‘DWTS’ Recap: 3 Celebs Top The Leaderboard & Len Makes A Tough Elimination Call

'Dancing With the Stars' honored Elvis Presley during the September 26 episode, with many couples really taking things to a new level. However, one 'DWTS' pair was sent home at the end of the night.

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Wayne Brady Witney Carson
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Image Credit: Disney+

It’s time to rock out to the King of Rock & Roll! The 15 remaining couples are dancing to Elvis Presley’s songs during Dancing With the Stars’ first-ever Elvis Night. The September 26 episode will honor three different eras of his life: Elvis in Hollywood, his Vegas concert years, and his early years. Tyra Banks announces that Daniella Karagach has tested positive for COVID-19, so DWTS troupe member Alexis Warr will be dancing with Joseph Baena.

Jessie James Decker and Alan Bersten start off the night with a foxtrot to ā€œTrouble.ā€ Len Goodman praises Jessie for her performance and says it’s ā€œan improvement over last week.ā€ Derek Hough echoes Len’s words and notes that Jessie was ā€œso much more controlled.ā€ Bruno Tonioli calls the performance a ā€œproper foxtrot.ā€ Jessie and Alan’s scores: Carrie Ann = 7; Len = 6; Derek = 6; Bruno = 6. Total Score = 25 out of 40.

Gabby Windey Val Chmerkovskiy
Gabby Windey and Val Chmerkovskiy on Elvis Night. (Disney+)

Jordin Sparks and Brandon Armstrong tackle a quickstep to ā€œHound Dog.ā€ Derek is all about Jordin’s energy. ā€œOverall, that was amazing,ā€ he says. Carrie Ann Inaba points out a ā€œfew missteps.ā€ Len thinks Jordin has great control, but her ā€œbig problemā€ is her frame. Once she fixes her frame, then ā€œshe will really go places.ā€ Jordin and Brandon’s scores: Carrie Ann = 7; Len = 6; Derek = 7; Bruno = 7. Total Score = 27 out of 40.

Sam Champion and Cheryl Burke dance the Viennese waltz to ā€œHeartbreak Hotel.ā€ Bruno commends Cheryl for working Sam so hard. ā€œShe gets results!ā€ he says. Bruno adds that Sam ā€œlooked like a leading man.ā€ Len notes this Viennese waltz ā€œwas a much more confident performanceā€ and a major improvement from last week. Sam and Cheryl’s scores: Carrie Ann = 6; Len = 6; Derek = 7; Bruno = 7. Total Score = 26 out of 40.

Shangela and Gleb Savchenko bring the energy with their quickstep to ā€œShake, Rattle & Roll.ā€ Carrie Ann raves that Shangela is ā€œso sharpā€ when performing. ā€œIt was fun, entertaining, and joyful. Well done,ā€ Len says. Bruno says it’s ā€œaddictiveā€ watching Shangela. While there was a ā€œmistake that was obvious,ā€ Bruno says the routine was ā€œfabulousā€ apart from that. Shangela and Gleb’s scores: Carrie Ann = 7; Len = 7; Derek = 7; Bruno = 7. Total Score = 28 out of 40.

Teresa Giudice and Pasha Pashkov hit the ballroom for a jive to ā€œAll Shook Up.ā€ Len says that while the performance was ā€œbrightā€ and ā€œlively,ā€ there were ā€œtoo many faultsā€ in the ā€œleg action.ā€ Derek thinks that Teresa found her ā€œgrooveā€ in the second half of the dance. Carrie Ann says that Teresa was a ā€œlittle heavy-footed,ā€ but this was a ā€œhuge step forward.ā€ Teresa and Pasha’s scores: Carrie Ann = 6; Len = 5; Derek = 6; Bruno = 6. Total Score = 23 out of 40.

Selma Blair Sasha Farber
Selma Blair and Sasha Farber on Elvis Night. (Disney+)

Daniel Durant and Britt Stewart take on the theatrical and fun jive to ā€œKing Creole.ā€ Derek raves that it’s ā€œso captivatingā€ watching Daniel perform. Bruno admits that he couldn’t ā€œfind anything wrongā€ with the performance. Carrie Ann is ā€œin aweā€ of Daniel ā€œhitting the beats with such accuracyā€ when he can’t hear. Backstage, Daniel cries because he’s so proud of himself for doing this dance. Daniel and Britt’s scores: Carrie Ann = 7; Len = 7; Derek = 7; Bruno = 8. Total Score = 29 out of 40.

Gabby Windey is coming into week two as an engaged woman! Gabby and Val Chmerkovskiy dance a gorgeous Viennese waltz to ā€œCan’t Help Falling In Love.ā€ After the performance, Gabby and fiance Erich Schwer kiss on the ballroom floor. Bruno raves he was ā€œtotally swept away.ā€ Carrie Ann points out that Gabby and Val have a similar chemistry to Val and Rumer Willis. ā€œYou are sensational,ā€ Derek says about Gabby. Gabby and Val’s scores: Carrie Ann = 8; Len = 8; Derek = 8; Bruno = 8. Total Score = 32 out of 40.

