featuring Natalie Lillee. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba praised Dwight’s performance, awarding him the season’s inaugural ten.
Still, the audience of Dancing with the Stars had a different view on the scoring. Many fans deemed the performance mediocre and felt that other competitors deserved the accolade of a perfect score more than Dwight. Their critique was voiced on X, where disappointment was palpable.
“DWIGHT HAVING THE FIRST TEN, ARE WE SERIOUS?”a fan expressed.
“GIVING DWIGHT THE FIRST TEN OVER CHANDLER AND JOEY… THAT’S JUST WRONG. FIX THIS SH*T… HE LIFTED, HE DIDN’T DANCE,”another fan stated.
“Is it wrong to say I don’t think Dwight’s routine deserved the first 10 of the season??”a user tweeted.
Fans of Dancing with the Stars were astonished that Dwight and Daniella’s performance achieved the season’s first perfect score. Many felt it was undeserved and voiced their reactions publicly.
“They did not just give Dwight the first 10 of the season when Chandler and Joey have been consistently outstanding every week,”one user reacted.
“Carrie Ann just awarded Dwight the FIRST 10 of the season. I’m irritated; that deserved at best an 8. Carrie Ann’s scoring keeps surprising me, but she never fails to disappoint,”noted another individual.
“Dwight actually received the first 10?? I’m about to switch this off, what even was that,”a fan mused.
“Dwight and Danny getting the first 10 of the season was not on my DWTS bingo card. Just throw this whole season away!!!”one user expressed.
Opinions among fans indicated that many believed Dwight’s act was mediocre and still had improvement potential.
“I don’t understand the judges’ praises for Dwight; that was a very mid-level performance,”one individual remarked.
“I’m sorry, but Dwight should be eliminated; he simply threw her around. It would have been fine if he was displaying better footwork,”another user remarked.
Dancing with the Stars Contestant Dwight Confronts His Fears
Adopting the persona of the boogeyman, Dwight delivered a chilling contemporary dance alongside Daniella to the haunting melody of District 78 featuring Natalie Lillee’s “Ring Around The Rosie.”The contestant claimed he harbored no fears of his own and aimed to embody the nightmare figure everyone could dread.
Prior to hitting the stage, Dwight and Daniella reflected on their struggles from the previous week as they found themselves at the bottom of the leaderboard. They were mindful of the need to elevate their performance to stay in the competition. Daniella mentioned that the NBA star had yet to conduct a flawless routine.
The judges were captivated by Dwight’s dance. He cleverly utilized his height to enhance the boogeyman character, fading in and out of the spotlight to amplify the excitement of his appearance. The routine featured an impressive blend of lifts, spins, and dynamic movements.
The judges responded positively, praising Dwight’s performance. Carrie Ann Inaba remarked:
“[It was] downright eerie in the most thrilling way possible. Those lifts and stunts were incredibly risky and dynamic. Honestly, I’ve never seen you so focused and driven as you were tonight.”
Derek Hough gave a standing ovation, declaring the performance “a true moment.”Bruno Tonioli praised Dwight for perfectly executing the routine. Carrie Ann scored him a 10, while both Dwight and Bruno awarded a 9, culminating in a score of 28 out of 30.
New episodes of Dancing with the Stars air each Tuesday at 8 PM ET, exclusively on ABC.
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