Julia Stiles and professional partner Ezra Sosa have been eliminated from Dancing With the Stars Season 35 after a Broadway-themed Disney Night on November 2. Their departure came as two other couples achieved perfect scores, making for a night of standout performances and a dramatic result.
The Week 8 episode featured the final eight couples performing to songs from Disney films and musicals. Tony Award winner Cynthia Erivo joined judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough, while hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough helped bring back the popular team-dance round.
After the judges’ scores were combined with viewers’ votes, Stiles and Sosa were sent home, leaving seven couples to compete for the Season 35 title.
Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa Are Eliminated
Stiles and Sosa performed a paso doble to “Satisfied” from Hamilton, earning 33 points from the judges. Their team-dance performance added another 36 points, bringing their total to 69.
However, their scores and audience support were not enough to keep them in the competition. The pair were eliminated at the end of the episode, ending their journey just weeks before the season finale.
Their departure followed a night in which the leaderboard was especially competitive, with several couples earning strong marks and two reaching the maximum individual score.
Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Dewan Earn Perfect 40s
Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson, along with Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy, were the night’s standout couples. Both pairs earned a perfect 40 for their individual routines.
Shum and Johnson impressed the judges with a jazz performance to “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from Mary Poppins. It marked their second consecutive week receiving a perfect score.
Derek Hough praised Shum’s performance and suggested he belonged on Broadway. Cynthia Erivo highlighted the routine’s blend of comedy and intricate choreography, while Bruno Tonioli described it as practically perfect.
Dewan and Chmerkovskiy matched their achievement with a quickstep to “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast. The judges praised the pair’s timing, synchronization and lightness.
Carrie Ann Inaba noted how closely they moved together, while Bruno described the performance as a feast.
Although the couples tied with individual scores of 40, Shum and Johnson won the tiebreaker based on their accumulated season points. They had 236 points compared with Dewan and Chmerkovskiy’s 235, earning immunity for the following week’s group dance.
Maura Higgins and Connor Wood Receive the Lowest Individual Scores
Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas, as well as Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold, received the lowest individual scores of the evening, with each couple earning 32 points.
Higgins and Ballas performed a jive to “You Can Fly! You Can Fly! You Can Fly!” from Peter Pan. The judges appreciated Higgins’ commitment to the character, with Derek describing her as a convincing Tinker Bell. However, he felt the routine could have used more energy.
Wood and Arnold danced a waltz to “I See the Light” from Tangled. The panel praised Wood’s commitment to the story and his connection with Arnold, although Derek said his dance frame still needed work.
The team-dance round gave the couples additional points. Higgins and Ballas finished with 68 points overall, while Wood and Arnold reached 72.
Team Wildcats Win the Group Dance Round
The returning team-dance challenge divided the eight couples into two groups, each performing to a popular Disney song.
Team Slaytopia, captained by Tatyana Ali, performed “Zoo” from Zootopia 2. The group included Ali, Higgins, Amber Glenn and Julia Stiles, with host Alfonso Ribeiro also joining the performance.
Team Wildcats, led by Connor Wood, danced to “We’re All in This Together” from High School Musical. Its members were Wood, Ezra Frech, Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Dewan, alongside host Julianne Hough.
Team Wildcats earned a perfect 40 from the judges, while Team Slaytopia received 36 points. The additional points contributed to the couples’ overall totals for the evening.
Full Dancing With the Stars Disney Night Scores
Here are the individual and team-dance scores from the November 2 episode:
| Couple | Individual score | Team score | Combined score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov | 34 | 36 | 70 |
| Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas | 32 | 36 | 68 |
| Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik | 33 | 36 | 69 |
| Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson | 40 | 40 | 80 |
| Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach | 37 | 40 | 77 |
| Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa | 33 | 36 | 69 |
| Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy | 40 | 40 | 80 |
| Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold | 32 | 40 | 72 |
The team-dance results were:
- Team Slaytopia: 36 points
- Team Wildcats: 40 points
Seven Couples Remain in the Competition
Following Stiles and Sosa’s elimination, the seven remaining couples are:
- Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik
- Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy
- Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach
- Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov
- Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas
- Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson
- Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold
The competition now moves closer to its semi-finals and finale. Shum and Johnson have strengthened their position with consecutive perfect individual scores, while Dewan and Chmerkovskiy have shown they can match the season’s strongest performers.
The remaining couples will return for Grammy Night on November 10, when another round of performances will determine who moves one step closer to the Season 35 championship.
Source: Compiled from various sources
