DWTS Pro Sounds Off After Unexpected Elimination

Heavy/ABC Which DWTS couple was eliminated in week 7?

Week 7 of “Dancing with the Stars” brought eight performances that were inspired by iconic music videos. Paula Abdul joined judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli, and all the celebrities faced two dances apiece before the elimination.

Which team won the competition and which celebrities topped the “Dancing with the Stars” leaderboard? Once the results were revealed, eliminated pro Brandon Armstrong decided to be blunt.

“That one burns,” Armstrong admitted, adding eliminated celebrity Lele Pons shouldn’t have been the one to go home this week.

Here’s what you need to know:

The DWTS Contestants Gave Fans Some Great Performances

The eight individual performances sparked plenty of rave reviews from the “Dancing with the Stars” judges. However, there were some criticisms as well, especially considering how far into season 32 the celebrities are at this point.

Pons and Armstrong did a salsa to Shakira’s “Whenever, Wherever.” The judges all had great feedback for the pair, especially Inaba. Hough said Pons “nailed it” in emulating Shakira. Their total score was 33 out of 40, which included a 9 from Inaba.

Ariana Madix and Pasha Pashkov danced the cha cha to “I’m a Slave 4 U” by Britney Spears. Tonioli went wild over the performance, and Inaba said everything about the dance was “spot on.” Abdul gave the pair a 10, and the other judges all gave 9s, which gave the pair a total score of 37 out of 40.

Harry Jowsey and Rylee Arnold’s jazz routine was to the NSYNC song “It’s Gonna Be Me.” The pair even had former “Dancing with the Stars” contestant Lance Bass stop by to give some hands-on instruction as they rehearsed their routine. Ultimately, the judges noted some issues, although in general, they enjoyed watching Jowsey perform. All four gave scores of 6. The pair’s total was 24 out of 40.

Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach performed a jazz routine to “Take on Me” by a-ha. Karagach noted she had sprained her ankle last week, so Koko Iwasaki helped with rehearsals. Inaba admitted she was underwhelmed, and Hough felt the same. Abdul raved over the dance, and Tonioli gave positive feedback too.  They received a score of 35 out of 40. Abdul gave the duo a 10, and Tonioli gave them a 9 while the other two scored the dance an 8.

Alyson Hannigan & Sasha Farber Impressed the Judges

Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber used Christina Aguilera’s “Candyman” for a quickstep performance. Hough told Hannigan it was her best performance so far, and Abdul felt she was triumphant. Both Tonioli and Inaba had high praise for Hannigan as well. The pair’s overall total was 33 out of 40, with Abdul giving them a 9.

Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy danced a jazz routine to “Hollaback Girl” by Gwen Stefani. Abdul said they were the most provocative and surprising partnership this season. Inaba loved that they saw a grittier and funkier Gomez. The pair earned 34 points out of 40.

Charity Lawson and Artem Chigvintsev performed a jazz routine to “All For You” by Janet Jackson. Hough noted that expectations are high at this stage of the competition. He praised Lawson but added they were looking for a bit more precision. Abdul told Lawson that if she could step into her power a bit more, she could be a frontrunner to win the Mirrorball trophy. The duo’s total score was 32 out of 40.

Barry Williams and Peta Murgatroyd had the quickstep and used “I’m Still Standing” from Elton John. Hough pointed out some issues but shared he loves watching Williams perform. Abdul concurred, telling Williams it’s a joy and delight to watch him. The pair received 28 out of 40 points.

The Team Competition Featured Fan-Favorite Songs

For the season 32 “Dancing with the Stars” team competition, viewers were treated to performances from “Team 4 Everybody” and “Team Young’n Style.”

Team 4 Everybody was made up of Williams and Murgatroyd, Madix and Pashkov, Mraz and Karagach, and Hannigan and Farber. The group danced to “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” from Backstreet Boys.

Team Young’n Style included Lawson and Chigvintsev, Gomez and Chmerkovskiy, Pons and Armstrong, and Jowsey and Arnold. Their song was “Gangnam Style” from PSY.

Team Young’n Style performed first, and the judges loved it. Hough jumped on top of the judges table to praise them, and Inaba loved the group’s teamwork. Their performance got a perfect score of 40 points.

Team 4 Everybody danced second, and they had all four judges standing at the end. Hough noted this team had moments where they were much cleaner than the other team. Inaba pointed out some issues with the couples dancing in unison, and the audience booed her. The group received a 10 from Abdul and 9s from the others for a total score of 37 out of 40.

Pons & Armstrong Were Eliminated Even Though They Didn’t Have the Lowest Score

After all of the performances were done, there was a tie at the top of the leaderboard. Both Madix and Pashkov, as well as Gomez and Chmerkovskiy, had total scores of 74 out of 80 points. Pons and Armstrong were just a point behind, with Lawson and Chigvintsev one point below them.

At the bottom of the leaderboard were Jowsey and Arnold, who had a total of 64 out of 80 points. Just above them were Williams and Murgatroyd, with 65 points.

Hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough went through the process with the eight couples to reveal which ones were safe and which ones were in danger. It came down to Lawson and Chigvintsev, Williams and Murgatroyd, and Pons and Armstrong, all of whom were at risk of elimination.

Pons and Armstrong were eliminated and will not continue on their quest to win the Mirrorball trophy on season 32 of “Dancing with the Stars.”