Vinny Guadagnino and Koko Iwasaki are ready for their comeback after getting the lowest score in the premiere. Their quickstep to ā€œViva Las Vegasā€ is spot-on. Carrie Ann says that Vinny is her favorite Elvis of the night so far. ā€œYou went all in and it paid off,ā€ Len tells Vinny. Derek raves that Vinny ā€œowned that performance.ā€ Bruno thinks that Vinny is officially a ā€œcontender!ā€  Vinny and Koko’s scores: Carrie Ann = 7; Len = 6; Derek = 7; Bruno = 7. Total Score = 27 out of 40.

Charli D'Amelio Mark Ballas
Charli D’Amelio and Mark Ballas on Elvis Night. (Disney+)

Charli D’Amelio and Mark Ballas shine with their quickstep to ā€œBossa Nova Baby.ā€ Len tells Charli that she’s a ā€œterrific dancerā€ and he loved the ā€œwhole concept.ā€ Bruno says Charli and Mark’s performance was a ā€œdelicious quickstepā€ and has to rave over their ā€œquality of movement.ā€ Carrie Ann praises the duo as a ā€œquirky match made in heaven.ā€ Charli and Mark’s scores: Carrie Ann = 8; Len = 8; Derek = 8; Bruno = 8. Total Score = 32 out of 40.

Selma Blair and Sasha Farber jam out with their jive to ā€œJailhouse Rock.ā€ Selma does a cartwheel and split during the routine! ā€œYou made it yours, and you made it work,ā€ Bruno says. Carrie Ann admits that Selma and Sasha were out of sync a little bit, but she has to point out that Selma makes it ā€œlook so much easier than we know it must be for you.ā€ Len loves the choreography and the ā€œrecognizable stepsā€ that were included. Selma and Sasha’s scores: Carrie Ann = 7; Len = 7; Derek = 7; Bruno = 7. Total Score = 28 out of 40.

Cheryl Ladd and Louis Van Amstel’s tango to ā€œA Little Less Conversationā€ gets off to a shaky start. Bruno has to point out that Cheryl ā€œmessed up so many links.ā€ Carrie Ann appreciates how many times Cheryl same back from her mistakes. Len actually enjoyed the performance, calling it a ā€œproper tango.ā€ Cheryl and Louis’ scores: Carrie Ann = 5; Len = 6; Derek = 5; Bruno = 6. Total Score = 21 out of 40.

Joseph Baena is dancing the Viennese waltz to ā€œIf I Can Dreamā€ with Alexis Warr, who only learned the routine this morning. Carrie Ann admits that there were ā€œa few missteps,ā€ but she is impressed that Joseph was ā€œgenuinely leading.ā€ Derek notes that the performance ā€œcould have been catastrophic.ā€ However, in a sink or swim situation, Derek says that Joseph swam. Bruno tells Joseph that the performance was ā€œwell turned out, elegant, classy, and gentle.ā€ He even admits that he was looking at Joseph’s butt! Joseph and Alexis’ scores: Carrie Ann = 6; Len = 6; Derek = 6; Bruno = 6. Total Score = 24 out of 40.

Heidi D’Amelio and Artem Chigvintsev tackle a foxtrot to ā€œSuspicious Minds.ā€ Len notes Heidi and Artem’s ā€œbeautiful musicality.ā€ He admits that he was ā€œsurprised how good that was.ā€ Derek still wants to see more ā€œfeelingā€ from Heidi. Heidi and Artem’s scores: Carrie Ann = 7; Len = 7; Derek = 7; Bruno = 7. Total Score = 28 out of 40.

Wayne Brady Witney Carson
Wayne Brady and Witney Carson on Elvis Night. (Disney+)

Trevor Donovan and Emma Slater bring the heat with their rumba to ā€œAlways On My Mind.ā€ Derek calls it an ā€œexception rumba.ā€ Bruno is literally fanning himself. He doesn’t think he’s seen a rumba like that in week two. ā€œThat was not only hot, sophisticated, passionate, but you were in control,ā€ Carrie Ann says. Len raves that Trevor’s had a ā€œmetamorphosis.ā€ Trevor and Emma’s scores: Carrie Ann = 7; Len = 7; Derek = 8; Bruno = 8. Total Score = 30 out of 40.

Wayne Brady and Witney Carson end the night with a sensational jive to ā€œBurning Love.ā€ Bruno calls Wayne a ā€œscorching performance.ā€ Carrie Ann echoes Bruno and calls the performance ā€œfabulous.ā€ Len stresses to Wayne that this is a marathon, not a race, and he needs to take care of his knee. Wayne and Witney scores: Carrie Ann = 8; Len = 8; Derek = 8; Bruno = 8. Total Score = 32 out of 40.

DWTS Week 2 Results

Now it’s time for the second week of results. The first 4 couples who are safe are Heidi and Artem, Jordin and Brandon, Sam and Cheryl, and Daniel and Britt.

Teresa Giudice
Elvis Night came down to Teresa Giudice and Cheryl Ladd. (Disney+)

The following couples are also safe: Wayne and Witney, Selma and Sasha, Joseph and Alexis, Shangela and Gleb, Trevor and Emma, Charli and Mark, Gabby and Val, Vinny and Koko. The last couple to be declared safe before the bottom two: Jessie and Alan.

The bottom two couples are Teresa and Pasha, as well as Cheryl and Louis. The judges have to make their verdicts. Derek and Bruno choose to save Teresa and Pasha. Carrie Ann decides to save Cheryl and Louis. Len makes the final decision and saves Cheryl and Louis, which means Teresa and Pasha have been eliminated.