Season 35 of ABC’s hit competition series set sail with a fan-favorite theme on Tuesday, September 29, as Dancing with the Stars prepared a special “Yacht Rock Night” for its third week of competition. Following the departure of Giada De Laurentiis and Alan Bersten during Viral Songs Night, the remaining 13 celebrity and professional dancer couples returned to the ballroom to perform classic soft-rock hits from the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Co-hosted by Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough, the live broadcast featured routines evaluated by judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough as contestants continued their battle for the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. Song details, dance styles, and weekly updates were previously previewed on the official podcast hosted by Season 34 participant Andy Richter.
Full Lineup: Songs and Dance Styles for Yacht Rock Night
The 13 remaining celebrity couples took on a variety of technical styles, ranging from smooth foxtrots and upbeat jives to sambas and quicksteps:
- Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik: Quickstep to “Maneater” by Daryl Hall and John Oates (Score: 21/30)
- Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess: Jive to “Still the One” by Orleans (Score: 17/30)
- Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy: Samba to “Africa” by Toto (Score: 21/30)
- Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach: Foxtrot to “Just the Two of Us” by Bill Withers and Grover Washington Jr. (Score: 21/30)
- Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov: Foxtrot to “Hold the Line” by Toto (Score: 24/30)
- Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart: Foxtrot to “What a Fool Believes” by The Doobie Brothers (Score: 18/30)
- Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas: Quickstep to “Turn Your Love Around” by George Benson (Score: 22/30)
- Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong: Cha-Cha to “Never Too Much” by Luther Vandross (Score: 18/30)
- Jackson Olson and Emma Slater: Paso Doble to “Easy Lover” by Philip Bailey and Phil Collins (Score: 18/30)
- Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson: Foxtrot to “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes (Score: 15/30)
- Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson: Jive to “You Make My Dreams Come True” by Daryl Hall and John Oates (Score: 24/30)
- Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa: Salsa to “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Don)” by Daryl Hall and John Oates (Score: 19/30)
- Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold: Foxtrot to “Everywhere” by Fleetwood Mac (Score: 20/30)
Standouts and Leaderboard Results
At the top of the leaderboard for Yacht Rock Night were Olympic gold medalist Amber Glenn and actor Harry Shum Jr. Both secured an impressive 24 points out of 30 from the judges. Glenn earned praise from Derek Hough for her exquisite foxtrot to Toto’s “Hold the Line,” while Shum dazzled the audience and judges with an energetic jive.
Meanwhile, reality star Maura Higgins continued her strong run in the competition, landing in third place with 22 points for her classic quickstep. At the other end of the leaderboard, late-night sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez found himself fighting for points. He scored a 15 for his playful foxtrot, which featured coconut bras and a memorable shirtless moment.
How to Vote for Your Favorite Couples
Viewer engagement remains a critical element in determining who stays and who goes home. Combined scores from the judges and live fan votes decide which couples land in jeopardy of elimination each week.
Fans can cast their votes online through the official voting portal at dwtsvote.abc.com or via text message by sending the celebrity’s first name to 21523. Voting windows open right as the broadcast begins at 8 p.m. Eastern Time and close shortly after the final routine concludes. Eligible viewers are allowed up to 10 votes per couple online and 10 votes per couple via text.
Where to Watch and What Comes Next
Dancing with the Stars airs live globally and domestically on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT. It simulcasts live on both ABC and Disney+, with next-day streaming available on Hulu and ABC.com.
As Season 35 continues its themed rollout, fans can look ahead to the next milestone installment. Following Yacht Rock Night, the series will return on Tuesday, October 6, for the highly anticipated “Mariah Carey Night,” promising more elaborate costumes, high-stakes competition, and iconic pop anthems.
